Synchronous Suitcases

Collecting Synchronous Tedlar™ Bag Samples with Suitcases

A. Perform all the following operations that you would for one suitcase on two.

1. Make sure that the "suitcase" decompression valve on the front is closed (fully clockwise). Once this is closed, there will be no need to open it again under normal circumstances.

2. Make sure all the fittings inside the suitcase are snug. Once tight, there should be no reason to loosen but they should be checked occasionally.

3. Attach the Tedlar™ bag securely by inserting the white nozzle as far as it will go into the Teflon™ insert within the inlet tube on the inside of the suitcase. No need to hammer, just a normal push.

4. Make sure the Tedlar™ bag valve (on the bag you will use for sampling) is closed and that the bag appears unused. If the valve is open or there is any air inside the bag, discard and use another bag.

5. Fully close the Tedlar™ bag valve and put the red cover on the inlet outside the suitcase.

6. Open the Tedlar™ bag valve one full turn. One full turn is 360 degrees, a complete revolution.

7. Close the lid and secure the latches.

8. Shove the 3/8" Tygon™ tubing from the black inlet valve all the way up into the vacuum pump. [Note: for a synchronous two-suitcase operation, two vacuum pumps are required].

9. Get the stopwatch ready - reset it if necessary.

B. The following describes the steps unique to a two-suitcase operation.

1. Position the two suitcases about the same height as close to one another as possible.

1. Simultaneously turn on the two vacuum pumps and stand them on end or set them down near their respective suitcases.

2. Withdraw both red caps from their respective suitcases until they are almost off (to the indentation), but not quite. You want to be able to pull them off quickly, but not allow air to diffuse inside.

3. Simultaneously, insert both quick connect fittings into their slots wait 30 seconds. Make sure they are securely "snapped" in place. Then simultaneously withdraw the two red caps.

4. After three minutes (3½ minutes if you started timing when the pumps were turned on), simultaneously replace the two red caps. Make sure they are shoved all the way up.

5. Remove the quick disconnects from both suitcases by pushing the sleeve forward with one hand and pulling on the tubing with the other. Turn off the two vacuum pumps, open the lids (wait for decompression if necessary).

6. Close the Tedlar™ bag valves.

7. Fill out the Chain-of-Custody on both bags according that procedure

Synchronous Suitcases

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