Medtronic 640g Problems with Cracking?

[Rubyloo]

Hi Everyone,

I have been on the Medtronic 640g since last March, my first ever pump! Diagnosed T1 11 years ago. I am on Pump no.5 as all my previous pumps have cracked around the neck where you insert the reservoir. This weekend I have found a crack in pump No.5. Medtronic say that this hasn't happened to anyone else which is totally freeking me out as I have NEVER dropped it or banged it, wear it in my bra, face down on my skin in a silicone case and a sports padded case at night. The cracks are hairline, so very hard to see! Has this happend to anyone else?
Thanks in advance
Debs x

 

[candi-girl]

the plastic white ring bit where the reservoir goes in cracked and fell off mine and so they sent a new one. it just fell off.

 

[yingtong]

I've had mine since May2015 and no problems.

 

[Riri]

There was a crack in my old Minimed at the end of 4 years use but had new 640g since last November and haven't noticed any cracks

 

[CarbsRok]

@Rubyloo are you tightening the reservoir cap to much? I don't have a Medtronic pump so no idea how the reservoir is held in place, with the Animas pump there are strict instructions on how far to turn the cap and if you over do it the casing can crack. So read your manual to make sure you are doing the right thing, as it will get to a stage where Medtronic will refuse to issue another pump to you.

 

[Rubyloo]

No I'm not over tightening! After so many that have cracked I am paranoid about it! I have even changed the reservoirs in front of a Medtronic rep and he said I am not! It's really rocket science though is it! I don't see as you can over tighten!! You have to click it into place and if it's that easy to over tighten then there must be a design fault!!

 

[CarbsRok]

No I'm not over tightening! After so many that have cracked I am paranoid about it! I have even changed the reservoirs in front of a Medtronic rep and he said I am not! It's really rocket science though is it! I don't see as you can over tighten!! You have to click it into place and if it's that easy to over tighten then there must be a design fault!!

As I said to you in my post I did not know how Medtronic reservoirs were tightened hence the query, Animas pumps are different.
Another question are they def cracks and not just scratches?

 

[Spicey245]

Mine blew up on me last night, kept coming up with Critical Pump Errors so back on MDI now and waiting for Medtronic to send me a new one out. This one lasted 6 months!!! :-( Its a lovely pump to use but if this is a sign of things to come it doesn't fill me with much confidence.

 

[Spicey245]

Oh my GOD!!! I've just taken the pump out of the box and had another look at it and notice a HUGE hairline crack all the way down the side of the battery compartment!!! No wonder it's gone and died on me!! I haven't dropped mine either. Hmm... wondering if there's an inherent defect with them?!! Will be keeping a VERY close eye on my new one!!

 

[azure]

That's a shockingly large crack! I've never seen anything like that before. I'm no expert but it looks random and not like it starts from any place of over tightening or anything.

If you feel it may be due to an inherent fault, do report it.

Hope you get your new pump soon.

 

[Spicey245]

Thanks Azure, I've put up my own thread about it now too. I spoke to Medtronic last night but didn't notice the crack until I looked at it in the daylight this morning so I didn't tell them about the crack. As you say, it's not from over tightening and I have definitely not dropped it or knocked it. Its very strange! :-/

 

[iHs]

Oh dear lol

This cracked pump thing is catching.................

Did a cartridge change last night and noticed a black crack appearing in the silver finish to the plastic pump housing on my Vibe
Partner says its poor design and the crack should not happen. The Vibe is 2 years old so will be phoning Animas tomorrow and asking for a replacement before the crack gets longer and the battery cap wont stay screwed in.

 

[Deleted member 83869]

Hello I've been on a pump for nearly 4 years now.....was first on the accuchek combo and now been on the medtronic 640g for about 5 months and have never had problems with either of them In regards to cracking. I'm not entirely sure how they would cracked either! :S

 

[CarbsRok]

This is tempting fate I know, I've been pumping about 9 years and none of mine have cracked either.
Animas do warn in their manual that over tightening of the battery cap can cause the pump to crack. I then have to ask why as they know there's an issue haven't they fixed it?

 

[Spicey245]

Crickey, well I think I will be checking my new one for cracks every day from now on just to make sure! It's not good that a medical device should crack so easily is it?! Especially when they're supposed to be waterproof! :-/

My new pump hopefully arrives tomorrow!

 

[iHs]

I'm not really sure how the crack appeared as although I turn the cap so that it winds in enough to cover the yellow seal, it's not over tightened and it shouldn't really matter if the battery is replaced every month or every week, the design of the pump should be able to withstand that. The Combo pump that I had for 4yrs was still ok but the plastic is a different quality to the Vibe. The plastic used to make the Vibe is very rigid and over time I suspect that it dries out, more so against body heat.

 

[candi-girl]

Oh dear lol

This cracked pump thing is catching.................

Did a cartridge change last night and noticed a black crack appearing in the silver finish to the plastic pump housing on my Vibe
Partner says its poor design and the crack should not happen. The Vibe is 2 years old so will be phoning Animas tomorrow and asking for a replacement before the crack gets longer and the battery cap wont stay screwed in.

View attachment 18340

that happened to my old animas...

 

[iHs]

@Rubyloo are you tightening the reservoir cap to much? I don't have a Medtronic pump so no idea how the reservoir is held in place, with the Animas pump there are strict instructions on how far to turn the cap and if you over do it the casing can crack. So read your manual to make sure you are doing the right thing, as it will get to a stage where Medtronic will refuse to issue another pump to you.

I spoke to my OH about yr comment and he said that it's impossible to over tighten the battery cap because of the thread inside the battery compartment which will only allow for the cap to be turned so far and then stop because there is no more internal thread to turn into. The crack happens because of a design fault and as the quality of the plastic is not pliable so over time will probably not be able to resist drops on solid floors and of course the plastic will dry out like most stuff made today for the modern world. Thank goodness for warranties. ....

 

[CarbsRok]

I spoke to my OH about yr comment and he said that it's impossible to over tighten the battery cap because of the thread inside the battery compartment which will only allow for the cap to be turned so far and then stop because there is no more internal thread to turn into.

OK then perhaps you need to discuss this with Animas because they are aware of the problem and state the cause is due to over tightening the battery cap.

 

[iHs]

OK then perhaps you need to discuss this with Animas because they are aware of the problem and state the cause is due to over tightening the battery cap.

6
I have and a new pump should turn up tomorrow and no questions were asked about the over tightening regarding the battery cap which is just as well as iHs would have insulted their intelligence Grrrrrr