--- title: Is It Time to Replace Your Battery-Operated Portable Suction Machine? description: If you find that your old battery-operated portable suction machine just isn’t doing the job as well as it once did, here are some signs it’s time to upgrade. image: https://blog.sscor.com/hubfs/GettyImages-86479749%20(2).jpg --- [![dark-header.jpg](https://blog.sscor.com/hs-fs/hub/212347/file-1107077240.jpg?width=940&name=file-1107077240.jpg "dark-header.jpg")](https://www.sscor.com/) ## **Thank you for visiting the SSCOR Blog.** Whether you're in a Hospital or EMS setting, this is the place for you. We'll share information on current industry news, tips, as well as the latest and greatest in SSCOR products. Our hope is that this blog is not only informative but a collaborative and open forum for you to share your thoughts on developing opportunities and challenges within your profession. Subscribe. Share your thoughts. Enjoy. -SSCOR Team   # [Is It Time to Replace Your Battery-Operated Portable Suction Machine?](https://blog.sscor.com/is-it-time-to-replace-your-battery-operated-portable-suction-machine) Posted by [Sam D. Say](https://blog.sscor.com/author/sam-d-say) Feb 23, 2021 5:05:13 AM 3 min read - [![LinkedIn Social Icon](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/142915/file-2628248555-png/images/icons/linkedin-small.png) ](https://blog.sscor.com/is-it-time-to-replace-your-battery-operated-portable-suction-machine#) 0 - [![Facebook Social Icon](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/142915/file-2623658044-png/images/icons/fb-small.png) ](https://blog.sscor.com/is-it-time-to-replace-your-battery-operated-portable-suction-machine#) 0 ![Is It Time to Replace Your Battery-Operated Portable Suction Machine?](https://blog.sscor.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Is%20It%20Time%20to%20Replace%20Your%20Battery-Operated%20Portable%20Suction%20Machine%3F.jpg?width=5607&name=Is%20It%20Time%20to%20Replace%20Your%20Battery-Operated%20Portable%20Suction%20Machine%3F.jpg) [The COVID-19 pandemic](https://blog.sscor.com/4-ways-covid-19-has-changed-airway-management) has taught many lessons. Perhaps one of the most important is that versatile equipment saves lives. Battery-operated portable emergency suction machines empower you to tend to patients wherever you find them—in their homes, in the emergency department, even in the parking lot.    When you don’t have to move a patient, you don’t face dangerous treatment delays. Perhaps even more importantly, you don’t have to expose other patients to any pathogens they may be carrying. But as the pandemic moves into its second year, you might find that your old battery-operated portable suction machine just isn’t doing the job as well as it once did.    Here are three ways to assess how well your battery-operated portable suction machine is working.    ## Pump Quality and Airflow The pump of your battery-operated portable suction machine is analogous to a car’s engine. No matter how well the other parts function, if the pump fails, the device will lose power, leading to preventable morbidity and mortality. The user manual for the device should provide clear guidance as to ideal performance and how to test it. SSCOR also offers a free [aspirator test kit](https://info.sscor.com/free-aspirator-test-kit) that can alert you to power issues.    It’s often possible to fix problems with the pump, but you’ll need to weigh the costs and benefits of doing so. You may need to send the pump away for a replacement, potentially leaving you without suction. And if the cost of repairs approaches that of replacing the device, an upgrade may be the superior option.    ## Electrical Issues Your battery-operated suction machine is a complex electrical device, which leaves plenty of room for electrical issues with the PC board, on/off switch, wiring, charging panel, or battery. It can be difficult to detect where the problem is coming from, and one electrical issue sometimes signals multiple electrical problems.    As every car owner eventually learns, electrical problems can be expensive to fix. Depending on the cost of repairs—and whether repairs are even feasible—chronic electrical issues may mean it’s time to upgrade to a new machine.    ## Wear and Tear Eventually, wear and tear can pose a problem to even the highest-quality machines. Cracks in the device provide an entry point for bloodborne pathogens and bodily fluids, endangering your patients. The length of time you can expect a device to last depends on your call volume. When making the decision about replacing a device, consider the realistic length of time you can expect a device to serve your agency.    ## Replacing vs. Repairing If your agency purchased a portable emergency suction machine at the beginning of the pandemic, it might have bought the first machine that came along—not necessarily the best. A year in, you may find that the machine just isn’t working as well as it once did. This is a common problem with cheaper suction machines.   Some factors to consider when weighing whether to replace or repair the machine include:  - Has this machine had ongoing problems that make it likely its issues will continue?  - Are the costs of repair similar to the costs of replacing the machine?  - How long will repairs take?  - Are there logistical concerns with the repair, such as the need to send the machine off and use a temporary replacement?  - Are you happy with the quality of service you get from your current suction device manufacturer?  - Would a backup device increase overall device life? Having multiple devices in rotation can help each last longer.    Every agency, no matter how small or large, deserves a machine that can last. That’s because when machines begin to give out, the people who suffer most are the patients. Indeed, you might not even know that a machine is not working correctly until you find that you’re getting consistently lackluster results after suctioning. So make your next machine a true investment. Purchase a machine that’s guaranteed to last for years.    The right battery-operated portable suction machine stands the test of time, delivering consistent and reliable suction for patient after patient, year after year. This investment in equipment can save your organization plenty of money over time, not to mention countless lives. For help selecting the right machine for your agency, download our free guide, [*The Ultimate Guide to Purchasing a Portable Emergency Suction Device*](https://info.sscor.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-purchasing-a-portable-emergency-suction-device).      [![SSCOR VX-2 Portable and Onboard Suction](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/212347/df6fa532-352a-40c3-999b-2d3767bb2e14.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/212347/df6fa532-352a-40c3-999b-2d3767bb2e14) Topics: [Battery-powered suction](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/battery-powered-suction) ![Author Photo](https://blog.sscor.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SDS2-648378-edited.jpg?width=70&name=SDS2-648378-edited.jpg) ## AboutSam D. Say Sam D. Say is owner and CEO of SSCOR, Inc., a medical device manufacturer specializing in emergency battery operated portable suction devices for the hospital and pre-hospital settings. Mr. Say has been involved in developing product for healthcare providers for over 35 years. His passions include contributing to the management of the patient airway and providing solutions that save lives in difficult conditions. Search #### Most Popular Articles ### Post by Topic - [Medical Suction (103)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/medical-suction) - [Airway management (102)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/airway-management) - [Emergency Preparedness (92)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/emergency-preparedness) - [Emergency medical suction (73)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/emergency-medical-suction) - [Portable suction for hospitals (34)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/portable-suction-for-hospitals) - [EMS suction (27)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/ems-suction) - [Handheld portable suction (26)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/handheld-portable-suction) - [Suction for EMS professionals (24)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/suction-for-ems-professionals) - [Respiratory (19)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/respiratory) - [medical scenarios (17)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/medical-scenarios) - [portable suction (16)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/portable-suction) - [Battery-powered suction (15)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/battery-powered-suction) - [EMS Professionals (15)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/ems-professionals) - [airway obstruction (15)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/airway-obstruction) - [Hospital disaster preparation (14)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/hospital-disaster-preparation) - [respiratory assessment (13)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/respiratory-assessment) - [Intubation (10)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/intubation) - [Pediatric Suction (10)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/pediatric-suction) - [Medical Suction for Dental (9)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/medical-suction-for-dental) - [Tactical trauma kit (7)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/tactical-trauma-kit) - [Crash Cart Supplies (6)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/crash-cart-supplies) - [Trauma (6)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/trauma) - [emt scenarios (6)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/emt-scenarios) - [Diseases & Infections (5)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/diseases-infections) - [aspiration pneumonia (5)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/aspiration-pneumonia) - [Aspiration (4)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/aspiration) - [Patient Transport (4)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/patient-transport) - [ambulance safety (4)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/ambulance-safety) - [Anaphylaxis (3)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/anaphylaxis) - [Suction Catheter (3)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/suction-catheter) - [nasotracheal intubation (3)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/nasotracheal-intubation) - [CDC (2)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/cdc) - [Medical Suction for Drowning (2)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/medical-suction-for-drowning) - [Tactical medical bag (1)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/tactical-medical-bag) - [medical devices (1)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/medical-devices) - [rapid sequence intubation (1)](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/rapid-sequence-intubation) [see all](https://blog.sscor.com/is-it-time-to-replace-your-battery-operated-portable-suction-machine#) [![subscribe_to_sscor_blog](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/212347/1209b5e9-2bd5-461c-9673-0f13ab98cab8.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/212347/1209b5e9-2bd5-461c-9673-0f13ab98cab8) [![Aspirator_test_kit_sscor_suction](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/212347/09b997f8-6c33-450c-9e98-6ea0f907f383.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/212347/09b997f8-6c33-450c-9e98-6ea0f907f383) [![determining_contents_of_first_in_bag_guide_for_paramedics](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/212347/03d28100-2a96-4c68-93d1-3e06a3b91cad.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/212347/03d28100-2a96-4c68-93d1-3e06a3b91cad) - [![DUET-B-Front-370px](https://blog.sscor.com/hubfs/DUET-B-Front-370px.png "DUET-B-Front-370px")](https://www.sscor.com/duet_suction_unit_retention_bracket_portable_aspirator) - [![Duet Bracket Back with bracket](https://blog.sscor.com/hubfs/DUETBB-back-370px.png "Duet Bracket Back with bracket")](https://www.sscor.com/duet_suction_unit_retention_bracket_portable_aspirator) - [![S-SCORT III Front](https://blog.sscor.com/hubfs/S-SCORT3-front-370px.png "S-SCORT III Front")](https://www.sscor.com/s-scort_iii_suction_unit) - [![S-SCORT-III3-control-panel](https://blog.sscor.com/hubfs/S-SCORT3-control-panel-370px.png "S-SCORT-III3-control-panel")](https://www.sscor.com/s-scort_iii_suction_unit) - [![VX2-B-font](https://blog.sscor.com/hubfs/VX2-B-font-370px.png "VX2-B-font")](https://www.sscor.com/s-scort_vx2_option_portable_ems_suction) - [![VX-2 Bracket Back with Bracket](https://blog.sscor.com/hubfs/VX2BB-Back-370px.png "VX-2 Bracket Back with Bracket")](https://www.sscor.com/s-scort_vx2_option_portable_ems_suction) - [![Quickdraw Front](https://blog.sscor.com/hubfs/Quickdraw-370px.png "Quickdraw Front")](https://www.sscor.com/quickdraw_portable_suction_unit) - [![DCELL-front-angle](https://blog.sscor.com/hubfs/DCELL-front-angle-370px.png "DCELL-front-angle")](https://www.sscor.com/dcell_suction_hospital_aspirator) - [![DCELL-back](https://blog.sscor.com/hubfs/DCELL-back-370px.png "DCELL-back")](https://www.sscor.com/dcell_suction_hospital_aspirator) ### Follow us on social media: ## SSCOR Clearing The Airway Is Our #1 Priority **Company** [SSCOR Website](https://www.sscor.com/index.html) [About Us](https://www.sscor.com/who_are_we.html) [Contact Us](https://www.sscor.com/sales_support.html)   **Resources** [FAQ](https://www.sscor.com/Frequently-Asked-Questions.html) [Technical Support](https://www.sscor.com/technical-product-support.html) **Updates** [Upcoming Events](https://www.sscor.com/upcoming_events.html) *All data and information provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. SSCOR, Inc. makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this blog and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis.* Images and content of this blog are © 2023 SSCOR, Inc. All rights reserved.