Your AU680 Needs Attention.
We Can Help.
Whether you need a user manual, replacement parts, a service plan, troubleshooting assistance, or a refurbished replacement, Block Scientific supports labs running the AU680 nationwide.
over 40
Years in Business
up to 30%
Less Than OEM Pricing
>120
Reagent Applications
<24h
Response Time
ABOUT THIS PAGE
If you are here, something is going on with your AU680.
Maybe the Operator's Guide is missing and a new tech needs to learn the cuvette wheel cleaning procedure or ISE electrode replacement. Maybe the photometer is throwing absorbance errors, the ISE module is drifting on sodium or potassium, or the sample probe is flagging clot detection on clean specimens. Maybe the reagent refrigerator is not holding temperature, the water system is alarming, or you are staring at a PM schedule you cannot complete without outside help. Maybe your Beckman Coulter service contract renewal came in higher than expected. Or maybe the repair-versus-replace math is getting close.
Block Scientific is an independent laboratory equipment company with 40+ years of experience. We are not Beckman Coulter and we are not affiliated with them. What we are is a company that knows the AU chemistry platform inside and out, with a Centers of Excellence designation for the AU680 and nationwide service coverage.
Tell us what you need and we will get back to you within one business day.
DOCUMENTATION
AU680 Manual and Documentation Help
The AU680 comes with an Operator's Guide covering system architecture, sample processing, reagent management, ISE operation, photometer calibration, cuvette wheel maintenance, water system management, quality control, and troubleshooting. Additional documentation includes method sheets for each assay and the graphical user interface guide standardized across the AU platform.
If you need help locating a specific AU680 document, tell us which one using the form below.
PARTS
AU680 Parts Inquiries
The AU680 processes up to 800 photometric tests per hour (up to 1,600 with ISE). Common replacement items include ISE electrodes and reference electrodes, sample and reagent probes, the cuvette wheel with reusable quartz cuvettes, photometer lamps, mixing bars, wash nozzles, water supply filters, reagent compartment cooling components, and pump assemblies. The system shares its reagent format and many components with the AU480 and AU5810.
Block Scientific can help identify the right component for your AU680 and check availability. If the repair is more involved than a single swap, we can discuss whether a service visit or system evaluation makes sense.
SERVICE
AU680 Service and Preventive Maintenance
The AU680 requires daily water blank checks, regular cuvette wheel cleaning, ISE electrode conditioning and replacement, photometer lamp monitoring, probe alignment verification, and periodic system washes. The ISE electrodes on this platform are rated for specific sample counts or time periods. The water supply system including deionizer cartridges requires scheduled replacement.
Block Scientific offers four service plan tiers:
Prepared
Covers low-use clinics with one annual PM, unlimited tech support, parts, labor, and travel.
Protected
Adds one-hour callback, 48-hour onsite response, and two repair calls per year.
Classic
Offers unlimited repair calls.
Proactive
Delivers everything in Classic plus 24-hour onsite response.
All plans come in at up to 30% less than OEM pricing.
TROUBLESHOOTING
AU680 Troubleshooting Help
Common error categories on the AU680 include ISE module drift, photometer absorbance errors, probe errors (clot detection, level sensing, alignment), cuvette wheel contamination or damage, water system alerts, reagent temperature alarms, and LIS communication errors. The AU680 shares its user interface and error code structure with the AU480, so labs familiar with one platform can often interpret errors on the other.
Block Scientific cannot provide repair procedures on this page, but our support team can help narrow the issue. If your AU680 is down, note that in the form and we will prioritize your request.
If your instrument is down right now and patient testing is affected, let us know in the form and mark the urgency. Downed instruments get priority.
REPLACEMENT
AU680 Refurbished Replacement Systems
A refurbished AU680 from Block Scientific goes through our Centers of Excellence inspection including photometer calibration, ISE validation, probe alignment, cuvette wheel inspection, water system testing, and full panel runs with control materials.
Replacing an AU680 with another AU680 means no retraining, same reagent inventory, same LIS interface, and perfect result correlation with other AU-family analyzers. Block Scientific offers financing and trade-in credit.
See current AU680 availability and pricing:
BUY BACK & DISPOSAL
Sell, Trade In, or Dispose of Your AU680
Block Scientific purchases used AU680 analyzers at fair market value.
We handle decontamination, removal, and transport. Trade-in credit applies toward replacements. Visit our acquisition page for details.
COMMON SCENARIOS
What Is Going On With Your AU680?
Here are some of the most common reasons labs reach out to us about the AU680:
You need the Operator's Guide or method sheets and cannot find them.
ISE electrodes are overdue for replacement and electrolyte QC is failing.
The photometer is flagging absorbance errors or the lamp is aging.
Sample probes are throwing clot detection errors.
The water supply system is alarming.
Your Beckman Coulter service contract renewal is more expensive than expected.
You are comparing repair costs against a refurbished replacement.
OUR CAPABILITIES
How Block Scientific Can Help
Block Scientific is independent. We are not Beckman Coulter and we do not represent them. What we offer is 40+ years of hands-on experience with clinical lab equipment, a Centers of Excellence designation for the AU680, and a nationwide network of field service engineers.
Here is what we can do for you:
Documentation help
Help you locate AU680 operator's guides, method sheets, and training documentation.
Parts guidance
Identify parts and components and check availability.
Service and PM
Provide service plans at up to 30% less than OEM pricing.
Troubleshooting support
Talk through troubleshooting symptoms and recommend next steps.
Refurbished replacement systems
Supply refurbished AU680 systems through our Centers of Excellence program.
Equipment buyback and trade-in
Purchase your used AU680 at fair market value or apply trade-in credit.
Relocation and disposal
Handle relocation, decontamination, and disposal with chain-of-custody documentation.
Reagents
Source reagents and consumables for ongoing AU680 operations.
GET STARTED
Request AU680 Support
Fill out the form below and tell us what is going on with your AU680. Be as specific as you can. If you know the serial number, include it. If the system is down, check that box. A member of our team will follow up within one business day.
Downed instruments get priority. If your AU680 is offline and you are losing testing capacity, let us know and we will move your request to the front of the queue.
Frequently Asked Questions
We can help locate available documentation including the Operator's Guide, method sheets, ISE maintenance guides, and water system documentation.
No. We are independent with a Centers of Excellence designation for the AU680.
Yes. ISE drift commonly stems from electrode aging, reference electrode depletion, or calibration issues. Our team can help narrow the cause.
Pricing depends on configuration, condition, and warranty. Contact us for a quote.
Yes. We purchase used AU680 analyzers at fair market value. Trade-in credit applies toward replacements.
We can source ISE electrodes, probes, cuvette wheels, photometer lamps, mixing bars, water system components, and other consumables.
TECHNICAL OVERVIEW
About the Beckman Coulter Olympus AU680 Chemistry Analyzer
The Beckman Coulter AU680 is a mid to high-throughput floor-model clinical chemistry analyzer processing up to 800 photometric tests per hour, or up to 1,600 when running ISE electrolytes simultaneously. It handles serum, plasma, urine, and CSF samples. The system supports a broad test menu including routine chemistries, specific proteins, therapeutic drug monitoring, and drugs of abuse. It features automatic sample rerun and dilution, continuous sample loading, and clot detection.
The AU680 uses reusable quartz cuvettes in a rotating cuvette wheel, ISE electrodes for sodium, potassium, and chloride, and the same reagent format shared across the AU platform. Reagent positions are refrigerated. The graphical user interface is standardized with the AU480 and AU5810, making cross-training straightforward for labs running multiple AU systems.
The AU680 traces its lineage to the Olympus AU series. Olympus developed the AU400, AU480, AU640, and AU680 before Beckman Coulter acquired the diagnostics division. The AU680 occupies the mid-to-high throughput tier in the family, positioned between the AU480 (up to 800 tests/hr with ISE) and the AU5810 (up to 2,000 tests/hr). Reagent compatibility and result correlation across the AU family allow labs to scale throughput without changing their chemistry menu.
The AU680 installed base spans hospital core laboratories, reference labs, and large clinic-based labs. Its proven throughput, reagent compatibility with the broader AU family, and the platform's Olympus engineering heritage keep demand strong for documentation, ISE electrodes, cuvette wheels, parts, and refurbished units.
Stop Searching. Start Solving.
You found this page because something is going on with your AU680. Whatever it is, documentation, parts, service, troubleshooting, replacement, or disposal, Block Scientific can help. Fill out the form, tell us what you need, and a member of our team will follow up within one business day.