Lava V.300 Premium User manual

Operating Instructions
V.300®Premium
(Art.Nr. VL0300P I VL0300B I VL0300W)
Operation manual – January 2014 – © by la.va 1

V.300®Premium
Your Lava vacuum packing machine is covered by a two-year warranty. This warranty specically
excludes breakdown caused by liquid entering the air-pump. It is very important that you are aware
that allowing liquid to enter the air-pump will cause the machine to breakdown and invalidate your
warranty.
If you are vacuum packing items which have a high liquid content (soup etc.) then you should use
acrylic containers rather than bags, as the design of containers prevents liquid from being drawn into
the machine. All Lava machines are tted with a liquid trap which prevents liquid from entering the
pump. However once the liquid trap is full, the liquid has nowhere else to go and will be sucked into
the pump. If you see liquid being drawn out of the bag and into the machine then you must stop the
machine immediately and empty out the liquid trap.
The cause of the problem needs to be determined and this is usually “over-packing” something which
contains a signicant amount of liquid. For example, raw meat has a fairly high liquid content and if you
“over-pack” it, you will squeeze the liquid out of the meat and into the bag which will then be sucked
into the machine. A new product called Liquid Stop can be used to prevent this problem.
To prevent “over-packing” you can either manually seal the bag before maximum pressure is reached
or use a variable pressure valve in combination with the pressure gauge and pack at a lower pressure.
For example -0.3 bar instead of -0.94 bar. This will have some eect on the longevity of the product
being packed since less air is being removed but it can improve the presentation of softer food items as
they will be able to keep their shape better.
A. Top rubber sealing strip
B. Top vacuum rubber seal
C. On/O switch
D. Sealing strip element
E. Liquid trap with pressure release valve
F. Bag locator strip
G. Bottom vacuum rubber seal
H. Vacuum pump attachment inlet
I. Lid
Operation manual – January 2014 – © by la.va 2
F
E
G
H
C
I
A
B
D

Vakuum Packing in Bags
Place the machine on a at level work surface. You will need to allow enough space in front of the
machine to lay the bag at and you may nd it easier to place a one inch high cutting board or
something similar underneath the bag to keep it as at as possible.
Plug-in the machine and switch it on using switch (C). The switch should light-up red. If not then check
both the power supply and fuse.
You should choose a bag that is the correct size. Allow an inch or so on either side of the item you want
to pack and at least 2-3 inches at the top of the bag.
Decide whether you are going to use automatic or manual operation. If you use automatic operation
then the item will be packed at a pressure of about -0.90 bar. This is enough negative pressure to crush
a Coke can and it can squeeze the liquid out of soft food items and this liquid may then be drawn into
the liquid trap. It may also force food items out of shape which may be important if they are being
displayed for sale. See Packing at a Lower Pressure. Another option is to instigate the sealing process
before maximum pressure is reached. You can do this by pressing the red button (P) at any time during
the vacuum extraction process. The machine will then automatically complete its cycle.
Automatic Operation
Use this when the item you are packing is fairly resilient and does not contain too much liquid. You may
need to experiment to discover which items are suitable. Also remember you can instigate the sealing
process by pressing the red button (P) at any time if you see liquid begining to rise up the bag.
1. Set the vacuum pump control switch (R) to ‘II’
2. Set the manual/auto switch (S) to ‘AUT’.
3. Set the rotary switch which controls the bag sealing time (L) to 5.
K. Liquid trap with variable pressure valve
L. Duration of bag sealing time
M. Light indicator bag sealing
N. Vacuum pressure indicator
P. Bag sealing switch
R. Control of vacuum pump
I = Vacuum pump ON for use with pump attachment (Acrylic containers)
O = Vacuum pump OFF
II = Automatic engagement vacuum pump when lid is closed
S. On/O Switch
Operation manual – January 2014 – © by la.va 3
V.300®Premium
R K M
LN
P S

4. Place the item in the bag and place the bag with the rough/embossed side down. Lift
the front of the machine and place the top of the bag into the bag locator (F).
5. Close the lid and you will hear the pump start up. You must then press down rmly across the
full width of the lid and hold until -0.3 bar is reached on the gauge. This is most easily achieved
by placing your hands as shown. Failure to press down across the full width of the lid is the
second most common cause of problems with Lava machines. This process is not required on
the PREMIUM models, as the magnets hold the lid down.
6. The machine will draw all of the air out of the bag to a pressure of -0.90 bar and will then seal the
bag automatically before switching o after a few seconds.
7. You can now raise the lid and remove the sealed bag. Before packing other items, check that the
seals look OK – see Checking the Seal
Packing at a Lower Pressure
When the item you are packing is fairly soft or contains too much liquid to be packed at -0,90 bar then
you will need to pack at a lower negative pressure. You will need to experiment to nd the optimum set-
ting. This can be done as follows:
1. Set the vacuum pump control switch (R) to ‘II’
2. Set the manual/auto switch (S) to ‘MAN’.
It is vital that the top of the bag is correctly located with the full width of the bag inside
the bag locator. Failure to locate the bag properly is the most common cause of problems
with Lava machines.
Operation manual – January 2014 – © by la.va 4
V.300®Premium
Bag Locator
Side View

3. Close the lid and will hear the pump start up. Press down rmly across the width of the lid to
initiate the vacuum.
4. When the pressure gauge (N) reaches -0.90 bar then gently unscrew the pressure release valve
on the top of the liquid trap (E). As you unscrew the pressure release valve you will see the
pressure fall. Use the pressure release valve to set the pressure to the desired setting.
5. When the desired pressure is reached, Set the vacuum pump control switch (R) to ‘0’.
You can now pack at this lower pressure as detailed in Manual Operation. Please note that if you are
packing at a low pressure then you may need to press down very hard on the lid of the machine
during the sealing process, to achieve a good seal.
Manual Operation
Use this when the item you are packing is fairly soft or contains too much liquid for automatic
operation. See Packing at a Lower Pressure.
1. Set the vacuum pump control switch (R) to ‘II’
2. Set the manual/auto switch (S) to ‘MAN’.
3. Set the rotary switch which controls the bag sealing time (L) to 5.
4. Place the item in the bag and place the bag with the rough/embossed side down. Lift the front
of the machine and place the top of the bag into the bag locator (F). It is vital that the top of the
bag is correctly located with the full width of the bag inside the bag locator. Failure to locate the
bag properly is the most common cause of problems with Lava machines.
5. Close the lid and you will hear the pump start up. You must then press down rmly on the
corners of the lid. Failure to press down hard enough at this stage is the second most common
cause of problems with Lava machines.
6. When the desired pressure is reached, rmly depress and hold switch (P). The red sealing
indicator light (M) will come on. When the light goes out you can release the switch. The bag is
now sealed.
7. Set the vacuum switch (R) to ‘0’.
8. You can now raise the lid and remove the sealed bag. Before packing other items, check that the
seals look OK – see Checking the Seal.
Checking the Seal
The seal should be a clear line running uninterrupted the full width of the bag. If the bag is melted
through then you will need to turn the rotary switch (L) down a little. If the seal is interrupted then you
will need to turn it up. Once this has been correctly set for the type of bag you are using, you should
not need to alter it.
Please note that if you are packing at a low pressure then you may need to press down very hard on
the lid of the machine during the sealing process to achieve a good seal. This process is not required on
Premium models.
Operation manual – January 2014 – © by la.va 5
V.300®Premium

Vacuum Packing in Containers
Acrylic containers are ideal for packing things like soup, fresh salad or soft fruit like raspberries or
strawberries. They are also great for speed marinating meats.
1. Place the machine on a at level work surface. Plug-in the machine and switch it on using switch
(C ). The switch should light-up red. If not then check both the power supply and fuse.
2. Lift the lid and place the end of the container attachment tube over the vacuum pump inlet (H)
which can be found on the right of the bag locator strip.
3. Place the food item into the acrylic container and close the lid rmly.
4. Set the vacuum pump control switch (R) to ‘I’.
5. The pump will start up and begin sucking air through the container attachment.
6. Place the container attachment over the valve on the top of the container and press it down
rmly. When the orange nipple, found on the lid, INVERTS then switch the vacuum pump control
switch (R) to ‘0’.
Note that you will be unable to remove the lid from the container until you have released the
pressure using the release valve on the top.
Please Note: Do not over vacuum the acrylic containers or this could cause them to crack or even
implode. Stop vacuum process once orange rubber nipple inverts.
Emptying the Liquid Trap
The Lava range of vacuum packing machines have been equipped with a liquid trap (E). If at any time
liquid of any sort enters this trap please stop the machine immediately. The liquid trap is designed to
stop liquids from entering the vacuum pumps and damaging components beyond repair.
This important facility is not found on other inferior makes and distinguishes the Lava machines from
other competitors. The use of LIQUID STOP can prevent this from happening.
To empty the liquid trap, switch the machine o, remove the lid of the liquid trap and dry out the inside
of the trap using a paper towel or similar. You can then replace the square rubber seal and lid. You can
also remove the entire liquid trap if a more thorough clean is required. However, take care not to loose
the two rubber o rings seals located under the liquid trap.
Using Continuous Rolls
Continuous rolls give you a lot of exibility when packing and keep wastage to a minimum. These must
be cut to length and one end heat sealed before use. You will need to allow an extra inch or so for the
rst/bottom seal (which you should make with nothing in the bag) and about three inches for the top
seal. The quickest way to make the rst/bottom seal is as follows:
1. Set the vacuum pump control switch (R) to “II”.
2. Place the end of the roll in the machine. You do not need to place the end of the roll
into the locator strip, just place it over the sealing Teon strip.
3. Close the lid and press down rmly. (Premium models, until magnets engage.)
Operation manual – January 2014 – © by la.va 6
V.300®Premium

4. Depress and hold switch (P). The red sealing indicator light (M) will come on.
When the light goes out you can release the switch. The roll is now sealed.
5. Set the vacuum pump control switch (R) to “0”.
6. You can now raise the lid and remove the sealed roll. See Checking the Seal.
Cleaning
Always unplug and switch o the machine before cleaning.
Wipe the machine down with a damp cloth.
Make certain that the machine is completely dry before use.
Warning
The vacuum packing unit is not a toy and should not be used by children.
Keep bags out of reach of children.
Never submerse or spray water on the vacuum packing machine.
Always disconnect from power when not in use.
Operation manual – January 2014 – © by la.va 7
V.300®Premium
Landig + Lava GmbH & Co. KG
Valentinstraße 35-1
D-88348 Bad Saulgau
Telefon 0 75 81 - 48 959-0
Telefax 0 75 81 - 48 959-29
E-Mail: [email protected]
www.la-va.com