NXT Hg5 Amalgam Separator

Before replacing the collection container on your NXT Hg5 Amalgam Separator, make certain you have the replacement container in hand.

You can either order a new collection container from your dealer of choice, by calling Solmetex at 877-207-1551, or ordering online.

• NXT Hg5 Replacement Collection Container with Recycle Kit, NXT-HG5-002CR
• Hg5 Replacement Collection Container with Recycle Kit (Legacy), HG5-002CR

When you’re ready – check out how easy it is to replace and recycle by visiting this page.

The standard NXT Hg5 system is designed to accommodate 1-10 operatories. The inlet and outlet ports measure 1 ½” and it can be installed on the floor or wall mounted.

The NXT Hg5 mini is designed for tight spaces and is suitable for 1-4 operatories. The inlet and outlet diameter measures ¾”, and can be installed under a counter, under a sink and it can be wall or floor mounted. The mini is 7.5” shorter than the standard NXT Hg5.

The NXT Hg5 High Volume is designed for larger practices, it can accommodate 11-20 operatories. The High Volume can only be wall mounted and it has 3” inlet and outlet. Unlike the standard and the mini amalgam separator, the high volume has two collection containers instead of one.

First and foremost, put a new collection container on the system as soon as possible. Depending on the level and volume of the material in the top chamber, you have a few options that can help clear the top chamber.

Low Level of Material:

1. Leave suction ON.
2. While holding the collection container in place, remove the 2 pins that attach the container to the top chamber.
3. Slowly pull down on the collection container to break the seal between the top and bottom container. As soon as air gets inside the top chamber you should see the contents start to agitate. Allow the material to agitate for 30 seconds or so, then put the container back into place and secure with the pins. The material in the top should start to flow to the bottom container almost immediately. (Sometimes this procedure is required to be done a few times before all the top contents have moved to the bottom.)

Medium/High Level of Material:

1. Try the above process first. If that doesn’t work, you should call a service technician to try and help you clear the top. Keep in mind, the waste collected in the top chamber should be recycled, just like the collection container. So if your service technician manages to get all the waste out of the top and into a bucket, that bucket should be sent off to a mercury recycler.
2. If emptying the top chamber into a bucket is not an option, you can purchase a new air-water separator (top) from your dealer of choice. Contact Solmetex and we can help you with sizing of the replacement. Please keep in mind that the full top chamber you are replacing still needs to be sent to a certified mercury recycler.

Unfortunately, portable vacuums are not designed to handle the size and weight associated with most Amalgam Separators on the market. However, a separator could be placed in/next to a sink, and the contents of the portable vacuum could be poured into the inlet of the separator, with a hose or tube leading the outlet of the separator to the sink. This would require gravity to do the work, instead of suction, but over time it would still allow the material to settle and the separator to do its job. The Amalgam Separator could be taken off the sink, with the proper valve shut off, and placed in storage until the next time it is needed.

Unfortunately, If you currently don’t have central suction, and work off a Venturi system, our line of NXT Hg5 separators would not accommodate your system.

The NXT Hg5 is designed to provide years of trouble-free service, with minimal attention. In the unlikely event of system related problems, please consult the troubleshooting and maintenance chart in your NXT Hg5 manual*, or call Solmetex for assistance.

Low Vacuum at the Hand Piece

If the vacuum gauge reads normally but there is little or no vacuum to the hand piece, there is probably a clog or a leak between the hand piece and the NXT Hg5 Amalgam Separator.

If the vacuum gauge reads lower than normal these are the possible causes:
Did you just replace the collection container?

-> Yes

Check installation of the new collection container. If the vacuum is low, there is a possibility the O-rings on the collection container did not seal into the receivers. Remove the collection container, check the O-rings and re-install per the collection container installation procedure.

-> No

1. Check solid collection cup(s) – Clean or replace element/screen if necessary.
2. Check operation of the vacuum pump.
3. Listen for vacuum leaks.
4. Check all connections for breaks or cracks.
5. Check all flexible hose for kinks, breaks, or loose clamps.

*This manual is available for each model in multiple languages.

The EPA’s Final Dental Rule (2019) mandates the installation of amalgam separators in most dental practices to help reduce mercury pollution. Dental offices, due to the mercury in amalgam fillings, are the largest non-industrial source of mercury waste in the U.S. These separators play a vital role in safeguarding the water systems that our communities, businesses, and farms depend on every day.

If improperly managed by dental offices, dental amalgam waste can be released into the environment. Although most dental offices currently use some type of basic filtration system to reduce the amount of mercury solids passing into the sewer system, dental offices are the single largest source of mercury at sewage treatment plants.

The installation of amalgam separators, which catch and hold the excess amalgam waste coming from office spittoons, can further reduce discharges to wastewater. Without these separators, the excess amalgam waste will be released to the sewers.

Learn more about this issue, and about EPA’s effluent limitation guidelines and standards to help cut discharges of mercury-containing dental amalgam, on our Dental Effluent Guidelines page.

Source: https://www.epa.gov/mercury/mercury-dental-amalgam