Relating to vacuum pumps and gauges.

Vacuum pumps.
This application is generally very clean and HyVac has lots and lots of pumps in use, that have been that way, for many, many years.  Contamination is not a big problem but vacuum pressure is.  Many times we are told that the pump is not pulling enough.  Often this can be traced to one of the following.

Leak in system, connection or pump inlet.
         Yeah we know, new manifold, it's the "cats meow", all new fittings.

The first thing we are going to ask is what is the pressure on your pump.  If you are making neon tubes for a living and don't have a decent vacuum gauge,  I mean one that scales 0-2000 micron then you are like "driving at night with no lights".  This is your main business? Spend the money, get a decent gauge. 

Check the pump with a decent vacuum gauge in blanked off mode.  Just the pump, at the inlet, no other goodies attached.  A 1 hole rubber stopper works real good for this.  What is your pressure.  If it is .001 micron or less in 15-20 minutes chances are the pump is right.  If it is higher then maybe the pump needs a flushing with HyVac Flushing Oil it's worth the try.  Water can sometimes be a problem.  If it is real high or flushing doesn't work you probably it probably needs some mechanical work on the inside ie... rebuild time.  Call us for an RGA.  Things to consider are the exhaust stage flutter valves or again a leak.  If you can get the pump south of 100 millitorr then you can try a little leak testing around the intake port just for giggles.

Vacuum Gauges
We have them and battery operated ones too.  Why battery operated vacuum gauges?  Well, when you bombard the system you don't want a gauge hooked up with a path to ground like the typical 115V electrical cord.  We have seen and heard about plenty of fried vacuum gauges from this process.  The battery operated ones isolate the gauge and do not provide a path to ground.  Typically installing a valve between the gauge also works but then operator error might come into play and mistakes do happen.

Oh yeah.... and the answer is NO if you bombard a 115V gauge with high voltage that is not covered by our warranty for the gauges or the gauge tube.