Storage Request #625: NPL vacuum pumps by Peter William Turpin
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no-r...@london.hackspace.org.uk
Dec 4, 2016, 12:16:18 PM12/4/16
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NPL vacuum pumps
https://london.hackspace.org.uk/storage/625
by Peter William Turpin
7th Dec 2016 - 21st Dec 2016
Request for 14 days in the basement (robotics area)
Two vacuum pumps from NPL require testing to see if they're functional enough to be used. One has already arrived under the previous NPL agreement. This request is to separate the pumps from the whole. Two weeks should be enough time to build a temporary test setup & see if they're worth accepting under infrastructure storage.
Note; one contains strong permanent magnets & will be labelled as such, but should already mounted within a safety housing.
***If no one replies to this topic the request will be automatically approved within 2 days.***
https://london.hackspace.org.uk/storage/625
by Peter William Turpin
7th Dec 2016 - 21st Dec 2016
Request for 14 days in the basement (robotics area)
Two vacuum pumps from NPL require testing to see if they're functional enough to be used. One has already arrived under the previous NPL agreement. This request is to separate the pumps from the whole. Two weeks should be enough time to build a temporary test setup & see if they're worth accepting under infrastructure storage.
Note; one contains strong permanent magnets & will be labelled as such, but should already mounted within a safety housing.
***If no one replies to this topic the request will be automatically approved within 2 days.***
no-r...@london.hackspace.org.uk
Dec 5, 2016, 1:15:23 PM12/5/16
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NPL vacuum pumps
https://london.hackspace.org.uk/storage/625
by Peter William Turpin
7th Dec 2016 - 21st Dec 2016
Request for 14 days in the ground floor (tea room)https://london.hackspace.org.uk/storage/625
by Peter William Turpin
7th Dec 2016 - 21st Dec 2016
Two vacuum pumps from NPL require testing to see if they're functional enough to be used. One has already arrived under the previous NPL agreement. This request is to separate the pumps from the whole. Two weeks should be enough time to build a temporary test setup & see if they're worth accepting under infrastructure storage.
Note; one contains strong permanent magnets & will be labelled as such, but should already mounted within a safety housing.
Peter "Sci" Turpin
Dec 7, 2016, 8:09:13 PM12/7/16
to london-h...@googlegroups.com
There's been no objections, so can someone please approve this? I
couldn't print the stickers tonight as no one in the space is following
this permission thread and was willing to approve it there.
On 04/12/2016 17:16, no-r...@london.hackspace.org.uk wrote:
> *NPL vacuum pumps*
> <https://london.hackspace.org.uk/members/member.php?id=588>
> approved within 2 days.****
>
couldn't print the stickers tonight as no one in the space is following
this permission thread and was willing to approve it there.
On 04/12/2016 17:16, no-r...@london.hackspace.org.uk wrote:
> *NPL vacuum pumps*
> <https://london.hackspace.org.uk/members/member.php?id=588>
> 7th Dec 2016 - 21st Dec 2016
> Request for 14 days in the basement (robotics area)
>
> Two vacuum pumps from NPL require testing to see if they're functional
> enough to be used. One has already arrived under the previous NPL
> agreement. This request is to separate the pumps from the whole. Two
> weeks should be enough time to build a temporary test setup & see if
> they're worth accepting under infrastructure storage.
> Note; one contains strong permanent magnets & will be labelled as such,
> but should already mounted within a safety housing.
>
> ****If no one replies to this topic the request will be automatically
> Request for 14 days in the basement (robotics area)
>
> Two vacuum pumps from NPL require testing to see if they're functional
> enough to be used. One has already arrived under the previous NPL
> agreement. This request is to separate the pumps from the whole. Two
> weeks should be enough time to build a temporary test setup & see if
> they're worth accepting under infrastructure storage.
> Note; one contains strong permanent magnets & will be labelled as such,
> but should already mounted within a safety housing.
>
> approved within 2 days.****
>
no-r...@london.hackspace.org.uk
Dec 7, 2016, 8:12:57 PM12/7/16
to london-h...@googlegroups.com
Status changed to Approved with the reason 'No objections, planned to be infrastructure if useful and will be removed if not.' by Nigel Worsley ( Pyrite member )
Peter "Sci" Turpin
Dec 19, 2016, 6:16:21 PM12/19/16
to london-h...@googlegroups.com
Since the system doesn't alert the mailing list, I've applied the
complimentary fortnight extension to these items. As some will know,
it's been a very hard couple of weeks and I'm not going to get the
testing done by the original deadline.
If I can't make the extended deadline, I'll remove them for storage
elsewhere until I can.
> <https://london.hackspace.org.uk/members/member.php?id=588>
> approved within 2 days.****
complimentary fortnight extension to these items. As some will know,
it's been a very hard couple of weeks and I'm not going to get the
testing done by the original deadline.
If I can't make the extended deadline, I'll remove them for storage
elsewhere until I can.
> <https://london.hackspace.org.uk/members/member.php?id=588>
> 7th Dec 2016 - 21st Dec 2016
> Request for 14 days in the basement (robotics area)
>
> Two vacuum pumps from NPL require testing to see if they're functional
> enough to be used. One has already arrived under the previous NPL
> agreement. This request is to separate the pumps from the whole. Two
> weeks should be enough time to build a temporary test setup & see if
> they're worth accepting under infrastructure storage.
> Note; one contains strong permanent magnets & will be labelled as such,
> but should already mounted within a safety housing.
>
> ****If no one replies to this topic the request will be automatically
> Request for 14 days in the basement (robotics area)
>
> Two vacuum pumps from NPL require testing to see if they're functional
> enough to be used. One has already arrived under the previous NPL
> agreement. This request is to separate the pumps from the whole. Two
> weeks should be enough time to build a temporary test setup & see if
> they're worth accepting under infrastructure storage.
> Note; one contains strong permanent magnets & will be labelled as such,
> but should already mounted within a safety housing.
>
> approved within 2 days.****
Peter "Sci" Turpin
Dec 29, 2016, 7:41:02 PM12/29/16
to london-h...@googlegroups.com
I'll aim to remove these for storage elsewhere on Monday.
Good news: the turbo pump *seems* to work, but I can't fully test it as
I can't find the right fittings. If I can, I'll build it up into a
better arrangement for on-demand use.
Bad news: the ion pump has a nasty gouge in it's sealing knife-edge.
When I worked with this sort of equipment 15yrs back, that was
considered a death-sentence. I'm going to check if it still is or not.
Also it looks fairly heavily used and is missing the controller, which.. £££
Good news: the turbo pump *seems* to work, but I can't fully test it as
I can't find the right fittings. If I can, I'll build it up into a
better arrangement for on-demand use.
Bad news: the ion pump has a nasty gouge in it's sealing knife-edge.
When I worked with this sort of equipment 15yrs back, that was
considered a death-sentence. I'm going to check if it still is or not.
Also it looks fairly heavily used and is missing the controller, which.. £££
Peter "Sci" Turpin
Jan 18, 2017, 9:39:13 AM1/18/17
to london-h...@googlegroups.com
Small follow-up.
After a lot of back-and-forth, I got some numbers back on the ion-pump.
It's an obsolete model from before Varian was taken over by Agilent. It
is as such outside their 10yr repair agreement. The serial number isn't
even on their database. I'm guessing it's about 20yrs old.
There's no official word on knife-edge repair, but 3rd party sources
suggest repair may be possible by infilling the gouge with vac-safe
platinum or gold, which would seem to be a TIG welding process.
Otherwise it's junk and won't even be usable as a vacuum chamber.
The power feedthrough is unfortunately smashed. Replacement part is £345
(#9595120).
The controller is absent. Replacement part is £1090 (#9199040).
If the pumping elements are worn out, replacement elements are £675
(#9290290).
That's for new stock parts from the manufacturer. Some old-stock and
used parts do appear abroad. IE;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VARIAN-HIGH-VOLTAGE-FEEDTHROUGH-959-5120-HVFT-5120-NEW-/381889005904?hash=item58ea5bc950:m:mFzN3RYXbZ0ntonxgnA8FEw
and
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251995110081?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
(not listed as a supported controller, but may just be the connector type)
There's also the DIY option. The controller is essentially just a 40W
8Kv PSU with a current meter calibrated to display the pressure. And any
12Kv rated feedthrough that will fit should be enough if the HV cable is
changing too.
I don't have the time & money to spend on it right now, but it should
keep fine for the time being or until something helpful falls into our laps.
After a lot of back-and-forth, I got some numbers back on the ion-pump.
It's an obsolete model from before Varian was taken over by Agilent. It
is as such outside their 10yr repair agreement. The serial number isn't
even on their database. I'm guessing it's about 20yrs old.
There's no official word on knife-edge repair, but 3rd party sources
suggest repair may be possible by infilling the gouge with vac-safe
platinum or gold, which would seem to be a TIG welding process.
Otherwise it's junk and won't even be usable as a vacuum chamber.
The power feedthrough is unfortunately smashed. Replacement part is £345
(#9595120).
The controller is absent. Replacement part is £1090 (#9199040).
If the pumping elements are worn out, replacement elements are £675
(#9290290).
That's for new stock parts from the manufacturer. Some old-stock and
used parts do appear abroad. IE;
http://www.ebay.com/itm/VARIAN-HIGH-VOLTAGE-FEEDTHROUGH-959-5120-HVFT-5120-NEW-/381889005904?hash=item58ea5bc950:m:mFzN3RYXbZ0ntonxgnA8FEw
and
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251995110081?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
(not listed as a supported controller, but may just be the connector type)
There's also the DIY option. The controller is essentially just a 40W
8Kv PSU with a current meter calibrated to display the pressure. And any
12Kv rated feedthrough that will fit should be enough if the HV cable is
changing too.
I don't have the time & money to spend on it right now, but it should
keep fine for the time being or until something helpful falls into our laps.
John Sinha
Sep 26, 2018, 7:09:13 AM9/26/18
to London Hackspace
Hi Peter,
I would be interested in us acquiring a vacuum chamber for a physics section of the new hackspace. The things I’m interested in are plasmas. I can imagine it could also be used for plasma cleaning and etching. I’m also interested in calibrating gas sensors.
Best regards,
John Sinha
I would be interested in us acquiring a vacuum chamber for a physics section of the new hackspace. The things I’m interested in are plasmas. I can imagine it could also be used for plasma cleaning and etching. I’m also interested in calibrating gas sensors.
Best regards,
John Sinha
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