Db33 - 9-12-2016 at 14:15
i just received my first vacuum pump. There is a big yellow sticker on top of the oil reservoir that says Remove Exhaust cap before operating. When i
remove it, it leaves a hole in the top. Is that they way it needs to be while running? Or does the system need to be closed?
Heavy Walter - 9-12-2016 at 15:13
Hi
Basically all -or most- have 3 holes: in, out and oil refill.
As it works as a reversed compressor, you need to leave the out unplugged. It is convenient to put an adaptor and to route a hose to outside. Just
when running you would get an oil mist and when working with toxic or irritant products you don't want their vapours in your lab.
If still in doubt, please send a photo.
Good luck!
[Edited on 9-12-2016 by Heavy Walter]
Db33 - 9-12-2016 at 16:12
here are 3 photos that show the exhaust cap with the sticker, and then when that is taken off and then the thing below it taken off.
Db33 - 9-12-2016 at 16:24
it also came with this weird oil drain cap at the bottom, you see the black thing? how on earth do i remove this? it doesnt say in the manual.
Heavy Walter - 9-12-2016 at 17:09
Hi, as far as I can understand, the yellow sticker is what you need to remove.
The blue thing is a mist filter (usually inside there is a rolled or tubular cardboard devised to stop the oil drops).
The black lower screw (allen type) is for draining old oil. You charge the fresh oil through the hole under the blue filter.
It is useful to mount the pump in such a way to be able to have room for a collecting recipient when you need to drain the old oil. I mean, not to
place the pump at floor but with some raised base. I cannot see clearly the intake. It is good to protect the pump with some sort of previous trap.
depending of what you plan to filter/pump out.
Texium - 9-12-2016 at 18:19
I have this exact vacuum pump (because it's extremely cheap, ~$30 new IIRC).
Yes, you need to remove the black cap. If you don't, it will promptly remove itself!
Get some foam or cloth to wrap loosely around the outlet to catch oil mist, cause the mist filter doesn't do a very good job.
You unscrew the oil outlet using an allen wrench. Be careful to have a container handy if you have to change the oil, otherwise oil will shoot out of
it once you unscrew the plug.
Definitely use traps prior to the pump to trap water and corrosive fumes, unless you want to be changing your oil every couple of runs. Even with
decent traps in place though, these cheap pumps still get nasty pretty fast.
Db33 - 9-12-2016 at 21:08
so if i change the pump every few times will that keep it descently clean and working?
Thanks everyone uve helped me alot. One other thing, should i have a hose leading from the exhaust hole leading to the outside or to a solution so
that the oil smell goes outside or is neutralized?
Sulaiman - 10-12-2016 at 02:35
if you can pipe away the exhaust from the pump that would serve three purposes
. pipe away any chemical fumes that may make it through the pump
. vent away oil mist
. reduce a major source of noise