thebean - 6-2-2014 at 16:34
I can't afford a real vacuum pump and thus am forced to improvise. Currently I have a pretty strong mattress pump which can be used to deflate an air
bed. I figure I could hook it up to some tubing that runs to the nozzle of whatever I want to reduce pressure in. I also plan upon installing a
potentiometer so that I can control the vacuum. I'm not worried about it not being chemically resistant because I won't be using it for anything all
too reactive. Of course I then run into the issue of knowing the pressure. I am looking for a way to either integrate a pressure gauge that is in mmhg
into the pump or put something in my reaction vessel that measures pressure, think pressure gauge on the end of a rod, like a thermometer. Is there
anything along those lines? This is sort of what I'm looking for.
zenosx - 6-2-2014 at 16:41
Honestly I wouldn't think it would draw much. For about $15 you can get vac aspirator that I still make do with. That plus about $5 in hardware can
hook to the water hose like mine. Most are 3/4 NPT i think.
I don't has a vac gauge yet but it will almost boil water with my hand on small flasks (think 5mL)
PeeWee2000 - 6-2-2014 at 16:46
http://www.harborfreight.com/fuel-pump-and-vacuum-tester-935...
Heres what I use in my lab, not the exact same one but same purpose gauge. The orignial rubberish tube on the gague fits nicely into polyethylene
tubing and glass tubes fit inside it quite well, its very versatle as far as what I can hook it up to goes. And depending on how (more importantly
where) you hook it up and your you should be able to use stronger acids and such e.g. after you've already condensed a strong acid.
And like zenosx said get an aspirator theyre cheap!
[Edited on 7-2-2014 by PeeWee2000]
thebean - 9-2-2014 at 14:37
@zenosx: Are you saying that you use a manual pump? Or is it electric? If it is electric I'd like to know more.