Maintenance

General Preventive Maintenance

Every Month or 2500 Pulses:

• Check the voltage across the Oil-Insulated High Voltage Power Supply Rectifier Tank. If there is a difference between what the Voltmeter reads and what the Kilovolt Meter reads on the High Voltage Power Supply Control Panel, contact the Femcor Field Service Engineer in the area.
• Place a drop or two of good grade, light machine oil on the felt oiling pads of the fan motor bearings on the Delayed Trigger Amplifier.

Every 12 Months or 7500 Pulses:

• Check the electrical insulating quality of the transformer oil.
• Wipe out the Tube Chamber walls with clean rags.
• Clean the oil filter.
• Check the high voltage meters on the Magnetic Field Control panel in the OFF position.
• Turn on the High Voltage Power Supply Control panel and the Magnetic Field Control panel.
• Set the pressure of the Nitrogen in the Module Chamber to 70 psig.
• Turn the High Voltage Power Supply on by pressing the ON button on the H.V. Power Supply Control panel and advance the HIGH VOLTAGE CONTROL until the Voltage Meter on the Power Supply indicates 35 kV.
• The Voltmeter can be calibrated by adjusting the Voltmeter Calibration knob with a screwdriver (located on the rear of the Magnetic Field Control panel). The Pulsar Kilovolts Meter should be calibrated until it matches the reading of the Kilovolt Meter on the H.V. Power Supply Control Panel.

Every Year or 10000 Pulses:

• Check the level of the oil in the Oil-Insulated High Voltage Power Supply Rectifier Tank. If the level is low, add oil.
• Check the dielectric strength of the oil in the Tube Chamber. If its dielectric strength is not sufficient for its use, it is IMPORTANT to change the oil in the Tube Chamber. The Tube Chamber contains about 165 gallons of transformer oil and should be changed with only high quality transformer oil.
• Remove the Module Column using the test stand and:
  1. Inspect and clean all of the modules and their spark gaps.
  2. Inspect the modules Modules for pinholes using a Tesla Coil.
  3. Replace and worn out "O"-rings and snubbers.
  4. Inspect the spring-loaded contacts for pitting and tension. It may be necessary to replace the contacts, the springs or both.
• Oil all of the fans on the console-mounted components.
• Inspect the Delayed Trigger Amplifier:
  1. Check the 6BQ75 Thyratron Tube.
  2. Check the Delay Generator Calibration.

Removal of the Pulser Module Column

1. Bleed air from the Pulser Module Chamber. The Freon does not have to be removed unless the removal of The Pulser Module Chamber is necessary.
2. Make sure that all of the electronic equipment is turned off. Remove the air input tubing, trigger input, H.V. input, H.V. metering and ac input cables.
3. Detach the RFI Housing. Disconnect air tubing, trigger and charging cables. Remove the four allen head screws that secured the mounting bracket assembly (Delayed Trigger Amplifier, Metering Resistor and Trigger Transformer).
4. Remove all Allen head screws from the Pulser Base Assembly and store it. Cover the opening with polyethylene to minimize the dust accumulation.
5. Secure the Pulser Service Cart to the hitch provided at the rear of the Pulser housing and insert pin after establishing proper Pulser height in an approximately level position. It may be necessary to readjust the Pulser height several times while removing the Modules, especially if working on uneven ground.
6. Use two of the four large bolts to attach the circullar slide plate to the Module stack End Plate Assembly. Then operate the hand winch to transfer the Module stack to the service cart.
7. Remove the two hex head nuts securing the Module output connector Front Plate Assembly by backing each one off one quarter of a turn until the nuts are removed from the tie rods.
8. The Modules can now be carefully removed, one at a time, by sliding each one off of the two tie rods. Using a shorting rod, short the spark gaps together in each module upon removal. Note that Modules No. 1 and No. 80 differ significantly from all other Modules. No. 1 has a trigger ball installed, and No. 80 has one less terminal and is identified with a "T" on the side of the Module.
9. The Module should be stored and covered (to minimize dust accumilation) immediately after removal. They should not be in an area where danger from falling or moving objects is inherent. Note: It is not necessary to remove all the Modules in front of the column in order to remove Modules from the bottom of the column.
   • Remove the first six Modules from the top of the column.
   • Operate the hand winch on the Pulser Service Cart to move the column foreward until the first Module left in column is about two inches from the end of the cart.
   • Operate the hand winch on the cart to move the circular slide plate and Module Column End Plate Assembly to the rear of the cart.
   • The two Permali tie rods may now be unscrewed from the Module Column End Plate Assembly and pushed foreward far enough to allow removal of the Modules at the bottom of the column.

Cleaning of Modules and Spark Gap Balls

When cleaning the Modules, it is important to pay special attention to the spring-loaded contacts on each one. Any grease or carbon should be removed, using a solvent such as Shellacol, methyl alcohol or isopropyl alcohol, applied to a clean piece fo tissue paper such as "Kimwipes" by the Kimberly-Clark Co.

The spark gap balls may be completely immersed (after removal) in any of the solvents named above. The balls may then be scrubbed with a stiff bristled brush and polished with a dry, dust-free tissue.

If the spark gaap balls are found to be pitted, polish with Ditzler DRX-25 (or similar) compound. Do not get the compound into the cavity of the trigger ball assembly. Use methyl alcohol solvent and a lintless cloth for final cleaning.

After polishing, cleaning and installing the spark gap balls, the entire Module should be wiped clean of any oil or dirt and then blown off with Clean, Dry air before they are replaced in the stack.

A prominent carbon deposit on a Module is an indication that it or one of its immediate neighbors is pinholed and should be replaced. A Tesla Coil is very effective in locating such pinholes.

Reassembly of the Pulser Module Column

1. Check and see if the Module surfaces are clean and dust free.
2. Check and see if the (spark gap settings) are correct.
3. With the Module Base Assembly attached to the Service Cart, install the two rods in the Base Assembly.
4. Apply a thin or ligh coating of Dow Corning No. 5 Silicon grease on all "O"-rings, making certain that they all lie flat in their respective groves.
5. Carefully slide the No. 1 Module, containing the trigger ball, down the tie rods and up to the base. Make sure that the spring-loaded contact sits properly in place against the trigger ball and that the silicon "O"-rings are seated properly. On this and each succeeding Module, check continuity from the outer spring connector to the H.V. connector on the base, and from the inner spring connector to ground, using an ohmmeter. It is important that right and left hand modules be alternately located in the Module Assembly to reduce inductance and maintain electrical continuity.
6. Carefully replace the remaining Modules and "O"-rings
7. Replace the Module output connector Front Plate Assembly and replace the hex head nuts and washers on the tie rods.
8. Tighten the nuts altrernately to provide adequate tension on the tie rods.