Pumping Line Chapter 6

♦ The red pilot LED should not light during normal operation. If it lights, this indicates the motor is not
anymore supplied and the pump is not anymore driven. The yellow pilot LED just beside the red remains
usually lighted and indicates the presence of the low voltage power supply +12 VDC.
♦ The bridge must be on the ST2 position. This bridge is close to the connector where the attached cable
links the signals between the two boards. When the bridge is on the ST2 position, the UFI signal is used
as control reflecting the vacuum quality.
♦ The S4 switch is the ON/OFF switch of the board. It is on the ON position when the tongue of the switch
is oriented on the same direction like the two START and STOP push buttons on their stand-by position.
On the OFF position, the board is simply not powered.

The UFI signal is an image of the current absorbed by the pump. Better is the vacuum, lower is the current
because the pump has a lower mechanical load. This signal is returned to the diaphragm switching board and
used to validate or not the diaphragm pump switching cycle.

6.2.1.2.1 Adjustment and Troubleshooting

The board does not require field adjustment. Do not touch the potentiometers.

In case of breakdown, check first if the fuse is not burned. Then observe the LED’s behaviour. If the molecu-
lar drag pump seems OK and the board is defect, the complete board should be replaced (no repair at the
component level).

6.2.2 Diaphragm Pump KNF – Version 2

The diaphragm pump is a serial twin headed pump from KNF. It is located at the bottom of the centre bay,
at the back of the instrument.

If the pump operates continuously, it will require a revision about each six months. The diaphragm and the
valves wear out and need replacement. As a continuous operation is not necessary once a good vacuum is
reached, the pump is switched ON and OFF intermittently. This feature permits to extend the lifetime of the
parts subject to wear out, and finally only a yearly maintenance is required.

Under our normal conditions (bridge BR1 removed) the switching board will supply the diaphragm pump for
about 3 minutes, and then switch the pump off for another 7 minutes, and so on.

The diaphragm pump must never start up under vacuum. The automatic three ways valve is used to put back
the diaphragm stage at the atmospheric pressure after every pump stop. Also the valve allows to isolate the
molecular drag pump and the spectrometer during the time the diaphragm pump is stopped and therefore to
keep the vacuum. The valve opening delay (around 5 seconds) is fixed by the switching board. This function
must never be shunted!

Burning danger. The body of the valve becomes very hot (above 80 °C).

6.2.2.1 Maintenance

Thanks to the controlled switching (see above) the diaphragm pump requires only a yearly revision, like for
the molecular drag pump.

The diaphragms and valves are the working parts subject to wear. This should be performed at least once a
year. Moreover a meticulous cleaning of the parts, and a final adjustment will make the diaphragm pump be

AA83346 Technical Description - ARL 3460 6-5