Vacuum oil change

OK, how much experience do you have working on centrifuges? Changing the oil in the vacuum pump and the diffusion pump are not difficult procedures but there are some basic concerns about doing the work yourself without the necessary skills.

Don

Hi Don,

Hardly any, but I'm mechanically inclined and have work on all sorts of machines, scientific and vehicular. I finished the job already. One only had 600 mL with a milky layer and some small debris. The other had 800 mL with less milkiness. Both took ~800 mL to filll where I could see the oil through the gauge glass. 

Anyone could do this as long as they can figure out how to open the front panel!

James

Did you change the diffusion pump oil?  That is necessary especially based upon what you described the condition of the forepump was.  Also, check out the vacuum hose from the forepump to the diffusion pump for cracks especially around the diffusion pump fitting where it gets quite warm.  Chances are that if you were down to 600ml then there may be vacuum pump oil contaminating the diffusion pump oil.

Don

How often should you change or check the oil in an ultracentrifuge? We have a J-26 from Beckman Coulter. 

Thanks!

Nat