I'm having troubles (I think) with our rotary vane pump. I wonder if 
any of you can help me determine if I really am having a serious problem.

I had to shut down our mass spec for maintenance and I serviced the 
pump. It's been working fine since. I've had to shut the mass spec 
down again (for the troubles I described earlier this week) and now 
when I try to fire up the vacuum pumps, I do not hear the usual 
gargle from the rough pump - just a clicking that seems to increase 
over time. I look in the oil window there and rather than seeing the 
oil flowing like usual, it almost looks like it's splashing and the 
pump itself is shaking. Before the turbos kicked on, I shut down the 
whole thing. It's a Pfeiffer Duo 5 (or Duo 5 C - I can't remember) 
rotary vane pump.

With the troubles I've been having this week, I really don't want to 
make matters worse with a bad rough pump.

Thanks for your help,

~Penny

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                       Dr. Pennilyn Higgins
                        Research Associate

                             "SIREAL"
   Stable Isotope Ratios in the Environment Analytical Laboratory

         Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences
         University of Rochester
         227 Hutchison Hall
         Rochester, NY 14627

                    [log in to unmask]

Office: 209b Hutchison Hall               Lab: 209 Hutchison Hall
Voice : (585) 275-0601              Outer lab: (585) 273-1405
FAX   : (585) 244-5689              Inner lab: (585) 273-1397

           http://www.earth.rochester.edu/SIREAL/index.html
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