Oil in the Exhaust fitting of my vacuum pump....

General Composites Discussions Equipment Talk
#1

Hi there,
so, today I’ve started playing around with the vacuum pump kit that I recieved yesterday.

The problem… by accident I got oil in the exhaust fitting of the pump. So I just managed to get it out again, and pour it in the oil fill port.

Following the directions from the pump manual, to test it, I do as follow:
[ol]
[li]remove plug from the exhaust fitting[/li][li]remove the cap from the inlet fitting[/li][li]turn on the pump[/li][li]once the pump runs smoothly (2 - 30 secs as per instructions), place back the cap on the inlet fitting[/li][li]after the pump operates for approximately once minute, I check the oil level[/li][/ol]

Now, the problems:
[ol]
[li]the pump does work, but it’s quite noisy, like a boiling kettle with not enough water [/li][li]the oil level has come down quite a lot, like if it’s consuming too much oil[/li][li]quite a lot of smoke/vapor comes out of the exhaust fitting[/li][/ol]

So, any advice? does it sound OK? anything that I should change?

Thanks in advance!

#2

Are you pulling vacuum on anything?
It will be noisy and smoky if not under high vacuum.

#3

It’s not connected to anything, just running on its own. After a minute or so I do close the inlet fitting following the manual.

What I’d really like to know is if I’m supposed to run the pump with the plug from the exhaust fitting on, tight or loose, or should I remove it completly for operation?

Thanks

#4

Is the exhaust fitting a plug or a vent? Run it with a vent but not a plug. It prevents debris from getting in the pump. A solid plug will prevent the pump from running at all. Usually a muffler of some sort is attached for that purpose and to contain and reduce oil and smoke.

#5

I’d say it’s a plug. It’s got a thin bit of rubber, and if I close it, there’s still some steam coming out and a bit of oil between this plug and the pump’s body.

I’d be quite surprised if there’s something missing to get the kit working. This is the list of items as shown on the website where I bought the kit:

  1. 1 vacuum pump (medium size)
  2. 1 air filter
  3. 6 meters rigid pvc pipe
  4. 1 distributor
  5. 1 negative manometer
  6. 1 control valve
  7. 3 air-taps
  8. 3 pipe connectors
  9. 1 quick-connector
  10. 1 vacuum port (breach unit)
  11. 5 sq.m. release fabric
  12. 5 sq.m. perforated film
  13. 5 sq.m. breather fabric
  14. 5 sq.m. vacuum bagging film (2.20 X 2.30 m)
  15. 22 m mastic sealant
  16. Internet resources with detailed instructions on vacuum bagging

Could I just buy some sort of filter and attach it?
Also, I think I might have to refill the oil, since it’s been running with no cap at all. Any oil in particular that I should be looking for?

Thanks!

PS: sorry if my English is not as good as it used to be, but there’s some words that I just don’t understand

#6

No problem, your English seems just fine. Let me know what part you don’t understand and I’ll try to explain it differently.

You should run the the pump without the exhaust plug. You could get a filter to catch some of the smoke and oil coming out; it would be safer, but not necessary for the kit to work.

There are specific oils for vacuum pumps, but I’m not sure what is available or which kind you need. My pump is oil-less.

#7

nothing should be attached to the exhaust fitting, except for a muffler if any. My GAST only has breather material over the outlet.
If you are pulling air into a pump for a long time, it will get hot, and over heat…it will spit oil, and smoke.

Attach the system together, clamp off the inlet hose, and pull a vacuum. it should quiet down and stop smoking. if you put oil in the wrong side, empty it as much as possible and follow the directions above.

#8

I just didn’t know what a muffler is, just googled it and found out you mean a silencer.

I’ve finally contacted the manufacturer directly, and they told me to leave the plug on. Apparently this plug does allow for some mist to come out, and I could also buy some sort of filter. Now I just have to find where to buy it here in Europe (online).

At the moment I do have enough oil, since running with the plug the mist has been reduced a lot.

#9

Just go to a gas station and get the cheapest gas filter you can find. Connect one end to the pipe and let free the other one for the air to escape.That’s it the oil and smoke will be traped inside the gas filter.