Vacuum pump oil: where can it be found.

Every fusor and fusion system seems to need a vacuum. This area is for detailed discussion of vacuum systems, materials, gauging, etc. related to fusor or fusion research.
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chrisforpower
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Vacuum pump oil: where can it be found.

Post by chrisforpower »

A while ago I aquired a Precision Scientific DD20 vacuum pump. The oil I removed from it was completely black. As it obviously needs an oil change I have been looking for a place that sells Precision Scientific vacuum oil but I have not been able to find any site that sells it in anything but bulk orders. Does anyone know a good place for Precision Scientific vacuum oil? Or alternatively, does anyone know of an oil that is availible that will work in the pump? Thanks for your time.

Pump specifacations.
Precision Scientific direct drive vacuum pump.
Model DD20. 20 l/m, 5 microns.
Richard Hester
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Re: Vacuum pump oil: where can it be found.

Post by Richard Hester »

You neglected to tell us many things, the first being where are you posting from? The Precision pump doesn't need any special name-brand oil, just one formulated to work with either a belt drive (lower RPM) or direct drive (higher RPM) pump. In the US, Duniway, LDS Vacuum, or KJ Lesker are sources for the pump oil. For the EU, I'll let other folks chime in, as I don't keep track of suppliers there. Since the old oil came out black, you might want to also invest in some flushing fluid to clean out the pump before you introduce new oil.
derekm
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Re: Vacuum pump oil: where can it be found.

Post by derekm »

in the UK GBRTech are a leading vacuuum pump oil specialist.
http://www.gbrtech.co.uk/
chrisforpower
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Re: Vacuum pump oil: where can it be found.

Post by chrisforpower »

I am posting from USA. I will remember to include my location in technical posts from now on.
chrisforpower
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Re: Vacuum pump oil: where can it be found.

Post by chrisforpower »

I found more info. The type of oil the pump uses is Precision B+ Vacuum Pump Oil, and it turns out that that is the same formula as Inland 19. Now to find a quart of it, and of course some flushing fluid.
Dan Tibbets
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Re: Vacuum pump oil: where can it be found.

Post by Dan Tibbets »

If you are close enough to a larger town, you may find vacuum oil at the local airconditioning / heating supplier. It would work as both a fush and oil for rotary vane pumps. Diffusion pump oil is harder to find, though I have heard that silicone based brake fluid will work (?).

Dan Tibbets
Richard Hester
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Re: Vacuum pump oil: where can it be found.

Post by Richard Hester »

The universal type direct drive oil that Duniway sells will work just fine. I use it in all my direct drive pumps with excellent results. Diffusion pump oil isn't that hard to find - the sources I mentioned stock several varieties, and you can even find it on Ebay sometimes, aimed at the neon sign hobby crowd.
AllenWallace
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Re: Vacuum pump oil: where can it be found.

Post by AllenWallace »

I found vacuum pump oil at my local farmers supply for about $20/Gal. Apparently cow milking machines use a vacuum pump. I used this as flushing oil and then used a 'proper' oil for the final oil in my Welch 1402.
richnormand
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Re: Vacuum pump oil: where can it be found.

Post by richnormand »

As Richard said,

"The universal type direct drive oil that Duniway sells will work just fine. I use it in all my direct drive pumps with excellent results."

That is what I have in my Leybold TriVac for the past two years. Still clean and excellent performance. $18/gallon.
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