Hello,

I´m with difficulty to make total vaccum.

I´ve tried 3 times, with 3 diferent moulds, and never achieved total vaccum, there´s always a leak.

I´ve checked the gum tape several times, and nothing.

So i´ve tried with a Trough Bag connector at the vaccum line, and  the feed line without connector, only the pvc hose with gum tape.

The result was the same, so i decided to make some tests.

First test:

With the Trough bag connector closed, i´ve switched on the pump, and when the gauge indicator got to the end, i´ve closed the pump valve, and then switched off. The gauge indicator moved, so there is a leak somewhere between the Trough bag connector and the pump.

There´s a few fotos taken with 2 minutes between them:

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060081.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060083.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060085.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060086.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060088.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060089.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060091.jpg

Second test:

With the Trough bag connector closed, i´ve switched on the pump, and when the gauge indicator got to the end, i´ve clamped the vac hose between the Trough bag connector and the catch pot, closed the pump valve, and then switched off. The gauge indicator moved not so fast as the first test, but moved, so there still´s  a leak.

There´s a few fotos taken with 2 minutes between them:

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060092.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060093.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060094.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060095.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060096.jpg

http://i675.photobucket.com/albums/vv112/pedcrist/P8060097.jpg

I don´t know what´s happening, if someone know, please give me a help.

Another issue: When i connect the vac hose to the silicone connector, i´ve got to cut it to be more thin, otherwise the tube won´t fit in the hole with the bag thickness.

Thanks,

Pedro

Hi Pedro,

First thing to do is to put a clamp between the infusion and catch pot, now pull full vac against the clamp and close of the pump. If this holds vac for 30min then you know its not the pump, catch pot or anything on that side of the infusion. Also put gum tape around the hose barbs on the catch pot and pump and make sure the rubber seal inside the nipple on the catch pot lid is well placed and that the screw cap over the hose is tight.

Next I would say to rather use the silicone connectors, when you breach the bag to place the hose into the connector you should push the hose through the bag and then into the connector, only the hose should be in the connector and no bag, as this could be problematic...

From what I can see in the pics I would say the corners of the mould inside the bag also look very sharp and could be piercing the bag?

Kev.

I agree with kevin-lee. You need to eliminate the catch pot and plumbing from the equation.

Hello,

Today i´ve tried what Kevin-Lee told me, and it still something wrong.

I´ve clamedp the infusin line to the catch pot, turned on the pump, total vac, closed pump valve, turned off pump.

After 25 min, the gauge acuse the failure.

Some photos of the procedure:







Then i puted gum tape around the hose barbs, checked the rubber seal, and repeated the test (25min again), but no success.

Photos:







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Am i doing something wrong? Because after this tests i don´t know whats happening....

Hello,

I think your Vacuum mesurement is not the good location.

You need to know if bag is sealed, not the catch pot.

Your lack is not huge, and not on the bag as you clamped vacuum hose from the bag to the catch pot.

i let specialist's reply, but i don't think you lack is important to perform vacuum infusion.

Regards,

Seb.

Ok, so run the test again but this time use new hoses in and out of the catch pot and also put the other clamp between the catch pot and pump, this will totally isolate the catch pot from the valve/pump. If it still leaks then you know the problem is on the catch pot assembly. This would only leave you with a few more points that a leak could be coming from, the first to check would be the catch pot seal (the big one), next would be the vac gauge and all the threads on the perspex lid and lastly would be the walls, base and welds of the catch pot itself...

Once you have puled vac and clamped the catch pot on both sides you could put it in a bucket of water just up to the bottom of the vac gauge so that the water covers all the points of entry, now wait 30min and if it comes out of the bucket with water inside then its the catch pot or lid assembly, but if no water is insid yet you are still loosing vac then you know its the vac gauge...

Kev.

Theres a slightly easier way to check which is leaking. 

Draw a full vacuum on the guage. turn off the valve and the pump. Put a line clamp between the mould and the catch pot.

Wait half an hour.  Check guage for vacuum loss.

at this stage, any loss registered on the guage will be loss between the line clamp and the vacuum pump valve. ie loss through piping and catch pot.

leaving line clamp secure, re-draw the vacuum on the catch pot. Shut off valve and shut off pump. Now undo the line clamp and look for a vacuum drop. If there is a vacuum drop when the line clamp is removed, then that drop was caused by air in the mould bag flowing into the catch pot.

A good tool to use if the changes are only slight is this vacuum flow indicator as you will see from the turning "fan" which way air is flowing.  It will show up all but the smallest of leaks.

Also no harm in putting a bit of vaseline on the metal catchpot edge and silicone seal.

Another today´s tests:

I´ve made a small vac bag only with the trough bag connector, made vac and had a small leak. With this result, i puted the bag under water, blowed on the hose, and observed bubbles coming of the joint of the connector with the valve(as shown at the 1º video), so i´ve retight it. Then i repeated the procedure, but still had a leak. Under water again, and a small bubble apeared between the rubber seal and the bag(2º video), but the connector was very very tight, so i think this connector is not very functional.





So i´ve quited of this connector and made a new bag only with the sillicone connector and with this one, for the first time, i achieved the total vac, because the bag didn´t popped, wich means there was no air entering the bag(as happend at the other tests) and when i´ve opened the clamp, the gauge didn´t move.

Some photos:







">

But there was a small leak between the catch pot and the vac pump, becase there was a little drop after vac the bag.

The next step is to test the catch pot as you told.

Tomorrow i think there will be more good news.

I have a suspicion what this could be. (Also a note to Easycomposites!!)

The connector on the catchpot, the black cable throughpass clamp where the resin line enters the catchpot, that fitting is installed with a piece of cut off silicone hose, at least on mine it was.

It is not the correct seal for the application and it does in deed not seal.

I went to my o-ring kit and chose the appropriate size, can measure it for u if you dont have a kit (very affordable and useful in the house) i put the o-ring on there and gave it a very slight tightening with a wrench. Only light cos its made of plastic. Seals perfectly. That pump valve should be fine. Try the connector!

cheers

Hello,

I´m going to test the catct pot under water, but meanwhile if you measere the o-ring for me, i´ll appreciate it, because i don´t have that kind of kit.

Thanks,

Pedro