[labnetwork] MDA System 16 service

[Chris Malocsay]

Hi Michael; I agree with John on his point number 2.  Even a low 24V power
supply can cause electronic malfunctions.  They are easily replaceable.
Chris


Chris Malocsay
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On Wed, Aug 31, 2016 at 9:43 PM, John Shott <shott at stanford.edu> wrote:

> Michael:
>
> While I don't really know of a source that still services these devices, I
> do have a couple of thoughts:
>
> 1. The institution with which I was formerly affiliated took a MDA System
> 16 out of service in January 2012.  Last I knew ... as of late last year
> ... it was still sitting around in the basement.  While it has not been in
> service since January 2012, it was fully functional at that time.  You
> might want to contact Mary Tang or Carsen Kline at Stanford to see if they
> would ship all or part of it up the coast to you to see if that would get
> you over your short term need.  Of course, I can't guarantee that they
> still have it or that they would be willing to part with it ... but it's
> hard to imagine what plans one would have for such a piece of equipment.
> It was used for 16 channels of hydride detection.
>
> 2. Have you at least checked the main power supplies for ripple with
> either an oscilloscope or a combination of AC and DC voltmeters?  Many
> "vintage" pieces of equipment with simple, brute-force power supplied
> develop "bizarre" symptoms as their electolytic capacitors dry out and lose
> the ability to store a  charge.  I've brought many pieces of equipment back
> to life ... even without circuit schematics ... by looking at the ripple on
> the supposedly DC supplies and replacing two or three electolytic
> capacitors.  I expect that a number of the other members of this community
> with extensive equipment diagnosis experience ... which sounds better than
> saying "old timers" ... will agree that they have solved many equipment
> problems in old equipment by simply replacing the tired, old main
> electolytic capacitors in the DC power supplies.  While you may be well
> beyond this stage in your own diagnosis, I would at least make sure that
> your problem could not be solved by replacing $10 worth of electrolytic
> capacitors.  Of course,  I should add the appropriate caution (which is not
> needed in your case) that you need to exercise caution anytime you have the
> cover off a piece of electronic equipment with 120 VAC exposed ...
> particularly given the fact that if you are probing the main DC supply your
> probes will be dangerously close to the live, mains voltage.  Note:  my
> guess is that a few 10s of mV is acceptable ripple ... but anything over a
> volt of ripple is certainly problematic assuming that this piece of
> equipment used either 24VDC or 15VDC supplies.
>
> Good luck,
>
> John
> On 8/30/2016 5:37 PM, Michael Khbeis wrote:
>
> Dear Colleagues
>
> We are replacing our MDA system 16 in the next 6-8 weeks and are having
> reoccurring glitches where the MDA loses track of our hydrides monitoring
> module. This of course triggers a fault in our HPM panel. Does anyone have
> a point of contact for parts/repair of these legacy systems? We need to
> limp along for just a few more weeks.
>
> Gratefully,
>
> Dr. Michael Khbeis
> Washington Nanofab Facility
> University of Washington
> Fluke Hall, Box 352143
> (O) 206.543.5101
> (C) 443.254.5192
> khbeis at uw.edu
>
>
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