17 Mar
2011
17 Mar
'11
3:56 p.m.
Hi all,
this thread has turned up at the right moment...
I'm beginning to resurrect an 11/23 system so I can get stuff off an batch of old
RL01's & RL02's.
If it hadn't been for the comments about the foam filter, I'd have found out the
hard way!
The foam was like an exihibit from the Mummy's tomb - just crumbled away as soon as it
was touched!
So, I suppose it's safe to run the drive for a while *without* this filter, but is
there anything to use as a
short-term substitute?
Also, if I leave the head-lock in place, and try to run up the drive with a pack, would it
run up to speed
so I could leave it to 'purge' the pack before powering-down and *then* allowing
the heads to load?
These packs and drives have not been stored in the best conditions, which is why I want to
take precautions.
Thanks for any suggestions,
Graham Reid
18 Mar
18 Mar
7:11 a.m.
On Thursday (03/17/2011 at 07:56PM -0000), greid57 at o2.co.uk wrote:
Hi all,
this thread has turned up at the right moment...
I'm beginning to resurrect an 11/23 system so I can get stuff off an batch of old
RL01's & RL02's.
If it hadn't been for the comments about the foam filter, I'd have found out the
hard way!
The foam was like an exihibit from the Mummy's tomb - just crumbled away as soon as
it was touched!
So, I suppose it's safe to run the drive for a while *without* this filter, but is
there anything to use as a
short-term substitute?
I found foam filter material at the local DIY store that was intended to
add a filter to a home HVAC floor register. They are small roughly 3x9"
white foam filters that I then cut to the same size as the mummified
filter. But, honestly, I don't think the pre-filter is critical to
running the drive if you are doing it in an otherwise clean environment
and not running the drive 24x7. The pre-filter is intended to catch
only the big chunks anyway-- leaves, sticks, hairballs from your cat, etc.
Also, if I leave the head-lock in place, and try to
run up the drive with a pack, would it run up to speed
so I could leave it to 'purge' the pack before powering-down and *then* allowing
the heads to load?
Hmm... personally, I wouldn't do that because you will have the servo power
the heads into that locking plate. It would be better I think to disconnect
the servo control wire which is inside the compartment with the read/write
board. There is a red wire with bullet connector which is intended to be
disconnected during many of the alignment/cal procedures. This wire carries
the servo control signal and when opened, keeps the head movement unpowered.
I think this would be more safe than just locking the heads and then trying
to run...
These packs and drives have not been stored in the
best conditions, which is why I want to take precautions.
Some of the other suggestions about blowing the pack off with compressed air,
etc. might be good advice as well.
Thanks for any suggestions,
Graham Reid
--
Chris Elmquist
4:44 p.m.
Hmm... personally, I wouldn't do that because you
will have the servo power
the heads into that locking plate. It would be better I think to disconnect
the servo control wire which is inside the compartment with the read/write
board. There is a red wire with bullet connector which is intended to be
You;re right, I'd forgoten abot uthat in-line connector. That is probably
the best wayt to disable the motor.
I would leave the lock in place though, it will certainly prevent the
heds from loading.
disconnected during many of the alignment/cal
procedures. This wire carries
the servo control signal and when opened, keeps the head movement unpowered.
I think this would be more safe than just locking the heads and then trying
to run...
I don;t knowwhere you get the compressed air from, but some compressors
do put a significant amount of oil in the air. The RK05 manuals warn
aobut this, it's it a very bad idea to put oil on th disk or heads :-)
I am told (but have never tried it) that those cans of compressed air
used for cleaning cameras, etc, aregood for blowing the dust off
disk packs.
-tony
These packs and drives have not been stored in
the best conditions, which is why I want to take precautions.
Some of the other suggestions about blowing the pack off with compressed air,
etc. might be good advice as well.
19 Mar
19 Mar
7:37 p.m.
On Friday (03/18/2011 at 08:44PM +0000), Tony Duell wrote:
Good point Tony. Here, I have an oil-less compressor and if I use
tools that require oil, I usually add the oil to the tool or use an
inline oiler at the tool itself. I also have seperate air lines that
are labeled as "oil" and "not oil"... But not all air compressors
and
associated accessories are setup this way... that's for sure.
Some of the other suggestions about blowing the pack off with compressed air,
etc. might be good advice as well.
I don;t knowwhere you get the compressed air from, but some compressors
do put a significant amount of oil in the air. The RK05 manuals warn
aobut this, it's it a very bad idea to put oil on th disk or heads :-) I am told (but have never tried it) that those cans of
compressed air
used for cleaning cameras, etc, aregood for blowing the dust off
disk packs.
Yes... but I bet you can empty one in short order blowing off both sides
of a whole pack.
I believe another poster had a complete run down on cleaning packs on
this list within the last week or so. He was using a wipe of some sort
and alcohol on the media surface too I believe.
Chris
--
Chris Elmquist
20 Mar
20 Mar
3:47 p.m.
I don;t
knowwhere you get the compressed air from, but some compressors
do put a significant amount of oil in the air. The RK05 manuals warn
aobut this, it's it a very bad idea to put oil on th disk or heads :-)
Good point Tony. Here, I have an oil-less compressor and if I use
tools that require oil, I usually add the oil to the tool or use an
inline oiler at the tool itself. I also have seperate air lines that
are labeled as "oil" and "not oil"... But not all air compressors
and
associated accessories are setup this way... that's for sure. I am told (but have never tried it) that those
cans of compressed air
used for cleaning cameras, etc, aregood for blowing the dust off
disk packs.
Yes... but I bet you can empty one in short order blowing off both sides
of a whole pack. 
21 Mar
21 Mar
5:41 a.m.
New subject: Oil vs oilfree air compressors.
That is why I have a oil and water separator on the output line of the
compressor we have here at home, as well as moisture absorbers on the
blowguns I use to clean PCBs and other electronics.
1:46 p.m.
New subject: Oil vs oilfree air compressors.
Geoffrey Reed wrote:
That is why I have a oil and water separator on the
output line of the
compressor we have here at home, as well as moisture absorbers on the
blowguns I use to clean PCBs and other electronics.
Is that a homebrew device or something that you bought? I've not used my
compressor for things like PCBs for just that reason - it does put out a
little oil, along with quite a lot (relatively-speaking) of moisture.
cheers
Jules
2:02 p.m.
New subject: Oil vs oilfree air compressors.
On 21 Mar 2011 at 12:46, Jules Richardson wrote:
Is that a homebrew device or something that you
bought? I've not used
my compressor for things like PCBs for just that reason - it does put
out a little oil, along with quite a lot (relatively-speaking) of
moisture.
They're inexpensive (ca. $20) for the small setup (1/4"-3/8"
fittings) and are manually purged. If you've got a large setup,
there are auto-purging models. Also known as an "air dryer".
If you do much spray lacquer work, it's very important to have on on
your air supply line. Also important if you have any pneumatic
instrumentation (recorders, controllers, square-root extracters and
the like).
--Chuck
22 Mar
22 Mar
6:45 a.m.
New subject: Oil vs oilfree air compressors.
The seperators and moisture absorbers are off the shelf devices, add swivel
hoses and the appropriate quick disconnect couplers and Voila! I have to
have dry air as I also drive a soda blaster from this compressor.. Although,
I'm really starting to lust after an upright compressor that has about 5x
the volume in its tank <Evil Grin>
On 3/21/11 9:46 AM, "Jules Richardson" <jules.richardson99 at gmail.com>
wrote:
Geoffrey Reed wrote:
That is why I have a oil and water separator on
the output line of the
compressor we have here at home, as well as moisture absorbers on the
blowguns I use to clean PCBs and other electronics.
Is that a homebrew device or something that you bought? I've not used my
compressor for things like PCBs for just that reason - it does put out a
little oil, along with quite a lot (relatively-speaking) of moisture.
cheers
Jules
21 Mar
21 Mar
5:07 p.m.
New subject: Oil vs oilfree air compressors.
That is why I have a oil and water separator on the output line of the
compressor we have here at home, as well as moisture absorbers on the
blowguns I use to clean PCBs and other electronics.
I am quite sure it's possible to have a compressor that gives out
oil-free air, after all, something had to compress the air in those
'spray duseter' cans.
My comment was simply to remind people that the output of some
compressors, without further cleaning-up, is not suitable for cleaning
disk packs.
-tony
18 Mar
18 Mar
3:18 p.m.
Hi all,
this thread has turned up at the right moment...
I'm beginning to resurrect an 11/23 system so I can get stuff off an =
batch of old RL01's & RL02's.
If it hadn't been for the comments about the foam filter, I'd have found =
out the hard way!
The foam was like an exihibit from the Mummy's tomb - just crumbled away =
as soon as it was touched!
Hopefully you caught it before too much of the pre-filter ended up on the
absolute filter.
So, I suppose it's safe to run the drive for a while *without* this =
filter, but is there anything to use as a
short-term substitute?
Unless your computer room is very dusty, it shoudl be safe to run the
drive without it. But having the pre-filter in place will prolong the
life of the absolute fitler.
At one time, I bleive,y you could buy filter material in large sheets for
use in air conditioner,s etc. A piece cut from such a sheet would be
fine. It really isn't that critical
Also, if I leave the head-lock in place, and try to run up the drive =
with a pack, would it run up to speed
so I could leave it to 'purge' the pack before powering-down and *then* =
allowing the heads to load?
It should do (in that the pack has to be up to speed before the heads
even attempt to load, so keepign the heads off the platter with the
trasnport lock would allow the spindle/blower to run without any risk of
the heads loading), but I wouldn't do it/. The reason is tht once the
drive thinks it's safe to load the heads, it will attempt to do so, and
it may just keep passing current throug the stalled positoned motor and
servo amplifier output stages. Whether this will do any damage I don't
lnow, but I don't like it.
I would keep the transport lock in place _and_ unplug the positioner
motor connector from the PSU ('DC Servo' ?) board. That way the heads
can't load, and it can't over-current the motor.
-tony
21 Mar
21 Mar
11:33 a.m.
>
> So, I suppose it's safe to run the drive for a while *without* this =
> filter, but is there anything to use as a
> short-term substitute?
The prefilter is used filter the air primarily for the heat
exchanger. That air also circulates around some of the drive
electronics and mechanicals, but not the platter or heads.
Therefore, if you have a relatively clean area, you should be able to
run the drive for an extended period of time without the prefilter
entirely.
On my own drives I've cut a suitably sized piece of filter material
from a foam A/C filter to replace the original
prefilter. It's been
working well for a few years.
Unless your computer room is very dusty, it shoudl be
safe to run the
drive without it. But having the pre-filter in place will prolong the
life of the absolute fitler.
I'm not sure I understand this. The absolute filter is used to
filter the air in the platter compartment (with the platter and
heads); this is a sealed area once the cover is closed. The
prefilter is not in the air path of the absolute filter, so how would
it extend the life of the absolute filter?
A practice I make is to allow the air to circulate for several
minutes after mounting a new pack in the drive (with the cover
closed), before spinning up the drive and loading the heads. The
intent is to let the air circulate through the absolute filter and
pick up any crud I might have allowed in, before the heads load.
John
5:16 p.m.
I'm not sure I understand this. The absolute
filter is used to
filter the air in the platter compartment (with the platter and
heads); this is a sealed area once the cover is closed. The
prefilter is not in the air path of the absolute filter, so how would
it extend the life of the absolute filter?
As far as I know the pack is _not_ a sealed area. The air comes from the
blower, goes through the absolute filter, then over the disk/heads, and
that part is, indeed sealed, but the output from the pack area back to
the input side of the blower is not. The blower takes in air from inside
the drive, and that will partly be air that's come throug hte pre-filter.
So if you have no pre-filter, there will be more dust on the input side
of the absolute filter.
A practice I make is to allow the air to circulate for several
minutes after mounting a new pack in the drive (with the cover
closed), before spinning up the drive and loading the heads. The
intent is to let the air circulate through the absolute filter and
pick up any crud I might have allowed in, before the heads load.
In an RL drive, the blower is driven by the same motor that runs the
spindle. Unles the pack is spinning up, there is almost no air flow
through the absolute filter nad over the disk. So I wonder just what you
are doing.
-tony
4820
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12 comments
7 participants
participants (7)
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ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
cclist＠sydex.com -
chrise＠pobox.com -
dundas＠caltech.edu -
geoffr＠zipcon.net -
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