Preventive Maintenance - Barnstead FB1300 Operation And Repair Manual And Parts List

Preventive Maintenance

Warning
Before using any cleaning or
decontamination method
except those recommended
by Barnstead|Thermolyne,
users should check with
Barnstead|Thermolyne that
the proposed method will not
damage the equipment.
Warning
Disconnect the furnace from
power supply before clean-
ing.
14
Contamination is a major cause of element failure,
therefore, when possible, remove the fume forming
material before heating (e.g., cleaning cutting oil
from tool steel).
The resistance wire is high-grade nickel-chromium.
Some chemicals, notably sulphur, halogens, and
cyanides, attack this wire at high temperatures, so
avoid spilling these chemicals in the furnace or
heating them any hotter than necessary. The
refractory cement helps to protect the wire, but will
not completely immunize it from damage.
All heating elements must be considered expend-
able, and replacement is expected; however, rea-
sonable care in their use will greatly extend the ser-
vice they will give. As the manufacturer has no con-
trol over the use or care of the elements, no specif-
ic service guarantee can be made.
Housekeeping is vital to your electric furnace—
KEEP IT CLEAN! Run your furnace up to 871°C
(1600°F) empty occasionally to burn off the conta-
mination that may exist on the insulation and ele-
ments. Run for approximately two hours with the
door slightly open.
Element life is reduced somewhat by repeated
heating and cooling. If the furnace is to be used
again within a few hours, it is best to keep it at the
operating temperature or at a reduced level such
as 260°C (500°F).
During normal use, the thermocouple in your fur-
nace can become oxidized and cause inaccurate
readings; therefore, we suggest that if you regularly
use your furnace you should change your thermo-
couple once every six months to assure the accura-
cy of your controller readings.
Clean by wiping the outside case of the unit with a
damp cloth and mild soap solution.