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Preface Please read this operation manual before attempting to use the P350 flexitrax system. Note that this manual and all its contents are subject to change. Pearpoint products are under continuous development. Pearpoint reserves the right to modify any product, including this manual, without notice and some product changes may have taken place after this user manual was published.
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If in doubt regarding generator output selection, voltage stability or installation of the generator into a vehicle, consult a qualified electrician and/or your generator supplier. If using a generator, start the generator and let the generator to run for a few seconds before turning the P350 on. Please turn the P350 off before stopping the generator.
Ensure that standard safety precautions for working in hostile environments are followed. The flexitrax Power Supply Unit (PSU) is designed to reduce hazards from electric shock provided that proper operating procedures are followed. The P350 flexitrax system requires connection to a protective earth; if in doubt, consult a qualified electrician.
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2. When stopping the generator; ensure all electrical loads, including the P350 are switched off before stopping the generator. 3. Starting or stopping a generator whilst the P350 system is connected and the main switch is in the On position could lead to damage to the P350 system or the generator.
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Check with your courier for restrictions and best practice guidelines. Talk to a Pearpoint representative for a list of authorized repair centers. WARNING: Exposing the battery to a high temperature above 60°C (140°F) may activate safety systems and/or cause a permanent battery failure.
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Any third-party products (including hardware, software and services) mentioned in this manual are for instructional purposes only and are not an endorsement by Radiodetection Ltd, Pearpoint and SPX Corporation. Radiodetection Ltd does not accept any liability for loss of data or damage to equipment when using any third-party products.
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About this manual This manual provides comprehensive operating instructions for the P350 flexitrax pipeline video inspection system. Before attempting to operate the P350 flexitrax system it is very important that you read this manual, noting all safety warnings and procedures.
Ethernet RJ-45 port, for connection with third- party survey reporting tools. 17. Crawler joystick. Controls crawler speed and steering. Buttons control elevator height. 18. Camera joystick. Controls camera pan and rotate. Buttons control camera focus P350 Operation Manual 2...
The cable drum cassette in the powered drum is user-replaceable. Refer to the Appendix for instructions on how to remove and install the cable drum cassette. Please contact your local representative or visit www.pearpoint.com for a complete list of spares and accessories. Powered drum Manual drum 15.
The system offers two crawlers: the P354 (100mm/4” minimum pipe diameter) and P356 (150mm/6” minimum pipe diameter). Both crawlers are compatible with a choice of three cameras. The P350-CAM-FW is a fixed, forward view camera. The P350-CAM-PT offers pan and tilt and the P350-CAM-PTZ offers pan, tilt and 10x optical zoom.
1.5 Internal Rechargeable Battery The P350+ Controller with optional internal battery can power a Pushrod system for up to 5 hours without needing an external power connection,, or to review P350 surveys while detached from the system. It cannot power the crawler system due to the high-power requirements of these components.
50% speed, or 100% forward at 100% speed forward, and vice versa. The crawler will stop when it is left in the center position. Please see the below diagram of mapped functions. CAUTION: The P350 does not support untested and unapproved 3 party gamepads, which may produce unexpected operation when used with our software.
You will as a minimum require an Allen key set and a range of general purpose screwdrivers. CAUTION! If using a generator, ensure that this is compatible with the P350 system. Refer to the Generator Selection paragraph in the preface of this document for further information CAUTION! Before attempting to assemble the system, ensure that the power is switched off CAUTION! Check that all the link cables are connected as per instructions.
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NOTE: Item 6 “V-seals” prevent debris ingress into the crawler seals on the medium and large wheel sets. It is beneficial to check and replace these at regular intervals or ask our service teams to do so. 4x part 04/B1525510 P350 Operation Manual 10...
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84mm wheels improve performance in areas where the pipe diameter decreases, typically joint offsets and areas with reasonable debris buildup. The slimmer profile of the unit allows a greater chance of passing through these tight areas. Adaptors are required to attach these wheels to the P350 Figure 2.2b Kit of 84mm wheels CAUTION, when using the 84mm wheels with the 84mm wheel adaptor, select 84mm size wheels in the MENU >...
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Figure 2.7 Pan, Tilt & Zoom Camera Forward View camera P350-CAM-FW: this robust and compact camera offers a focal range from 10mm to infinity and a 120 lm light source. Pan and Tilt camera P350-CAM-PT The Pan and Tilt camera allows clear vision of pipes. With focal range from 10mm to infinity; featuring a 210 lm light source.
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Elevators The P350 elevators are used to elevate the camera and help center it in pipes 254mm (10”) in diameter or larger. The P350 system offers a choice of elevators: • Fixed elevator. The fixed elevator will deploy the P354 in pipes up to 300mm (12") and the P356 in pipes up to 380mm (15”).
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The thumbscrew mechanism should engage with corresponding recesses in in the baseplate. Once located, tighten the thumbscrew to fix the elevator to the crawler. The electrical connection can then be fitted to the front of the crawler as normal. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 15...
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The lighthead is fitted between the camera and the crawler or between the camera and the elevator. The lighthead provides up to an additional 850 lm. Figure 2.13: Auxiliary lighthead P350 Operation Manual 16...
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Figure 2.14: Old style cable termination The metal lanyards are about 45cm in length, allow an additional 5-10cm of slack cable to ensure function. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 17...
PSU’s handle. MK3 system connectors are not compatible with MK1 and MK2 sockets. Contact Pearpoint or your local distributor for the latest compatibility options.
Compact Flash card Insert a Pearpoint approved high-speed Compact Flash card into the card slot, which is located inside the I/O panel CAUTION: Please note the orientation of the card before attempting to insert it into the controller. Although a groove on the card will prevent you from inserting the card the wrong way, forcing this will damage the Compact Flash card socket.
The command module acts as the main control unit and digital video processor for the system. It is compatible with both drums, the external PSU and the Pearpoint range of P330, P330+ and P340 flexiprobe pushrod systems. The 8” LCD displays the on-screen system menu, live video or stored media files. You can control the command module using the keypad or the keyboard;...
The Time, Date, Counter, Pitch and Mimic information is stored on any recorded video (depending on chosen settings). You can add, edit, move and change the OSD using the Settings menu. See Section: 3.5 Controller Settings. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 21...
F5 and F6 control the BRIGHTNESS and CONTRAST. Press the left or right arrows to adjust the setting slider and OK or ENTER to save. The P350 software is based on the Main OSD screen and a number of general menu screen from which you will be able to setup and customize the P350 flexitrax system To navigate the main OSD screen use the function keys on the keyboard or keypad.
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Scheme ratios, similar to widescreen or 4:3) Time Enable / disable on-screen time text Date Enable / disable on-screen date text Pitch Enable / disable on-screen Pitch text Mimic Enable / disable on-screen Mimic text P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 23...
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Turns off power to the crawler. Calibrate tractor Calibration routine for the pitch profiler. numeric pitch Restore factory Restores all factory default settings settings Format card Format your Compact Flash memory card. Format USB Format your USB memory card. System Customization P350 Operation Manual 24...
There are 3 choices: Auto, Camera and External: Auto gives preference to the external video source (if present). Camera selects the P350 camera as the default video source. External selects the external video source. You can connect an external video source to the controller using standard composite RCA.
3.5.2 Communications (Bluetooth and Ethernet) MENU > SETUP > CONTROLLER > COMMUNICATIONS>BLUETOOTH The P350 controller contains a Bluetooth module that allows users to transfer files wirelessly to any compatible device, such as a computer or mobile phone. Figure 3.7: Bluetooth menu Press SCAN (F1) to search for nearby compatible Bluetooth devices.
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You can transfer any file on the card, however due to the limited bandwidth supported by Bluetooth it is recommended that you send small files only. To transfer video files, Pearpoint recommends using the USB connection. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 27...
To configure the Ethernet port MENU > SETUP > CONTROLLER > COMMUNICATIONS > ETHERNET. Figure 3.9: Ethernet configuration Status indicates if the P350 system is connected or not. Use the ▲ and ▼ arrows to select a setting and press OK to edit. ...
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Observations: Display observations in the video recordings in real time. NOTE: Titles are limited to 13 rows. As the information is customizable and may exceed this limit, only the first 13 entries are displayed. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 29...
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Figure 3.12: Setup video recording quality menu The P350 controller can record video using several quality options, advanced users can customize these. There are three pre-defined video quality profiles. High, Medium and Low. High uses up more memory but generally provides a better video quality, whereas the other options trade lower video quality for longer recording time on the memory drive.
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Maximum (30FPS for NTSC and 25FPS for PAL). Medium (20FPS). Minimum (10FPS). NOTE: Bitrate is the only parameter that will affect your recording sizes. Higher bitrates will result in better video quality and larger file sizes. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 31...
Set the distance where to stop the crawler when retrieving. Wheels: Set the wheel size and type, used for accurate distance measurement and safe, efficient drum retrieval (wheel size affects crawler and drum speed, a mismatch may cause damage). P350 Operation Manual 32...
Text backg transp: Change transparency level from solid to transparent for the menu background. Text color: Change text color. NOTE: Hiding any on screen information filed result in these fields not been recorded in your video and photos. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 33...
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Choosing an On-Screen Information layout The P350 controller offers a choice of 3 different layouts for the position of the date, time and counter fields and the position and size of any text page you may decide to show on the screen.
Figure 3.18 Company information menu Crew: use this field to record the name of the crew or individual who is in charge of the P350 system (30 characters). Address: use this field to record your company’s street address (30 characters).
If you format the Compact Flash card or USB Flash drive using your PC, format the card using the FAT32 file system. Ask a Pearpoint representative if in doubt! Cards formatted in different formats or by a media player or digital camera may not work.
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Pearpoint recommends using the mains adaptor for software upgrades. This is to ensure a reliable power source. NOTE: The system should be completely assembled when attempting to upload new software. Check for new updates at www.pearpoint.com, by selecting Downloads, Inspection, and Software Downloads.
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This section is used to provide more detailed information about the system software and hardware configuration. This can be useful for service diagnostics. See figure 3.21 which shows an example of the camera and controller diagnostic windows. Figure 3.21 Status Information screens P350 Operation Manual 38...
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Formatting cannot be undone so proceed with caution! System Customization The P350 controller uses Job templates to organize the inspection’s recordings and observation into JOBS (Creating Reports) and to assist in the creation of reports.
Assess your deployment and safety requirements before you begin. Different environments may pose risks and challenges that you may be unaccustomed to. Check that no hazardous gases are present. The P350 flexitrax is not suitable for use in potentially explosive environments.
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CAUTION! Do not attempt to lift the crawler by the system cable. Do not drop the crawler as it may damage the camera and the system’s electronics Before attempting to assemble and use the crawler deployment tool, ensure that all parts are included in the kit. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 41...
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4.3; the recommended torque for the M4 x 6 screws is 2.4Nm / 21.2 In-Lbs or 8.0Nm / 70 In Lbs for the M6 x 8 screws. P354 P356 Figure 4.3: Strap Assembly CAUTION! Do not over-tighten the screws P350 Operation Manual 42...
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When using a large elevator you must use the P356 Large Elevator grab system. Attach the elevator cradle, fig.4.5, to the bottom pole using using the screw (3/8-16 UNC 2" HEX HD SS) and nut (3/8"x16U NC NYLOC SS) provided. Figure 4.5: Elevator cradle assembly P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 43...
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4. Secure the bracket to the elevator assembly using the new 4 off M6x12 screws supplied with the lifting tool, and tighten firmly (recommended torque 8Nm or 70 In-Lbs). O-Ring Bush M6 x 16 screws Linkage arm Existing Assembly Linkage arm New Assembly Figure 4.6: Elevator bracket assembly P350 Operation Manual 44...
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Ensure that the hook or the cradle is properly engaged to the strap or elevator bracket before trying to lift the crawler. We recommend the use of a suitable rope to stabilize and aid the deployment/retrieval operation. Use the highlighted eyes in figure 4.8 to secure the rope to the hook or cradle. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 45...
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The optional cable deployment rollers help protect the cable from scoring on concrete and other abrasive materials. Pearpoint recommends that you always use cable deployment and removal rollers. Figure 4.9 demonstrates the use of a manhole roller and the protective downhole tiger-tail rollers. Note the position of the tiger-tail roller below the surface.
Tilt protection P350 systems offer automatic TILT protection. By default, this will halt the crawler in hazardous tilting situations, when its roll first exceeds 35°.The user will be shown a tilt hazard warning, and can restart the crawler movement if necessary.
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Use the crank handle for winding in the cable. Use the manual wind layering handle to ensure the cable is laid evenly in the drum. You can reverse the crawler in Manual (MAN) or Automatic (AUT). Press F3 to toggle between Automatic and Manual driving modes. P350 Operation Manual 48...
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To rewind the cable in manual mode, hold the Fn key and press ▼ on the keypad. Decrease the speed by pressing Fn + ▲ together. The system will stop when the Auto Stop limit or the zero point are reached. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 49...
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You can lock steer the crawler by pressing ALT + ◄ or ►at the same time. You can exit this mode by pressing ▲. To stop turning the crawler when it is stationary you can also press or the spacebar. P350 Operation Manual 50...
Connect the optional headset to record audio commentary over the video. To pause a recording, press ║. Press ║ or ● to resume. To end the recording, press ■ on the keypad or press ESC on the keyboard. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 51...
The on-screen display menu will not be shown. 4.7 Camera control (lights, focus, pan, rotate, zoom) The P350 cameras have a range of features to help you locate faults in more demanding conditions. Analog joystick control The right hand joystick pod provides intuitive control of the connected camera.
NOTE: the P350-CAM-FW and P350-CAM-PT have a focus range of 10mm (½") to infinity. The P350-CAM- PTZ has a focus range of 10mm (½") (WIDE) to infinity. When using the P350-CAM-FW camera you can use the pan function to digitally pan a zoomed-in picture on screen. ...
4.9 Pendant controller The P350 pendant controller is an optional accessory which allows the user to control the system remotely. Figure 4.12: Pendant controller Connections: The P350 pendant lead connects to the Pendant socket on the powered drum or manual PSU.
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2D image of the 3D camera position. The square box acts as a target, use the pendant joystick to position it and press GO – the camera will move to this point. NOTE: Joystick function is not available for fixed forward view cameras. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 55...
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MAN (Manual mode): Continuous pulling of the joystick will drive the crawler backwards. Pressing the [STOP] button on the joystick will stop all crawler motion and apply the brake. (it will also turn the indication light red. P350 Operation Manual 56...
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Pressing the right TRIM button will reduce the left trim. Pressing right again will cancel the trim Trim may only be changed while the crawler is in motion. The crawler will retain its trim setting through power cycles and on other P350 systems. Press both [TRIM] keys together and the crawler will drive straight forward.
Press F3 HIDE to remove the current overlaid page and exit the Text menu. NOTE: The page title is not recorded in the video in real time. Press F1 EDIT to modify the text page. Use the keyboard or keypad to add or edit the text. P350 Operation Manual 58...
BROWS to return to the browser. Press ◄ or ESC to exit. NOTE: An error message will appear if the picture is not suitable. This may happen if you are trying to use an incompatible photo. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 59...
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4 seconds when resuming your survey. Defect code list By default the P350 controller uses the WRC MSCC 3 Condition Codes. The Condition Codes list is also available to browse and use when you edit text pages.
18. Weather: Choose between WRCs MSSC 3 weather identification. 19. Remark: Remarks (30 characters). By default the P350 controller is compatible with the WRC MSCC 3 specifications and as such it contains WRC Condition Codes and can export SEWER.DAT report files.
CONTROLLER > BASIC SETTINGS > JOB PROMPT. Setting this to OFF will stop the JOBS information screen popping up when you first press Record. In this case the P350 will default to “client”,“site”, and “S_F” as references for the folder structures. P350 Operation Manual 62...
Job’s details or if you are in the file browser area. Figure 6.2: Job Reviewer Menu The filenames can be set to be recorded using either the date, survey, site or client information. See the Controller Settings section. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 63...
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To activate a job, press START. All recordings and observations will be saved in the active’s job survey folder. The current active jobs is identified by the letter “A” in the Job Browser menu. To de-activate a Job, press STOP. P350 Operation Manual 64...
Select a file or using the ▲ & ▼arrows. Press RENAM, the file name will appear near the bottom of the screen. Type a new name and press OK to confirm CANCL to cancel the operation). P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 65...
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Select the file or folder and press INFO to access the information: File Extension or Folder. File Size. Read-only attribute. Hidden attribute. Date and time of creation. Press OK to exit. P350 Operation Manual 66...
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Press ■ to stop the slideshow. Playing videos You can play a recorded video and view it on the P350 display, or on any external monitor connected to the video output jacks on the controller. NOTE: If using an external monitor to display the video, this may not display the entire picture as shown and recorded by the P350.
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During playback it is possible to capture video frames as JPEG photos. NOTE: You can view folders created by the P350 flexitrax in Windows Explorer or the Mac OS X Finder when you connect the command module to your computer via USB connection (see Section 6.6 for information on USB connections).
USB connections The P350 command module supports USB 2.0 to allow high speed files transfer. USB is the recommended method for transferring files between the command module and your computer. NOTE: The command module is compatible with high-speed, powered USB ports. Connection to external USB hubs or older version 1.1 USB ports is not recommended.
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3. Connect the supplied USB cable to the unit and to a USB port on your PC. Do not use an external USB hub. 4. On Microsoft Windows-based computers, the command module will appear as a Mass Storage Device. It will be assigned with a drive letter, for example E, and will be listed in the My Computer window. P350 Operation Manual 70...
Section 8 - Digital Video The P350 flexitrax includes an advanced digital video recorder. This section provides an overview of the P350 flexitrax digital video recording and playback capabilities. Also included is a detailed section on converting video files to other popular formats for playback and distribution.
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VLC Playback on Microsoft Windows Media Player By default, Microsoft Windows Media Player cannot play the MP4 video files created by the P350 system as it requires additional video and audio CODECs to be installed. You can install the correct CODECs for playback on Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, 7 or 8 by installing FlexiSight. Once installed, you can play the files using Windows Media Player.
Most televisions, even modern displays, and standalone DVD players and recorders are designed for standard broadcasting. As such they may be unable to display or record the video produced by the P350 command module correctly. This is because the P350 makes use of the entire 4:3 video picture available, whereas standard broadcasts usually do not.
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Figure 8.2: 4:3 aspect ratio video space usage The P350 Command Module offers a number of different OSD and text layouts that will optimize your video recordings and analog video output signals to suit your desired target audience. Setting the P350 for PC or TV screen: ...
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Unsupported digital video files CAUTION! Producing formats other than those described are not supported by Pearpoint. The information here is intended as a general guide only. In order to produce a different video digital file you will have to use a video conversion application to re-encode your file.
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QuickTime MOV files The QuickTime format is based on a similar H.264 CODEC as the native P350 video format, thus it enjoys the same quality to file size ratio. The QuickTime format is playable on PC and Mac computers using Apple’s QuickTime media player.
8.5 Advanced video editing FlexiSight Manager FlexiSight Manager is a Pearpoint PC application that can perform basic editing on P350 video files and survey reporting. This program is compatible with Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8. Operators will likely require “administrator”...
Decrease drum rate of pull (manual mode only) ▼ FN + Ctrl + Increase drum rate of pull (manual mode only) Toggle between drum and pushrod mode (only available when a pushrod has been selected previously). P350 Operation Manual 78...
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Ctrl + Focus in Ctrl + Rotate reset Ctrl + Focus out Target UP Target Left Target Down Target Right Go to Target PT camera Scan pipe joint Ctrl + Snapshot picture Ctrl+ Text Editor P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 79...
Clean the lens with a lint-free cloth Cable and drum Use a cloth moistened with disinfectant Storing the system The P350 is a precision tool. Always store the system, including all components and accessories, in a clean and dry environment. P350 Operation Manual 80...
The cable may be re-terminated if you suspect that video, power or communication signals are in anyway degraded. This may be indicated by poor video quality, intermittent power shortages or an unresponsive crawler. The P350 flexitrax crawler cable re-termination guide is available to download from the download section of the Pearpoint website: www.pearpoint.com.
6. Remove the cassette hub. 7. Disconnect the internal cassette cable connector from the drum hub. 8. You can now remove the cassette from the drum hub Appendix 9.5: Powered drum with slave side panel and drum support channel remove P350 Operation Manual 82...
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‘locked’ position and that the spring loaded pinch roller is in the down position. 6. Re-fit top horizontal cable guide (Figure 9.5). Appendix 9.6: Adjusting the drive train Chain Level wind chain tensioning drive block Level wind sprocket P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 83...
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6. Re-assemble the system using the procedure described in Section 9.4 ensuring the level wind follower (Figure 9.7) is in line with the entrance hole into the drum cassette. 7. Reconnect the power cable and switch on 8. Use manual drive mode to wind the cable back in to the drum. P350 Operation Manual 84...
AVC video. No license is granted or shall be implied for any other use. Additional Information may be obtained from MPEG LA, L.L.C. See http://www.mpegla.com. P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 85...
USB 2.0, Video In/Out, Audio In/Out, Ethernet, Bluetooth® Dimensions 300 x 360 x 200mm / 14" x 14" x 8" Weight P350 5.5kg /12lbs, P350+ 6.2kg / 13.5lbs. P350+ Battery 14.8V, 6.6Ah (98Wh). Up to 4 hours recording when powered by the specification...
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≥ 210lm ≥ 420lm LED luminance Auxiliary lighthead Auxiliary lighthead P350-LH-8 Dimension 63 x 136mm / 2.5” x 5.4” (L x Diameter) Weight 1.8kg / 4.0lbs Construction Stainless Steel and Aluminum ≥ 850lm LED Luminance P350 flexitrax Operation Manual 87...
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0.7kg / 1.5lbs Construction Linear Medium Density Polyethylene (LMDPE) and mild steel IP Rating IP64 Product Approvals Safety: • EN 61010-1 • IEC 61010-1 • UL 61010-1 EMC: • EN 61326-2-1 (Class A Emissions / Basic Immunity) P350 Operation Manual 88...
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