Specifications

Dekker Vacuum Technologies, Inc. – DuraVane/12 6
Pump Lubricant
All pumps are shipped without oil. A charge of our factory recommended Duratex lubricant is shipped
in a separate container with each pump. Before filling the pump with oil, check that the pump is
installed level. Fill the pump with the recommended lubricant (see “Oil capacity table” below) through
the oil fill plug until it reaches the 1/2 way mark of the sight glass.
WARNING: Do not overfill the pump.
Do not add or fill oil when the pump is running.
Do not fill oil through the inlet or exhaust port.
We recommend the use of our specially formulated Duratex oils for obtaining ultimate
performance from your vacuum pump or system. The specially formulated Duratex oils are high
quality vacuum pump oils that provide better lubrication at high operating temperatures and prolong the
life of the unit and exhaust filters. When DEKKER’s specially formulated Duratex oils are used in units
shipped from the factory, the unit will be covered by an extended warranty period. Use of non-
approved oils can result in damage to the unit, which may void warranty. For warranty information see
last page.
Pumps for saturated air (wet) service
The DuraVane RVL-W series are specifically designed to handle air saturated with water vapor. The oil
separation reservoir contains special baffles and the oil filter is replaced by a clear sight glass. The
water vapor condensing in the pump is separated from the oil and shows up in the sight glass. A drain
valve is fitted on the reservoir. When water shows up in the sight glass, stop the pump for 5 – 10
minutes to allow the water to settle and then open the drain valve to drain the water from the reservoir.
Gas ballast Valve
All DuraVane pumps are equipped with a gas ballast valve. Its main function is to prevent water vapor
from condensing in the pump, which would cause emulsification of the lubricating oil, resulting in
possible pump seizure.
If the pump does not reach the ultimate vacuum of 0.5 Torr, it indicates that the oil is contaminated with
process vapors or water. To clean out the pump, close the inlet valve completely and operate the pump
for 30 minutes in order to remove any condensables from the oil. If after 30 minutes, the pump still
does not reach the ultimate vacuum: stop pump and change oil.