| Joe Perez |
12-12-2023 10:24 PM |
Me (yesterday, after having re-sealed all threaded connections, and also replaced the blowoff valve with an NPT plug): "Motherfucker, there's still air leaking out from somewhere. It's like the body of the solenoid itself is leaking. I wish I had a spray bottle full of soapy water."
Me (this morning): (Brings a spray bottle and some dish soap to work)
Co-worker (this morning): "Hey, Joe, where you going with that gun in your hand?"
Me: "I'm going to spray soapy water onto the inside of a really expensive piece of hardware."
Co-worker: (silence. he's not really mechanically inclined.)
Anyway, turns out that the body of the solenoid is in fact leaking. Best guess is the shaft seal.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...8f67dee0c5.png
Wider shot, for context:
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mia...addb998138.png
Fittings on order from McMaster to bypass the solenoid temporarily (the machine can function without it), should be here tomorrow AM. Replacement NOS solenoid ordered from some random eBay seller.
What is this, you may ask? Well, it's an air compressor. Specifically, an air compressor which outputs exactly 1 PSI, with zero (and I do mean damn near ZERO) moisture. We use it to pressurize the inside of the waveguides which leave the building and go outside to the transmitting dishes.
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