Installing the Oil Return Line

with Ballast Control on the

Edwards RV5 Vacuum Pump

Step 1: Vacuum Pump Connections

Edwards RV5 Oil-Sealed Vacuum Pump
WARNING The normal surface temperature of the pump body at ultimate vacuum
(operation) at ambient temperature of 20°C is 50°C to 70°C. If you use the pump
at a high ambient temperature, the temperature of the pump body may exceed
70°C, and you must fit suitable guards to prevent contact with hot surfaces. For
more information refer to the pump operating manual.
1. Install the Ozone Destruction Chemical Trap mounting bracket to the top
of the pump with the screws and provided wrench (Figure 1). The Ozone
Destruction Chemical Trap is a white plastic cylinder approximately 1
foot (30 cm) in length by 1.5 inches in (3.8 cm) diameter fitted with a
barbed fitting on both ends.
2. Remove the protective cap from the pump inlet port.
3. Install the metal, conical screen and black centering o-ring into the pump
inlet port (Figure 3).
4. Attach the aluminum 1/2-inch barbed adapter to the inlet port with the
metal clamping ring.
5. Slide the 2 inches Tygon® vacuum hose over the pump inlet barbed
adapter and secure with a hose clamp (Figure 1).
6. Slide another hose clamp over the 2 inches Tygon® vacuum hose.
7. Remove the plastic caps from the barb fittings on the ends of the
Chemical® Ozone Destruction Chemical Trap.
8. Press the Ozone Destruction Chemical Trap into the mounting bracket
and the 2 inches of Tygon® vacuum hose.
9. Tighten the hose clamp.
10. Locate the Oil Return Line Kit (G6600-60023).
11. Remove the drain plug and the bonded seal from the oil mist filter. The
bonded seal looks like a metal washer with a black, inner o-ring.
12. Install the bonded seal to the oil mist filter drain adapter. The drain
adapter (Edwards Part Number A25201005) looks like a drain plug with a
small plastic nozzle.
13. Install the black, drain adapter (Edwards Part Number A25201005) into
the oil mist filter.
14. Remove the plastic protective cover from the pump exhaust port. Place
the centering o-ring on the pump exhaust port (Figure 3).
15. Place the oil mist filter onto the o-ring on the pump exhaust port. Install
the filter so that the gray half is above the white half of the filter
(Figure 1).
16. Position the oil mist filter so the drain adapter points toward the gas
ballast inlet (Figure 2).
17. Fit the clamping ring onto the adapter and oil mist filter and hand
tighten.
18. Turn the gray plastic, gas ballast control to position II, the high flow
position (Figure 3).
19. Push the gas ballast control down against the spring. Turn the gas ballast
control counterclockwise to release it.
20. Remove the gas ballast control from the pump. Leave the spring in
position in the gas ballast inlet.
21. Locate the tall aluminum gas ballast control and oil return assembly.
22. Install the small o-ring into the groove on the shaft of the gas ballast
control and oil return assembly.
23. Push the control down against the spring. Turn the gas ballast control
clockwise until the nozzle on the aluminum ballast control is over the ‘0’
mark on the top of the pump. The “0” position is when the ballast control
is turned completely clockwise.
24. Cut a suitable length, approximately half, of the black flexible, silicone oil
return line. When installed to the filter, ensure the tubing is not tight and
has no tight bends.
25. Install the steel restrictor into one end of the flexible oil return line.
Install the steel restrictor approximately half-way between the ends of
the oil return line.
26. Fit one end of the line to the drain adapter on the oil mist filter. Fit the
other end of the line to the nozzle on the gas ballast adapter.
27. Use the black hose clips to secure the ends of the flexible oil return line.
28. Add oil to the vacuum pump by removing either oil fill cap. Add sufficient
oil to bring the oil level in the oil sight glass to approximately one-third
and one-half between the minimum and maximum oil level marks on the
pump. Replace the oil fill cap prior to operation of the pump. Do not add
oil above the half-way mark on the oil pump sight gauge.

2
WARNING Do not operate the vacuum pump with the oil level below the minimum oil level
mark or above the maximum oil level mark.
29. Place a hose clamp over the heat shrink end (the end covered with black
material) of the 6 feet Tygon® vacuum line.
30. Connect the heat shrink end of the 6 feet Tygon® vacuum line to the
barbed fitting labeled [EXHAUST] located on the rear of the 255 NCD or
355 SCD. Secure with a hose clamp.
31. Place the OR SCD near the gas chromatograph. Make sure you have
access to the rear of the Model 255 NCD OR MODEL 355 SCD for
connection of the electrical power and recorder cables. Place the vacuum
pump within 3 feet of the NCD or SCD.
32. To connect the vacuum line from the detector to the assembled vacuum
pump, place a hose clamp over the non-heat shrink end of the vacuum
line. Connect the vacuum hose to the straight end of the Ozone
Destruction Chemical Trap. Secure with the clamp (Figure 2).
33. Vent the exhaust gas from the vacuum pump to a fume hood to eliminate
any potential hazard.
34. Place the vacuum pump in an adequately ventilated area or connect an
exhaust line (not provided) to the outlet located at the top of the mist
filter. Attach an aluminum 1/2-inch barbed adapter to the outlet with the
metal clamping ring and another centering o-ring. Secure the exhaust line
with a hose clamp (not provided) to the aluminum adapter. Route the
exhaust line to a fume hood or other suitable discharge location.
35. Shape the exhaust line to capture excess water (Figure 4). Do not allow
water to condense in the exhaust line and drip back into the coalescing
filter. Alternatively, install a water trap using a vacuum flask after the
coalescing filter to capture excess water and prevent water from dripping
back into the coalescing filter.
36. Make sure that water does not condense in the exhaust line and fall back
into the mist filter. Transparent 3/8 inch (0.95 cm) ID tubing is
recommended.

3
 Chemical
Trap
Ballast control Oil return line

Mounting Oil mist

Bracket Power switch filter

Mode selector

Figure 1 RV-5 Oil-Sealed Vacuum Pump (Front Side)

Trap Inlet from

Chemical Trap
Chemiluminescence
Ballast Control Detector
Oil
Oil Mist Return
Filter Line

Power
Plug

Figure 2 RV-5 Oil-Sealed Vacuum Pump (Back Side)

4
 Gas ballast
Pump exhaust Inlet & valve
Retractable handle

Chemical
Oil fill caps Pump inlet Trap

Figure 3 RV-5 Oil-Sealed Vacuum Pump (Top View)

Note Sometime water condensation and accumulation are visible in the exhaust line.
This is normal. However, do not allow water to continue to accumulate after
approximately one week of operation. Significant water accumulation may
indicate improper pump operation or an improperly vented exhaust line. Water
accumulation in the exhaust line can cause damage to the pump. Contact Agilent
at www.agilent.com/chem if water accumulation continues to occur.

Oil return line

15” Tygon vacuum hose Pump inlet To exhaust vent

Outlet for
Hopcalite trap Exhaust Line

Power switch Oil mist filter Exhaust line

Drain adaptor
Gas Ballast
control

Mode selector

Exhaust line water trap

Figure 4 RV-5 Oil-Sealed Vacuum Pump Exhaust Line

5
Step 2: Setting the Gas Ballast Position
Edwards RV5 Oil-Sealed Vacuum Pump
Set the mode selector to the High Vacuum mode, the small 6 symbol (Figure 4).
Do not set the mode selector to the High Throughput mode, the large 6 symbol.
The RV5 vacuum pump and the Oil Drain Kit with ballast flow control ensures
the vacuum pump operates continuously with a gas ballast flow. The purpose of
the ballast control is to sweep ambient air into the pump oil. The water is from
the combustion of hydrogen and air in the Stainless Steel Burner. The air purges
the water into the oil coalescing filter. The filter separates the oil from the water,
vents the air and water, and returns the oil to the vacuum pump.
The Oil Drain Kit with the ballast control continuously returns trapped oil in the
oil mist filter to the vacuum pump. Operating the vacuum pump with the Oil
Drain Kit with the ballast control reduces oil loss from the pump and minimizes
the need to refill the pump with oil.
The Oil Drain Kit with the ballast control supplied is configured so that the gas
ballast flow rate is equivalent to that with the gas ballast control on the pump in
position “II”. For most application, there is no need to change the gas ballast
flow rate. If required, you can adjust the gas ballast flow using the following
procedure.
1. Set the mode selector to the High Vacuum mode, the small 6 symbol
(Figure 4). Do not set the mode selector to the High Throughput mode,
the large 6 symbol.
2. The restrictor plate on top of the aluminum ballast control has three
screws. Remove the three screws that secure the restrictor plate. DO NOT
DISMANTLE THE ASSEMBLY. (Figure 5)
3. The restrictor plate has circular indentations. The position of the
indentations with respect to the indentation on the side of the oil return
assembly identifies the gas ballast flow setting. Turn the restrictor to the
required position.
• To select no gas ballast flow (NOT RECOMMENDED), turn the restrictor
plate so that none of the indentations are aligned with the indentation on
the side of the oil return assembly.
• To select low gas ballast flow, turn the restrictor plate so that the single
indentation on the restrictor plate is aligned with the indentation on the
side of the oil return assembly.
• To select high gas ballast flow (the setting the ballast control is shipped
from the factory), turn the restrictor plate so that the two indentations
are aligned with the indentation on the side of the oil return assembly.

6
 Screws Indentation
(Low Ballast)

Restrictor Plate Indentation

(High Ballast)
Indentation
(Alignment Guide)

Figure 5 Oil Drain Kit with Ballast Control

Turn the switch on the vacuum pump to the on position.
Important Note the position of the oil level in the window after operating the pump for
several hours. Everyday for the next several days of operation, recheck the oil
level. If the oil level is increasing, water is accumulating in the oil reservoir.
Make sure the water vapor is properly being expelled from the oil mist filter. If
the oil level is dropping, excess air flow through the pump is forcing oil out of
the vacuum pump. Turn the restrictor plate so that the single indentation on the
restrictor plate is aligned with the indentation on the side of the oil return
assembly. After adjustment of the gas ballast, allow the system to operate for an
additional day and check the oil level again.
Important Check the exhaust line from the vacuum pump for water accumulation. You will
see water condensation and accumulation in the exhaust line. Do not allow
water to continue to accumulate after approximately one week of operation.
Significant water accumulation may indicate improper pump operation or an
improperly vented exhaust.
Important Periodically visually check the oil return line that exits from the oil mist filter
and returns to the gas ballast plug to ensure that the inline restrictor is not
clogged. Inspect the return line to determine if there is flow of oil along the line.
If there is no visible flow, a clogged restrictor is possible and may require
replacement. Contact Agilent at www.agilent.com/chem for a replacement
restrictor.
Make sure that water does not condense in the exhaust line and fall back into
the mist filter. Use transparent 3/8 inch (0.95 cm) ID tubing.
Note Sometime water condensation and accumulation are visible in the exhaust line.
This is normal. However, do not allow water to continue to accumulate after
approximately one week of operation. Significant water accumulation may
indicate improper pump operation or an improperly vented exhaust line and
will damage the pump. Contact Agilent at www.agilent.com/chem if water
accumulation continues to occur.
Important Air in the Oil: It is normal for the oil to appear foamy from air in the oil when
viewing the oil in the oil level window. The purpose of the ballast control is to
sweep ambient air into the pump oil. Ensure the oil level when the pump is
operating is not above the “Full” mark on the pump.

7
 Copyright © 2007
Agilent Technologies, Inc.
2850 Centerville Road
Wilmington, DE 19808-1610
Printed in the USA Feb 2007