Expedition 396T - ET Report

Owned by jr_kotze_j
Last updated: Dec 05, 2021
6 min read

8 October 2021 Reykjavik, Iceland - 8 December 2021 Cape Town, South Africa

Jurie Kotze & Etienne Claassen

 

Summary

  • Preparation for new X-Ray System done. Manufactured new core temp thermometer casing to fit with new core rack config.

  • New NGR UPS Installed and tested.

  • Chillwater Pressure regulator for LN2 unit installed.

  • N2 Generator solenoids replaced.

  • New Haskris for SRM installed to bypass ships chillwater to compressor, along with some floor repairs.

  • New SHIL Light system assembled and installed, along with high temp alarm and high temp cut-off.

  • New Limit switch design for P-Wave Caliper.

  • New DI water system installed in Paleo Lab. (Alex and Johanna completed Chem Lab installation.)

  • Chem Lab floor repairs, and fume hood repairs were done.

  • Knudsen System installed in Underway. Maggie Cable removed for protection against work done at faintail.

  • New Trimble GPS Antennas also installed.

 

Core Lab

NGR

Installed secondary monitor next to the door for experimentation to see if it helps with easier workflow.

New 6KVA Minuteman UPS was Installed.

The Electrical Dept. put in the new cable and 208V supply needed for the UPS.

The unit was configured since it has 2 x external battery pack modules, along with a separate transformer module, and controller module.

We also ran a power failure test, and managed to have 20min left after 120min of runtime.

The old 3KVA UPS is on the rack behind the NGR as spare.

 

 

 

Core Entry

Moved the core racks against each other, and a little towards the STBD side to make space for the new X-Ray system.

Painted floor where old rack config was.

We moved the Isoducts to the top just below the ceiling, and installed a lab air line with shut off valve for the unit.

A new Core Temp meter casing had to be made, in order to fit on the new core rack config.

The counter top and drawers will be removed when the system arrives, in order to utilize the space in the time being.

 

   

 

Splitting Room

Modified and moved the core saw enclosures to fit against the rear wall.

Gantry

Designed a new bottom limit switch for the P-Wave Caliper, since the normal limit switch arm gets bent when using manual controls.

The new model is a normal limit switch without the switching arm inside a housing, with a plunger mechanism to switch by means of the screw, and leaves room to lower down with the plunger spring compressing.

Old limit switch will be stored in ET shop, in case it needs to be installed.

 

   

 

SHIL

New lights were assembled and wired up with the dual temperature controllers, and bench tested.

We then installed them and did color and camera calibrations. The 1 baffle was a brown color, and so it caused an eye sore.

We then received high heat black spray-paint, and disassembled the lights again, the give both baffles a new coat, assembled all again, with the bench test, and re installed the whole system and tiding up of wires.

All 8 fans plus the High Temp Alarm run 12VDC from the same Power Supply that feeds the camera, and the heater elements inside the aluminum heatsinks run on AC Power. All of which is controlled by the Temp controllers.

Each light unit is controlled by its own controller, and the High temp alarm is wired from both controller "Alarm 1" outputs, so either one can trigger the alarm when high temp is reached. Next to it is the ON/OFF switch for the controllers.

The high temp alarm was set to 50 Degrees Celsius, and the setpoints are at 30. It has a flashing red LED, and a very annoying buzzer to make everyone aware that the lights are too hot, in case they failed to switch off automatically after a scan

Output 1 on both the controllers drive the dual heaters inside each block, and Output 2 drives the cooling fans.

The wiring for the Temp Controllers, and the user manual for menu settings, are on the ET Desktop, and in the following confluence link: NEW SHIL Light System

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:

  • We had a problem with the left controller supplying constant power to the elements, perhaps through a stuck relay or arc inside, and it heated the block to 150Deg Celsius!

  • Smaller 150W elements has been ordered for installation, since the 200W elements currently inside draws perhaps little too much Amps, though it is still inside the 5A current limit stated in the spec sheet, but since we are not heating up the heatsinks to high temps, smaller heaters will easily keep the setpoint temp steady just as good. 

  • We have also ordered 2 x new controllers for spare, but the current one seems fine now after we dropped down the temperature, and got the heating output relay switching, and also set the heating output to switch at a longer "refresh" time. The cooling switching is much faster, since we want a quick response for when the lights are switch on and the LED's heat up.

In order to prevent the elements from heating up and melting stuff, we installed a "High Temp Cut-Off Relay". The element Outputs on both controllers, run through a double pole relay on the NC connections. In case the High Temp alarm goes off, the 12V switching on the Alarm, switches the Relay also, and therefore switching off power to the elements, just in case that it is the elements causing a high alarm due to another controller malfunction episode.

Old LED SHIL light system was stored in a P-Box on the shelf at the NGR. The unit is still complete, since we used new LED's for the new system and left the old one functioning as backup.

 

 

   

 

SRM

New Haskris was installed, in order to bypass the ship's chill water feeding directly into the compressor and causing dirt/rust build-up inside. Alex did basically all of it since it was his project.

The new Haskris uses the chilwater to cool its own water supply to the compressor. See the PMag report for all the details.

Repaired and painted the floor where the previous Haskris was.

Installed an additional "home" limit switch.

 

 

Paleo Lab

Installed the new Thermo Scientific DI water system.

The new round water tank was not ideal nor easy to install, but we managed to secured it to the wall and unistrut brackets to hold the weight when full of water.

Also made a holder for the power supply which is attached to the wall, and neatly routed the cables and hoses.

 

   

 

ET Shop

Neaten up cables in LO office, and repaired one of the data point connections in the isoduct.

Assisted Engineers with some 3D Printing items.

Made a wall bracket to secure the new barbell in the gym.

Focsle Deck

Chem Lab

Removed water damage floor under Yamato autoclave, and used floor repair kit for repairs and painted afterwards.

Stereo system in lab had one channel not working, repair and replace RCA to stereo plug.

Emergency Light above GC flickering at times, inline AC filter were installed and problems seemed to be solved.

HF fume hood had a few problems.

  1. Faucet was broken off from previous EXP, we modified and repaired.

  2. Crack in fume hood were repaired by chem tech, and also trained them in using gel coating.

We installed magnets on all three incubators.

Made up coms cable for oxygen and nitrogen detector.

Repaired door latching mechanism of oven, and adjusted the latching pin in order for the door to seal properly.

Johanna and Alex installed the new DI water system.

Thin Section Lab

The freeze dryer had leak during the previous EXP. The vacuum pump was repaired, but still it could not reach adequate vacuum. The lid was found to be leaking and new lid was ordered.

LN2 Generator

Pressure regulator were installed to the chillwater-In line so water pressure can be checked if unit trips on high heat due to low cooling.

Purged the inside dewar with N2 for 10min after the air was off for most of the expedition, and switched on the unit to start making LN2.

Underway Lab

Installed new Knudsen Ecosounder system, and the correct connectors were fitted. System seems to be running very well along with the new software.

We did calibration on the levelwind on the adjusting pot, and on the movement of the magnet over the hall effect sensor, and managed to get it tuned into moving at correct speed in both directions of change.

Assisted in removing the maggie cable off the drum, for repairs that is being done at the fantail. Cable and Buoy's were stored inside the Lab.

Serviced 1 x G-Gun along with Johanna and Doris.

Replaced both FWD and AFT Trimble GPS Antennas with new ones. Fitted new TNC connector to the AFT antenna cable.

Bridge Deck

N2 Generator

All the solenoid valves were replaced, and both ALO's were cross trained on how to replace the solenoids.

Items Received

2 x New Welch Vacuum pumps

Welch vacuum pump spares

Laser Engraver Filters

 

 

 

 

 

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