Cleaning
WARNING
When using dry cleaning solvents, provide adequate ventilation and observe normal safety
precautions. Many dry cleaning agents emit toxic fumes that may be harmful to your health,
if inhaled.
If any of the contacts or line connectors become dirty, they should be wiped off with a clean
cloth and a dry cleaning solvent. Use an aerosol contact cleaner that is self-drying, but forms no
residue, on the inaccessible internal parts. Clean all contact areas and especially the exposed faces
of the Teflon insulators.
It is important to keep the following surfaces clean:
Socket bore
Element body circumference
Bottom rim of element body
Seat at the base of the socket in the line section
DC contacts on the element
The outside surface of the Wattcher can be cleaned with a soft cloth dampened with a mild
detergent solution. Do not wipe the meter glass with a dry cloth, if a static charge could develop
causing an erroneous indication on the meter.
WARNING
Never attempt to disconnect the transmission line while RF power is being applied. Leaking
RF energy is a potential health hazard.
Inspection
Inspect the Wattcher Unit cleanliness, proper adjustment, and with the RF power removed, check
the ZERO setting and adjust if necessary.
Preventive Maintenance
The element socket should be kept plugged as much as possible to prevent the intrusion of dust.
If a Plug-In Element is to be used for this purpose, use the highest power element available. The
element should be positioned so that the ARROW is pointing midway between the FWD and
RFL measuring positions. This will not only protect the meter by shunting the movement, but
will also avoid exposing the element’s crystal to dangerous potentials if the RF line section should
be energized.
Line Section Care
CAUTION
Do not remove RF center conductor. Placement is critical for proper calibration and obtain-
ing specified accuracy.
If there is any evidence of contamination inside the RF line section, the accessible portions should
be cleaned and the interior carefully blown out. Keep all connections tight, and keep the nut of
the meter cord plug turned tight on the line section dc jack. This connection may often be serviced
by simply loosening the nut of the dc plug, rotating the body several times through a fraction of
a turn and retightening the knurled nut securely.
Chapter 5 - Maintenance
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