Practical Elements of Operation
23
© 2017 Nortek AS
7
Maintenance
We recommend a regularly scheduled procedure which will act as a preventative measure to ensure
your instrument continues functioning as intended. The following sections can be used as a
maintenance guideline for the components that may be exposed to wear and tear.
When cleaning the external surfaces use a mild detergent and pay special attention to the
transducers. Regular cleaning is the best way to avoid problems related to biofouling.
Check the pressure sensor and remove any dirt from the holes in the lid. Be careful when opening
the pressure sensor cap as it is easy to dent and damage the sensor.
Pay extra attention when cleaning and lubricating the connectors.
You rarely need to expose the electronics, but if you need to, great care should be taken to keep
the sealing surfaces clean and protected from mechanical damage. Always keep water out of the
open housing.
The grounding point should always be free from biofouling.
We recommend conducting a
Functionality Test
after the maintenance procedure has been finished,
to ensure that the instruments functionality is as expected. We also recommend adding an entry in
the internal log that is kept within the instrument. This can be helpful in assessing service intervals
etc. The Add Deployment Log Entry box on the Logs pane in the web interface can be used for this.
This log will also keep record of things like formatting or erasing the recorder and firmware upgrades.
7.1
Instrument Care
All Nortek instruments are intended for use in water. Other fluids may have an adverse effect on the
plastic materials used.
If the instrument has been subjected to environmental conditions outside the specified design limits
(refer to the
instrument brochure
for specifications) mechanical tolerances of non-metal components
may be affected.
7.2
Connector Care
It is extremely important to keep connectors clean and well lubricated. Before plugging in connectors
we recommend to always blast the pins with compressed air, inspect them for cleanliness and then
protect the cable connector by applying a thin layer of silicone lubricating spray on the pins before
you plug it into the instrument. We recommend the 3M Silicone Spray. Do not use the silicone
grease included in the toolkit on connectors, as this is intended for O-rings only.
Before mission:
Demate the connector set.
Flush the connector set with fresh water or compressed air, remove dirt. Remember to also check
the female connector.
Check that both connectors are dry. If not, let them air-dry.
Inspect for damage, corrosion and cuts.
Apply a thin film of 3M Silicone Spray or equivalent.
Mate the connector halves and check if they are properly mated.
After mission and before storage:
Flush the connector set with fresh water or compressed air, remove dirt.
Check that both connectors are dry. If not, let them air-dry.
Inspect for damage, corrosion and cuts.
Mate with dummy plug if available.
