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4.0

Operation

4.1

Operating Cycle

This product is fitted with an instrument switch which cuts off power to the control
circuit.

Connect the product to the electrical supply.

Turn on the instrument switch to activate the temperature controllers. The controllers
illuminate and go through a short test cycle.

Over-Temperature option only

. If the digital over-temperature option has not yet

been set as required, set and activate it according to the over-temperature controller
instructions.

The product will heat up according to the controller setpoint or program, unless a time
switch is fitted and switched off.

As the product heats up, the heat light glows steadily at first and then flashes as the
product approaches the desired temperature. For more information on temperature
control see the controller instructions.

Over-Temperature option only.

If the over-temperature circuit has tripped, an

indicator on the over-temperature controller flashes and the heating elements are
isolated. Find and correct the cause before resetting the over-temperature controller
according to the instructions supplied.

To turn the product off, set the instrument switch to its off position. The controller
display will go blank. If the product is to be left unattended, isolate it from the
electrical supply.

4.2

General Operating Notes

Heating element life is shortened by overheating. Do not leave the
product at high temperature when it is not required. The maximum
temperature is shown on the product rating label and in section 10.0
towards the back of this manual.

When heating large objects, in particular poor conductors, avoid shielding the
thermocouple from the heating elements. The thermocouple is intended to sense the
temperature near the heating elements. However, if a large object is placed in the
chamber it may record the average temperature of the object and the elements, this
can lead to overheating of the elements. Allow large objects to gain heat at a lower
temperature and then reset the controller to a temperature close to the desired
maximum, or heat using a slowly controlled ramp rate. For more information refer to
the controller instructions.

When heating materials that produce smoke or fumes, the chimney must be correctly
fitted and unobstructed. If not, soot will accumulate in the chamber and could possibly
cause an electrical breakdown of the heating element. If the furnace is used to heat
materials that emit smoke or fumes, regularly heat it up to maximum temperature for
one hour with the chamber empty to burn away the soot.

11

Summary of Contents for CARBOLITE GERO RHF 15/15

Page 1: ...Installation Operation and Maintenance Instructions 1500 C Rapid Heating Furnace RHF Model 15 Litres No Controller RHF 15 15 No Controller MEN RHF1515 005_NOCTRL 29 10 2021 ...

Page 2: ...p 6 2 3 Chimney 7 2 4 Heating Elements 8 2 5 Electrical Connections 8 Technical Notes 9 3 0 Temperature Controller 10 4 0 Operation 11 4 1 Operating Cycle 11 4 2 General Operating Notes 11 4 3 Use of Probes and Metal Sheathed Thermocouples 12 4 4 Atmospheres 12 4 5 Heating Elements 12 4 6 Silicon Carbide Protection Tiles Option 12 4 7 Operator Safety 13 5 0 Maintenance 14 5 1 General Maintenance 1...

Page 3: ... 20 6 6 Thermocouple Replacement 20 6 7 Element Fitting and Replacement 21 7 0 Fault Analysis 25 A Furnace Does Not Heat Up 25 B Product Overheats 26 8 0 Wiring Diagrams 27 8 1 WA 33 30 27 8 2 WA 33 31 28 9 0 Fuses and Power Settings 29 9 1 Fuses 29 9 2 Power Settings 29 User Power Setting Adjustments 30 10 0 Specifications 31 10 1 Environment 31 3 ...

Page 4: ...ws or flashes to indicate that power is being supplied to the elements 1 2 General Warnings DANGER Electric shock Read any warning printed next to this symbol WARNING Risk of fatal injury DANGER Hot surface Read any warning printed next to this symbol WARNING All surfaces of a product may be hot DANGER Read any warning printed next to this symbol Caution Double Pole Neutral Fusing 4 ...

Page 5: ...h regard to safety and operation of the product l Been provided with the appropriate PPE Personal Protective Equipment required for the safe operation of this product Note The customer is responsible for ensuring that all of the above conditions are satisfied before the product is commissioned for use Note Unless otherwise specified the customer is responsible for the installation of this product ...

Page 6: ...ate Wool ASW For precautions and advice on handling this material see section 6 2 2 2 Siting and Setting Up Place the product on a level surface in a well ventilated area Site away from other sources of heat and on a non flammable surface that is resistant to accidental spillage or hot materials The surface on which the equipment is mounted should be stable and not subject to movement or vibration...

Page 7: ...e top of the product are clear of any obstruction Always ensure all cooling vents and cooling fans if fitted are clear of any obstruction 2 3 Chimney The chimney is a length of tubing If it is supplied unfitted then fit it through the hole in the top of the case If the product is to be used to heat substances that emit fumes a fume extraction duct of approximately 75 mm 150 mm inlet diameter may b...

Page 8: ...utral Check the product rating label before connection The supply voltage should agree with the voltage on the label and the supply capacity should be sufficient for the current on the label The supply should be fused at the next size equal to or higher than the current on the label This manual contains a table of the most common fuse ratings When the mains cable is factory fitted internal fuses a...

Page 9: ...l Connection Details 3 phase L1 Black to phase 1 L2 Black to phase 2 L3 Black to phase 3 N Light Blue to neutral if fitted PE Green Yellow to earth ground DO NOT connect a product ordered for three phase use to a single phase supply or to the wrong type of three phase supply Technical Notes This model has an electronically controlled power limit Do not attempt to calculate the Amps from the Wattag...

Page 10: ...3 0 Temperature Controller If this product is fitted with a temperature controller instructions are provided separately 10 ...

Page 11: ...n The controller display will go blank If the product is to be left unattended isolate it from the electrical supply 4 2 General Operating Notes Heating element life is shortened by overheating Do not leave the product at high temperature when it is not required The maximum temperature is shown on the product rating label and in section 10 0 towards the back of this manual When heating large objec...

Page 12: ... chamber is not gas tight the gas usage may be high and the chamber is always likely to contain some air Residual oxygen of approximately 1 to 2 is to be expected 4 5 Heating Elements If SiC heating elements are used close to their maximum operation temperature of 1600 C it is possible for bubbles of silica to form on the surface of the elements The size of the bubbles can vary This is an indicati...

Page 13: ...rnace is left open The operation of this switch should be checked periodically Depending on use the surfaces in the working chamber and the chamber load may still be very hot after the appliance is switched off Touching these surfaces may cause burns Use suitable personal protective equipment or wait until the appliance cools down to ambient temperature Before removing a hot object from the produc...

Page 14: ...ght goes out Safety Switch Function Electrical measurement Over Temperature Safety Circuit if fitted Set an over temperature setpoint lower than the displayed temperature and check for an over temperature alarm as detailed in this manual Over Temperature Safety Circuit if fitted Electrical measurement Door Plug Visual inspection checking the seal and whether it is free of damage Door Plug Replacem...

Page 15: ...ugh inspection and report incor porating a test of all functions Performance Element Circuit Electrical measurement Power Consumption Measure the current drawn on each phase circuit Hearth Visual check for fit and damage Cooling Fans if fitted Check whether the cooling fans are work ing 15 ...

Page 16: ...e temperature controller set a safe temperature above ambient The heater lights should illuminate l Open the door and check the heater lights They should no longer be illuminated If the heater lights remain illuminated when the door is open discontinue use and contact Carbolite Gero Service Annual check The following checks should be carried out by a qualified electrician as specified in the Maint...

Page 17: ...s or a kit of the items most likely to be required Ordering a kit in advance can save time in the event of a breakdown Each kit consists of one thermocouple one sheath one solid state relay one door insulation piece a set of elements a set of element clips and a set of braids and clips Individual spare parts are also available When ordering spare parts please quote the model details as requested a...

Page 18: ...st making an adjustment If new elements are fitted return the adjustments to the original value A table of standard power limits is given in section 9 0 5 8 Power Adjustment The product s control system incorporates electronic power limiting Power is supplied to the elements in bursts of approximately 0 33 seconds duration This prevents overheating of the elements The power limit is programmed int...

Page 19: ... may be encountered during maintenance or repair Whilst there is no evidence of any long term health hazards it is strongly recommended that safety precautions are taken whenever the materials are handled Exposure to fibre dust may cause respiratory disease When handling the material always use approved respiratory protection equipment RPE eg FFP3 eye protection gloves and long sleeved clothing Av...

Page 20: ...correct type For safety reasons do not fit larger capacity fuses without first consulting Carbolite Gero The fuses are located at the cable entry point Remove the back panel or control box back panel to gain access to the fuses 6 6 Thermocouple Replacement Disconnect the product from the power supply Remove the appropriate panel to gain access to the thermocouple connections Make a note of the the...

Page 21: ...aining aged elements then all heating elements on that circuit should be replaced It may not be necessary to replace all heating elements within a furnace however the configuration of elements varies between products If required please contact Carbolite Gero Service for advice Please provide the serial number of the furnace with all enquiries Disconnect the product from the electrical supply Part ...

Page 22: ...iagrams indicate the connections but the number and positions of terminal blocks may differ from those shown For example there may be 3 x N on a 3 phase furnace If you have any problems with this procedure please contact the Carbolite Gero Service department A common feature of all the RHF models is that elements are always 2 in series between 200 240 V for 110 V 2 in parallel Carefully disconnect...

Page 23: ...fully place them aside Disconnect the four end braids and bend them out of the way Carefully remove the old elements from the furnace Avoid damaging the insulation as this can be hazardous to your health if inhaled Refer to section 2 1 23 ...

Page 24: ...the braids according to the notes made or according to the appropriate diagram below Ensure the element braids are positioned so that they do not touch each other and are clear of the back panel when it is re fitted Replace the furnace back panel and connect the furnace to the electrical supply Example Element Connections 6 Elements 24 ...

Page 25: ...mperature The door switch es if fitted may be faulty or need adjustment The contactor relay if fitted may be faulty The heater switch if fitted may be faulty or need adjustment The SSR could be failing to switch on due to internal failure faulty logic wiring from the controller or faulty controller There are no lights glowing on the controller Check the supply fuses and any fuses in the furnace co...

Page 26: ... controller shows a low temperature The thermocouple may be faulty or may have been removed out of the heating chamber The thermocouple may be connected the wrong way around The controller may be faulty 2 Product heats up when the instrument switch is OFF The SSR has failed ON Check for an accidental wiring fault that could have overloaded the SSR 26 ...

Page 27: ...witches Key F1 F2 F3 Fuses FIL Filter if fitted C Controller TC Control Thermocouple R Relay R1 1 R1 2 R1 3 Relay contactor SW Instrument Switch es SSW Safety Switch EL Element SSR Solid State Relay N Neutral L Live PE Earth Cables BU Blue R Red BL Black GR Y Green Yellow G Grey P Pink 27 ...

Page 28: ...IL Filter if fitted C Controller TC Control Thermocouple OT Over Temperature Controller OTC Over Temperature Thermocouple R Relay R1 1 R1 2 R1 3 Relay contactor SW Instrument Switch es SSW Safety Switch EL Element SSR Solid State Relay N Neutral L Live PE Earth Cables BU Blue R Red BL Black GR Y Green Yellow G Grey P Pink 28 ...

Page 29: ...pply cable fitted Recommended if cable fitted See rating label for current See table below for fuse rating Model Phases Volts Supply Fuse Rating RHF 15 15 1 phase 200 240 V 75 A RHF 15 15 3 phase N 380 220 415 240 V 25 A ph RHF 15 15 3 phase delta 220 240 208 V 50 A ph 9 2 Power Settings The power limit settings parameter OP Hi for this model are voltage dependant The figures represent the maximum...

Page 30: ...ower Setting Adjustments Date Power Comments Note If a new set of elements are fitted then return the power settings to the original value Please refer to the rating label for product specific information 30 ...

Page 31: ...mber furnaces heated by silicon carbide elements RHF 15 15 1500 10 0 220 220 310 15 125 with SiC Protection Tile Option 1400 10 0 220 180 310 12 130 10 1 Environment The models listed in this manual contain electrical parts and should be stored and used in indoor conditions as follows Temperature 5 C 40 C Relative humidity Maximum 80 up to 31 C decreasing linearly to 50 at 40 C 31 ...

Page 32: ......

Page 33: ...Notes Service Record Engineer Name Date Record of Work ...

Page 34: ... us at the address below or ask your nearest stockist For preventive maintenance repair and calibration of all furnace and oven products please contact Carbolite Gero Service Telephone 44 0 1433 624242 Fax 44 0 1433 624243 Email ServiceUK carbolite gero com Carbolite Gero Ltd Parsons Lane Hope Hope Valley S33 6RB England Telephone 44 0 1433 620011 Fax 44 0 1433 621198 Email Info carbolite gero com...

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