FAQs

Your system comes with electrical feedthrough to supply power inside the glovebox system. This is either 115V 10 amps or 220V 5 amps. A standard wall outlet will work fine for this as well. Please refer to Installation Requirements documentation for additional power requirements.

You will need to connect the common vent line to an exhaust connection in your lab. The common vent line connects all of the exhausts for the entire glovebox system into one connection at the top of the system. This is a 1.5” pipe connection labeled VENT at the top of the system, typically located behind the antechamber.

You will need either nitrogen or argon at a purity of less than 10 ppm oxygen and moisture to operate the system. You will also need regeneration gas (5-10% hydrogen balance nitrogen or argon) for the regeneration process. A quality of 99.995% or better is required to operate the system correctly.

You will need 1 standard cylinder of regeneration gas to start the system. One regeneration consumes half a tank of regeneration gas. You will most likely only regenerate your system once every 3-6 months and you can disconnect the regeneration gas when not in use.

You will need a regulator to run your system. The regulator will need to deliver between 60 – 80 PSI of gas pressure at a flow rate of 200 l/min. The regulator will need to have a 3/8” hose barb connection and should be equipped with a shut off valve. Please see your installation requirements for details.

Yes. You will need a regulator for the regeneration gas. This regulator will need to deliver between 10-15 PSI of pressure and need to have a flow meter attached to deliver 15l/min of flow to the system while regenerating. This regulator will also need a 3/8” hose barb connection and should be equipped with a shut off valve. Please see your installation requirements for details.

You will need to purge your glovebox when you first set it up. A standard single length system takes approximately 2 cylinders of inert gas to purge the system. As a rule, the amount of purge gas is easy to calculate. First you need to calculate the volume of your glovebox in cubic feet. A typical standard single length glovebox is approximately (4 ft X 2.5 ft X 3 ft) 30 cubic feet. An estimate is fine to use for this calculation. Then multiple the volume by 15 and you get a purge gas amount of 450 cubic ft. There is 300 cubic feet of gas in a standard gas cylinder so you will need 2 cylinders of gas. This is a very useful calculation for larger or smaller systems.

You must purge the glovebox prior to running a regeneration. The regeneration process uses the glovebox environment for cooling and therefor needs to have a low oxygen environment inside the glovebox.

No. The glovebox system does not require any cooling water to run.

We recommend that you change your vacuum pump oil after every regeneration or every 3 months, whichever comes first.

Once every 6 months. This is very important. If the filters get clogged they cause the blower to run hotter than normal and it can cause the blower to fail prematurely.

Yes.

For most applications we recommend a calibration interval of 5 years.

Our oxygen sensor is a very durable fuel cell design that is not damaged by most solvents.

No. These are maintenance free.

The analyzers are flow sensitive and the circulation blower is used to flow gas through the analyzers to get a sample of gas from the glovebox. Once you turn off circulation the flow stops and causes the analyzers to read a false high level of oxygen and moisture. Once you turn the circulation blower back on the levels will return to normal. Your glovebox is not leaking.

You need to run 3 evacuation and refill cycles to make sure that you do not bring any air into the system.

Yes, the systems are all labeled for self-installation. Please refer to the operation manual for detailed instructions.

This is usually easy to notice. Typically if you have a leak in your system you will hear the gas solenoid clicking on/off constantly throughout the day. This is the system adjusting for the loss in gas pressure within the system. You will also notice an increase in the oxygen level in the system. If you think you have a leak please contact the service department at Etelux.

Yes.  It is easily removed/replaced in minutes. When replacing the window please make sure the gasket and window are free of any particles that might get into the seal area.

The short answer is yes, but you should be very careful with solvent use inside the glovebox. You should use as little solvent as possible within the system. The glovebox system is completely sealed, so any solvent that evaporates is still within the glovebox and will condense or collect somewhere inside the gas purifier. It is highly recommended to use an internal solvent trap for trace amounts of solvent use or a large external solvent removal system for higher solvent use. It is also recommended to purge while using solvents, and for at least 10 minutes after using solvents. Some solvents—especially chlorinated solvents—can damage the filter material quickly.

The internal solvent charcoal trap should be replaced every month. Your system was shipped with a set of 12 filters for one year of operation. The external solvent removal filter material (activated carbon) should be changed about every 3-6 months, depending on how much solvent you use.

This is normal. The regeneration process produces steam and this causes water to collect in this line. It is external to the glovebox and does not cause the system any harm.

This is also normal as the regeneration process causes water to be pulled from the filter material during the evacuation stage of the regeneration process. It is recommended to change the vacuum pump oil after each regeneration.

On a full-size glovebox, the circulation blower is enclosed in a round stainless steel case and is located behind the filter column and in front of the vacuum pump. If you put your hand on the side of the blower housing it should be warm to the touch. This indicates that the blower is running. On a Lab2000 glovebox, you should be able to hear the blower running. If you switch it on and off a few times you should notice a definite change in the sound.

This alarm means that the electro-pneumatic circulation valves on top of the filter column are not opening and closing properly. This is almost always caused by low gas pressure or an empty gas cylinder. Check the gas supply and make sure the system has at least 60 psi going to it.

The ante-chamber door should only be tightened until it is snug. The best way to tighten the door is to use one finger to turn the handle. Tighten until you can’t turn it anymore with that one finger.

The foot pedal is for manually raising and lowering the pressure in the glovebox. It is typically used when placing hands in the glovebox or taking them out.

To set up your new glovebox you will need a basic set of fractional wrenches, a set of screwdrivers, and an adjustable wrench.

Confirm your gas pressure and size of the gas line is correct. Confirm the auto-purge valve is opening correctly. If you have a flow control valve on your regulator, you may be getting a bit too much flow. Adjust this down slowly to reduce the over-pressure situation. Make sure you have enough flow and pressure to keep the valve open. You also need to confirm that your vent line is connected and operating correctly.