Troubleshooting the iBall Instruments DC Cavitator
Below is a Q&A Excerpt with the Chief Engineer of the Bloodhound and the DC Agitator which might help people troubleshoot problems with the Bloodhound’s DC power supply and the DC Agitator.
Q: My amperage for the Agitator is very low and/or jumping around erratically – what can I do to troubleshoot this?
A: You can try the following steps to troubleshoot the Agitator and DC connection/power supply:
a) Most often, we see a short in the wires, or the connections. Try replacing the wires with known good power wires and see if this is the case.
b) You can try removing the Agitator, and getting a very short set of wires and connecting directly to the Bloodhound DC terminals to see if the Agitator will operate correclty.
c) If (b) above does not work, try connecting this same setup to a nearby car battery. If the Agitator operates, then the problem may be with the Bloodhound Power Supply (see additional Q&A below for options in the field that can be considered). If the Agitator does not operate, then the problem is with the Agitator and it needs to be replaced in the field, and the inoperative unit needs to be sent in for service.
Q: With an ammeter, what reading would be normal at the BH DC power supply terminals for amps/volts?
A: With version 194+, aprox 1 to 1.5 amps. With previous versions double that(error). More when under load. Overload trip is >10 amps, death to motor usually occurs over 4.5 amps.
Q: Would a car battery be appropriate for sustained operation of an Agitator, or is that too much for the motor brushes in the long term?
A: Would be just fine until the battery runs out or down. You would get about 6-10 hours out of one. As the Cavitator slows down the gas readings would drop too.
Q: Are there any other general troubleshooting and/or “Plan B” options we can generally take when dealing with BH Agitator power….?
A1: Car charger. Get them at wall mart. 12VDC power supply at radio shack.
A2: Generally the MAG motors do not pull as many amps as the Dayton motors.
Q: Who do I contact for service and/or problems with the Agitator or the Agitator Motor itself?
A: The iBall Cavitator and Cavitator Motor is a specialty product sold by iBall that is directly supported by iBall Instruments. Please call Technical Support at 405 570 4449
