Interestingly vacuum pump lives also seem to depend on installation. A pump vertically mounted in a 150 will probably last twice as long as one that is horizontally mounted.
The reason seems to be that gravity and rotational forces are acting in different directions on a 150, whereas the forces combine in a horizontal pump. As well as a light vacuum load.
Our last pump did over 14 years old and 1200 hours. Why would I have wanted to remove it at 6 years/500? It was a Rapco reconditioned pump. We only changed it because I was getting concerned about it's age. I stripped it and found out to my chagrin that there was virtually no wear evident
What about all those vacuum pumps with NO OVERHAUL embossed on them !!!!!!!!!! Buy a new one (from us of course)!!!!!!!!!
It is important to realise that the American legal system is a big driver in the excessively conservative lives placed on some items.
A number of years ago we were attempting to measure pitting wear on an R22 main rotor blade spindle. The max limit was one thousandth of an inch, almost impossible to measure in the field.
I suggested to the Robinson factory rep that this limit was drawn up by their legal department not their engineering department following a spindle failure. He didn't deny it.
Last edited by ericferret; 24th March 2008 at 14:06.