Hi Julio Suarez ,

Can you tell the readers the model number of the Spellman high-voltage source? And do you have a manual for this high-voltage source? The manual may have a troubleshooting section. WARNING, unless you have experience with high-voltage sources be very careful with this device. Both the input voltage 120 VAC single phase, 240 VAC split phase, or 208 VAC 3-phase, and the output voltage are lethal. In addition, the capacitors inside the source may not all have bleed resistors shunting them, which means they can hold a charge for a significant time. Wear safety glasses, and insulated gloves.

Regards,

Tom Cuff

Thank you very much for your response. The power supply is a Spellman DF 52N3/806 and is located on a Panalytical Xpert X-ray diffraction system. I don't have any documentation or direct technical support. I'm a physicist working with an electronics engineer, and I have some knowledge of the power supplies and risks associated with high voltage.

Thank you very much for your response Thomas Cuff. I'm looking for a way to make sure it's the high-voltage source and if it's possible to turn it on without the cable and X-ray tube. Some sources allow it, while others don't, and it's dangerous or harmful to them.

Dear Julio Suarez ,

apart from the HV generator and the x-ray tube themselves there are in addition two places where the arcing can occur (due to ageing of the silicon grease, if any). Those are the HV-cable plugs, at the HV generator and the x-ray tube side. You may disconnect the HV-cable and have a look at the connector tip(s). If arcing took place at these tips, you should see some dark residuals of the arcing.

Nevertheless you should clean the tips and reestablish the plug connection(s). If there is some silicon grease at the surface please smooth it out at the insulating parts.

Please ground the HV-cable before touching the tips, especially the inner wire...

Good luck and

best regards

G.M.

Hi Julio Suarez ,

Thanks for the model number of the power supply (PS). This power supply has a 50-pin, D-type connector on its rear panel that connects with inputs and outputs from the rest of the system. Therefore, you cannot turn on the PS without having the connector mated with its cable. What you can do is disconnect all the cables from the PS, remove the screws from the front panel, and remove the PS from its rack. The line drawings of the PS indicate that you can detach the top cover by removing four or more screws. Heed the warning on the back panel telling the user not to open the PS until at least 5 minutes have elapsed since the PS was switched off. With the cover off, examine the inside of the PS for any signs of arc damage, burn marks, misshapen components or subassemblies, etc., starting from the high-voltage connector and working backwards. The line drawings do not indicate that the bottom cover can be removed.

Note, I would encourage you to call the company and ask them for any tips they have about troubleshooting the PS, and demating and mating the high-voltage connector.

Regards,

Tom Cuff

Hi Julio Suarez ,

For a detailed document on Spellman high-voltage power supplies, download the following document "2024 High Voltage Reference Manual" from the following URL: https://www.spellmanhv.com/en/Technical-Resources/Downloads

Regards,

Tom Cuff

Thank you very much for your response, Thomas Cuff and Gerhard Martens . After starving the power supply (without power for 5 days) and verifying that there was no load on the high voltage by grounding the X-ray tube connector, we measured the three output connectors and they were shorted.

We visually inspected the power supply by removing the top cover and no damage was seen to any component. Everything seems to indicate that the damage is to what we assume is the voltage multiplier, which is sealed and apparently insulated with some resin. We think repairing this part may be beyond our capabilities. Almost all the screws are marked with green ink with respect to their position on the power supply, we believe to determine if they have been removed, so we decided not to disassemble anything further while we evaluate any repair possibilities with Panalytical or Spellman.

I am also looking for information on other options, such as purchasing a remanufactured power supply, a new one, or one from another manufacturer that is compatible or adaptable. I would appreciate any suggestions on this matter.

Best regards,

Julio Suarez.

Hi Julio Suarez ,

I have been trying to interpret the model number DF 52N3/806. Apparently, that model number refers to a type DF3 power supply, where 52 ≡ a maximum output voltage of 52 kV, N ≡ a negative supply, and 3 ≡ 3kW output power, see Section 1.6 (p. 4) of the attached file (DFFFMAN.pdf): Instruction Manual, DF3/FF3 Style, High Voltage Power Supply. Caution, there are two page 4 and 5 in this document, you want the second page 4. Unfortunately, Table 1.1 on p. 4 does not have any entries to tell you how to interpret the code 806.

I found the instruction manual as the third hit at the following Google search:

https://www.google.com/search?q=spellman+high+voltage+df52n3%2F806+manual+pdf&sca_esv=62d75a41637246f2&rlz=1C1CHZL_enUS753US753&ei=Y1ftZ82xN-af5NoPvqOSoQ4&oq=Spellman+high+voltage+DF52N3%2F806+manual&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiJ1NwZWxsbWFuIGhpZ2ggdm9sdGFnZSBERjUyTjMvODA2IG1hbnVhbCoCCAAyCBAhGKABGMMEMggQIRigARjDBDIIECEYoAEYwwRI1ENQhAVYhAVwAXgBkAEAmAF1oAF1qgEDMC4xuAEByAEA-AEBmAICoAJ_wgIKEAAYsAMY1gQYR5gDAOIDBRIBMSBAiAYBkAYIkgcDMS4xoAeeBrIHAzAuMbgHeQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

I think you should contact Spellman High Voltage and ask them what is the significance of the code 806.

Regards,

Tom Cuff