repair SRO-100 rubidium lamp

[testpoint1]

today I tear down a fault SRO-100 Rubidium Oscillator, found the lamp can not be lit, all circult and MRF160 is OK, then I dismounted lamp, as the picture. seems the rubidium drop was splashed, use the hot gun to gather the small point, fixed;

btw, never found the Rubidium lamp is leaked.

[MadTux]

These thingies usually need a certain temperature to operate, so that there is enough Rb vapor pressure in the bulb for the plasma to ignite. Other than that, it needs like 100-150MHz of RF on that coil.

So build an LC oscillator with it and feed it enough power. Then heat it carefully with a heat gun. With enough of RF power and at the right temperature,  the bulb should light up and glow in a purplish color.

[DaJMasta]

Yeah, definitely requires heat for normal operation, I think the right ballpark is 70-80C for the lamp itself.  Can't see from the pictures, but it also does degrade over time, I don't remember the exact mechanism but I believe material gets deposited on the glass as it ages and eventually stops working, depending on the age/usage, that could be another issue.


I'd recommend looking at the SRS PRS-10 documentation, they go into some detail the mechanisms that their design uses as well as the theory of operation of the lamp and "physics package" as a whole, plus they mention some temperatures and things.

[Gyro]

The repair of Rubidium lamps by returning the metallic Rubidium to the 'pinch' has come up in the past. There is a a write-up or video somewhere. For an electrodeless discharge lamp  capsule, short of rupture, this is the only possible failure mode.

[texaspyro]

BTW,  Lady Heather v6.xx supports the SRO-100...

[testpoint1]

Yeah, definitely requires heat for normal operation, I think the right ballpark is 70-80C for the lamp itself.  Can't see from the pictures, but it also does degrade over time, I don't remember the exact mechanism but I believe material gets deposited on the glass as it ages and eventually stops working, depending on the age/usage, that could be another issue.


I'd recommend looking at the SRS PRS-10 documentation, they go into some detail the mechanisms that their design uses as well as the theory of operation of the lamp and "physics package" as a whole, plus they mention some temperatures and things.

the problem is shock, Rubidium maybe is liquid if the temp is more the 40C, then you shock it, may cause the splash.

[testpoint1]

I will try it tomorrow, I ever use 6.14b to test PRS10, seems the status only display to AD9, no AD10-AD18

[texaspyro]

I will try it tomorrow, I ever use 6.14b to test PRS10, seems the status only display to AD9, no AD10-AD18

Thats all that will fit on the main screen.   If you turn off the digital clock (GZ) you will get more room.  Or use ZD to show everything on a zoomed screen.  On the next version, clicking on the info table will also show all the data.

[testpoint1]

BTW,  Lady Heather v6.xx supports the SRO-100...

yes, it support

do you know how to add the DDS option for the SRO-100, seems one SOP-28 chip is missing.

[texaspyro]

do you know how to add the DDS option for the SRO-100, seems one SOP-28 chip is missing.

Nope...   

BTW, Heather can do a screen dump to a .GIF (or .BMP) file with the WS command.   Also by clicking on the second column of numbers at the top of the screen or pressing the '\' key.

[jpb]

This reference describes reviving Rubidium lamps:
http://n4iqt.com/efratom8084008/eeratom_model_frs_lamp_assembly_repair.pdf
And this is a general repair guide:
https://www.changpuak.ch/electronics/ocxo/Efratom_LPRO_101_Repair_Guide.pdf

[testpoint1]

This reference describes reviving Rubidium lamps:
http://n4iqt.com/efratom8084008/eeratom_model_frs_lamp_assembly_repair.pdf
And this is a general repair guide:
https://www.changpuak.ch/electronics/ocxo/Efratom_LPRO_101_Repair_Guide.pdf

thanks, to the LPRO 101, I already studied several months, all the life end of key component will concern the accuracy were not point out by the document.

[testpoint1]

I will try it tomorrow, I ever use 6.14b to test PRS10, seems the status only display to AD9, no AD10-AD18

Thats all that will fit on the main screen.   If you turn off the digital clock (GZ) you will get more room.  Or use ZD to show everything on a zoomed screen.  On the next version, clicking on the info table will also show all the data.

yes, it does.