Fluke P3800 Operating Manual

P3800 Series

High Pressure Hydraulic Deadweight Tester

PN 3952319
November 2010
© 2010 Fluke Corporation. All rights reserved. Printed in USA. Specifications are subject to change without notice.
All product names are trademarks of their respective companies.

Users Manual

LIMITED WARRANTY AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY

Each Fluke product is warranted to be free from defects in material and workmanship under normal use and
service. The warranty period is one year and begins on the date of shipment. Parts, product repairs, and
services are warranted for 90 days. This warranty extends only to the original buyer or end-user customer of
a Fluke authorized reseller, and does not apply to fuses, disposable batteries, or to any product which, in
Fluke's opinion, has been misused, altered, neglected, contaminated, or damaged by accident or abnormal
conditions of operation or handling. Fluke warrants that software will operate substantially in accordance
with its functional specifications for 90 days and that it has been properly recorded on non-defective media.
Fluke does not warrant that software will be error free or operate without interruption.

Fluke authorized resellers shall extend this warranty on new and unused products to end-user customers
only but have no authority to extend a greater or different warranty on behalf of Fluke. Warranty support is
available only if product is purchased through a Fluke authorized sales outlet or Buyer has paid the
applicable international price. Fluke reserves the right to invoice Buyer for importation costs of
repair/replacement parts when product purchased in one country is submitted for repair in another country.

Fluke's warranty obligation is limited, at Fluke's option, to refund of the purchase price, free of charge repair,
or replacement of a defective product which is returned to a Fluke authorized service center within the
warranty period.

To obtain warranty service, contact your nearest Fluke authorized service center to obtain return
authorization information, then send the product to that service center, with a description of the difficulty,
postage and insurance prepaid (FOB Destination). Fluke assumes no risk for damage in transit. Following
warranty repair, the product will be returned to Buyer, transportation prepaid (FOB Destination). If Fluke
determines that failure was caused by neglect, misuse, contamination, alteration, accident, or abnormal
condition of operation or handling, including overvoltage failures caused by use outside the product’s
specified rating, or normal wear and tear of mechanical components, Fluke will provide an estimate of repair
costs and obtain authorization before commencing the work. Following repair, the product will be returned to
the Buyer transportation prepaid and the Buyer will be billed for the repair and return transportation charges
(FOB Shipping Point).

THIS WARRANTY IS BUYER'S SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY AND IS IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY
OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. FLUKE SHALL NOT BE LIABLE
FOR ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR LOSSES,
INCLUDING LOSS OF DATA, ARISING FROM ANY CAUSE OR THEORY.

Since some countries or states do not allow limitation of the term of an implied warranty, or exclusion or
limitation of incidental or consequential damages, the limitations and exclusions of this warranty may not
apply to every buyer. If any provision of this Warranty is held invalid or unenforceable by a court or other
decision-maker of competent jurisdiction, such holding will not affect the validity or enforceability of any other
provision.

Fluke Corporation
P.O. Box 9090
Everett, WA 98206-9090
U.S.A.

Fluke Europe B.V.
P.O. Box 1186
5602 BD Eindhoven
The Netherlands

11/99

To register your product online, visit register.fluke.com

Table of Contents

Chapter Title Page

1 General Information ............................................................................ 1-1

Introduction........................................................................................................ 1-1

How to Contact Fluke ........................................................................................ 1-1

Safety Information ............................................................................................. 1-2

Symbols Used in this Manual ............................................................................ 1-2

Hydraulic Circuit Schematic.............................................................................. 1-3

2 Preparation .......................................................................................... 2-1

Location ............................................................................................................. 2-1

Fluid Filling ....................................................................................................... 2-1

3 Operation ............................................................................................. 3-1

Connections ....................................................................................................... 3-1

Procedure for Removing Trapped Air from System.......................................... 3-2

Procedure for Priming the Pressure Intensifier.................................................. 3-4

Procedure for Generating System Pressure........................................................ 3-5

Generating Calibration Pressure ........................................................................ 3-6

4 Maintenance......................................................................................... 4-1

Introduction........................................................................................................ 4-1

PCU Removal .................................................................................................... 4-1

Cleaning............................................................................................................. 4-2

Replacement....................................................................................................... 4-3

5 Recalibration........................................................................................ 5-1

Introduction........................................................................................................ 5-1

Do's and Don'ts .................................................................................................. 5-1

Don'ts............................................................................................................. 5-1

Do's................................................................................................................ 5-1

6 Pressure Corrections.......................................................................... 6-1

Introduction........................................................................................................ 6-1

i

P3800 Series

Users Manual

Temperature and Gravity Corrections ............................................................... 6-2

ii

List of Tables

Table Title Page

1-1. Symbols.................................................................................................................. 1-2

iii

P3800 Series

Users Manual

iv

List of Figures

Figure Title Page

1-1. Hydraulic Circuit Schematic .................................................................................. 1-3

3-1. Pressure Connection - Method 1 ............................................................................ 3-1

3-2. Pressure Connection - Method 2 ............................................................................ 3-2

3-3. Remove Trapped Air.............................................................................................. 3-2

3-4. Turn Capstan Fully Clockwise............................................................................... 3-3

3-5. Prime the Pressure Intensifier ................................................................................ 3-4

3-6. Generate System Pressure ...................................................................................... 3-5

3-7. Close Reserve Valve .............................................................................................. 3-6

3-8. 5 Correct Float Position ......................................................................................... 3-7

4-1. Piston/Cylinder Removal ....................................................................................... 4-2

6-1. Pressure Corrections............................................................................................... 6-2

6-2. Nomogram for Finding the Value of...................................................................... 6-3

v

P3800 Series

Users Manual

vi 1-1

Introduction

This manual contains operation and routine and preventive maintenance instructions for
the Model P3830, P3840, and P3860 High Pressure Hydraulic Deadweight Tester (DWT)
manufactured by Fluke. This section of the manual provides general information about
the DWT.

The P3800 Series of Deadweight Testers (DWT) provides a convenient means of testing
high pressure instruments for calibration accuracy.

The design incorporates the “Piston Gauge” principle, in which an applied pressure
within the system, balances a known mass applied to a piston of known effective area. i.e.

Chapter 1

General Information

PRESSURE =

The unit comprises a base plate onto which is mounted a high pressure manifold, a
piston/cylinder unit (PCU), a test station (to mount the equipment under test), a fluid
reservoir, a ram screw pressure generating system, a pressure intensifier (which increases
the pressure generated by a factor of 7:1), and a safety relief valve (which protects both
the low and high pressure systems from accidental overpressure). The whole assembly is
contained within a strong GRP housing.

The unit is equipped with four adjustable feet to enable correct leveling. This ensures that
the PCU is in the vertical plane, which is essential for both accurate and reliable
performance.

The hydraulic fluid supplied with the unit has been specially formulated to remain fluid at
high pressures and to ensure no corrosion of internal parts. In addition the fluid will not
oxidize in contact with air or emulsify or mix with water.

How to Contact Fluke

To order accessories, receive operating assistance, or get the location of the nearest Fluke
distributor or Service Center, call:

• Technical Support USA: 1-800-99-FLUKE (1-800-993-5853)

• Calibration/Repair USA: 1-888-99-FLUKE (1-888-993-5853)

• Canada: 1-800-36-FLUKE (1-800-363-5853)

• Europe: [phone]

• China: [phone]

• Japan: [phone]

• Singapore: [phone]

• Anywhere in the world: [phone]

pistontoappliedmassTotal

pistonofareaEffective

P3800 Series

Users Manual

Or, visit Fluke's website at www.fluke.com.

To register your product, visit http://register.fluke.com

To view, print, or download the latest manual supplement, visit

http://us.fluke.com/usen/support/manuals

Safety Information

W Warning

Pressurized vessels and associated equipment are potentially
dangerous. The apparatus described in this manual should be
operated by personnel trained in procedures that will assure
safety to themselves, to others, and to the equipment.

W Warning

Please read these instructions carefully prior to installing and
using the Tester. The pressure built up internally during use
can be extremely high. Ensure that all connections are made
correctly.

DO NOT CONNECT DWT TO EXTERNAL PRESSURE SOURCE

Symbols Used in this Manual

In this manual, a Warning identifies conditions and actions that pose a hazard to the
user. A Caution identifies conditions and actions that may damage the Deadweight
Tester (DWT).

.

.

Symbols used on the Deadweight Tester (DWT) and in this manual are explained in
Table 1-1.

Table 1-1. Symbols

Symbol Description

J

Earth Ground

W Important Information: refer to manual

Do not dispose of this product as unsorted

~

municipal waste. Go to Fluke’s website for
recycling information.

1-2