[time-nuts] Rb standard questions

Bob Camp lists at rtty.us
Mon Aug 12 17:55:21 EDT 2013


Hi

On Aug 12, 2013, at 3:21 PM, Yuri Ostry <yuri at ostry.ru> wrote:

> Hello,
> 
> Tuesday, July 30, 2013, 3:03:57, Bob Camp wrote:
> 
>>> 3) what is the typical life of such a unit?
> 
> B> If it's run without a heat sink, about two years.
> 
> B> If it's power off on the shelf,  many decades.
> 
> There was another "aging factor" mentioned in some documents that
> circulate around the net. Helium can diffuse from atmosphere through
> glass walls ans change buffer gas composition inside the cells.

From what I have seen of "stored" cells - it's not a major issue.

> 
> Run well cooled, >> 10 years for 90% of the units
> 
> As I can see, my FRS-C still works well after approx 10 yrs on a cell
> site working 24/7 and 5 yrs sitting on the shelf. But lamp voltage
> that was recorded 5 yrs ago differs from the one that I measured
> when I put it back to work. It is lowered little bit.

The key question is - was it powered up in the cell site or simply sitting powered down? A *lot* of the cell site Rb's were in "emergency backup" applications (cell sites on trucks …). They sat around for 10 years, but didn't run for very long at all. 

Bob

> 
> 73!
> Yuri
> UA3ATQ/KI7XJ
> -- 
> Best regards,
> Yuri                          mailto:yuri at ostry.ru
> 
> 
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