AQUARIUS 70 User manual

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AQUARIUS
Operating Instructions
for the
Type 70 Electrolytic Gas
Soldering / Welding Unit
Table of Contents
1. Important General Remarks 2
2. Safety Instructions 2
3. Description of the Soldering Unit and Accessories 2
4. Operating for the First Time 5
5. Daily Operation 6
6. Maintenance 7
7. Troubleshooting Guide 8
8. Technical Data 9
9. Schematic Diagram 9

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1. Important General Remarks
You have made the right decision by purchasing AQUARIUS equipment. Our equipment can easily
serve you for 20 years or more with proper operation and regular maintenance. We guarantee all
new equipment for 36 months. Please read these Operating Instructions carefully to ensure smooth
operation of the equipment in your daily work. Nearly all alleged defects occurring within the warranty
period can be traced to improper use. The unit should be shipped back to our factory for renewal of
the seals about every 6 years, depending on how often it is used. We recommend that you save the
original packaging for this purpose. Please note that you should always make sure that the unit is
empty of all fluids before shipping, and that the Generator and Booster caps are screwed down
tightly for transport, because there can always be a residual amount of fluid in the tanks.
Always ship the hand-held torch and gas tube screw coupling along with the unit so that these can
also be inspected.
2. Safety Instructions
1. The electrolyte is a strongly corrosive fluid; the flux fluid is flammable and poisonous.
Electrolyte: R 35 Causes severe acid burns.
S 2 Must not fall into the hands of children.
Flux Fluid: R 11 Easily ignitable.
R 22/23 Poisonous when breathed or swallowed.
When filling, always wear protective gloves and safety goggles! Keep away from open flames!
Should electrolyte or flux fluid come into contact with the skin or clothes, rinse immediately with
plenty of water!
Spent or old fluids should always be disposed of at appropriate local waste collecting points!
2. Never run the unit unattended.
3. Choose the location of the torch stand such that the flame cannot come into contact with
surrounding objects.
4. Always extinguish the torch flame before opening the screw caps and gas tube screw coupling.
Keep open flames away from the unit when these are open.
5. Always disconnect the power cord from the socket before removing the unit’s cover.
6. It is forbidden to make unauthorized repairs to the unit.
For safety reasons, it is forbidden to remove, or drill holes in, the flashback arresters.
When making authorized repairs, always use original-manufacture replacement parts.
Repairs of the gas generator should only be made by our factory to ensure that the required
inspections are performed.
3. Description of the Soldering Unit and Accessories
The AQUARIUS Type 70 is a self-contained, electrolytic gas soldering / welding unit with a gas output
of 45 l/h. By splitting distilled water into hydrogen and oxygen, oxyhydrogen gas is produced, which
burns in the torch flame to reach temperatures of up to 3200°C. Since temperatures this high are only
needed when working with platinum, the flame temperature is reduced to 2400°C by mixing a flux fluid
vapor (from the booster tank) into the gas. The flux also helps to reduce oxide buildup when soldering,
which when combined with the finely adjustable flame, ensures ideal working conditions for all types of
soldering applications. Once filled with electrolyte, which only needs to be renewed about every 8 to
12 months, the unit consumes only distilled water and flux fluid during regular operation. This unit is
the result of years of development work and a proven safety concept. Some of the safety features
include:
1. A flashback arrester in the hand-held torch unit.
2. A flashback arrester in the gas tube screw coupling.
3. A safety pressure limiter that interrupts both lines of the power supply to shut the unit down on
failure of the pressure switch. The working pressure of the unit ranges from 0.18 to 0.20 bar. If the
pressure switch fails, the safety pressure limiter switches the unit off when the pressure reaches
0.30 bar.
4. The unit produces only as much gas as consumed by the torch flame except for very small
amounts that are still in the generator and tubing.
5. A thermostat switch shuts off gas production if the temperature of the gas generator gets too high.
AQUARIUS Soldering Units have a multi-cell generator allowing them to produce the
same amount of gas as other soldering units at only one half of the power
consumption. You are thus helping to protect the environment and saving energy
costs at the same time!

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Numbered Components:
1a) Filler opening of the electrolyte tank ( = gas generator, black)
1b) Level indicator float for electrolyte tank
1c) Screw cap of the generator tank, black
1d) Electrolyte bottle
2a) Filler opening of the flux tank ( = booster, red)
2b) Level indicator float for flux tank
2c) Screw cap of the booster tank, red
2d) Flux fluid bottle
3a) Large funnel to fill electrolyte fluid
3b) Small funnel to fill flux fluid
4) Power switch (On / Off)
5) LED to indicate gas production
6) Pressure gauge indicating gas pressure
7) Screw coupling for gas tube
8) Gas tube to hand-held torch
9) Hand-held torch
10) Torch flame adjustment valve
11) Assortment of different-sized torch nozzles
12) Syringe for cleaning and siphoning off liquids
13) Torch stand
14) Side-mount torch holder
15) Screw to fasten side-mount torch holder

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Numbered Components:
1) Gas generator (electrolyte tank)
2) Booster (flux fluid tank)
16) Safety pressure limiter
17) Reset pushbuttons of the safety pressure limiter
18) Pressure switch
19) NTC resistor
20) Transformer
21) Dropping resistor
22) Mist collector
23) Cooling fan
24) Diode plate
30) Thermostat switch

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4. Operating for the First Time
Caution: When filling, always wear protective gloves and safety goggles! Keep away from open
flames!
1. Filling the Electrolyte (black filler opening):
Using the larger funnel (3a), pour the entire contents of the supplied bottle of electrolyte solution (1d)
slowly into the filler opening of the electrolyte tank (1a). Because there are several cells in the
gas generator into which the fluid must flow, you should allow at least 3 minutes for this
operation. Pour slowly to avoid overflowing! When done, carefully insert the level indicator float for
the electrolyte (1b) into the tank with the thicker end pointing down. The top of the float should be level
with the top edge of the filler opening. Screw on and hand tighten the cap of the generator tank (1c).
Note that the supplied electrolyte solution already contains enough distilled water, so do not add
water.
2. Filling the Flux Fluid (red filler opening):
Using the smaller funnel (3b) and the 50 ml syringe (12), fill approximately 100 ml of flux fluid (2d) into
the filler opening of the booster tank (2a). Carefully insert the booster level indicator float (2b) into the
tank with the thicker end pointing down. The top of the float should be approximately 2 to 3 cm
below the top edge of the filler opening. You do not need to put the screw cap on the tank, because
the torch tube screw coupling will be screwed onto it in the next step.
3. Connecting the Hand-Held Torch:
Screw on and hand tighten the screw coupling of the torch gas tube (7) onto the filler opening of the
booster tank (2a). Choose the appropriate size torch nozzle (11) according to the desired size of the
flame, and put it on the end of the hand-held torch (9). Press the nozzle tightly onto the end of the
torch and twist it slightly (about ¼ of a turn) to ensure a tight fit. Keep the torch valve (10) closed for
the moment.
4. Testing the Unit for Gas Leaks:
Connect the power cord to a wall socket. Press the power switch (4) to turn the unit on. The LED (5)
should light up to indicate that gas is being produced. The needle of the pressure gauge (6) moves up
to 0.20 bar, at which point the pressure switch (18) inside the unit interrupts gas production, and the
LED goes off. Watch the needle of the pressure gauge for approximately 1 minute to determine
whether the pressure drops. If the pressure does drop, check and tighten the generator cap (1c), the
screw coupling of the gas tube (7) and the torch valve (10).
5. Lighting the Torch:
Open the torch valve (10), but wait about 1 minute before lighting the torch to allow the air in the gas
generator and tubing to escape, then light the torch. The flame should burn with a bright green color.
When the pressure falls below 0.18 bar, the pressure switch switches on again to restart gas
production, and the LED lights up. The torch valve must be adjusted appropriately according to the
size of the nozzle. If the valve is open too far, the flame makes an audible hissing sound; if the valve is
not open far enough, the flame can pull back into the nozzle, which glows and may begin to melt.
When using smaller nozzles, gas production switches on and off at regular intervals between the
pressures 0.18 and 0.20 bar. When using larger nozzles, it is normal that the pressure may sink below
0.10 bar and gas production never stops because all of the gas being produced is consumed by the
flame. To save energy and fluids, the flame should only be burning during the actual soldering work.
However, the torch valve can be closed and the power switch left on to keep the unit ready for
immediate operation. Because the gas generator gets warm during gas production, it is advisable
when you stop working after longer soldering operations to close the torch valve (10) to extinguish the
flame (see next step), but to leave the unit switched on for a while to allow the cooling fan (23) to run.
6. Extinguishing the Torch Flame:
Quickly close the torch valve (10) to extinguish the flame. Never turn the power switch off to
extinguish the flame because the slowly sinking gas pressure will pull the flame back into the nozzle,
which can melt and burn.

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5. Daily Operation
Before beginning work, you should check the fill levels of the generator and booster tanks. Depending
on how often you use the unit, you may not necessarily have to do this every day. When it is in its
ready state (power switch on, torch valve closed) the unit does not consume fluids. When gas is being
produced, the approximate consumption rates are as follows:
Consumption of distilled water: 25 ml / hour
Consumption of flux fluid: 7 ml / hour
Note: Before opening the generator tank screw cap (1c) or the gas tube screw coupling (7), you must
open the torch valve with power switched off to release the pressure. Caution: Keep open flames
away!
1. Checking the Fill Level of the Generator Tank (black filler opening):
With the unit switched off, remove the screw cap (1c) of the generator tank, and check the depth of
the level indicator float (1b). If the float is down too far, then use the large funnel (3a) to slowly pour
in distilled water until the top of the float is level with the top edge of the filler opening (1a). Because
there are several cells in the generator and it takes time for the water to flow into them, check the float
again after about 1 minute and add more distilled water as needed. Screw on and hand tighten the
screw cap.
Important: Never add more electrolyte solution after filling for the first time or renewing (see
Step 1 in Section 6)! The electrolyte is not consumed, it just gets old or spent.
The electrolyte consists of potassium hydroxide dissolved in distilled water, and has a concentration
that ensures an ideal electrical conductivity. During electrolysis (gas production), only the distilled
water is consumed while the amount of potassium hydroxide in the generator stays the same. If you
were to keep adding electrolyte, its concentration would increase, initially causing a loss in
performance and later, a crystallization that would damage the generator.
2. Checking the Fill Level of the Booster Tank (red filler opening):
With the unit switched off, remove the screw coupling of the gas tube (7) from the filler opening of the
booster tank (2a), or if the coupling is not connected, remove the screw cap. Switch the unit on for a
short period until you hear gas escaping from the filler opening in order to allow flux fluid to be
pumped from the runback reservoir back into the booster tank. (There is runback reservoir inside the
unit between the gas generator and booster that prevents flux fluid from being sucked into the
generator by the partial vacuum that is created when the warm generator cools down after being in
operation. When the unit is switched on again, the gas pressure pumps the flux from the reservoir
back into the booster tank, so that the fill level of the booster tank increases although no fluid was
added.) Switch the unit off again. Only after this has been done, can the true fill level of the
booster tank be reliably determined by checking the booster float (2c). The top of the float should
be about 2 to 3 cm below the top edge of the filler opening. Using the small funnel (3b), fill flux fluid
(2d) as required until the float indicates that the tank is full. If you have put in too much fluid, you can
use the syringe (12) to suck some of it back out. Replace the gas tube screw coupling (7) and screw it
down hand tight, or if you are not going to use the unit, put the booster screw cap (2c) on and screw it
down hand tight.

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6. Maintenance
1. Renewing the Electrolyte:
Caution: When working with electrolyte , always wear protective gloves and safety goggles to
prevent acid burns (see Section 2. Safety Instructions)!
The electrolyte should be renewed about every 8 to 12 months, depending on how often the unit is
used. An indication that it is time to renew the electrolyte is when the gas yield starts to drop, i.e., the
gas pressure is too low for large nozzles (the nozzle burns) or the flame is not hot enough. The
generator should be emptied while it is still warm from being operated to allow the sediment that
collects at the bottom to be removed. Before changing the electrolyte, always remove the gas
tube screw coupling (7) from the booster tank and screw on and hand tighten the booster tank
screw cap (2c). After removing the generator screw cap (1c) and the level indicator float (1b), tilt the
unit toward the front side (power switch side) until the electrolyte starts to pour out in a steady stream,
but not too far so that air can still get back in. The unit must be tilted toward the front (power switch
side) so that electrolyte does not flow into the tubing inside the unit. As electrolyte pours out, continue
tilting the unit slowly until it is upside down and completely empty. Before filling new electrolyte (see
Section 4, Step 1), rinse the generator once or twice with distilled water. To do this, slowly pour in
about ½ l of distilled water, shake the unit lightly, and then empty it by tilting it as described above.
Make sure to dispose of the old electrolyte properly (it is a caustic substance).
2. Replacing Old or Contaminated Flux Fluid:
If the booster fill level is OK, but the flame is pale or reddish instead of bright green, or if electrolyte or
distilled water has been filled into the booster tank by mistake, then the flux fluid must be replaced.
Switch the unit on for a short period to allow fluid to be pumped from the runback reservoir back into
the booster tank, then use the syringe (12) to suck the old fluid out of the booster tank. If the old fluid
is contaminated, e.g., with electrolyte or distilled water, then rinse the empty tank with about 100 ml of
flux fluid and then empty the tank again. Dispose of the old flux fluid properly. Never rinse the
booster tank with water, because the flux fluid saponifies (becomes soapy) when combined
with water, which can stop up the gas lines. Refill the booster tank with new flux fluid as described
in Section 4, Step 2.

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7. Troubleshooting Guide
1. The unit does not build up pressure.
a) If the LED (5) lights up, than gas is leaking at one of the screw connections or out of the torch.
Solution: Check and tighten the generator tank screw cap (1c), the gas tube screw connection
(7), and the torch adjusting valve (10).
b) If the LED (5) does not light, then electric power for gas production has been interrupted.
Several faults are possible:
1. A defect of the pressure switch (18) has caused the safety pressure limiter (16) to trigger.
Solution: Replace the defective pressure switch and push down both pushbuttons (17) on
the safety pressure limiter.
2. The dropping resistor (21) has burned through.
Solution: Replace the dropping resistor.
3. The rectifier diodes on the diode plate (24) are defective.
Solution: Replace the diode plate.
4. The thermostat switch (30) has triggered because the generator is too hot.
Solution: Check that the cooling fan is working! When the fan is running, gas production
restarts automatically as soon as the generator cools to a temperature below
45°C.
2. The flame has normal color (bright green) but is not hot enough.
a) The fill level in the generator tank is too low.
Solution: Refill the generator with distilled water as described in Section 5, Step 1.
b) The electrolyte is contaminated or spent.
Solution: Renew the electrolyte as described in Section 6, Step 1.
c) The gas line is blocked either inside the unit, or in the flashback arresters of the torch or the gas
tube screw coupling.
Test: Remove the nozzle from the torch, open the torch valve all the way open, and switch
the unit on. Normally, the LED should remain constantly lit to indicate that gas is
being produced, and the pressure indicator should stay at 0 because all of the gas is
being allowed to escape unhindered through the torch. However, if the pressure
increases and the LED goes off after a short period, then the gas is being blocked
somewhere. To find out where it is being blocked, start by pulling the torch out of the
tubing. If the pressure drops, then the flashback arrester of the torch is blocked. If the
pressure stays up, then the gas is blocked either in the flashback arrester of the gas
tube screw coupling or inside the unit. Unscrew the gas tube coupling. If the pressure
drops, then the flashback arrester of the gas tube screw coupling is blocked. If the
pressure stays up, then the gas is blocked inside the unit.
Solution: The flashback arresters can be cleaned with highly diluted sulfuric acid (density of
1.02). Fill roughly 4 to 5 cm of the diluted sulfuric acid into a glass. With the plunger
pushed in, connect the syringe to either the torch or the screw coupling, and dip the
torch or coupling into the acid. Now pull the plunger out to draw acid up into the
syringe while keeping the torch or coupling in the glass. Let the acid work for about 10
minutes. Occasionally move the plunger in and out a little to wash fresh acid into the
flashback arrester. When done, thoroughly rinse the flashback arrester with distilled
water, and dry it with compressed air.
If the gas is blocked inside the unit, call our customer service or send the unit to the
factory for repair.
3. The flame is red or pale, and not hot enough.
a) The fill level in the booster tank is too low.
Solution: Refill the booster with flux fluid as described in Section 5, Step 2.
b) The flux fluid is contaminated or old.
Solution: Empty and clean the booster tank as described in Section 6, Step 2. Refill the booster
tank with new flux fluid as described in Section 4, Step 2.

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8. Technical Data
Gas yield 45 l/h
Largest nozzle size 20G
Number of torches working at same time 1 to 2 (2 with 22G and smaller nozzles
and optional T-piece in gas tube)
Rated voltage 230 V, 50 Hz
Rated current 0.9 A
Rated power consumption 200 VA
Maximum operating pressure 0.20 bar
Number of cells in the gas generator 3
Distilled water consumption 25 ml/h
Flux fluid consumption 7 ml/h
Pressure regulation pressure switch
Overpressure protection safety pressure limiter
Overheating protection thermostat switch
Number of flashback arresters 2
Direct current display LED
Generator tank capacity 0.8 l of electrolyte
Booster tank capacity 0.1 l of flux fluid
Fill level indicator in generator tank generator float
Fill level indicator in booster tank booster float
Dimensions of the unit in cm 45 x 28 x 22
Weight when ready for operation 14 kg
Size Table for Torch Nozzles in mm:
Nozzle No. Inside Diameter Outside Diameter
20G 0.60 0.90
21G 0.50 0.80
22G 0.40 0.70
23G 0.35 0.60
24G 0.30 0.55
25G 0.25 0.50
26G 0.20 0.45
9. Schematic Diagram
A schematic diagram of the unit’s circuitry is shown on the next page.

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