Lifa Air Duct Control Mini Operating instructions

LIFA Duct Control Mini / Manual with rear
view camera
OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE MANUAL
Duct Control Manual is the same as Duct Control Mini but without the Duct Truck robot camera
Portable Video Inspection System for air ducts and dry cavities/spaces
These instructions must always be available to personnel using the equipment. Please read
instructions before operating the machine. Observing the instructions carefully will guarantee many
years of trouble-free use.
INDEX
IMPORTANT!
Read this manual before you operate the machine

2
General directions ....................................................................................................................... 3
LIFA Duct control Mini/Manual.................................................................................................... 3
Operating intructions................................................................................................................... 4
Principle of operation....................................................................................................................4
Driving (with the accessory Duct Truck only)............................................................................4
Safety............................................................................................................................................ 5
Technical information.................................................................................................................. 6
Duct control Mini operation time with battery............................................................................ 7
Controls........................................................................................................................................ 7
Installation.................................................................................................................................... 7
Transport.........................................................................................................................................7
Operating position.........................................................................................................................7
Electrical connection.....................................................................................................................8
Charge the battery.........................................................................................................................8
Maintenance................................................................................................................................10
Spare parts..................................................................................................................................10
Accessories.................................................................................................................................11
Warranty......................................................................................................................................12
Recycling.....................................................................................................................................12
Declaration of Conformity..........................................................................................................13

3
General directions
The equipment covered by these instructions has been manufactured according to the current laws,
statutes and bylaws of European Union. Viewpoints and regulations on the safe use of machines
change over time. If the person using the Lifa’s equipment notices any reasons or possibilities for
improving work safety, Lifa Air Ltd. would be most grateful to receive such information.
1. LIFA Duct Control Mini / Manual, battery operated inspection camera equipment is
constructed for inspecting different kind of ducts, circular and rectangular, pipes and crawl
spaces in dry conditions.
2. The unit is NOT water resistant; it cannot be used in wet conditions, like sewage pipes!
3. It is forbidden to use the equipment for any other purpose without permission from the
manufacturer. If the equipment is used for a purpose other than that for which it is designed,
the manufacturer is not responsible for the possible consequences.
4. The equipment may only be used by personnel who have been trained in its use and who
have read the operating and other instructions supplied by the manufacturer.
5. The persons responsible for operating the machines or equipment must acquaint themselves
with their structure, functions and safe use.
6. No safety functions may be removed or disabled while the machine is being used.
7. If the machine must be installed in a way that stops or impairs the functioning of its original
safety functions, the personnel in charge must be notified of this immediately.
8. Noise level from the machine is very low (< 70 dB)
9. Due to the nature of HVAC cleaning work (done in intervals, team changing positions)
exposure to vibrations (hands only) is well below all defined levels.
LIFA Duct control Mini/Manual
Congratulations for your new LIFA Duct Control Mini / Manual from Oy Lifa Air Ltd. LIFA Duct Control
Mini/Manual is designed and manufactured per international quality and environmental management
system ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004. LIFA Duct Control Mini / Manual video inspection
system is a 12V battery powered unit primary for inspecting the inside surfaces of air ducts or pipes
ranging Ø from 50 mm upwards; in more than 300 mm ducts additional lighting is needed for the
manual drop camera.

4
Operating intructions
Principle of operation
The manual push/drop camera is steered by an accessory semi-rigid glass fiber rod or similar stick.
Also, there is a control box equipped with an adjusting switch for the lighting.
It can be used to inspect both circular and rectangular ducts.
The view inside the duct can be recorded on a separate recording device through a RCA type output.
It is also possible to view the recording from the TFT display.
Alternatively, the view can be recorded on a laptop PC computer by using a video grabber picture
card (not included) that converts analog video signal to digital through USB 2.0 feature.
Please, read the separate instruction manual from the manufacturer for both the
TFT monitor and video grabber picture card recommended by Lifa Air Ltd.
Driving (with the accessory Duct Truck only)
Before any duct inspection, train yourself by driving on the floor and under the furniture to be able
to control the movements of the Duct Truck.
Before driving, make sure that all cables are connected to the Connection Central Box at the DC
Mini/Manual case and that the battery is fully charged.
To drive the Duct Truck take the Joy Stick box to your hand and push the joystick to desired direction
and the Duct Truck will move accordingly.
The Duct Truck is quite heavy to get additional grip for the wheels, when driving out the full length
of the cable.
Be careful when driving the Duct Truck in an overhead duct as it may fall down from the duct if the
operator of the Duct Truck makes a mistake on driving directions!
When you feel ready to go, put the Duct Truck in the duct through an access door or other suitable
entrance for the equipment. Adjust the light according to the darkness and reflections in the duct
from the light adjusting knob at the Joystick box. Drive smoothly forward looking the view inside. Be
careful about the possible sharp edges and screws which are a risk for the cable!
If the Duct Truck gets stuck in the duct, do not draw aggressively from the cable as it may to damage
the cable! Try to drive the Duct Truck forward and back and gently draw the cable at the same time.
If not succeeded, you may cut an extra access opening to the duct or use a glass fiber shaft to catch
and get loose the stucked Duct Truck.

5
Safety
The following instructions must be followed to insure safe and uninterrupted operation.
• The LIFA Duct Control Mini / Manual is a battery-operated unit. Only part to be connected to the
power supply is the charger.
• The charger`s electric plug must be connected to a socket with a 1~230 V, 50 Hz
(USA 120 V, 60 Hz)
• The equipment must not be positioned or used in places where there is a risk of explosion.
• The equipment must not become wet.
• Be careful with sharp edges in the ductwork.
• Use only accepted ladders or stands when working with duct Control.
• Wear protective mask, eye protection glasses, overall, gloves shoes etc. per the requirements
of the working place/environment.
• Working temperature for Duct Control Mini/Manual from -10 °C to + 43 °C.
In any questions, contact Lifa Air Ltd or an authorised dealer. The Equipment must be protected from
moisture, vibration and blows.

6
Technical information
The following information refers to the basic model of LIFA Duct Control Mini / Manual. There are
some alternative parts, such as the control box with either one or two joysticks, which this instruction
manual takes into consideration.
Some parts may come from alternative suppliers, such as TFT monitor, Battery Charger, Field Box.
The manufacturer`s instructions for that equipment are attached to this instruction.
• Field Box, black plastic case
• Connection Central Box
• Main fuse
• Power on-off switch
• Input for video/steering cable
• Input for Joystick cable
• Output for TFT Monitor
• Output (RCA) for recording device, or picture
card for PC or other recording device
• Sealed valve regulated lead-acid battery 12 V,
5 Ah inside the Box
• TFT-LCD 175 mm (7 inch) color
monitor, 1140 х234 pixels (see
separate instruction manual)
• Plastic cable shield/reel
• Video/steering cable 25 m with connection
plugs
• LIFA Duct Truck Mini Tractor, length 180 mm,
width 140 mm, height 80 mm, 2 pcs 12 V DC
gear motors, chain drive
• 2 built-in color video cameras (front and back)
with integrated LED lamps, front camera has
Ø 2,5 mm lens, resolution 700 TV-lines,
viewing angle 150 degrees.
• Input voltage for battery charger 120-240 V
AC

7
Duct control Mini operation time with battery
Duct Control Mini operates 3 to 5 hours with fully charged (fresh) battery.
Please notice to charge the battery every time after use.
Never store Duct Control Mini / Manual with empty battery, the battery must always be fully charged.
Controls
1. Duct Truck and Drop camera LED light brightness adjusting knob is beside the Joystick. On/off
with the manual drop camera is done by plugging in/out the cable of joystick control unit.
2. Manual pushing accessory for the drop camera of Duct Control Manual, glass fiber rod on reel
with 25 meters of length
Joystick steering control and LED lamp
brightness adjusting knob.
25-meter-long glass fiber rod for
Drop Camera of the Duct Control Manual
(accessory)
Installation
Transport
Before installation and use, check all the parts. Insure that none of them have been damaged during
transport. LIFA Duct Control Mini / Manual must be protected from moisture and must not be stored
unprotected outside. Please, take care when packing/unpacking the equipment.
Operating position
Place LIFA Duct Control Field Box on a stable surface.
Protect the equipment from vibration and other agitation.
The permitted operating temperature is ranging from –10 ºC to +43 ºC.

8
Electrical connection
The LIFA Duct Control Mini / Manual has a charger (12 V) for the built-in battery. The CE- marked
charger is suitable to a single-phase current 230 V 50 Hz.
The export models to USA and the other countries using 120V / 60 Hz are equipped with a charger
labelled 120V/60 Hz. Please check that the charger is the right one for the local power supply! Do
not use other types of chargers!
Charge the battery
Charging time is 5-6 hrs; if the battery has been empty for several days, charging time of 24 hours is
recommended. The green and red light are on when the charging is OK.
Always re-charge as soon as possible and never store with empty the battery. The charger is
automatic and changes to trickle charge mode when the battery is full. Refer to separate instruction
if needed. After completing the charging, disconnect the charger.
To secure the long lifetime for the battery, run the Duct Control Mini / Manual mainly with the charger
unplugged. When using a long period the charger can be connected. (The charger may give some
disturbance for the picture; also, when the battery is running empty, disturbance of the picture is first
sign of this).
1. Fastening the cables. After opening the DC Mini/Manual case, loosen the 25 m cable with
the plastic reel by unscrewing the fixation screw in the center of the case lid.
2. Connect one end of the 25 m cable to the Duct Truck or Drop camera and
3. the other end to the Central Box.
4. Connect the joystick cable and the video/steering cable to the Central Box. Check that all
plugs are fastened properly, but do not over tighten the collet nut because of risk of damage
to connector/connections. Do not use pliers in tightening!
5. Check the connection of the TFT monitor cable to the Central Box.
6. Switch the power on
a. ON/OFF Switch shown at photo. Red LED indicates power-on position.
7. Switch on the LED lamps
b. Driving light’s goes on by turning the light control knob on the joystick box.
8. Switch on the TFT Monitor
c. Monitor goes on by pressing the on/off –button at the monitor display.
d. For other details, look at the User`s Manual of the Monitor.

9
9. Recording the video picture on to lap top / or directly to SD-card device
Plug into the RCA output either the SD-card recording device or the video grabber. If using video
grabber, connect it to the USB 2.0 port of the lap top. Follow the video grabbers operation and
maintenance manual in detail to get the picture onto the screen. Please notice that when using the
video grabber for lap top, you need to connect your lap top into internet and make sure all software
+ drivers are compatible to each other!
10. Use of back (rear view) camera
When reversing, or if needed to see what was behind, there is also camera in the behind of the Duct
Truck camera robot. With switch 10 you can choose view from front or rear camera.
11. Fuse. Notice, when using duct control for operating Duct Control Cleaning robot the fuse must
be changed to 5 A fuse.
12. Charger input
6
10
11
12
9
3
4
5

10
Maintenance
The equipment must be unplugged from the mains before carrying out any service or repair!
• Always re-charge the battery as soon as possible and never keep the battery empty for
a long period
• When winding the cable back to the reel after use always try to get all the twist out of the
cable; this is best done by hanging the whole cable in the air or lying on the ground in full
length before winding back
• When winding the cable after use, wipe it clean with a soft cloth (microfiber, cotton, tissue or
similar) moistened with a mild detergent.
• Wipe the Drop Camera (or Duct Truck), joystick box and the other parts with a soft cloth, too
• Carefully wipe clean the lens and the LED lights of the Drop Camera (or Duct Truck).
• Check all the connection plugs, cables for any loosened screws or possible damages.
Spare parts
When ordering spare parts, always specify the model, serial number and year of manufacture, size
and type of the equipment.
NOTE!
Any repair needed must be carried out by the manufacturer or by a representative of the
manufacturer. We are not responsible for any service or repair carried out by a third party.