Va-Tran MPS-I-302 User manual

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INSTRUCTIONS
Congratulations on your purchase of the Micro Precision Steam Cleaner (MPS-I-
302). This product, designed and manufactured by Va-Tran Systems, Inc.,
represents the latest technology available in technical steam cleaning systems, and
has been specifically designed for High Precision and Cleanroom Applications.
Precision Steam Cleaning is a growing field with many new applications and
methodologies being developed daily. Pressurized steam is an aggressive cleaning
medium and is an ecological alternative to environmentally harmful solvent
cleaning agents.
At Va-Tran Systems, we firmly believe that part of selling any enhanced technology
is helping the customer use it successfully. These instructions represent our
experience in the use of Precision Steam Cleaning Systems. When used and
maintained properly, this unit will provide trouble-free service for your Precision
Cleaning requirements. If you find you have further questions, you may call us
regarding its' use.
MPS-I-302
MICRO PRECISION STEAM CLEANER

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SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS
The Micro Precision Steam Cleaner is our latest design and as such has been designed to be safe
for the user. A safety pressure relief valve is employed to protect the system and its' operators,
and will relieve pressure at 300 psig.
NEVER bypass a safety device! There are high temperatures and high pressures of both saturated
and superheated steam present in the system. The delivery system for the aforementioned steam
is via an operator held and controlled wand. Va-Tran Systems, Inc. cannot control the applications
of, and/or operation by, the purchaser, and therefore cannot be held responsible for injuries,
accidents, or losses resulting from the use or misuse of the Micro Precision Steam Cleaning
System.
Steam exits this product from 212to 350Fahrenheit, at pressures from 25 to 250+ psig. If used
improperly, serious burn injury is possible. NEVER aim the exiting steam jet at people, and
NEVER engage in 'horseplay' while operating this product. It is also possible to be burned by hot
water in the range of 140to 212Fahrenheit exiting the wand once the steam-generating chamber
has cooled. The following Safety Requirements are mandatory while operating this product:
Use only De-Ionized (DI) or Distilled Water in the Micro Precision Steam Cleaner. Use of any
other fluids will void any and all warrantees, both written and implied. Tap water contains
excessive minerals and calcium that can concentrate in the plumbing and cause excessive
pressures, reduced flow rates, and/or an explosion hazard. Other fluids, especially those with
flash points could cause explosions resulting in serious bodily injury or death.
Wear eye protection. A face shield is preferable, but safety glasses may be substituted.
Wear protective gloves as needed.
Wear a protective apron as needed to protect clothing from becoming soiled.
A skid-free rubber mat is recommended in cleaning area to prevent slip hazards.
Hearing protection is advised in areas where this product is operated in close quarters.
Avoid breathing any airborne contaminants that may be injurious. We recommend using
breathing protection. Consult an MSDS for any contaminants that you may be cleaning, and
use that information as a guideline for exposure levels and protective equipment.
This cleaning system has no 'steam shut-off' device. This means steam will exit the wand
nozzle until the steam-generating chamber is empty. Hold the wand safely until all steam has
exited the cleaning nozzle.
Never aim this gun at people. Do not engage in 'horseplay' when operating the MPS-I-302
Steam Cleaning System.
The item being cleaned should be grounded to prevent an electro static discharge (ESD) from
being generated.

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ASSEMBLING THE MPS-I-302 CLEANING SYSTEM
The MPS-I-302 Steam Cleaner will arrive factory wrapped in cellophane, along with the following
ancillary items:
10' of blue 1/4" O.D. water tubing with inlet filter attached.
1 wand with 4' hose and Swagelok plumbing and electrical interface.
3 interchangeable cleaning nozzles for the wand.
This instruction manual.
Upon first receipt, inspect the box and its' contents for any damages that may have occurred in
transit. Report any damages immediately to the transit carrier. Once the shipment is verified
'damage free', remove the cellophane wrapping and also the tubing, wand, and cleaning nozzles.
Set the MPS-I-302 on a clean, dry, and level surface. This unit should be located in a clean, dry,
and dust-free area. Do not place items on the top of the unit, or block the electronic cooling slots
located on the left side of the unit. Make sure this unit is located in a splash-proof area, and do not
spray steam onto the unit during operation.
Connect the water supply tubing to the unit. Push the blue water tubing into the 'putty' colored
bulkhead quick disconnect fitting at the lower left corner at the rear of the unit, labeled
'Distilled/De-ionized Water Only'. Place the other end of the tubing into your supply of
Distilled/D.I. Water. The water supply should be free of any and all particulates that may damage
the water pumping system. This water supply SHOULD NOT be pressurized into the MPS-I-302.
Attach a nozzle to the wand. To attach a nozzle to the wand, simply select a nozzle, insert the
ferrule end into the wand fitting, and screw the Insulator-nut onto the Swagelok fitting. Tighten
the Insulator-nut very snug by hand. The wand is ready to attach to the MPS-I-302.

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Attach the wand to the MPS-I-302. At the end of the wand hose is both a steam (pneumatic)
and electrical connector.
First connect the wand into the Swagelok bulkhead fitting located on the front panel of the MPS-
I-302. Hand-tighten; then turn an additional 1/16th turn clockwise.
Now attach the electrical connector to the panel mount socket labeled 'Remote', located in the
upper right hand of the Front Panel. To connect, align the pins, push in fully, then turn the outer
'locking ring' clockwise one-quarter turn.
Interface the MPS-I-302 to a power source. The MPS-I-302 should be interfaced with a
dedicated 20 amp or higher amperage circuit. The unit can draw close to 15 amps with the steam
generating chamber heating, and the pump moving water into the steam-generating chamber. Do
not power-starve this unit. Extension cords should be avoided when powering this unit.
The cleaning steam is generated via resistive heaters rated at a total of 3000 watts, and will draw
high amperage when heating the steam-generating chamber.
Power-up the unit and pre-heat steam-generating chamber. Turn 'on' the power switch located
in the lower left corner of the front panel. The pilot lamp will illuminate until the heating chamber
has reached operating temperature. The MPS-I-302 is protected by a 20-amp circuit
breaker/switch, which can be reset and which is located in the lower left-hand corner of the front
panel.
Prime the MPS-I-302 cleaning system. Once the 'Heating Chamber' lamp has gone out, the unit
is ready to operate. To use, squeeze the trigger fully, and hold; then simultaneously depress the
black pump button at the rear of the wand handle. When activated, the pump should start to pull
water from the water supply and into the unit. When water first reaches the heating chamber, a
wisp of steam will exit the cleaning nozzle. After the first wisp has exited, run the pump for 5 to

MPS-1-302 - Page 5 of 8
10 seconds to fully prime the pump and to pass any air that may have been caught in the water
supply system. The system is now ready to clean items of choice.
USING THE MPS-I-302 STEAM CLEANING SYSTEM
The MPS-I-302 Steam Cleaning System has been designed to be of ease and simplicity to the user.
Interfacing the wand and water tubing and plugging into a wall electrical outlet is all that's required
to get 'up and running'.
With the MPS-I-302 Steam Cleaning System from Va-Tran Systems, Inc., there are as standard
equipment 3 specialized cleaning nozzles:
1- General Purpose Nozzle that has a front-facing orifice in the center of the nozzle and used
for most typical cleaning tasks. This nozzle provides the most powerful and focused jet of
cleaning steam of the available nozzles.
1- I.D. Cleaning Nozzle that has forward-facing holes on the outside diameter of the nozzle
used for cleaning the insides of tubes, chambers, and cavities.
1- Fan Spray Nozzle used for cleaning a wider surface area than the General Purpose Nozzle.
Please note that the Fan Spray Nozzle has its own captive Insulator-nut different from the
Insulator-nut for the General Purpose and the I.D. The cleaning nozzle, however, is shared -
it is removed from the end of the unused nozzle and slid over the working end of the other,
and then attaches to the wand.
The nozzles are attached to the front of the wand, which resembles a pistol in form. At the exit
from the wand is a Swagelok 1/4" tube fitting. This fitting uses a ferrule system to form a leaktight
seal to the nozzle. The interface end of each nozzle has a pre-swaged front/rear ferrule set that will
mate to the Wand exit fitting. The Swagelok nut has been fitted with a large Teflon insulator that
has been designed to keep you from getting burned when changing or tightening a hot cleaning
nozzle. Note: due to thermal expansion and contractions, it may be necessary to re-tighten a nozzle
occasionally during operation, as small leaks around the nozzle fitting may develop.
Cleaning with the MPS-I-302 is easy. Once the proper nozzle has been selected, and the steam-
generating chamber is at operating temperature as is indicated by the 'heating chamber' pilot lamp
going 'off', you may begin cleaning.
Direct the nozzle at the part to be cleaned, pointed away from you and at approximately a 45-
degree angle. Generate steam by fully pulling the trigger while simultaneously depressing the
black 'pump run button' at the rear of the wand, or alternatively pressing the 'Manual Steam
Actuator' momentary switch for about 3 seconds. High pressure cleaning steam will exit
immediately. Direct the flow of steam over the part to be cleaned, bottom to top and side to side,
or vice versa, such that residue is directed away from the part and away from the operator. Some
empirical experimentation may be required to determine the best nozzle and cleaning procedure
for your application.

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After about 20 seconds the flow of steam will cease as the injected water will have been vaporized
and exited. Repeat the preceding procedure as often as is required to clean the part. The 'pump
run button' may be depressed for as long as 5 seconds if a longer duration of steam is desired. If
you try to pump water while the unit still has steam in the plumbing, the pump motor may stall,
resulting in a lack of any steam being generated. Wait until all steam is gone before pumping more
water into the chamber.
After a few cleaning cycles the steam will begin to lose its' ability to clean because the heating
chamber has cooled below the optimum operating temperature. To recover, simply let the unit rest
until the heating chamber pilot lamp has gone out, then commence with the cleaning process. Note:
Each cleaning application is different. Some tenacious contaminants may require the hottest,
highest-pressure steam to remove. In this case you will need to allow the heating chamber to fully
recover between cleanings. Other contaminants may be removed even when the chamber has
cooled to the point of spitting hot water along with the steam. This varies by cleaning application.
For high volume industrial applications, Va-Tran Systems Inc. offers a continuous system, the
MPS-I-CD. The MPS-I-CD is available only as a 208-240 volt ac powered Precision Steam
Cleaning System. Va-Tran Systems, Inc. may also be consulted to design modified or customized
systems to solve your cleaning problems.
Setting the operating temperature. Changing temperature set point is easy. Power down the
unit and let cool. Remove the 4 screws that secure the top cover, then the 4 screws that secure
the maintenance panel (right side of unit). The temperature control board is mounted on the left
side panel and has an analog dial in the center of the P.C.B. The dial reads directly in Fahrenheit
and can be set as hot as 600° F., however we suggest 575° F. as the upper limit. The unit will
make useful steam set anywhere from 450 to 575° F., the higher the setting, the higher the initial
pressure steam will be generated.
Operating above 575° F may blow the temperature fail-safe thermal fuse and will not be covered
under warranty.
MAINTAINING YOUR MPS-I-302
The MPS-I-302 has been designed to require infrequent maintenance. Most moving parts, located
primarily in the water pumping system, have been designed as either low maintenance or
maintenance-free. There are, however, some wear parts in the pump cylinder itself that will wear
out with use, and must be replaced at the factory. Va-Tran Systems, Inc., recommends that you
replace most moving parts, as a comprehensive pump replacement kit, on a yearly basis as part of
your preventative maintenance program:
Particulate Filter Replace as needed
Cylinder Assembly Replace yearly or as required
Servicing the moving parts. Providing service to the MPS-I-302 is easy. Power down the unit
and let cool. Remove the 4 screws that secure the top cover, then the 4 screws that secure the
maintenance panel (the right side of the unit). Most moving parts are on the pump assembly in the
lower left-hand corner of the interior as viewed toward the right side of the unit.

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Replacing Steam Particulate Filter. To replace the particulate filter in the wand, remove the
nozzle and insulated nut. Using an 11/16” boxed end wrench, remove the Swagelok fitting that
encloses the filter housing.
The spring and
filter can now be
removed and the
filter replaced
Install the new filter with
the open end into the
wand housing first being
sure it is centered.
Replace spring and
fitting to enclose housing
then re-install nozzle of
choice.

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WARRANTY INFORMATION
Products manufactured by Va-Tran Systems are warranted free of original defects in material and
workmanship for a period of one year from date of purchase or lease. This warranty does not
include o-rings, seals, wear parts, or failures caused by lack of proper maintenance, incompatible
fluids, or foreign contaminants. Products believed to be defective may be returned upon written
approval by Va-Tran Systems, freight prepaid for repair or replacement.
Any modification to any Va-Tran product by the customer is done at the customer’s sole risk and
responsibility. Va-Tran disclaims any claims, demands, or causes of action for damage or personal
injuries from the modification and or use of such a modified product.
Va-Tran Systems’ obligation with respect to its products shall be limited, and in no event shall Va-Tran
be liable for any loss or damage of whatever kind or nature, or any other expense which may arise in
connection with or as a result of such products being used. If repair is necessary, it is required that you
obtain an RA, returned authorization, number from Va-Tran Systems, Inc. Address, phone number,
and Internet address are as follows:
Va-Tran Systems Inc.
677 Anita St.
Chula Vista, CA. 91911
619-423-4555
Fax [phone]
[email protected]
www.vatran.com