TECH SHEET 38 - ESA3 INSTRUCTIONS WARNING! The ProFlex ESA3 hand-held flock applicator is a high voltage device. SHOCK HAZARD! SPARK HAZARD! PACEMAKER HAZARD! OZONE GENERATOR! MAY DAMAGE ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT! The tool will produce painful electric shocks. It can ignite flammable vapors or liquids. It may interfere with heart pacemakers. It may damage microelectronic circuits. It may harm individuals with respiratory or cardiovascular health problems. To minimize hazards, read and implement precautions listed here and below. For industrial use only by healthy literate adults. Not for sale to or use by the general public. KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN AND UNTRAINED ADULTS! DESCRIPTION: ESA3 is a cylindrical hand-held tool about eight and one-half inches high by three inches in diameter. It converts nine volt battery input to high voltage direct current (DC). The tool produces an electrical field and imparts static electrical charge to fibers placed in the dispensing end of the unit. The fibers are then disbursed with mild agitation onto and into wet grounded conductive adhesive. This produces a flocked substrate with fibers oriented vertically on the work piece. The tool is comprised of a six inch high power unit attached end-to-end to a four ounce dispensing jar by means of a threaded stud. The stud serves as a high voltage contact to a disc electrode within the jar. It (and the assembly) is secured by an insulating knurled nut. Three types of dispensing screens can be used to enclose the dispensing jar by means of a threaded ring. Dispensing jar parts are replaceable. The power unit high-voltage internal components are permanently sealed and insulated to prevent destructive arcing. The bottom of the power unit contains a battery compartment enclosed by a three-inch end-cap. A battery cartridge is mounted within the battery compartment. The cartridge uses a nine volt (PP3) transistor battery. The proper installation polarity is indicated on the cartridge and quality batteries. Two switches, a ground receptacle, and an LED indicator are mounted on the side of the power unit. The primary on/off switch is a six position rotary switch that also increases the output voltage in five stages. Each switch position in the clockwise direction increases output voltage by one stage. The rotary switch also arms the unit. The tool is off or disarmed when the rotary switch is in the first position all the way counter-clockwise. The secondary switch is a spring-loaded push button. It activates the current if the rotary switch is in any of the five most clockwise positions. ESA3 uses a coiled ground lead that must be installed in the side-mounted receptacle on the power unit. The ground lead has a shrouded alligator clip used to attach the tool to ground. A jack fits the power unit ground receptacle. The tool must be properly grounded to avoid uncomfortable shocks. PRECAUTIONS: The ESA3 can ignite flammable liquids or vapors even while unattended. Do not store or operate this tool near flammable liquids or vapors. Use water-borne adhesives only. Do not use flammable or halogen containing adhesives. Always bleed-off residual static charge as directed below. The tool can produce a maximum short circuit current of 150 micro amps. Although not considered dangerous for healthy adults, discharges can be painful. Always operate ESA3 with ground lead installed and attached to a good ground. Always store the unit with the rotary switch in the off position (most counter-clockwise). Always bleed off the residual static charge by touching the ground lead alligator clip to the dispenser screen AND the disc electrode before and after using, loading, or storing this tool. NEVER CHANGE OR ADJUST THE ROTARY SWITCH WHILE THE SPRING-LOADED ACTIVATOR SWITCH IS IN THE DEPRESSED (ON) POSITION. Excessive arcing caused by improper operation produces ozone. Ozone is irritating and can induce or exacerbate respiratory health problems. Do not operate the tool at voltage levels that produce arcing as evidenced by excessive noise, sparks, and ozone odor. Always wear a dust mask demonstrated by the mask manufacturer as effective against nuisance dust when working with charged fibers. This is particularly important when using ESA3 in the direct discharge mode described below. The tool is factory sealed and potted to prevent self destruction. High voltage internal components cannot be repaired or replaced. Treat this unit as you would any expensive limited production hand tool. DO NOT STORE IN HOT AUTOMOTIVE INTERIORS. TEMPERATURES CAN EASILY EXCEED THE MAXIMUM STORAGE TEMPERATURE FOR THIS UNIT. OPERATIONS: Unwrap the tool and plug in the ground lead to receptacle on the side of the power unit. Turn the rotary switch off, all the way counter-clockwise to the first position. (The dial can continue to slip past the first position if forced. However, you will feel a definite stop...please stop). Touch the ground lead alligator clip to the factory installed dispenser screen. Unscrew and remove the dispenser screen. Touch the alligator clip to the disc electrode within. Nothing should happen at this point but make a practice to do these steps before and after using, loading or storing the unit. Unscrew and remove the battery end-cap. Install a new alkaline nine volt transistor battery in the slip-in cartridge. Make sure the positive battery terminal contacts the positive cartridge terminal as indicated. Check the narrow side of the battery if you have difficulty finding a plus or minus sign on the battery. Carefully reinstall the battery end-cap. It is an extremely tight secure fit. You may need to turn the battery cartridge to provide clearance. Attach the alligator clip to a good ground. Turn the rotary switch to the first clockwise position and depress the activator switch. The LED should light. If it does not, check the battery polarity. Select a dispenser screen. Use the coated fiberglass screen for most jobs, the concave metal screen for very small or difficult side work, or the dimpled metal screen with lead attached (Direct Discharge Screen) for overhead flocking. For work other than overhead, bleed off residual charge and load color matched fiber in the dispenser jar. Screw on the dispenser screen. Turn the rotary switch clockwise to a medium setting. Spray a medium wet coat of adhesive on the substrate to be flocked. Ground the tool. (For automotive work it is best to attach the alligator clip to an end of a standard jumper cable that has been attached to bare metal on the door frame.) With the dispensing end up, depress the activator switch and charge the fibers with mild shaking. Immediately turn the unit over so the dispensing screen is about one half inch above the wet adhesive. Depress the activator switch and tap the unit lightly so the fibers disburse into the wet adhesive. When enough fiber density is achieved, release the activator switch, turn the rotary switch off, and remove the ground probe and bleed-off the residual charge as described above. For overhead work select the dimpled metal screen with attached lead (Direct Discharge Screen). Make sure the rotary switch is off. Bleed-off residual charge and unscrew the knurled nut from the disc electrode. Attach the screen high voltage lead to the threaded stud and replace the knurled nut. Do not load fiber in the dispenser jar. Install the direct discharge screen on the jar. Load fibers in the dimple on top of the screen. Spray the adhesive and ground the tool as above. Turn the rotary switch full on (last clockwise position). Hold the tool (screen up) an inch or so under the wet adhesive. Depress the activator switch and gently tap the unit. Fibers will float to the adhesive. When adequate packing density is achieved, release the activator switch and turn off the rotary switch. Be careful to bleed-off residual charge immediately. Higher and faster fiber packing densities may be achieved by grounding the wet adhesive. Use a needle or similar probe on light wire attached to the alligator clip at the ground connection. The probe should contact the wet adhesive.