EC4 Compact Composites Vacuum Pump

With suitable precautions, these pumps will run for long periods including overnight. The main consideration is the consumption of oil whilst the pump is under load. The pump must not be allowed to run dry of oil otherwise damage will occur so regularly checking the oil level is a must. If the bag is properly sealed then you will find that the consumption of oil is minimal, in which case the pump will find fine to run overnight without danger of running low or out of oil. On the other hand, if the bag is not properly sealed (i.e. it leaks) then this will put the pump under more load and consume oil much more quickly. In this situation we would not advise leaving the pump unattended.

Although these pumps are not designed to have user-serviceable parts, we do have a range of spare parts for professional users or competent persons to replace worn components such as the vanes and some seals which can be arranged by contacting our support department.

The pump is ready to run without any additional accessories required. The pump is fitted with a 1/4 turn vacuum valve and a 'hose tail' barb which is 7mm in OD, making it suitable for both 6mm ID hose and 8mm ID hose. We don't include a vacuum gauge; if you want one then the simplest way would be to get a Male - Female - Male 1/4 BSP 'T Piece'. The male 1/4 BSP thread could screw into the vacuum pump (after you unscrew the existing vacuum valve), the gauge would screw into the female side on the T piece and then the vacuum valve (and barb) could screw back onto the remaining male thread on the T piece. Such a fitting would be available from an air fitting supplier.

Our EC.4 pump is fitted with an inline check valve in the vacuum port of the pump. This means that when the pump is switched off, oil cannot flow back up the vacuum line. For this reason, you do not need a valve on the pump itself.

On the EC4, gases exit via the black oil separator filter on the top of the pump. This filter catches any oil mist but allows air drawn through the pump to pass through. 

It comes pre-assembled as a kit with the 8mm barb. However it is a standard 1/4" BSP fitting and could easily be replaced with a different size one.

Yes it is normal for air bubbles to make the sight glass look frothy during pump use.  This is air being extracted through the pump. With the pump switched off, the oil should settle back down to being clear again.

The EC4 has an inline female 'Shucko' socket on it, the same type of socket that the vast majority of PCs and computer monitors have on them so you'll be using the same type of lead to connect the EC4 to your 220V mains supply. None of the power leads we list on our website are the US convention because not many US customers have access to a 220/240V supply and so we didn't want to cause confusion by offering a US power lead. If you can connect to your 220V system using a standard US 2 pin plug then you can use any PC/monitor power lead you already have.

There are no issues with using this pump with vacuum bagging processes involving vinylester resins.

It is not possible to control or change the level of vacuum the pump achieves directly. The pump is designed to run to a full vacuum only. However it is possible to use a separate SMC vacuum regulator to control the level of vacuum the vacuum bag or chamber connected to the pump achieves. The regulator sits between the pump and the bag/chamber and reduces the level of vacuum to the level set on the regulator's gauge. You can find the SMC vacuum regulator here: SMC Vacuum Regulator

The EC4 is fitted an 8mm hose tail barb which is intended for an 8mm internal diameter hose so your 8mm hose should be a perfect push-fit.

The Figures are as follows:

• Power

• 0.12kW at 50 Hz.
• 0.15kW at 60 Hz.
• 0.16hp at 50 Hz.
• 0.2hp at 60 Hz.


• Amperage
• 0.8A

.. and vacuum leak flow indicator. After a prolonged period of running a small amount of oil had backed up in the tubing between the pump and the regulator. Is this normal?

When using the regulator for long periods of time, this is perfectly normal. This is because, in essence, the pump is operating under a load for a prolonged period so you get a very small amount of oil back splatter in the hose. In normal operation, the check valve prevents any significant amount of oil flowing up the inlet pipe when the pump is switched off.

Yes, certainly. This pump is perfectly suited for resin infusion of large car body panels so will have no problem with the panels you describe.

The DVP EC.4 is not designed rated for use with hot air outside the range of normal ambient environmental temperatures. However, for short periods of a couple of minutes or so, it is unlikely that exposure to air at 80°C would cause any long term damage. The oil and pump itself would absorb and dissipate the heat but would then need to cool once switched off.