radium dial instruments .. yes again..!

Would be interesting Mike lets see if anyone knows for sure….

Hi Peter,

I just wanted to add to the detail, but never planned to make the system run off of “oxygen”.

There is a slotted opening in the face the instrument where the reading is shown. I am quite sure that the entire instrument (6D/430) fills with oxygen when in operation.

Hey Mike

I could be wrong but I think you will be fine to use that guage for your turret oxy system as the oxygen doesnt pass over the harmful face. Why do you want to have an operational oxygen system anyways?

I am restoring a FN121 turret, hopefully to point where it is fully operable.

That did include plans for a working oxygen system, with a flow gauge, oxygen economizer and hose.

Discussions about these possible hazards have been around for some time now.

I had to change my plans, because I didn’t want to be inhaling any air that passes through an instrument with what I believe to be luminous paint.

Just my two cents.

explain a lot about U mate :D:D:D:D:D

Alex

yep – explains a lot doesnt it!

I deal with RADON all day every day at work.

More information can be obtained from the National Radiological Protection Board, however in Northamptonshire we are a RADON hot spot. The Museum has been tested for RADON and we are below the action level. (I knows me onions on this). More info at www.nrpb.org.

RADON is ONLY harmful if above the action level, contained and not vented, hence the use of RADON sumps.

RADON is tasteless, invisible and NOT immediately harmful continued exposure can pose a risk if no proper ventilation and at high levels. Children are at greater risk, i believe due to their lesser bone density.

Hope that answers the point

Cheers then

TT

hey wait a minute.. u mean that when I was there with u I had a good sniff of RADON too?? oh well.. :rolleyes:

I love you Anne, I hope you know that…. :p

More surprised that i actually KNEW something for once…am off for a lie down 🙂

Mental faculties exhausted…. 😮

Thanks TT. I just like being a prophet of doom :dev2:

Anne :diablo:

I deal with RADON all day every day at work.

More information can be obtained from the National Radiological Protection Board, however in Northamptonshire we are a RADON hot spot. The Museum has been tested for RADON and we are below the action level. (I knows me onions on this). More info at www.nrpb.org.

RADON is ONLY harmful if above the action level, contained and not vented, hence the use of RADON sumps.

RADON is tasteless, invisible and NOT immediately harmful continued exposure can pose a risk if no proper ventilation and at high levels. Children are at greater risk, i believe due to their lesser bone density.

Hope that answers the point

Cheers then

TT

“Thanks to Johnathan – he gives sensible answer – however we have checked our museum with a dosimeter (available ex-mod for about 15 quid cold war stocks) and the glass DOES protect you against radiation – ie put your glazed instruments in the panel then put it behind further glass such as a display cabinet, this reduces the radiation which may reach disgruntled (and freshly second-headed) punter.

I was told that the dose on this basis would be relatively harmless background radiation and yes if you stood there for about 5-15 years then harm may result.”

True but what about the radon gas given off as a daughter product of radium decay and, as it can be inhaled, could do allot more harm than direct emissions.

Anne

as long as they are behind the instrument glass i understand they are relatively safe – BUT if the glass is cracked and the paint is flaky can cause probs…

Handle them carefully and keep em behind glass!

Dont you all?! If not why nnnnnnnotttt!?

Thanks to Johnathan – he gives sensible answer – however we have checked our museum with a dosimeter (available ex-mod for about 15 quid cold war stocks) and the glass DOES protect you against radiation – ie put your glazed instruments in the panel then put it behind further glass such as a display cabinet, this reduces the radiation which may reach disgruntled (and freshly second-headed) punter.

I was told that the dose on this basis would be relatively harmless background radiation and yes if you stood there for about 5-15 years then harm may result

It is a COMPLEX field though and JF is dead right – ask the professionals if unsure – especially if dealing with the PUBLIC.

(if all of you wish to donate your lovely instrument panels to me (see wonderful separate thread) that would be just dandy)

cheers then

TT

as long as they are behind the instrument glass i understand they are relatively safe – BUT if the glass is cracked and the paint is flaky can cause probs…

Handle them carefully and keep em behind glass!

Cracked glass and flaky paint are indeed visual cues that if you hang on to the object you have every change of becoming a candidate for the Darwin Awards, but the glass does not protect you from the emitted radiation. Best to ask the experts (see below). You absolutely must do so if the item is an open source (the aforementioned missing or cracked glass).

National Radiological Protection Board
Chilton
Didcot
Oxon
OX11 0RQ
Telephone: 01235 831600
Fax: 01235 833891
http://www.nrpb.org/ (A great deal of information to be found here)

Society for Radiological Protection
76 Portland Place
London
W1B 1NT
Telephone: 01364 644487
Fax: 01364 644492
Email: [email]admin@srp-uk.org[/email]

Radiation Protection Special Interest Group
http://www.ipem.org.uk/sigs/rpsig/radprot.html

The Environment Agency (re disposal)
Telephone: 08708 506 506
www.environment-agency.gov.uk

..u can trust ben chaps, he sleeps with a Harvard panel over his head and they both glow in the dark 😀

Alex

as long as they are behind the instrument glass i understand they are relatively safe – BUT if the glass is cracked and the paint is flaky can cause probs…

Handle them carefully and keep em behind glass!

Hello peter,
I was watching the photo of your previous post about your outstanding halifax panel and just noticed that 3 of your boost gauges have the last 3 digits painted in green, which may mean that they are indeed “fluorescent” gauges* although the other digits looks brownish that may be “Fluorescent” paint, It’s easy to check with the references of the instruments or with a UV light as even brownish, the Fluorescent paint glow very well with such light (Have got a rate of climb with brownish Fluorescent paint that let me believe that it was at first a luminous painted instrument although it didn’t glow at night but after the UV test dicovered that it was indeed, fluorescent.)

Best regards,
olivier

* can someone confirm, I have never seen “Luminous” gauges with green digit… :confused:

they are guys, no questioning, and even when in doubt.. well dont play too much with them!

Alex

Hello Guys
after glancing over my halifax instrument panel this evening, I was wondering if the instruments do not glow in the dark any longer are they still a threat? I say this as three of the boost guages were brand new removed from their original boxes and never used.

The IWM clearly thinks that the radium paint used on Instruments is a hazard. The speedometers on both Jeeps on show in the Land Warfare Hall now have a “radioactivity” sticker, as presumably do all the american vehicles – as it was a standardised unit.

Best to get them checked out with a Geiger counter.

With the half-life of radium RA-226 being 1600 years, if your instruments were radioactive, they still will be.

Anne