Exabyte "dry" cleaning kits

[George Goble]

We finally "damaged" a drive with an official Exabyte "wet" cleaning kit.
We had been involved early on in the testing of the BETA "wet" kits (you
got a whole bottle of freon-TF with those instead of a few drops).  We
often got rotor stalls from both the BETA and production "wet" kits.  Also
it was noticed that the cleaning tape usually evaporated pretty much dry
by the time it got to the heads.  The drive above took a rotor stall (we
have many drives with clear plastic lids so users can gawk at them) and
the cleaning tape "folded" on drum and got tangled up real bad, caught in
the gears, on the load ring, etc.  Something got bent or changed in that
drive, so it mangled new tapes when trying to load them after the
cleaning.

Exabyte has been investigating "dry" cleaning for many months now, and a
few bent drives probably convinced them to go with it.  The "dry" method
is the same as the "wet" method, except that no Freon is used.  You can
still use your "wet" kits made by Exabyte (and sometimes resold by other
vendors), but just don't use the Freon.  

Exabyte has just issued a Technical Bulletin 89-08-02 15-Aug-89 concerning
cleaning kits.  Below is this bulletin in its entirety

1) Purpose of this Technical Bulletin

This Technical Bulletin (TB) describes a change in the EXABYTE 8mm
Cartridge Tape Subsystem Cleaning Kit

2) Number of Pages

This TB consists of a total of two (2) pages.

3) Problems and Questions

If you encounter any problems or have any questions regarding this
information contained in any TB, contact the following:

		EXABYTE Corporation
		1745 38th Street
		Boulder, Colorado 80301

		Attention: Technical Support

		phone:(800) 445-7736/(303) 442-4333
		Telex: 361740
		Fax: (303) 447-0467

4) Description of Change

The EXABYTE 8mm Cartridge Tape Subsystem Cleaning Kit (Part Number 180123)
is being replaced by a cleaning kit without the cleaning solution
(trichlorotrifluoroethane).  The new cleaning kit (Part Number 727113-A00)
contains the same cleaning tape cartridge, but does not This change is
related to several issues:

	o  Extensive studies within EXABYTE engineering have concluded
	   that regular cleaning with the dry EXABYTE cleaning cartrdige,
	   starting at the time of installation, adequately prevents
	   contaminant buildup.

	o  The dry cleaning cartridge is easier to use

	o  EXABYTE supports the worldwide environmental concern for the
	   overuse of fluorocarbons

5) Availabiltiy of the New Cleaning Kit

Limited quantities of the new EXABYTE 8mm Cartridge Tape Subsystem
Cleaning Kit (Part Number 727013-A00) will be available on 15 September
1989.

   ------- end of TB ----

ghg

Geo. Goble, Engineering Computer Network, Purdue Univ, W. Lafayette, IN 47907
{backbone}!pur-ee!ghg  or ghg at purdue.edu