Corrosion of fixed gauge

["cicottegeorge" <cicottegeorge@email.msn.com>]

Does anyone on RADSAFE have any anecdotal knowledge of fixed gauges that
experienced extraordinary corrosion under environmental conditions that
appeared to be well within those discussed in the registration?  We ran into
an inactive registration-type gauge (manufacturer not specified at this time
because we're waiting for them to figure out whether they need to make a 10
CFR 21 report) in the field during a routine inspection that had such heavy
corrosion that the identification label was actually lifted from the surface
of the back of the gauge (the source is installed from the back with a fill
plug of Pb and W or steel backing plate, and the metal label is
riveted/affixed with tamper-proof retainers over the plate).

The gauge was installed about 16 years ago, and was positioned in exactly
the same environmental conditions as another gauge of the same model and
manufacture date, just a few feet away, and we hope to find some unknown
environmental factor if the manufacturer can't find an actual construction
defect.

George R. Cicotte
unofficial




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