Agilent Technologies 5977B Series Operating Manual page 22

1 Introduction
Many parts are dangerously hot
Many parts of the GC/MSD operate at temperatures high enough to cause
serious burns. These parts include but are not limited to:
• The GC inlets
• The GC oven and its contents including the column nuts attaching the
• The GC detector
• The GC valve box
• The foreline pump
• The diffusion pump
• The heated MSD ion source, interface, and quadrupole
Always cool these areas of the system to room temperature before working on
them. They will cool faster if you first set the temperature of the heated zone
to room temperature. Turn the zone off after it has reached the setpoint. If you
must perform maintenance on hot parts, use a wrench and wear gloves. Whenever
possible, cool the part of the instrument that you will be maintaining before
you begin working on it.
Be careful when working behind the instrument. During cool-down cycles, the GC
WA R N I N G
emits hot exhaust which can cause burns.
The insulation around the GC inlets, detectors, valve box, and the insulation cups is
WA R N I N G
made of refractory ceramic fibers. To avoid inhaling fiber particles, we recommend
the following safety procedures:
• Ventilate your work area
• Wear long sleeves, gloves, safety glasses, and a disposable dust/mist respirator
• Dispose of insulation in a sealed plastic bag
• Wash your hands with mild soap and cold water after handling the insulation
The oil pan under the foreline pump can be a fire hazard
Oily rags, paper towels, and similar absorbents in the oil pan could ignite and
damage the pump and other parts of the MSD.
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column to a GC inlet, GC/MS interface, or GC detector
5977B Series MSD Operating Manual
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