Troubleshooting Tips And Tricks - Agilent Technologies 5975C TAD VL MSD Troubleshooting And Maintenance Manual

Troubleshooting Tips and Tricks

Rule 1: "Look for what has been changed."
Many problems are introduced accidentally by human actions. Every time any
system is disturbed, there is a chance of introducing a new problem.
• If the MSD was just pumped down after maintenance, suspect air leaks or
• If the reagent gas bottle or gas purifier were just changed, suspect leaks or
• If the GC column was just replaced, suspect air leaks or contaminated or
• If you have just switched ion polarity or reagent gas, suspect the tune file
Rule 2: "If complex isn't working, go back to simple."
A complex task is not only more difficult to perform, but also more difficult to
troubleshoot as well. For example, CI requires more parts to work correctly
than EI does.
• If you're having trouble with NCI, verify that PCI still works.
• If you're having trouble with other reagent gases, verify that methane still
• If you're having trouble with CI, verify that EI still works.
Rule 3: "Divide and conquer."
This technique is known as "half-split" troubleshooting. If you can isolate the
problem to only part of the system, it is much easier to locate.
• To isolate an air leak, select Shutoff valve. If abundance of m/z 32 decreases,
5975 Series MSD Troubleshooting and Maintenance Manual
incorrect assembly.
contaminated or incorrect gas.
bleeding column.
you have loaded in memory. Is it the appropriate file for your mode of
operation?
works.
the problem is not in the flow module.
CI Troubleshooting
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