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Troubleshooting--Very small current or no current when you run an experiment but no overload indication
Troubleshooting
By far, the most common source of problems is lack of a connection between a cell lead and the cell
electrolyte. The lack of connection can be between the potentiostat and the electrode, or between the
electrode and the electrolyte.
One very common and often embarrassing error is to forget to connect one of the cell leads! Always double-
check your cell connections.
A more subtle problem is a gas bubble blocking an electrode's access to the electrolyte. Places where this can
happen include:
•
Purge gas or gaseous reaction products collecting on the face of the working electrode.
•
The counter electrode wire is not in the solution.
•
If you have a counter isolation tube, it can fail to fill with electrolyte.
•
The Reference Bridge tube contains a bubble between the reference electrode and the electrolyte.
•
A bubble collects on the glass frit at the end of the reference electrode.
Another common problem is two electrodes shorting together (coming into mutual electrical contact). This can
occur within the cell (especially with a bare-wire counter electrode). It can also occur between the cell cable
connections.
This section of the manual is organized as a list of problems that you may encounter. Following each problem is
a list of some possible causes for that problem. Neither the list of problems nor the list of their causes is
comprehensive.
This troubleshooting guide only applies if you are running a potentiostatic experiment on the
cell. Galvanostatic experiments show different symptoms.
Very small current or no current when you run an experiment but no overload indication
•
The working electrode (green) lead in the cell cable is not connected to the cell properly.
•
There is a gas bubble completely blocking the face of the working electrode.
Stop the experiment, fix the error, and restart. The working electrode is not damaged.
Very small current or no current when you run an experiment, with a control amp
overload
•
The counter electrode (red) lead in the cell cable is not connected to the cell properly.
•
The counter electrode is partially pulled out of the cell.
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