7010 GC/QQQ 1.5 Entrance lens driver cannot maintain the requested voltage

Hi, I cleaned the ion source of G7012B a month ago. I cleaned the ion source and replaced the filament. Ever since I installed it back, there has been this 1.5 entrance lens voltage error message showing up at random times. It pops up during the pre-run stage and abandons the run and the rest of the sequence. The frequency was like once every 3-40 runs (sometimes very frequent and sometimes not so much).

Earlier this week, I took the ion source out and checked the lens and connections. They all seem ok to me. I was able to conduct an autotune the next day. But the issue remains as the same msg pop up after about 25 runs last night. I would like to know what is probably wrong and what I can do next.

The signals are all good. I don't see other issues with the MS data.

Thank you!

Parents
  • Is the entrance lens the latest version with the long snout and the stepped contact edge and a single embedded bearing or the older version with the shorter snout and two bearings embedded in the edge?

    Old style with short snout and ball bearing contact.

    Current style with step/ramp edge contact and long snout.  There is a ball bearing embedded in the edge opposite the step/ramp. 

    Vent. Remove the ion source.  Remove the lens stack.   Are all the ball bearing locators aligned properly?   This picture shows that the second one from the right, the Ion Focus, is not aligned properly as the bearing is not where it belongs.

    When you clean the HES, the edge must be cleaned, too.  On the older style with two ball bearings clean both of those.  On the newer style with one step/ramp and one ball bearing, clean the step/ramp.   That is the electrical contact to the physical entrance lens.

    While the ion source is out, take a solvent-dipped cotton-tip swab and swab the pogo pins - the spring loaded pins inside the source radiator that make contact with the lens contacts. DO NOT scrub them with alumina, just gently wipe off the tips of the contacts.

    Reinstall the source, pump it down, let it equilibrate for at least one hour, test.

  • Thank you Paul! This makes a lot of sense!! The one we have is the newer one. I made sure all the ball bearings in the back aligned well. The popgo pins were the one that I did not clean (did not know we can Joy). One thing I also noticed on Monday when I had the source out, on the extractor lense (5), the ball bearing seems different from the other lenses. The upper part seems to be cut and shape was slightly different. I wonder if that might cause any issue but since the error msg was targeting at the entrance lens not the extractor lens I thought it might be fine. Would like to learn what you think. I will find time to clean the connecting part and let you know!

  • Close and clear photographs are always appreciated.  The extractor lens should look like this:   

    Make sure that the lines on the edge of all the lenses are in a row, too.  That line is there to help see that they are correct.

  • Yes! I checked the line too as according to the instructions (+) How to Disassemble and Assemble the HES (High Efficiency Source) - Articles - GC/MS Portal - Agilent Community

    I will take a picture when I have them out next time. Thank you so much for being so helpful!

Reply Children
No Data
Was this helpful?