Capillary Column Installation Quick Reference Guide

Answer

This Information Applies To: All Agilent Gas Chromatographs, 6890, 6850, 7890, 7820, 8890, and 8860.

Issue:

A quick reference guide on the capillary column installation for the GC.

Steps to follow

Warning: The oven and/or inlet/detector may be hot enough to cause burns. Cool the GC down before column installation or if either is hot, wear heat-resistant gloves to protect your hands.

Tips: Wear clean, lint-free gloves to prevent contamination of parts with dirt and skin oils.

Inlets

Split/splitless inlet

• Place a septum over the column, then the column nut and ferrule. Trim the end of the column with a column cutter.

• Pull the column back so that 4-6 mm of the column is extending past the end of the ferrule (see Figure 1).

• Thread the column nut and column into the inlet and tighten slightly past where the column grabs – retighten after heating. 

Figure 1
1. Ferrule, 2. Column nut, 3. Septum 

Purged packed inlet

• Place a septum over the column, then the column nut and ferrule. Trim the end of the column with a column cutter.

• Pull the column back so that 1-2 mm of the column is extending past the end of the ferrule (see Figure 2).

• Thread the column nut and column into the inlet and tighten slightly past where the column grabs – retighten after heating.

Figure 2

 

Multimode Inlet

Tips: Make sure that the column adapter nut on the inlet base is fully threaded on and spinning freely – Collar Up! (see Figure 3)

• Position the column so it extends 10-12 mm (for high boilers you can use 12-14 mm) above the end of the ferrule (see Figure 4). 

Figure 4

• Tighten with two wrenches - 1/4” and 5/16” to prevent damage the inlet threads (see Figure 5).

Figure 5

Cool On Column (COC) Inlet

• Insert the column all the way into the inlet until you feel the spring tension – do not withdraw.

• Tighten with two wrenches - 1/4” and 5/16” to avoid damaging the inlet (see Figure 5).

PTV Inlet

• There should be 17 mm of the column above the Graphpack ferrule – the Graphpack ferrule should be installed with the graphite end towards the inlet base (see Figure 6).

• The column nut is slotted. Use a 5 mm wrench to tighten the fitting.

Figure 6

Volatiles Interface (VI) Inlet

• There is a longer column nut for the VI so that you don’t have to remove the inlet block. The column nut part number is p/n G3504-20504.

Figure 7

Detectors

FID/NPD 

• Place a septum over the column, then the column nut and ferrule. Trim the end of the column with a column cutter.

• Thread the column nut and column into the detector base. Gently insert the column into the detector until it bottoms, then withdraw 1 to 2 mm before tightening the nut.
  
  

  Tips: The dimensions shown of 48 and 68 mm are provided for narrow columns (<100 µm) which may slide all the way through the jet tip. (Figure 8)

Figure 8

TCD – Using the standard Low Leakage Ferrules

• Place a 1/8” Swagelok nut and the back and front ferrules over the column. (Be sure to select the front ferrule size to match the column!) Trim the end of the column with a column cutter.

• Thread the column nut and column into the detector base. Insert the column all the way into the detector jet until it stops, then withdraw 1 to 2 mm before tightening the nut. Retighten after heating.

Figure 9
1. Front ferrule, 2. Back ferrule, 3. Nut

TCD – Original Design Column Adapter

• Install the column adapter to the 1/8-inch Swagelok TCD base using a graphite/vespel ferrule.

• Thread the column nut and column into the adapter. Insert the column into the detector until it bottoms, then withdraw 1 to 2 mm before tightening the nut.

Figure 10
1. Ferrule, 1/8-inch, 2. Nut, 1/8-inch, 3. Capillary column adapter

µECD

• Thread the column nut with column into the make-up gas adapter. Insert the column all the way into the mixing liner until it stops, then withdraw 1 to 2 mm - Use 2 wrenches to tighten the nut. Retighten after heating.

• Be sure that the make-up gas adapter is installed with the 19 mm dimension shown (see Figure 11).

  
  

  Figure 11

  
  
  

  Figure 12

  Tips: The 70 mm dimension shown is provided for narrow columns (<100 µm) which may go all the way through the mixing liner (see Figure 12).

FPD

1. Install the column into the Column Measuring Tool provided.

2. Trim the column such that 1 mm extends from the end of the tool.

3. Tighten the column nut and mark the position of the column at the back of the nut.

4. Install into the detector base.

Figure 13
1. Score column here, 2. Column measuring tool, 3. Ferrule, 4. Column nut, 5. The column length *

Tips: * The column length depends on the GC and FPD type. FPD+ for 7890B/8890/8860 is 137.5 mm, FPD for 7890A, and some 6890 is 145 mm, FPD for some early 6890 is 153 mm.

Learn how to effectively install GC capillary columns: Installation Care and Maintenance of Capillary GC Columns e-learning available from Agilent education.