7683 Series ALS on 6890N GC won't inject

Hello behringerd,

Could you provide a firmware of the instrument and the revision of Ezchrom? You can find the revision of Ezchrom from the help>about menu in the interface and the firmware you can find from the front panel of the instrument by clicking options then scroll to diagnostics and click enter then scroll to instrument status and press enter. Then from that menu there are firmware listed for the GC, which is listed as "version" and also a firmware version for the sampler and injector. Thank you

GC firmware is A.03.08.  Sampler firmware is G2612A.01.04.  Front Inj. Firmware is G2613A.10.07.

The EZChrom Rev. is A.04.07.

The tray model number is G2614A.

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The plastics may have been changed at some point. A.03.08 firmware is a 6890A or 6890 Plus model. If the samplers plug into the back of the GC on a separate sampler board you have the 6890 plus.The lan card would also be separate from the main board

If the instrument injects ok from the front panel, and if that indicates a problem with the software, what could that problem be?  We have verified that the information in the method is correct.

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Are you able to post a screenshot of the error message? It could be helpful.

By the way, with a firmware revision of A.03.08, the GC is either a 6890A or 6890 Plus, not a 6890N. You have a separate box that is the sampler controller, right? In the 6890N, the injectors and tray plug directly into the back of the GC.

I agree that it doesn't seem likely that there is a hardware problem if the instrument can make a run from the front panel.

The injectors and tray do plug directly into the back of the GC.  It says “6890N” on the front.  There is no controller box with this GC.

I will attempt to get a screen shot of the error message.

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There isn't an option for GC/ALS in EZchrom. Could you try using the "none" trigger instead of "external"? You could also try reconfiguring the instrument in Openlab control panel as well.

"External" would be the correct trigger type. This would allow for an Injection Source of "GC Injector" to be selected in the Trigger section of the method:

Then in the Single Run or Sequence Run windows the exact injection location can be specified:

apcharles' recommendation to try re-configuring the instrument in the OpenLAB Control Panel would be the next thing to try if the method and run settings are set appropriately.

"External" would be the correct trigger type. This would allow for an Injection Source of "GC Injector" to be selected in the Trigger section of the method:

Then in the Single Run or Sequence Run windows the exact injection location can be specified:

apcharles' recommendation to try re-configuring the instrument in the OpenLAB Control Panel would be the next thing to try if the method and run settings are set appropriately.

The autosampler worked today but we don’t know what we did to fix it.  Perhaps the method was corrupt (?).

Debbie

Hi Debbie, we're glad it's up and running! A corrupt method is a possibility. However, I want to reiterate a caution that was mentioned earlier: if the firmware revision is indeed A.03.08, the GC is either a 6890A or 6890 Plus, not a 6890N. With incompatible firmware comes the possibility of both software and hardware incompatibility, and also possibly "strange" behavior. Was the GC outfitted, upgraded, or modified in any way by someone other than an Agilent representative?

The GC is probably a 6890 Plus but I would have to find the paperwork to verify that.  It’s quite possible that somebody switched the top lid with another GC.  As far as I know nobody has been modified by anybody other than Agilent.

Debbie

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Hi Debbie,

I see that you said the ALS is working now, which is great but the problem is we don't know why. There is possibility that this error may occur again. If it does, i would consider a firmware compatibility issue with the tray or controller. I checked the compatibility between the firmware revisions you provided above and the minimum firmware for the tray and controller should be a.02.00 if it is installed on a GC with minimum firmware of a.03.08. With the firmware you currently have installed, it may lead to more errors or fewer features available for the tray component.

If this error occurs again, please contact our US call center at 1-800-227-9770 option 3 to open an onsite service call to have the firmware upgraded. Alternatively, complete the online service request form at Agilent.com > Contact us.