Instrument fault: 5.1 Firmware DSP error

The High Efficiency Source in your 7010 will not perform properly without column flow between 0.8 and 1.4 ml/min. 

Unless you are trying to find a gross leak, a no-hole ferrule can lead you astray in troubleshooting on any GCMS.

Did you wait at least 45 minutes to a full hour after starting pump-down before trying anything?  Just because the turbo pump is at 100% and the ion gauge reads somewhat in the normal range does not mean that the MS is ready to go. 

Thanks for the tip! I will install the column and let flow run through. Also the filament 1 went defective, my guess is because I probably tried to run the air water check too soon after pumping down. The error messages went away after changing to filament 2. I will install and the column and report back.

Do you need to have a column installed for sources that are not HES such as the EI Xtr source (single quad GC/MS)?

There is a lot going on in a GCMS ion source. They are designed with the column flow as part of the puzzle.  The helium does things in there that contribute to the way it works.   So yes, I prefer having column flow all the time and between 0.8 and 1.4 ml/min (and really right around the sweet spot of 1.2ml/min)....except if there is a gross leak and all you're trying to do is figure out if it's from the GC or plumbing or in the MS itself.

In a vacuum, molecules move in a distribution of speed – the average speed for a helium molecule is 1100 m/s - ~2500mph, with the fastest ones going 6x that speed.  The fastest hydrogen molecules exceed the escape velocity to space!

Haha I found this info important and interesting. Just want to save it for my future reference.