Shimadzu GC-MS QP2010 Ultra noisy turbomolecular pump

Discussions about GC-MS, LC-MS, LC-FTIR, and other "coupled" analytical techniques.

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Our group bought a Shimadzu QP2010 Ultra about a year ago. Shortly after it was put on service we started to hear a high pitch noise. We called technical service and they told us it was normal. We took their word and started working. Nothing happened and we could detect all the compounds we were working with at that time. Two months ago the noise started to be loud, we called technical service again and since it had been a year since we bought the GC-MS we requested preventive maintenance. After maintenance we noticed that compounds that we could detect without any problem before, started to get hard to see or just disappear. We called technical service again and they now say it may be the turbomolecular pump, but although noisy it was working fine before maintenance. Now we are only able to see compounds with low molecular weight. If somebody has had the same problem and has been able to fix it please help us.
Hello, have you been able to solve your problem? We are experiencing a high pitch noise on our Shimadzu 2010 GCMS. We also had it PM'd recently. The noise started a couple of days ago, only it's not coming from the pump. It sounds like it's coming from the ion source chamber. I found your post after googling the problem. Please let me know if there have been any updates. Thanks!
I never used the Shimadzu, but when I first started working with GCMS I had a HP5970 with a Balzers turbo pump and literally sounded like a jet plane engine just before they back away from the loading ramp. When you shut it down it would growl like a large truck hitting the engine brake. It worked for about four years like that with no problems. Then one morning I came into the lab and it was totally silent. Loud high pitched sounds do indicate the bearings are wearing out, but silence is proof they finally gave out.

The replacement was so quiet I thought it was broken when I first started it up!

If you are losing the high masses, it could be the turbo is slowing down and causing a loss of vacuum just enough to lose those high masses first. It might be a day or a year before it completely dies unfortunately. Shutting one down and starting it back up causes more wear than just leaving them running, which is why many of those old Balzers died soon after having the oiling wick replaced.
The past is there to guide us into the future, not to dwell in.
TY for your reply. We have since learned that it is the bearings on our turbo molecular pump. Our sensitivity is still good. However, the high pitch noise coming from the instrument has gotten louder, and is too disruptive. We have decided to bite the bullet and replace the TMP.
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