Chemstation Start Run Not Working, HELP....

Discussions about GC and other "gas phase" separation techniques.

8 posts Page 1 of 1
Hi there,

Asking for help/suggestions on figuring out why chemstation does not start data acquisition after injector injects.... Here are the details.....

5890 Series II
Dual FID
7673 Injector
HPIB cabling
version B.04.03

Basically all is fine in the operation of GC and autosampler, but the last step, the most important one, when the autosampler injects, instead of Chemstation starting the run (data acquisition), immediately after the injection it goes to POST RUN...... In other words, it seems to skip the data acquisition step. The GC does not start either.

SIDE NOTE: If I push START manually in the GC, then GC starts the run and data acquisition also starts data acquisition after being in POST RUN mode

I have tried different autosampler towers, different controller boxes, different HPIB cables and also another computer with a different version of Chemstation. Get the same problem.

Please advise on any other modifications I can make or maybe you have had this same problem before. Thanks in advance for any comments on this.
Is there a cable running from the Remote connections on the injector control box and the back of the GC? If so, it can go bad. If the cable is missing or bad, then the box doesn't trigger the GC with an inject signal.
The past is there to guide us into the future, not to dwell in.
James_Ball,

Yes, there is remote cable, I just changed it within the last hour or so. I was able to get it to do only ONE automatic injector, but after it finished the run software got hung up, it just said sequence running and it wouldn't process the end of the run or get ready.

Subsequently after that, I restarted computer and it is still doing the same. Injects, GC does not start, and it goes to POST RUN

I am wondering if there is a baud rate misconfiguration or maybe the chemstation software is bad. I am running out of options....
Try loading the default method and using that to rebuild your analytical method. Sometimes the methods get something corrupted in them and it will not work. Same with the sequence too, rebuild from the default if you have been reusing the old one.

I recently had a 5973MSD do something similar, I had to install the software onto a new computer and it started working again.
The past is there to guide us into the future, not to dwell in.
Isn't there a button on the front of the 5890 to turn each detector "on" ???

And something in the software to tell which signal to capture? Sorry, I'm only experienced in Chemstation software up to A.10.
This is a link to chemstation picture right after injection:

https://ibb.co/QHxKkXf

Detectors are on, both FID, tried def meth and def seq and still the same. If I take out the autosampler in the method and go manual, then it starts fine and collects data fine.

I am wondering if I need to re-install software.....

Here is an image of the back of the controller

https://ibb.co/sCBFq1N

HPIB cable, A/S tower and tray


Just one question regarding the start/stop cable....

I tried a different controller that had an APG remote that I hooked up to the top of the 5890 for the start/stop signal. But it did not work. Did the same.

This is a different controller that does not have the spot (connector) for the start/stop cable coming out of the top of the GC. This is the part confusing to me, does this model means that the start stop is communicated via the HPIB cable? Or am I missing a the start/stop cable?
I can't load the photos here at work. Is it a G1521A controller? Ours is linked to the 6890 by the HPIB plus APG Remote cable connected to a Remote on the back of the GC(9pin rs232) The one on the top of the 5890 is the HPIL connector, but I can't remember if they also have the Remote on the back, it seems they do since that is how the 5971 was connected to the 5890, or did it have a converter to the funky 8 pin flat connector on top? Been too long since I hooked up a 5890 :(
The past is there to guide us into the future, not to dwell in.
James-Ball,

Its working now!!!!

After reading your last post, you confirmed that I needed a start/stop cable to the back of the controller (G1512). Although I did not run R232 from back panel of GC, I did run from the TOP Right Hand side of the 5890 SII the start/stop cable to the APG on the b ack of the controller. I also changed the autosampler tower at the same time. For the last 10 days or so I tried so many combinations. Eventually I think it was all related to the start/stop cable. Anyway, thx to all that replied.

:P :P :P :| :| :|

Glad its over......
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