Thermo Trace Ultra: Temperature Zone Error on ECD removal
Posted: Fri Mar 08, 2019 12:44 am
I purchased an older Thermo Trace Ultra with DSQ mass spec and combipal. The person that sold it to me (unbeknownst to me) removed the ECD before shipping it. That's a separate issue. What I want to know here is how to tell the GC that the ECD isn't really there anymore.
On power-up it all checks out OK then throws an error: Temperature zone(s) exceeded the allowed hardware limit(s) and I have to hit config to get it to respond. It thinks a detector is present but the hardware is all gone, the control card, detector stack etc are gone. When I press "Left Detect" I can see it measuring a "temp" for the detector in the menu (-273!?) and it has all the settings available but in the config menu its just says left detector "none".
The jumper on the motherboard was in the wrong position so I fixed that and thought I was saved - but nothing changed. I did find this passage in one of the manuals:
"The temperature sensors in the TRACE GC Ultra create a closed circuit. If a sensor fails, the circuit opens and the hardware initiates thermal shutdown. This shutdown can also happen if hardware containing a temperature sensor, such as an ECD, is removed. The missing temperature sensor opens the circuit and the hardware initiates thermal shutdown. You must connect a plug to the temperature sensor cable to close the circuit when an ECD is removed from the system."
Now I'm stumped because I don't see any temp sensor cables ... and what kind of plug? Just something to short the circuit? Can I reset this thing's brain?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
On power-up it all checks out OK then throws an error: Temperature zone(s) exceeded the allowed hardware limit(s) and I have to hit config to get it to respond. It thinks a detector is present but the hardware is all gone, the control card, detector stack etc are gone. When I press "Left Detect" I can see it measuring a "temp" for the detector in the menu (-273!?) and it has all the settings available but in the config menu its just says left detector "none".
The jumper on the motherboard was in the wrong position so I fixed that and thought I was saved - but nothing changed. I did find this passage in one of the manuals:
"The temperature sensors in the TRACE GC Ultra create a closed circuit. If a sensor fails, the circuit opens and the hardware initiates thermal shutdown. This shutdown can also happen if hardware containing a temperature sensor, such as an ECD, is removed. The missing temperature sensor opens the circuit and the hardware initiates thermal shutdown. You must connect a plug to the temperature sensor cable to close the circuit when an ECD is removed from the system."
Now I'm stumped because I don't see any temp sensor cables ... and what kind of plug? Just something to short the circuit? Can I reset this thing's brain?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.