GC mass spec Agilent 5975

[GGConsulting7]

Help! I have a 5975 mass spec and I am trying to tune it so I can operate it. I am not getting the peaks, all I am getting is pretty much baseline. I replaced the EM horn and the filaments, did a detector maintenance, cleaning, etc. I also, at the suggestion of the agilent field service engineer, replaced the EL valve which releases the PFTBA solution for tuning. I got a new one (for $3000 by the way!) and just replaced it but still I am not getting any of the 3 usual peaks that are monitored for tuning purposes. Is there anything else I can look at/replace that would do the trick? Thanks! any suggestions welcomed and appreciated!

[rb6banjo]

I seem to remember that i had the same problem when I replaced my Agilent EM with a 3rd party EM from ETP on my 5973N.

Go in and set the EM voltage to something really low. When you tune it, the software will adjust it up to where it can see the ions. If it tunes, you may have to repeat the process a couple of times. That did the trick for me.

[GGConsulting7]

Hey thanks for that I really appreciate it, I will try it right now!

[70 eV]

Why did you replace the multiplier? Was it tuning super high or were you already having peak issues? Is there PFTBA in your calibration vial?

[GGConsulting7]

I had changed out the column and was just tuning (immediately after changing out the column) like normal. I noticed the intensities of the 3 peaks that are present in the PFTBA tuning solution beginning to diminish to where eventually they just all totally went away. So the current state is that none of the 3 peaks that are monitored are showing up. Yes, there is PFTBA solution in the vial as well

[MichaelVW]

I had a similar situation and it was a bad board, but hopefully that's not the case for you.

Do you hear the PFTBA vial open? I don't remember exactly what it sounds like but there is a sound, and I think you might be able to feel something if you rest your hand on it when it opens.

If you have a clear window to the analyzer chamber; can you see the light from the filament?

It also can't hurt to recheck the wiring on both sides of the analyzer chamber door, and maybe the source to make sure all the insulators are ok.

Another option to test that the PFTBA is getting in there is just to inject something that should have a big response and watch the live read of the target ions under manual tune.

Do you see air and water that's distinguishable from background?