Agilent GC Headspace sampler 7697A - what a nightmare!

[LCJEN]

We recently bought some Agilent GC Headspace sampler 7697A (the latest model), and found that the sampler will inject regardless of GC readiness state. The technical specialist who installed the GC-HS and gave us training said this latest model doesn’t have the “wait for ready” function, we will have to set some extra time on GC cycle time. What a nightmare! We have to update nearly 1,000 methods?! I just don’t believe the older models have this function and latest one don’t keep it. Anybody has experience on this issue? Thanks.

[Peter Apps]

Like you, I find it difficult to believe that there is no wait for ready function. Far easier to think that the installer was talking nonsense. I would try to contact techincal help at Agilent to see what they say. If it is true then please let us know.

Peter

[R13]

Unfortunately we do not have this HS instrument, but starting on p. 69 of "Agilent 7697A Headspace Sampler Advanced Operation Guide" Start and Ready electrical signals are discussed which would be meaningless if not implemented.

Also for example on p. 23 of the same manual it says "After the vial equilibrates, the HS checks system readiness. If the system is ready, or if the readiness sequence action is continue, the HS punctures the vial...."

You do not mention Your GC type. Maybe some configuration setup mistake was made?
It seems Your servis person is either incompetent or lazy.

In the manual I found that "Sequence Actions" has item "Check for ready". From wat I understood when set to "Continue" HS does not wait for ready signal - seems to be Your case. Manual doesn't mention other values of this item, so try to look into your instrument configuration and check if when set to other value of this item HS waits for ready signal.

Good luck

[LCJEN]

Thanks Peter and R13, I will contact Agilent and see what they said.

unfortunately I think the service person is right. I tried to follow the troubleshooting guide, under the [Adv Function]-[sequence action setting] there are only 3 choice: 1. Continue, 2. skip, 3.abort. there are no "wait for ready" function.

[Yama001]

Perhaps this is related to the change of the ready signal from the 5890 - 6890 onwards? Instruments that expect a ready signal will get the opposite form the 6890 onwards than they got from the 5890s?

I have run into install techs that did not know about this - seems by now they all ought to have it down though.

[Chenyu1]

We have the 7697A. A little different from your experience: if the GC is not ready, the injector will not inject, but freezed; so the whole sequence stopped. We have to reboot the computer to bring the control back to normal.

So I have to add extra time for the GC cycle time for the method. I may have to spend 2 more minutes on every run, but it is better than just stuck there and ruined the rest of the sequence.

We recently bought some Agilent GC Headspace sampler 7697A (the latest model), and found that the sampler will inject regardless of GC readiness state. The technical specialist who installed the GC-HS and gave us training said this latest model doesn’t have the “wait for ready” function, we will have to set some extra time on GC cycle time. What a nightmare! We have to update nearly 1,000 methods?! I just don’t believe the older models have this function and latest one don’t keep it. Anybody has experience on this issue? Thanks.

[LCJEN]

So I have to add extra time for the GC cycle time for the method. I may have to spend 2 more minutes on every run, but it is better than just stuck there and ruined the rest of the sequence[/i].

It is easy to say just add 2 more minutes on every run, unfortunately I work in highly regulated place, any changes to the SOP must do comparison study and planned deviation, and we have early 1000 SOPs.

[GHGirl]

Hi LCJEN,

We just recently purchased a 7697A, too. Like Chenyu1, our system aborts the sequence run if the GC is not ready for the next sample.

We've also found that 2 minutes is about perfect timing between the HS and GC.

Have you had any problems with the fan yet? During long runs, our fan makes a sort of high-pitched resonance (like a wine glass) that brings on instant headaches. I think it's a design flaw, so I'm wondering how many others have had this problem?

Best of luck,
GHGirl