Why don't the manufacturers do these? a place for ideas...

[lmh]

On solvent-level detectors. I also have the problem of forgetting to tell an Agilent instrument that I've filled its bottles, and it stopping half way through a run.

But I also have another instrument that quite frequently runs itself dry because if an error happens (could be anything: server failure, vial in wrong place) it just pops up a window saying "an error happened, the sequence is paused", but it doesn't turn off the pump! My solution is to set a minimum pressure. Yes, it still runs dry, but as soon as it does so, it stops pumping, so the pump seals are protected.

I'm not sure the simple tilt-switch idea will cut the mustard. There are lots of ways to detect when the bottle runs out, but what we really want to do is check in advance that it has enough to complete the sequence, and that needs a full-blown level-detection system. Sorry guys (and gals), I'm sending you back to the drawing board...

[paulw]

I have seem software that will calculate the amount of each solvent needed to complete the run. Perhaps it needs to do that, then put a nice popup window that says "DID YOU CHECK THE SOLVENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE AT THE REQUIRED AMOUNTS?" Then when an analyst pushes the yes button we can just skip to the tar and feathering.

[LCFan]

If I could wish a usefool thing for lab, it would be an ultrasonic bath with 12 stirring places which is heat- and coolable.

[James_Ball]

That is why I am currently driving a vehicle that still has a carburetor on it lol.

Me, too !!! Actually, me "two": 1988 Mazda B2200 truck daily driver (19 years), and 1971 VW Convertible (37 years).

85 Jeep Cherokee I just bought off a co-worker who bought it originally. So much fun to play with and it has become my daily driver for now.

[James_Ball]

If I could wish a usefool thing for lab, it would be an ultrasonic bath with 12 stirring places which is heat- and coolable.

I don't have the stirring places but for doing Explosives in Soil extractions we made a chilled ultrasonic bath but putting a coil of 1/4" copper tubing in line with the chiller for my Purge and Trap autosampler and we set the coil inside the ultrasonic bath to keep it cool over night. Chiller is set to 5C so it keeps things nice and cool.

[James_Ball]

I have seem software that will calculate the amount of each solvent needed to complete the run. Perhaps it needs to do that, then put a nice popup window that says "DID YOU CHECK THE SOLVENTS TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE AT THE REQUIRED AMOUNTS?" Then when an analyst pushes the yes button we can just skip to the tar and feathering.

A co-worker did this with a spreadsheet, he puts in his flow and number of injections to calculate how much solvent is needed. It works great until you forget to use it. Something built into the instrument software would be much nicer.

Also as stated above, if the instrument would stop flow upon an error that stops the sequence that would work wonders also as I have had the same problem of running out of solvent if it misses a vial or some other problem. We solved this by using 2L bottles or even 4L bottles for water, methanol and Acetonitrile so that even if it runs all night it won't run dry, but when using buffers I don't like to keep so much on the instrument as you end up throwing it out when you don't use it all.

[juddc]

All of this worry over solvent reservoir levels has me amused. Just LOOK at the bottles! I guess I've worked as a lone chromatographer for too long - I just run a quick /rough mental calculation before I head home for the evening and adjust things as needed.

I guess if you have 10 LC's in a room with a couple of kids straight from college running them, things need to be monitored a bit more closely.

Carburettors are a pain IMHO. I prefer old fashioned BOSCH fuel injection - L-jetronic is easiest - set it, keep a spare coolant temperature sensor handy, and forget it. I guess Webers are fairly simple though...

[James_Ball]

I guess if you have 10 LC's in a room with a couple of kids straight from college running them, things need to be monitored a bit more closely.

Exactly the thing that usually causes the problem. The youngsters are always in too much of a hurry, only to end up taking longer to do things once they have to fix their mistakes.

Carburettors are a pain IMHO. I prefer old fashioned BOSCH fuel injection - L-jetronic is easiest - set it, keep a spare coolant temperature sensor handy, and forget it. I guess Webers are fairly simple though...

I grew up working on old Farmall tractors, dirt simple carburetors and the one on the Jeep is just like those. I totally hate working on the Holley carbs though, a definite pain with all the little jets and needle valves everywhere.

[tom jupille]

Set up a webcam -- in fact monitoring liquid level was the first use of a webcam:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_Room_coffee_pot

Okay, it was a coffee pot, but still . . .

There seem to be two ends to this discussion:
- shutting down when the solvent is depleted
- shutting down to conserve solvent when something else goes wrong.

For the former, I've always simply set the low-pressure limit on the pump. You should be able to halt the sample sequence in that situation; the only result you would lose is the current sample when the shutdown occurred.

[lmh]

oooh, coffee: you've reminded me of the other thing we always wanted in the lab, for the last 25 years: the Buffermatic. Looks like a coffee-machine(*1). Insert coin, dial up that you want Hepes pH 7.4, hold the "extra MgCl2" button if desired, and out pops 500mL ready made...

(*1: unlike Shimadzu Maldi-ToFs(*2))

(*2: which look like coca-cola dispensers)

[WillyOne]

One idea dedicated to Empower:
I can prepare gradient run to clean the column but if I'm using an RI detector I can't keep it on purge mode during the run. So the detector remains dirty with buffer or incompatible solvents.
Could the Empower Lords resolve the issue?

[lmh]

On behalf of a chemist friend: please can we have a mass spec accurate enough to be able to measure the enthalpy of formation of the compound (by looking at the difference between the sum of the exact masses of all the atoms in it, and its measured exact mass, and calculating the bonding energy using Einstein's E = mc^2)?

[bisnettrj2]

oooh, coffee: you've reminded me of the other thing we always wanted in the lab, for the last 25 years: the Buffermatic. Looks like a coffee-machine(*1). Insert coin, dial up that you want Hepes pH 7.4, hold the "extra MgCl2" button if desired, and out pops 500mL ready made...

(*1: unlike Shimadzu Maldi-ToFs(*2))

(*2: which look like coca-cola dispensers)

http://www.waters.com/waters/en_US/Auto ... =134623262

Maybe not the Buffermatic of your dreams, but it sounds like it's a step in your desired direction...

Auto-Blend Plus Technology

"Do you spend Monday mornings making up buffer solutions to get ready for your analytical runs? How many measurements are involved? How many solvent bottles? Are the solutions exactly the same every time?

While the ACQUITY UPLC® H-Class and H-Class Bio Systems are excellent quaternary-based chromatographic systems for developing and using high-resolution separations, one of the factors that contributes to method reproducibility is how consistently you make up your buffer solutions.

Waters Auto•Blend Plus™ Technology significantly reduces the time you spend in the prep lab by automating the formulation of mobile phases from reservoirs of pure solvents or concentrated stock solutions. Additionally, it manages the desired pH and ionic strength requirements for the selected mobile phase.

- See more at: http://www.waters.com/waters/en_US/Auto ... 77Tdj.dpuf"

[lmh]

not far off! Yes, I liiiike it!

[bisnettrj2]

I've always thought it would be useful for an HPLC to have pre-plumbed connections at the valve, with pre-cut stainless steel (or "bio-inert" when necessary) 0.007" ID capillaries and adjustable fittings (like the Optimize Technologies EXP fittings) available for attaching columns or guards. The same with the connections for injection loops - pre-installed flexible stainless steel .007" ID capillaries in the valve ports and adjustable fittings for the loop ends to be installed in pre-installed ZDV connections. Basically, make it harder to have a bad connection at the valve, and make it easier to work in the valve area. This is a specific complaint for me as I have big hands and find it frustrating to work on six-port (or more) valves. Basically, I want a valve with a bunch of connections coming out of it, so I don't have to install connections in a tight valve space.