Chromatography Forum

I'm trying to get a 12 year old Waters XEVO G2 QToF running that has been out of service for a few years...

I know when the system was new it was bought with a UPS, but that UPS is now gone.

The equivalent of that UPS goes for about $11,000 these days...

Is the UPS absolutely required, or just a nice to have just in case type of thing?

I know most of my UPLCs are not on a UPS here, and that has never caused an issue.

Thank,
-Karen

Hi,
We installed our mass specs with ups. Our reasoning was:
1) ups would provide more stable voltages and currents.
2) a ups can protect against power loss that will give uncontrolled shutdown. I think turbopumps and vacuum system may risk damage if not shut down in controlled manner. If if a main fuse is triggered by overload this can often be quickly fixed and if not one have some time to make controlled shutdown.

I dont know how importan these points are so will be interesting to see what others have to say. We have had lab instruments that overloaded the fuse and also water leakage and those times i was glad we had ups protection for the expensive mass spec.

Given the quality of incoming electrical in our lab, I wouldn't run without one. Besides brown-outs, we have a voltage imbalance that can reach up to 3% at the outlet. We fried a GC/MS power supply due to a brown out, and at $2-5k for parts, a power supply would have paid itself off quickly.

I currently use a 5400w Eaton UPS w/ step-down transformer from 208v to 120v (~$5-6k) on the LC/MS. If it was only running the MS and roughing pump, a 3kW UPS would have been adequate.

The main reason for installing a UPS is electricity instability in particular power surge which is probably more problematic than power shortage. In countries where the electricity network is well developed, the risk is very small. We have run our mass specs without UPS for 15 years and without any issue related to electricity. Also, be aware that if you get a UPS, you must not only cover acquisition costs but often maintenance costs.

In the end the key point is what the thing you are trying to protect is worth. I guess you got the Xevo G2 for free or almost for free, so it has no other value than that you will create by running it. Maybe you could start running it without and if you notice that the instrument becomes very important for your lab, consider buying a UPS later.

I would consider getting battery replaced in the UPS. PM kits for G2 + LC is about 11000USD + Tax. You probably want to protect your investment