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- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2025 11:37 pm
Unexperienced and trying to get a neglected TSQ Quantum Discovery Max going and getting “Ion gauge unregulated, HV cannot go on!” and “Vacuum Not Ok / Check everything” faults. Readback lines in EZ tune instrument status say Forepump is good (0.92 Torr) and the CID cell Torr is at 4.0764e-5 Torr and Ion Gauge is 2.8951e-11 Torr. The latter reading of e-11 seems unrealistic and the pressure WDOG is a red X in the instrument status readback line 107. Turbopump gets up to speed (750Hz) at 50W in little time. Between that, the collision cell & forepump pressure, I don't think we actually have a leak?
Steps so far: Took the ion gauge out, visually looked fine (25% discoloration at bottom), and tested with a multimeter. Filament 1 to 2 reads 0.2 Ohm and any other two pins are an OL reading, which I think means the ion gauge is working fine (https://www.mks.com/mam/celum/celum_ass ... 30-MAN.pdf page 31-32). Readback line Ion Gauge 180V (line 75) reads 185.59 and Ion Gauge Voltage (line 76) reads 9.9939. Put ion gauge back in, restarted instrument and when looking through the vent slits on the side of the instrument, we do not see the ion gauge filament lighting up. At this point, the instrument vacuum status light is yellow which means the turbo pump is up to speed and the ion gauge is turned on. The vacuum light will turn green if the analyzer region pressure is below 8e-6 Torr (as read by the ion gauge…) and our vacuum light stays yellow. System light won’t illuminate at all.
Need help determining whether the ion gauge is faulty despite passing multimeter & visual test or if it’s a power supply issue?
Other details -
There's lots of other red Xs in instrument status readback lines but I imagine that's because instrument is in standby/won't turn HV on due to vacuum issue. +33V (power supply 3) is red X. Interlock Sw. Open (line103) is green check mark. Etc. Collision Cell Pressure on workspace reads 1.5mTorr (different from instrument status in EZ tune) but that could be the user-set pressure for Ar, unsure, but Ar tank/regulator is open and at the right PSI. Can provide other info if needed
Steps so far: Took the ion gauge out, visually looked fine (25% discoloration at bottom), and tested with a multimeter. Filament 1 to 2 reads 0.2 Ohm and any other two pins are an OL reading, which I think means the ion gauge is working fine (https://www.mks.com/mam/celum/celum_ass ... 30-MAN.pdf page 31-32). Readback line Ion Gauge 180V (line 75) reads 185.59 and Ion Gauge Voltage (line 76) reads 9.9939. Put ion gauge back in, restarted instrument and when looking through the vent slits on the side of the instrument, we do not see the ion gauge filament lighting up. At this point, the instrument vacuum status light is yellow which means the turbo pump is up to speed and the ion gauge is turned on. The vacuum light will turn green if the analyzer region pressure is below 8e-6 Torr (as read by the ion gauge…) and our vacuum light stays yellow. System light won’t illuminate at all.
Need help determining whether the ion gauge is faulty despite passing multimeter & visual test or if it’s a power supply issue?
Other details -
There's lots of other red Xs in instrument status readback lines but I imagine that's because instrument is in standby/won't turn HV on due to vacuum issue. +33V (power supply 3) is red X. Interlock Sw. Open (line103) is green check mark. Etc. Collision Cell Pressure on workspace reads 1.5mTorr (different from instrument status in EZ tune) but that could be the user-set pressure for Ar, unsure, but Ar tank/regulator is open and at the right PSI. Can provide other info if needed
