Chromatography Forum

I recently vented MS, removed transfer line and analyzer to clean trap.
Put back together but cannot get turbo pump to 100%. Gets to about 70% after 10 minutes, 80% speed after 25 minutes but no better. Then system shuts down with message "Pump Error: Controller Fault Occurred". I've re-seated analyzer and transfer line several times w/ same outcome

You may have a leak...sometimes the turbo pump can't get up to speed when there is a sizable leak. Listen to your rough pump and if there is a big leak then you will hear a "gurgling" sound.

Another, unthinkable event could be the bearings on the turbo pump are starting to fail. We had a Varian 2000 and every year we had to change the turbo pump (very expensive) because there was a leak in the manifold coming from the rough pump. Very difficult to find and only after 4 turbo pump failures did the service engineer find it.

Vent the MS, remove the turbo pump and see if the bearing are free wheeling. This is easy to check once the pump is in your hands. Just hold it up right and then quickely twist the pump in your hand and watch the turbo vains move as you twist the pump. If it moves freely then bearings should be OK. Whenever, I had a problem as you describe, we had to buy a new pump.

You can get them refurbish but your are looking at about $5000.

Timothy

Right Djletin!

I worked a lot of my life with these systems!!

And the answer of our friend is the best way to you evaluate the condition of your T-pump!!

However, the controller of T-Pump can be the problem...

Good luck for you!

I just had a guy here replace a column in an Saturn that we just acquired and at first he didn't get the column nut tight. We are used to Agilent systems and the column nut for the Varian is much deeper and actually made a squeaking sound the last two complete turns, so he thought it was already tight. I gave it another half turn and it sealed up. I hope yours is something simple also.