question about Leco Pegasus III

[steverb]

We have purchased a used LECO pegasus III Gc-Tof. It's computer has a VME to PCI card which is connected to Ms via a optical cable. Also com1 is connected to Ms but there is no connection to agilent 6890N GC and no cabling. Also no extra card inside the computer. I assum agilent 6890N gc should be connected to the computer via com2 since there is a instrument setting option in chromatof (version 2.0 with driver version 2.11) wich shows GC can be connected via serial or network. There is no clear instruction about this. There is only one sentence saying "connect LECO custom cable from computer interface card to GC". I don't have this cable and I don't see any interface card inside the computer. My problem is what hardware do I need for connecting GC to chromatof computer. To be more specific, what is this cable and what is this interface card? Do I need to order them from LECO or can I find them in local stores?

I have already connected pegasus III to computer via com1 serial cable for comunication and optical cable for data collection and looks fine. I don't see any error on the logfile.

[Don_Hilton]

The GC does have a serial cable from the GG to the computer. The computer's COM1 goes to the Pegasus and COM2 goes to the computer. I would strongly suggest you contact LECO service and talk with them. My experience has been that I can call and talk to a live person - and they will privide you with a description of what you need , part numbers, and prices. And, they can answer other questions for you as well.

[nhall55]

Hello Steve. Don is absolutely correct, both in his description of the connection as well as the best path forward for resolution. LECO service prides itself in providing a live person to speak with when you have problems. You can contact us a 1-888-LECO-911 (that's 1-888-532-6911).

[steverb]

The GC does have a serial cable from the GG to the computer. The computer's COM1 goes to the Pegasus and COM2 goes to the computer. I would strongly suggest you contact LECO service and talk with them. My experience has been that I can call and talk to a live person - and they will privide you with a description of what you need , part numbers, and prices. And, they can answer other questions for you as well.

I think you meant "The GC does have a serial cable from the GC to the computer. The computer's COM1 goes to the Pegasus and COM2 goes to the GC"

About contacting LECO I tried a few times. Yes they are very kind but I am very bad in hearing. I hardly understand native english people and Have a lot of problems in talking.

Anyway before going to GC I have another problem. First step in checking the instrument is optimization. I followed the manual and after creating a new file and a method in QC and clicking on "Optimize Instrument now" after a few minutes I get following at the bottom status bar:

"Signal/Noise at mass 69.00 is 0.000 required 1000.0 with detector voltage -1350 Noise 1"
"Signal/Noise at mass 69.00 is 0.000 required 1000.0 with detector voltage -1450 Noise 1"
"Signal/Noise at mass 69.00 is 0.000 required 1000.0 with detector voltage -1550 Noise 1"
"Signal/Noise at mass 69.00 is 0.000 required 1000.0 with detector voltage -1650 Noise 1"
"Signal/Noise at mass 69.00 is 0.000 required 1000.0 with detector voltage -1750 Noise 1"
"Signal/Noise at mass 69.00 is 0.000 required 1000.0 with detector voltage -1850 Noise 1"
"Signal/Noise at mass 69.00 is 0.000 required 1000.0 with detector voltage -1950 Noise 1"
"Signal/Noise at mass 69.00 is 0.000 required 1000.0 with detector voltage -2000 Noise 1"

and then it says "Allocated time expired before stability was reached"
and "user lerminated" too.

Any advice what might problem be? I have no faults in diagnostic except ion source temp. sometimes. and I have Direct inlet vail filled with the PFTBA. I can hear the click from direct inlet valve which shows it is activated but for some reason it seems nothing is recorded as collection data.

[Don_Hilton]

You were correct on my mistyping where the com port is located.

With the tune issue, the messages indicate that the instrument was not able to locate either a sufficiently strong signal for PFTBA or there was no signal at all. Did you have a profile displayed during optimization? If so did it show a peak for m/z 69. Also, what was the vacuum reading?

A very important question: Was the instrument operating at the time you purchased it? An instrument that has been improperly stored or shipped has increased potential for problems.

The problem can range from a bad fillament, just the need to reset voltages to the original defaults and let the instrument optimize, the the ion source could put together incorrectly by someone replacing a filament, an air leak into the system, a cracked ceramic in the ion optics (unlikely, unless the instrument was not packed correctly for shipping), a bad detector, a loose connection in the detector circutry, to something I have not thought of.

There are a many details in getting an instrument up and running. Have you considered having a LECO engineer come in for a day or so to be sure everyting is put together correctly and to familiarize you with some of the unique features of the Pegasus? Plan B woud be to contact the LECO service department by e-mail. If the telephone does not work well for you , e-mail will allow for a more rapid exchange of information that postings here. And there may be a need to exchange some pictures of screens and parts.

[steverb]

You were correct on my mistyping where the com port is located.

With the tune issue, the messages indicate that the instrument was not able to locate either a sufficiently strong signal for PFTBA or there was no signal at all. Did you have a profile displayed during optimization? If so did it show a peak for m/z 69. Also, what was the vacuum reading?

Yes I had profile display but it was a flat red line at zero count (1636800 zero of vertical axis and 68 zero of horizantal axis). There was no peak at all. All I see a flat red line. Vacuum reading is 5e-7 torr

A very important question: Was the instrument operating at the time you purchased it? An instrument that has been improperly stored or shipped has increased potential for problems.

No. Instrument was brand new but sitting in the warehouse for years and never been used or turned on as the owner said.
A few questions:

1- default setting of Ion source temp. is 180 deg C. I followed exactly according to the manual and it does not say anything about this tempreature. Is that ok to leave it on 180 Deg C or change it? In case of change what is the best temp.?

2- I haven't installed transfer line yet. Status bar shows 400 deg C for it. Could this cause any problem for now in terms of optimization?

3- There are 10 fuse boxes on the GP unreg/ssr board (to tyhe right) with a one LED on each of them . 6 in the right boxes (black fuse boxes: labeled U1-U6) and 4 in the left boxes (red fuse boxes: labeled U7-U10). When instrument is ready all black fuse boxes LEDs are on except U5 which starts blinking when I connect transfer line heater momentarily. All red fuse boxes LEDs are off except U8 which is always on. I think this also should be off if evrything is ok. Problem should be something related to this LED. Am I right?

About email to LECO I emailed them once and they asked for the instrument serial number at the back label but there is no SN number at the back label. I sent them a shot of the back label. That is probably why I haven't heard from them yet.




.

[Don_Hilton]

Two years in a warehouse is not good for any mass spec. I hope this showed up with the instrument in a huge wooden crate wiht original shipping labels from LECO. There is special packing in that crate to protect theinstrument from injury. And, it requres a fork truk to lift the instrument off the foam blocks in that crate. (Although I've seen it done by about eight healty young men in the middle of an Army post - where there was no fork truck.)

For an instrument that has not transfer line installed, that vaccum is a bit high. The instrument ships with a flange with a pressure relief valve (for purging with inetr gas). If this was on location for the transfer line, the flange must be removed and replaced with a blank flange (no vents or valves).

What you are describing as fuse boxes: if I have the correct board in mind, are actually solid state relays (and they are fused). The LED shows the state of the relay - and these are shown as the state of the various regions of the instrument in the instrument diagnostics, seen in the software.

The high temperature reading for an unpluged temperature sensor is normal - and diagnositic of it being unconnected or a broken wire. The transfer line is normally left off the instrument and unpluged during the first steps of installation. This is OK.

The flat line on the profile display is not good. I am assuming that this is a straight line with no noise. Either the detector is unplugged, is blown (which could result from incorrect installation procedures), or there is an issue with the electronics beyond that point. While you can experiment with trying to bring the instrument up, the front end electronics are very expensive.

I don't know who you contacted in LECO. If you want, send your contact informatin to me at dchilton at mylink dot net (I'm spelling it out this way to avoid the serch engines that gather e-mail addresses and send spam). I believe that I know who nhall55 is - and I will forward that information to nhall55. This person knows the significant players within LECO (and is one) and can get some attention to your request for help. Include where you are in the world and the information can get to the correct person faster.

[steverb]

Anyone knows what type of detector pegasus III has? I have to separate the issue to two parts. 1- checking detector 2- checking channel board. Please welcome to advice if anyone knows how to check these two. What I am thinking for part1 is connecting detector signal cable to an oscilloscope and see if I can get any signal from the detector. For part two I am thinking about connecting a signal generator to the input of the channel board and see if I can see anything in the calibration profile. This way I can find the faulty part and order it from LECO (I will need ordering part numbers).

There is a pushbutton on the board beside the right side of the channel board. There are two LEDs under this pushbutton. Top LED is always on and bottom LED is always off. Anyone knows what is this pushbutton for? Maybe it is a reset button which will fix the problem just by pushing it which will resetting acquisition system. I never try something that I don't know what is it for. That is why I haven't push it yet to see what will happen. Unfortunately there is no information or very little information in the manual.

[walshbig]

Steve

I remember a few years ago when I was doing my Ph.D. in UK there was a newly installed Pegasus III in the lab I was doing my research and they had the same zero count flat line problem for a few days. Someone from Leco came and he realised serial number (if I remember correctly) entered into the software with one wrong digit by mistake. He entered the serial number from the back label and problem fixed as I remember. Check your serial number and other data of your instrument and enter them again in the login screen of the Chromatof. Wouldn't harm trying this and may solve your problem.

[steverb]

I didn't know wrong serial number may cause flat line in optimization profile? Anyone can confirm this?
Maybe this is true for a brand new instrument in its first installation since later you can change the serial number from the chromatof software.
Anyway trying it wouldn't harm but I couldn't find any label at the back of the instrument (I don't know who and God knows why have removed the label). Is there anywhere else in the instrument I can find the factory serial number?

[Don_Hilton]

Having installed several Pegasus instruments and performed service on others, this does not seem quite right. I have never entered an instrument serial number into the software. I have used the software to fix a flat line problem by using a portion of the diagnostics/service routines to reset a signal offset. This portion of the software is available to service engineers.

I have worked my way to the back of the instrument many times to read the serial number, but only to put it on the service report before sending it in to the home office.

[steverb]

No any help yet. Meanwhile I did "Aquisition system adjust" and I got the attached results. As you can see in 10 minutes I have got about 1400 profile collected.

1- Is this normal amount of profile normal for 10 minutes?
2- Does this collected profiles show electronic of the instrument is OK?
3- At the right side of the optimization screen it says Element being focused: none" and all parameters below it are all void. Is this normal when you do adjustment?
4- As usual I am getting flat line with the number 1636800 at the zero of the vertical axis which I don't know what it is, I am working to find the problem. Any advice or comment are very welcome.
5- Still no reply from LECO yet after a few emails I have sent them so I am relying on help from people in this forum.

This is the link to the image in case it didn't show up in the attachment correctly:

http://www.imagevimage.com/gallery.php? ... adjust.jpg

[steverb]

Something just came into my mind and I thought to ask about it here. Our instrument was sitting in the warehouse at atmospheric pressure in atmosphere with Tof chammer filled with air. Manual says if instrument is supposed to be in atmospheric pressure more than a few hours it should be filled with a neutral gas. I think instruments shipped with Tof filled with netrual gas. Is it possible our detector is damaged due to years storage in atmospher?

[Don_Hilton]

The detector will at best be very noisy until it has a chance to be under vacuum for a while. At worst, it will require replacement. I installed an instrument that had been stored for a year after shipment from LECO and it was quite noisy. That instrument was usable after a week or two.

[steverb]

After 2 month back to work a week ago. Still stucked with flat profile and no peak for PFTBA. A close look at the channel board shows there are two dip switch and one jumper. I have posted a picture of them here. Could someone please confirm if they have the correct setting? I want to be sure they have the correct settings and not played with by previous people.



I also have following questions:

1- If you disconnect the golden connector of detector cable from the channel board and run optimization what type of profile do you expect? Flat line? If so what would be the number written on the vertical axis? Is it 1064900?

2- When I run optimisation to see PFTBA peak I see 1636800 number at the zero of my profile vertical axis with a flat line and no peak at all (attached photo). When do I suppose to see 1064900?