HP 5890 GC/HP 5971 MSD error message/problem

[ChemStudent101]

Hello all,

We're currently experiencing technical dificulties with our HP-5890 CG and HP 5971 MSD. We have been running Chemstation software and it seemed to be working until recently. As of now, the software is able to connect from the computer to the GC without problem. However, when we attempt to bring the MS online, we're not able to. Several error message have been displayed, including: "expected signal not received" and "The mass spectrometer interface card is not active." We have checked the connection and unit has been cleaned of dust. We believe that our problem has something to do with a toggle switch located in MSD that determines the HPIB address of the MS. As of now the HPIB address of GC is 15 and it seems to be working fine. However, the MS' address is 20 and we're unsure if this is correct because the unit will not respond.
Does anyone know the correct HPIB address for this model?

To sum this all up, we need to figure out how to bring our MS online, however we're unsure? We believe it is related to the HPIB, but we're not sure. Any suggestions?

Thank you for your help!

Best,
Chemstudent101

[gpronger]

If you look in "Config" it will tell you what the HPIB address is set to. However, unless someone manually changed the address (either in the software or the switches) it should be fine.

Did anything out of the ordinary happen between the last time the instrument ran properly, and now? Maintenance or service? Power outage? The other option is a board failed in the mass-spec.

Greg

[Consumer Products Guy]

Our 5971 MSD also had HPIB address of 20.

[Consumer Products Guy]

Our 5971 MSD also had HPIB address of 20.

[ChemStudent101]

Thanks for the replies.

If you look in "Config" it will tell you what the HPIB address is set to. However, unless someone manually changed the address (either in the software or the switches) it should be fine.

Did anything out of the ordinary happen between the last time the instrument ran properly, and now? Maintenance or service? Power outage? The other option is a board failed in the mass-spec.

Greg

Our HPIB address for the MS was originally configured to 20, however, we are still receiving the error message "expected signal was not received." We thought that since the computer was not picking up any signal that the MS was "on," then it might possibly have something to do with the HPIB address.

Nothing out of the ordinary has happened between now and the last time it worked properly. Every time we check the vacuum status on the Chemstation software, it fails to read the MS. We have tried cleaning the inside of dust, checking the wire connections, and even replacing the motherboard with another one.

Does anyone know what "expected signal was not received" could mean? Or "The mass spectrometer interface card is not active?"

Any suggestions would be fully appreciated.

[gpronger]

What I can suggest is what I do before I start replacing boards (which may be where you're at):

1) Power down the mass-spec and unplug.

2) Check all fuses on the boards on the mass-spec (there are several fuses on the side-board on the 5971).

3) Power down the PC and unplug.

4) Remove all HPIBs (normally you don't worry about the cables causing problems but HPIBs are special cases and not in a good way).

5) If you have a contact cleaning solution, clean the contacts. We use a product from "CAIG Laboratories" called "Deoxit" and "Preservit" (http://www.caig.com/).

6) Connect the cables back up.

7) Power everything back up. Fire up the mass-spec and GC prior to the computer (I want the stuff being controlled "awake" before the PC).

If this works, then you're (obviously) fixed. If not you've likely lost one of your boards (:<).

Greg

[Ron]

Trying a different cable if you have one could also be a good idea. HPIB cables are rather delicate, and I have seen more than one bad cable, ald the cables for a 5971 are getting old. If you do have a bad cable, please throw it away and don't leave it around to cause problems for someone else later.

[gpronger]

Ron,

I think your asking a bit of the near impossible; a lab person to throw something away.

Besides being "Lab Rats" we seem also carry the genetics of the "Pack Rat". I've helped move labs to new facilities, and found on a couple of occasions most of the cabinetry in the GC department filled with neatly stored capillary columns; each labeled "Bad Column, Removed from GC XXX on XX/XX/XX". The best part was asking why they had stored them away for literally years (at least 3 - 4 dozen columns this way), with no better answer then "Some day we may get around to reconditioning them". And then having them pitch them all. It was like I was asking them to do something unnatural (and maybe to someone carrying a latent "Pack Rat" gene it is).

Greg

[chemsauce]

Has anyone found a way to resolve this issue? because I am having the exact same problem and would greatly appreciate any help

Thanks

[gallsea]

I was having that issue today. It would talk to the GC and complain about the MS interface card. I ended up shutting off the power to the MS, closing chemstation, them powering it back on and opening it up again. Connection is fine now. So it seems like power cycling can help.

[James_Ball]

In the vacuum and diagnostics menu there is an item called something like "Initialize MS Interface". Going from memory since we no longer have the HPIB instruments here. I remember having to do this a few times in the past to wake an instrument up.

I also had another time when the HPIB card in the computer went bad and it would talk to the GC but not to the MS. That was a very strange one and difficult to troubleshoot.