Chromatography Forum

I'm trying to add a 5971 mass spec to a 5890 GC. The interface has a cable with a white connector with 5 pins, and I have no idea what to do with it! The GC manual doesn't mention mass specs at all, and the mass spec manual just says "connect to GC" without any specifics. Any thoughts? Here's a picture:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58145259@N04/9553888183

(Well, I tried to itnclude a picture! Not quite sure how that works...)

I believe that is the AUX Heater cable. Does it connect to the interface where the column enters the mass spec? If so there should be a matching connector just inside the side of the GC where you make the hole for the interface to enter the oven.

If the matching cable is not there, you will need to find one that will run from the upper rear side of the main board which in inside the opposite side cover behind the keypad, across the back to the left side where the opening for the mass spec interface is. Sometimes the connector is dark reddish brown instead of white, I know mine was.

That is the heater and sensor for the MS transfer line. If the GC was never configured for use with a MS, it probably won't have the connector to install it to (it's located inside the left panel of the GC). If it's an older GC that was used with a MS, the GC may have a rectangular white connector on it instead of the straight 5 pin. It ends up connecting to the detector B heater/sensor connector on the right side of the GC. Let me know what you have on the GC and I can give you the pin-outs so you can make it work without trying to find and buy a connector.

This GC never had a mass spec, so it must be missing the connector.

When I get back to the office I'll dig up the pin-out for you (sometime tomorrow afternoon). If you happen to have the service manual for the MS, it's in there. You'll need some wires of the same gauge that's in your connector. They will have to be long enough to go from the left side of the GC up through the back and around to the right side. I'll try to get some pictures for you.

You will also need to make a hole in the side of the GC. Before you go too far on this project make sure you have a compatible MSD software, OS and HPIB card. These things are quite rare now.

You will also need to make a hole in the side of the GC. Before you go too far on this project make sure you have a compatible MSD software, OS and HPIB card. These things are quite rare now.

Interested in a complete working 5972A MSD, very reasonable (USA) ? Not sure if supervisor would include the rough pump though.

Thanks for the replies! I contacted the person who sold us the MS, and he confirmed we were missing a cable. Since that was a GC part he didn't include it initially, but he did have one available and sent it to us.

This has been quite a project! I've knocked out the hole in the wall, plugged in the mystery cable, managed to fit the GC, interface, and MS together, configured everything with HPIB cards and cables, and installed G1701AA on the Windows 95 computer. The GC is almost a GCMS!

Thanks for the replies! I contacted the person who sold us the MS, and he confirmed we were missing a cable. Since that was a GC part he didn't include it initially, but he did have one available and sent it to us.

This has been quite a project! I've knocked out the hole in the wall, plugged in the mystery cable, managed to fit the GC, interface, and MS together, configured everything with HPIB cards and cables, and installed G1701AA on the Windows 95 computer. The GC is almost a GCMS!

Oh the memories you just brought back