Take care with www.spectralabsci.com

[wraymogg]

Hello,

take care if you want to buy something from http://www.spectralabsci.com

I bought a GC-MS system from them and it was malfunctioning from day one. Every time i asked for support even if it was under warranty they never replied to my email. Total silence. I had to fix it myself and it took me some months to do so. The GC part was on 115V but all the jumpers inside and the heating element were set to 230V, because of that the temperature in oven and in injector could not go over 200 C degrees. I had to invert some jumpers and resistor connection. The fan behind the GC was malfunctioning and the GC was entering in OVER TEMPERATURE error. I had to change that fan. The vespel transfer line came chipped. The bottom line is they are not good professionals and messed up the GC completely, they sold it to me with 6 months warranty and then they forgot i exist.

I also bought from them a TurboVap II. They sent me a TurboVap LV even if they invoiced me a TurboVap II. The one they sent me was valued with 2000 USD less and it was in a very bad shape. Again they refused to reply to any of my mails requesting a refund. They answered only after I filled the Small Claims Court form and I sent it to them. In that day after 3 weeks of silence they replied to my mail and accepted a refund.

Fast to reply with the invoice, never to reply with support. Take care.

Regards,
Vlad Popovici

[AIM]

Vlad,

Yes I have heard from a lot of labs that have had this same experience. If you are looking for refurbished analytical instruments check out Analytical Instrument Management. http://www.aimanalytical.com

We specialize in Agilent Chromatography Systems. When we refurbish the GC/MS system, the MSD gets a new multiplier, new filaments, new repeller, a newly rebuilt rough pump, all new seals and brand new data systems. The GC's are completely rebuilt from the frame up. We really put the instruments to the test prior to delivery, we even supply the user with a really nice data package to review prior to the instrument being shipped.

[wraymogg]

Hello,

thank you for your tip.

The list of the problems with the system sold by them is even longer. The Lens 1 is almost all the time on flat line, I guess the chip driver is done... Also the electron multiplier reached it's end of life. I had to replace the transfer line, since it was from other device. Now I just don't want to stress myself with it. I will post if for sale on eBay, even for spare parts and I will loose money.

They sold it to me in a VERY bad shape. I managed to make it functional, but now the electron multiplier needs a change.

Regards,
Vlad

[AIM]

Vlad,

Please let me know if you would like a quote for a system that is actually refurbished and tested.

[wraymogg]

Hi,

I reached the conclusion they build the GC and the MS from spare parts from other systems, and they mixed parts from other not compatible systems.
So, after another couple of months, this is the list of faults I had in the device they sold me:

1. They didn't include in the package the autosampler to GC cable and the mounting brackets were from a different device, I had to build an adapter myself.
2. The GC heating element was configured for 220V not for 110V and the second branch of the resistor never heated. The GC could not go more than 250 celsius degrees.
3. The voltage configurator liner was upside down, set for 220V not 110V and the inside fan was not spinning fast enough getting the system to overheat
3. The injector heating element was set for 220V not 110V and it could not go more than 220 celsius degrees
4. The fan in the back was clogged and I have to replace it. It was getting the system to overheat and switch off.
5. The transfer line was the left one, longer one, installed on the right side, also was defective giving sensor fault and I have to replace it.
6. The PFTBA vial was FULL leaking liquid inside the vacuum chamber, it contaminated everything and I had to replace all connections and clean everything.
7. The electrovalve for PFTBA got clogged and will not open anymore after the massive leakage and I had to repair it and clean it.
8. The autosampler vertical shaft was hitting the top cover, I had to modify it not to hit the cover anymore.
9. All the cables was rusted and gave communication error all the time. I had to clean them ALL with spray contact.
10. They chipped the Lens1 with the transfer line, and both of them were nicked. Transfer line in the vespel tip and the Lens1 was damaged. I had to replace the lenses.
11. They used a different bracket model for lenses and they put one with the lens print on 90 degrees, when actually the lenses had the print on 45 degrees. I had to replace it.
12. The anode in electron multiplier is completely stuck and I could not remove it, I had to clean it in place.
13. The hose getting the helium gas to ion trap was not fixed inside it's hole and was leaking helium in the vacuum chamber instead of ion trap.
14. The ion trap central ring was badly scratched and i had to replace it.
15. The ion trap ceramic rings were chipped, I had to replace them.
16. The ion source was damaged, from time to time gave sensor failed . I had to replace it.
17. They didn't put all screws on RF boards and due to not dissipated heat, a condenser on RF control board got fried. I had to replace the condenser on 7805.
18. AND THE HARDEST TO FIND - they reversed the magnets in the ion source, and my sensitivity was failing hard !!!
19. They installed the Finnigan GCQ software over a previous Xcalibur installation messing up the registry. On a hard mass deviation after replacing the ion trap, would not autotune anymore due to wrong registry entry for mass calibration. I had to spy the registry writings to see what key is missing, because they didn't give me the install kit for the GCQ software, I am stuck with it already installed.
20. They mixed up the IRQs and DMAs and the network card was configured over the ISA boards.

Now understand I bought the system with warranty. And they NEVER replied to my email anymore after the first service question.
Every time I discovered more idiotic things they did to the device I laughed my ass off how stupid I was to buy from them.

Regards,
Vlad

[MSCHemist]

I bought a GC/MS off LabX before and it was a piece of crap.

There was a problem with the EI source... It was missing
There was diff pump oil in the bottom of the analyzer chamber
The side plate O-ring was so messed up it didn't fit in the grove any more
The whole thing was beet all to heck. It looked like it was played with in an undergrad lab without supervision.

I then bought one from Gentech Scientific and it was a much better experience.

I was thinking of buying a CE system from Spectralab...

[wraymogg]

Think twice

Anyway after I repaired it, it lasted 1 week. Now is broken again.

I discovered LOTS of unscrewed screws and missing ones. Important one, groundings to the case, etc. Even the two big screws on the bottom were unscrewed. And above them were big words stating "SCREW THIS FIRMLY!!". It seems English is a hard challenge to Canadians (joke).

My diffusion pump started to fail, so I opened it and I was amazed what I found. The left fan had voltage reversed so all the time both fans were pulling air in from both directions, instead of tunneling it. Because of that, the left fan was venting hot air from the GC, directly on the pump's baffle. After I corrected it, no more temperature fail on the diffusion pump. The problem is, I think it damaged the Peltier element, I will test it next week. Also let me show you a picture from inside the pump. They put normal external pump oil inside, instead of the VERY expensive and special Santovac 5 oil.



Sadly it wasn't the only problem. After a communication error, when restarting the software, an resistor exploded on motherboard. If I'll fix this I will pull out the Service switch from inside and put it on the external case, because when communication error occurs on Thermo devices, all hell break loose.

The resistor is a setting on a LT1101 to transform the resistance from transfer line temperature sensor to voltage. Then it enters into an op amp and then into a comparator with a reference voltage. Next week I will try to fix again the damn thing. I swear if I ever get to Canada I will pay a visit to those Spectralab bastards.

Regards,
Vlad