Waters 717 setup - please help!

[HunterHelper]

By searching, I noticed a lot of members here have Waters systems successfully set up.

We just got in, as a donation from another lab in our area, a supposedly-working system.
It was a pain to get the software online, seeing as they wiped the hard drive (and you know those systems are single use), but the hardware should have been far easier.

Holy mother, it was far worse. The instrument was set up, and the lab sent someone to go observe and get trained, but unfortunately, he didn't make note of how the cables were connected. We have some grainy pictures of their setup, but I'm really having trouble playing around with it.

What we have:
Waters 717 plus Autosampler
Waters 515 HPLC Pumps
Waters Temperature Control Module
Bio-Rad Electrochemical Detector Model 1640 (x3)
Guard Column and thermal case
Waters BusSAT/IN Module
Waters Pump Control Module

We have the special card with the female-RS232 and IEEE ports. When I spoke to the Waters representative, she said that the IEEE was all we needed. I'm told that the system, because of the Bio-Rad detctor, needed the special wires to be plugged in to the back of the autosampler.

But I don't know how each of the cables should be plugged in. If anyone has good photos from their lab of their setups, that would be appreciated. There is another group that has a Waters detector, but it may or may not be fully functional (that, and it is connected to their machine, actually under their controller, and I don't want to disconnect anything)

What I have (recalling from memory):

Computer has IEEE to the autosampler.
The 515 is connected to the Pump Control Module by a square cable. The Pump Control is then plugged into the back of the autosampler by the IEEE.

[Hollow]

I don't have such a system so I can't provide pictures.
Also have a look at the manuals of the systems (717+/detector/SAT/IN), there should be a description of the contact pins.

From my mind, I guess I would do something as followed:
- first I would setup the waters system by IEEE and get them to work (wiring like you mentioned)
- then the detector should get the "Inj start" signal from the 717+ by a contact closure wiring (->see manuals about the proper contacts, green(?) clamps at 717+ to somewhere similar at the detector)
- the analog signal from the detector should go to the SAT/IN box by another wire (clamps to clamps)
- SAT/IN to PC by RS232 (we once had a 4-port switch for more SAT/IN boxes, therefore we had RJ45(?) jacks from SAT/IN <-> Switch ; Switch <-> PC was RS232, so I don't know your configuration, maybe you have a cable with RJ - RS232?).
- if your SAT/IN Box has two input channels, the correct one has to be selected in Empower somewhere

[HunterHelper]

So, I was trying to set up the Waters by itself. I was told you needed the detector working before you could even see if the other parts were functional (he's good with buying a detector for the HPLC from Waters, but he wants to make sure it is set up before he invests any money).

Can the system be tested with just the Autosampler and the pump? Or would that not show enough?

[Hollow]

nice salesman

why shouldn't it? ok, to tell if they work properly by the means of inj accuracy and precision, yes a detector would be good...

but if the single components are working at all e.g. is there a connection to the software, start the pump at the correct flow or will the 717+ select the proper vial and withdraws some liquid, that should work without any detector.
Just create a system/instrument method in Empower accordingly, that means only these two systems.