how to check a second hand HPLC is refurbished or not

[jiangds06]

Standard refurbishment includes:
• Pump seals replaced on quat pump & autosampler
• Needle, seat, and rotor seal replaced on autosampler
• New solvent tubing and filters
• New detector lamps
• New solvent bottles
• Full PM cleaning
• Full OQ/PQ


This is the standard refurbishment list from PACE analytical lab. Not sure how check whether these consumable are replaced or not.

[KM-USA]

I don't think there's any way to tell, have to go by seller's reputation, might be documentation too.

Anyway, those items are not that expensive or difficult to swap out at your location. Does the system come with a warranty? Can your contract include that the system must pass system suitability or manufacturer's factory specs?

Let me just add that I did purchase a refurbished 1050 system like 2 decades ago from Alpha Omega Technologies, and it did work fine. One module had an issue within the warranty period and they handled that promptly.

[James_Ball]

If you already have the instrument, one thing you can check it the filter in the purge valve. If it is black or gray colored then it has not been changed in a while, new ones should be white. They collect the wear particles the come off of the pump seals so they become off colored within a month or so most of the time.

[jiangds06]

This is a very good suggestion. thank you so much!

If you already have the instrument, one thing you can check it the filter in the purge valve. If it is black or gray colored then it has not been changed in a while, new ones should be white. They collect the wear particles the come off of the pump seals so they become off colored within a month or so most of the time.

[lmh]

some detector lamps also have fittings in their cables that give an approximate measure of usage. The biggest likely disaster in buying refurbished instruments is finding that the software isn't included! If you're buying a complete refurbished system with PC and pre-installed software, you could also check the maintenance logs to make sure that they are correct. If lamp usage etc. haven't been reset, it doesn't necessarily mean that the lamp hasn't been replaced, but it'd still be a good idea to find out if this is an oversight and correct it if appropriate.