Chromatography Forum

Hello,
My department purchased an old Rainin HPLC system a while back. I'm trying to get it functional but am having trouble setting up communication between the pumps, detector and CPU. Here's our system:

2x Dynamax SD200 pumps
Rainin UV-1 detector
Star 800 MIB interface controller
Galaxie software v1.9 running on an IBM Thinkcentre/Windows Vista

I've connected the MIB to the CPU through patch cables/switch connection. The UV-1 detector is connected to the MIB through an analog cable. The SD200 pumps are connected to each other and the PC through a 9-pin ribbon cable.

I can ping the MIB from the command prompt on the CPU. I have also been able to control the pumps through the RS232 connection. But I have not been able to control or setup the detector. I think my problem is in the configuration of the interface/communications. Does anyone have a similar system or experience with this type of setup? Any help would be appreciated.

Hi

Galaxie cannot control the UV-1 detector.
If you can see the UV trace in galaxie, your set-up is OK.
You will have to set wavelength manually on the keypad of the UV-1.

best regards
Chris

Hi Chris,
Thanks for your response. I have a converter box, the Star 800 MIB, to control the Analog input from the UV-1 detector. Galaxie v1.9 is supposed to come with the drivers to control the Star 800 MIB, I just can't figure out how to configure the connection. It's seems somewhat straight forward but I haven't been able to see the UV trace in Galaxie. I think my problem is in setting up the communication with the Star 800 MIB. I'm a novice at networking and my campus IT department has been no help.

I'm hoping someone has an example or experience with this set up to point me in the right direction.

Do you (or anyone) know - would this be easier to set up with Star workstation software?

Thanks again,
Grady

Hi

Galaxie is not easy to configure - if also star workstation is available, I would go with star.
Star is also more easy to use, so it will be more easy getting started.

I strongly recommend to use no connection to campus/company network as the connection to the star MIB is sensitive to firewalls/security packages.

You can find the manuals of the software packages in in the subfolder galaxie/manuals or star/manuals of your installation.

best regards
Chris

Thanks Chris,
It seems like the manual for the Star 800 is written for use with the Star workstation. There are instructions for configuring the Star 800 in the Galaxy manual which I followed with no luck.

Do you (or anyone) know where I can get a copy of the Star workstation software?

Or do you know if there is a possiblity to upgrade my detector (Prostar 325 maybe?) so that I don't need the MIB?

Grady

Hi

I think in the SD200/300 Pumps, a A/D converter is integrated.
You can check it - just go into the pump setup and look for a CIM setting - if available, set CIM 5.
just connect the anlog cable of the detector with the backplanel of the pump.

You can do this with galaxie( just add CIM drive in config), too, but the CIM driver is not very stable.

best regards
Chris

Hi Chris,
As far as I can tell my detector can't connect to the back of the pump since there are no inputs for the analog cable. Would I need to open the back of the pump to configure the terminal connections?

Thanks,
Grady

Hi

Maybe I am wrong and the D/A is only available with the later Varian 210/215/218 version of this pump.
If you cant find a CIM setting in the pump setting, no D/A is integrated.

At some rainin pumps, the backplanel was a small board attached to the back of the pump, I dont remember the SD200/300.
Can you see some slot at the Back of the pump?

Chris

Hi Chris,
Yeah, there is a slot in the back of the pump with a card protruding. Is there a way to connect to that?

Any ideas on how to connect to the Star 800 interface? It seems that the problem is in downloading the MIB parameters.

The TCP/IPv4 is configured like this:
IP address: 10.2.128.1
Subnet mask: 255.0.0.0
Gateway: 10.2.128.50

The Galaxie configuration manager "BOOTP configuration" parameters are as follows:
IP address: 10.2.128.10 (this address is written on the interface box)
Ethernet address: 00.60.93.01.90.1A (Also written on the box)
Subnet mask: 255.0.0.0
Gateway: 10.2.128.49

In the "interface configuration" I added the following parameters:
IP address: 10.2.128.10
Ethernet address: 00.60.93.01.90.1A

When I click "OK" after adding the parameters to the Interface Configuration, a window pops up saying "Downloading MIB parameters." I unplug and plug back in the Star 800 and the yellow and red lights on the left start flashing. The right, green light flashes occasionally. But the red and yellow light never stop flashing, and the "Downloading MIB parameters" window never goes away.

In the BOOTP configuration window I get 5-6 messages about 20 seconds apart that say "Request received from 00:60:93:01:90:1A"

So there is some sort of communication happening but the process is not completing. It seems like the Star 800 is not receiving the configuration.

Anything jump out at you? or anyone?

Thanks,
Grady

Hi

Try to disable all security software - maybe this blocks communication with the MIB.
Maybe, updating MIB driver can help - you can check this at persistent systems, they own galaxie now.

best regards
Chris