Chromatography Forum

We are always encountering z-axis errors (Carousel z-axis malfunction(5)) on our Alliance 2695's. It is usually the first injection of the day but does happen sometimes after a tray is removed then replaced. The error turns off the column flow (very frustrating) and aborts the run. We have cleaned sensors, replaced trays, lubed, unlubed, and even replaced an entire $6000 carousel drive assembly. It still happens randomly for no apparent reason. Any suggestions?

have you already changed the carousel? Is it related to one carousel, or to all of them?

in our lab, we already had this problem.
try to put a little up or down the little magnet in the caroussel with a screwdriver, and maybe the contact will be better

Pierre

If you take of the front pannel, you can see what is going on.
The magnet will come down and turn until it grips the carousel. If you go to diags > other tests>carousel, you can input the vial number and see what is going on (if front was taken of, you need a magnet to "close" the door). If it isn't going low enough, take a screwdriver and lower it.

A question to all who replied to the original message:

Have you solved your z-axis failure problem? If so, how was this achieved exactly? I am having this problem (frequently) and am considering sending the whole system back!

@efirth:

Don't send it back, it should be possible to get it work.
Here are several possibilities:
-If it's still warranty: completely change the Z-axis mechanism. Waters has done this at our compartiment several times for several HPLC, for FREE!
-Another thing to try is to clean and lube the up/down mechanism.
-You can try with different carousels, maybe it's due to 1 carousel?
-Let Waters readjust the height of the mechanism, but normally should be ok.
-Restart the whole system.
-contact your local waters dealer

Good luck

Bart

More on the Z-axis issue:
We have replaced both the carousel and the carousel platten on our system, and recently had a whole new 2695 installed. No change to the number of errors. Now we may need a new Z-axis unit installed - what chance of a full recovery?

I believe that the manufacture of these units recently was moved to SE Asia. Is the assembly and QC good enough, or was there a rogue batch?

The manufacturer's people are very helpful, but the problem is very persistent!

We would welcome experience from users with any views on this issue.

We had the problems with whole new systems, but also after 2-3 years.

Sometimes the replacement of the Z-axis unit helped, sometimes not.

Don't know if the waters people know really what is going wrong, but they had always fixed the problems for us.

So the chance for a full recovery is good I think.

Bart

JB what did you use to lubricate your carosel we have one that is making a bunch of racket

the dude