Chromatography Forum

Hey all!

I am new here and do apologize if I am posting in the wrong section. I have an issue with my Agilent 6430 MS. I just completed my quarterly ion optics cleaning, which requires venting the instrumen. When I turn the MS back on, the rough pump will not turn on nor would the turbos. I checked every connection and made sure I've screwed in every screw. Everything seems good. I do not know why it is doing this.

Do any other indicator lights come on when powering up?

Is there a fuse in the back where the rough pump plugs into the back of the instrument? If so that may have blown.

I apologize for the delayed response, wasn't at work. The fuses are fine. I replaced them for the heck of it, but that didn't help. The light on the front of the instrument turns on, but turns from yellow to red. Umm, the lights from the turbo controller does not turn on either. Everything turns on but the vacuum pumps. I thought that it could be a dead rough pump, so i swapped it with another instrument's rough pump. That didn't help, so I swapped the pumps back, and now both instruments are having this problem.

Did you power on the other instrument with the bad pump?

If the pump is bad it could be overloading something inside the instrument and now the second instrument is bad.

When I swapped them I tried to turn them on. The MS turns on, but the vacuum pumps would not. That could be, but I don't think so. I just did another quarterly maintenance on another instrument, same exact problem. I even have the maintenance manual open next to me, followed step by step. All the instruments are connected to battery back ups. I called Agilent, and they are thinking it could be the AC board. It is so frustrating!!

Have you tried when connected directly to mains without the battery backup?

If the battery is weak, you may not have enough power to start the pump. There is quite a power draw at the moment those large pumps start turning.

I tried to plug it into the wall, but the plugs are not the same, Ms 3 prong and the wall needs a 4 prong plug. I tried plugging in the rough pump to a 110v (all i have at the moment) and i heard a click and little vibration from the pump so i believe that its fine. I guess I will have to wait for the Agilent Engineer to come out.

Hi there,
Just a couple of things which may or not help

We have a 6430. There are 4 fuses at the back of the unit that could have blown. Did you check all of them? We had issues with the rough pump blowing fuses as the current drawn was too high on initial start up from cold.

Also see if you can get someone to rig up a cable with the correct plug so you can plug the rough pump directly into the wall just for a few minutes - it can be a great troubleshooting tool.

Kevin.

Hey Kevin,

I have checked those fuses and they are fine. Ive replaced them just incase and that didn't solve the issue.

I tried to plug it into the wall, but the plugs are not the same, Ms 3 prong and the wall needs a 4 prong plug. I tried plugging in the rough pump to a 110v (all i have at the moment) and i heard a click and little vibration from the pump so i believe that its fine. I guess I will have to wait for the Agilent Engineer to come out.

I was thinking of plugging the MS into the mains without the battery backup and see if the battery backup is not supplying enough power to run the rough pump through the MS. But still may not have the correct connectors so only if those are the same.

I tried to plug it into the wall, but the plugs are not the same, Ms 3 prong and the wall needs a 4 prong plug. I tried plugging in the rough pump to a 110v (all i have at the moment) and i heard a click and little vibration from the pump so i believe that its fine. I guess I will have to wait for the Agilent Engineer to come out.

I was thinking of plugging the MS into the mains without the battery backup and see if the battery backup is not supplying enough power to run the rough pump through the MS. But still may not have the correct connectors so only if those are the same.

I wish I could plug it directly into the wall. The mass spec power plug does not fit in the wall outlet, I've tried.