Frankenstein HPLC

[wrighty]

Morning all,

i've got a project coming up where i will need to connect an Agilent 1100 HPLC system to a SEDEX 75 evaporative light scattering detector.

at first glance it looks like the systems will connect - but could someone tell me how i would go about adding this detector to the chemstation software?

thanks in advance for your help

steve

[Noser222]

I like your subject line. I've Frankensteined a few systems together myself
Do you have software for your ELSD? If not, and you just plan on using the analog relays from your ELSD, you will need an A/D converter to collect data on Chemstation.

[wrighty]

we've gto a spare a/d converter lying around somewhere. once connected do i need to install the detector on chemstation or will it run independantly?

[Noser222]

It would have to be an HP or Agilent A/D to install into Chemstation. Otherwise, you'd have to use some other software to collect a signal.

[Mark Tracy]

I have attached a Sedex 85 to a Dionex system. You need the Agilent A/D for the analog signal and a programmable relay for the autozero, and optionally a digital input for the detector ready signal. The Agilent A/D converter has all that. If you want computer control of the settings for the Sedex, you will need to connect it with an RS-232 to the computer and use the Sedex software. Your instrument control file will not have the Sedex detector settings in it, so you should insert them as comments so that in the future if you want to do this again you will have it handy.

[Bruce Hamilton]

we've gto a spare a/d converter lying around somewhere. once connected do i need to install the detector on chemstation or will it run independantly?

You install the A/D into Chemstation. Check your version of Chemstation to ensure that it supports the specific letter suffix of the Agilent A/D that you have. There's a chart on the Agilent Chemstation WWW site if you can't find the details.

Later versions may not support earlier HP A/D. I've hooked a PL ELSD into Chemstation with no problems. Just ensure the Sedex start signal matches the A/D start output, the A/D start signal is derived from the D-plug control cable connection, and the Sedex signal goes into the separate signal-in connection.

Please keep having fun,

Bruce Hamilton

[Consumer Products Guy]

Agilent has a 35900 A/D converter (analog to digital). There were earlier versions that were a circuit board inside the computer, and the later versions are external boxes. Our lab has both, both work similarly. The signal from the detector goes to the 35900. We have conductivity, fluorescence, and ELSD connected to various systems this way.

[Bruce Hamilton]

Agilent has a 35900 A/D converter (analog to digital). There were earlier versions that were a circuit board inside the computer, and the later versions are external boxes.

My recollection is that the early models ( A - C ) were also separate boxes, only the D version was a card, and later versions reverted to the standalone box. Version C box is the most common around here, as it was used at the start of Chemstation to connect to other brand detectors.

The PC card version ( D ) initially had some serious driver limitations, and that may have been responsible for the reversion back to the separate box.

Please keep having fun,

Bruce Hamilton

[Consumer Products Guy]

Our in-computer boards are 35900D, and are used with our A.06 ChemStations. The A.09 ChemStations use the external box, don't recall its number. I think the change to external had something to do with Agilent's spin-off from HP, like the internal board was HP's, and when newer Pentium 3 and 4 computers changed to a new type of slot (ISA?, I'm not great with computers), the 35900D would not fit, and external was likely simpler and cheaper.

[Mark Tracy]

The Sedex does not have a start signal input; it is always on. The A/D does have a start signal.

[promochrom]

Hi Steve,

Agilent has detailed instruction about how to connect the Sedere ELSD with their system as they are partners. You may contact their local support. I heard from one of my friends that this ELSD supplier has a driver that can enable chemstation to get digital singal directly from the ELSD. So 35900E converter is not necessary. You may verify this with the ELSD supplier.

Promochrom