Chromatography Forum

Hello all,

I just started a new job and one of my "background" tasks is to get an old Spectra-Physics SpectraSYSTEM P4000 pump back into running order. It's not making pressure but seems to be flowing okay.

My question is: does anyone have any literature or plumbing configuration diagrams for this pump?

It had been worked on quite a bit before I started here and the check valve configuration is not something I'm used to since there are only two and one is located on one of the pump heads and the other on what I think must be a pressure transducer of sorts.

Thanks

Spectra-Physics developed the series-piston design for LC pumps back in the early 80's. This design is very popular and is used by Agilent, Waters, Hitachi, Dionex, and so forth. While it is conceptually simple, the execution is tricky. Spectra-Physics sold their LC business to Thermo in the 90's. Here is a link to Thermo's not very helpful webpage: http://thermo.com/com/cda/product/detai ... 09,00.html
You need to talk to the Thermo about parts. Also, some of the very early serial numbers of the P-series had bad firmware, and only the factory service can tell you if you need to upgrade.

Sorry to take so long to reply...

Thanks for the information Seeing the Sunnyvale CA, as your location reminds me of how I miss my (or rather Ag Canada's) Dionex DX-600

I know it sounds silly buy there's a certain comfort in only running/repairing a few instruments all the time, you can get very intimate with them and know if all is well just by the normal subtle sounds they make...

Now I'm working with so many that I still sometimes have to read the labels on them to remember which one is set up to analyze what. I'm not complaining, it's like a technicians playground but each instrument has such a thin allotment of money and time.

I'll make sure to check out any info Thermo has to offer.