26 Troubleshooting and Maintenance Manual
2 General Troubleshooting
Troubleshooting Tips and Tricks
Rule 1: “Look for what has been changed.”
Many problems are introduced accidentally by human actions. Every time any
system is disturbed, there is a chance of introducing a new problem.
• If the MS was just pumped down after maintenance, suspect air leaks or
incorrect assembly.
• If carrier gas or helium gas purifier was just changed, suspect leaks or
contaminated or incorrect gas.
• If the GC column was just replaced, suspect air leaks or a contaminated or
bleeding column.
Rule 2: “If complex isn’t working, go back to simple.”
A complex task is not only more difficult to perform but also more difficult to
troubleshoot. If you’re having trouble detecting your sample, verify that
autotune is successful.
Rule 3: “Divide and conquer.”
This technique is known as “half-split” troubleshooting. If you can isolate the
problem to only part of the system, it is much easier to locate.
To determine whether an air leak is in the GC or the MS, you can vent the MS,
remove the column, and install the blank interface ferrule. If the leak goes
away, it was in the GC.
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