11 Maintaining the FID
To Install a Capillary Column in the FID
184 Maintaining Your GC
To Install a Capillary Column in the FID
1 Gather the following materials, see “Consumables and Parts for the FID” on page 180:
• Column
• Ferrule(s)
• Column nut
• Column cutter
• 1/4-inch open-end wrench
• Septum
• Isopropanol
• Lab tissue
• Lint-free gloves
2 Place GC in maintenance mode: Maintenance > Instrument > Perform Maintenance >
Maintenance Mode > Start Maintenance. Wait for the GC to become ready.
Be careful! The oven, inlet, and/or detector may be hot enough to cause burns. If the oven,
inlet, or detector is hot, wear heat-resistant gloves to protect your hands.
Wear safety glasses to protect your eyes from flying particles while handling, cutting, or
installing glass or fused silica capillary columns. Use care in handling these columns to
prevent puncture wounds.
Wear clean, lint-free gloves to prevent contamination of parts with dirt and skin oils.
3 Place a septum (if the column id is ≤0.1 mm), capillary column nut, and ferrule on the
column.
4 Score the column using a glass scribing tool. The score must be square to ensure a clean
break.