Discussion Category:  Scintillation Counters

Electronics Tech>

Sample rack not advancing, get error message #219 - too many chain failures.

Instructions to get into it and repair???

avatar placemark

Asked by

lfrahm
Report this Post
avatar placemarkReply by
dpkleessr

Please tell me what the error note states on the display. If I remember correctly, it is probably a rack motion error. If so then we can proceed from there.

Don

Report this Post
avatar placemarkReply by
lfrahm

The error message #219 is: "too many chain failures". I'm looking for maintenance instructions to locate and make repairs.

Thanks.

Report this Post
avatar placemarkReply by
dpkleessr

OK, I thought that was what the error note said. I was trained on that model of LS counter over 30 years ago and haven't seen one in over 10 years but I'll give it my best shot. The error indicates that the sample changer rack is unable to advance its position and that's what generates the error. The first thing that I would look at is the lead plug that sits directly over the elevator tip. It is this lead plug that slides up and down with elevator motion that hold your samples vertical up into the detector area. With age, the glue holding the sliding part of the assembly in place loosens and the entire slide assembly moves down slightly which puts it into the path of the samples as they move across the changer bed. So, load up a set of your samples and use the manual left/right push buttons to try to advance the rack. If the rack hangs up as soon as a sample gets over the elevator shaft area then this is probably your problem. The other possibility is that the elevator shaft is sitting a little high and is snagging the rack. Start with those and get back to me.

Don

Report this Post
avatar placemarkReply by
lfrahm

Don,  Thank you for reply. I got pulled in on this request to fix it and never worked on this model!! It may be a week before I get to it. If this is the problem, what's the solution? Are there parts available yet?

Report this Post
avatar placemarkReply by
dpkleessr

There are still some parts available for this version of LS counter although it was obsoleted many years ago.  It all depends on which part may have failed.  The detector housing, the telescoping tube, which may be your problem, and some of the sample changer parts are still available only because the basic mechanical design did not change that much between this version and the last version that Beckman Coulter manufactured.  The big differences came with the electronics.  Check things out and get back to me.

Don

Report this Post

Page 1 of 1