Discussion Category:  ICP Systems

Machine thinks plasma is on

Hi everybody we have recently received an 720 ICP OES. After moving it worked. Took a bit of time to repair the ASX520 sampler-this one works fine now-but the machine thinks the plasma is on-but for sure it is not. So I checked the Ar flow-that is fine. Rebooted the machine and the computer-same issue. Disconnected the power line for some minutes-same issue. Looked at the computer board and tried reset-issue remains. The inside of the machine looks full of dust so I will clean it and renew some corroded fuses and clean some corroded earth points. Anybody an idea what causes the problem of plasma is on? Is there a switch that is telling the machine that the plasma is on? By the way anybody got a diagnostic password? I am more familiar with Perkin Elmer ICP-MS the Agilent/Varian machine is new to me. Have fun Thomas
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TomK
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TomK

Hi there

think I found it. It is the fototransistor that has a shortcut item is sfh350v infineon on the left hand side under the cover. It is placed on the right board. So I try to get a new one and tell you if the problem is solved then.

Have fun

Thomas

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luisgonzalez4286

HI Thomas,  the board on the rigth is called the Interface board and it makes many nessesary checks before you can ignite the plasma including an optic sensor right in the plasma chamber. The one you found...

Here is how you check that optic sensor, put a lit flashlight inside the plasma chamber pointing to the upper back rigth corner where the optic fiber is showing. The board will tell you that the plasma is on and you can confirm if it is working or not.

These 700 series ICPs are workhorses to us. You will end up liking it for sure. What year was yours built?  (it is on the serial number).

Lui.

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luisgonzalez4286

HI Thomas,  the board on the rigth is called the Interface board and it makes many nessesary checks before you can ignite the plasma including an optic sensor that goes right into the plasma chamber. The one you found...

Here is how you check that optic sensor, put a lit flashlight inside the plasma chamber pointing to the upper back rigth corner where the optic fiber is showing. The board will tell you that the plasma is on and you can confirm if it is working or not.

These 700 series ICPs are workhorses to us. You will end up liking it for sure. What year was yours built?  (it is on the serial number).

Lui.

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TomK

Hi Lui

yes, but I could not ignite the plasma because of this sensor, that is telling the machine plasma is already on. I disconnected the fibre and the sensor is tellig the machine that the plasma is on-so for me it is broken and has to be replaced. Our ICP-OES is from 2013.

Is there a fault history in the 700 series?

Have fun

Thomas

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luisgonzalez4286

Hi Thomas.   on the interface board look for the LK2, it is right bellow the optical sensor.

Make sure that it is on RUN and not on TEST

 

Luis

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TomK

Hi Luis

yes I have seen that jumper-it was on run position.

Have fun

Thomas

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luisgonzalez4286

Our ICP-OES is from 2013.

Is there a fault history in the 700 series?

Not quite a fault history but here it goes...

These instruments used to be manufactured in Melbourne, australia (serial AA).  I visited this factory for training puorposes.
Sometime in 2012/2013, Agilent move the factory to Malasya (serial MY). The new factory bacame pretty good quickly but the first year was terrible. I personally dealt with quite a few issues on istruments with serial numbers MY12 and MY13. (mostly loose cables and bad connections, nothing big).

Since this happened eight years ago it is safe to say that you have nothing to worry about it since all of the issues are already taken care off by now.

Our ICPs run 24/7 and they are really good. Our oldest one is  AA07... and still running pretty good.

Good luck Thomas.

 

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TomK

Hi everybody

just changed the sfh350v infineon fotodiode and tested-Success the machine works again.

Just got it from the UK-seens to be difficult these days to get electronic parts.

Have fun

Thomas

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