Thermo Finnigan LCQ Deca XP Plus, Hardware Manual

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User Maintenance
API Source Maintenance ______________________________________________________
4-10
___________________ LCQ Deca XP Plus Hardware Manual ________________
8. Remove the Kimwipe you used to absorb the solution. Swab the surface
of the spray shield and spray cone with a dry Kimwipe.
9. Ensure that you have removed any salt or other contaminants that may
have been deposited on the spray shield or spray cone.
10. If you are operating in the ESI mode, wipe off the ESI nozzle with a
Kimwipe soaked with the 50:50 HPLC-grade methanol/water solution.
11. Use the spray bottle filled with the 50:50 solution of HPLC-grade
methanol/distilled water to flush contaminants from the interior and
exterior surface of the ion sweep cone. Then swab the surface of the ion
sweep cone with a dry Kimwipe.
Clearing the Bore of the Ion Transfer
Capillary
A stainless steel hypodermic tube has been included in your accessory kit for
clearing the ion transfer capillary in the unlikely event it should become
blocked. However, since the ion transfer capillary can be easily removed and
replaced without loss of vacuum, and you might want to replace the ion
transfer capillary instead of cleaning the ion transfer capillary.
If the pressure in the API region (as measured by the Convectron ® gauge)
drops considerably below 1 Torr, you should suspect a blocked ion transfer
capillary. (You can check the Convectron gauge pressure in the Vacuum
dialog box by choosing
Setup | Vacuum from the Tune Plus window.)
You do not have to vent the system to clear the bore of the ion transfer
capillary. To clear the bore of the ion transfer capillary, do the following:
1. Turn off the flow of liquid from the LC (or other sample introduction
device) to the API source. To turn off the flow of liquid from the LC to
the API source, do the following:
a. Choose Start | Programs | Xcalibur | LCQ Tune to open the
Tune Plus window.
b. In the Tune Plus window, choose Setup | Direct Inlet Control (or
click on the LC pump button). The Inlet Direct Control dialog box
appears.
c. Select the LC tab and click on
Stop
to stop the LC pump.
Note. If you are finished operating your XP Plus for the day, cap the ion
transfer capillary with the septum. Leave the API flange withdrawn from
the spray shield. Purge the oil in the rotary-vane pump as described in the
topic Purging the Oil in the Rotary-Vane Pump in Chapter 5.