5
Maintenance
Flushing the Piston Guide Bushings
Thermo Scientific
Accela 600 and 1250 Pump Hardware Manual
105
Flushing the Piston Guide Bushings
As the pistons move back and forth within the displacement chambers, a small quantity of
mobile phase leaks behind the primary piston seals. With buffered mobile phases, a precipitate
(also known as creep or salt build-up) forms as the liquid fraction evaporates. The abrasion
caused by this precipitate can scratch the piston and shorten the life of the piston seals.
If you use mobile phases that contain a high concentration of salts and you do not have the
seal wash pump, flush the piston seals at least once a day. The seal wash pump is an optional
pump that periodically flushes the piston guide bushings (see
).
To flush the piston guide bushings
1. Connect a 10 mL syringe filled with distilled water to the bottom-outer tubing
(see
Figure 105.
Syringe connected to the guide bushings for flushing
2. Gently push the water through the tubing.
Purge valve wing nut