User guide

Chromatographic Checkout 4
Advanced User Guide 71
To Check FID Performance
1 Gather the following:
• Evaluation column, HP- 5 30 m × 0.32 mm × 0.25 µm
(19091J- 413)
• FID performance evaluation (checkout) sample
(5188- 5372)
• Chromatographic- grade isooctane
• 4- mL solvent and waste bottles or equivalent for
autoinjector
• 2- mL sample vials or equivalent for sample
2 Verify the following:
• Capillary column jet installed. If not, select and install a
capillary column jet.
• Capillary column adapter installed (adaptable FID only).
If not, install it.
• Chromatographic- grade gases plumbed and configured:
helium as carrier gas, nitrogen, hydrogen, and air.
• Empty waste vials loaded in sample turret.
• 4- mL solvent vial with diffusion cap filled with isooctane
and inserted in Solvent A injector position.
3 Install the evaluation column. (See the procedure for the SS,
PP, COC, MMI, or PTV in the Maintenance manual.)
• Bake out the evaluation column for at least 30 min at
180 °C. (See the procedure for the SS, PP, COC, MMI, or
PTV in the Maintenance manual.)
• Be sure to configure the column.
4 Check the FID baseline output. The output should be
between 5 pA and 20 pA and relatively stable. (If using a gas
generator or ultra pure gas, the signal may stabilize below
5 pA.) If the output is outside this range or unstable, resolve
this problem before continuing.
5 If the output is too low:
• Check that the electrometer is on.
• Check that the flame is lit (“To light the FID flame” on
page 300).
6 Create or load a method with the parameter values listed in
Table 9.