User guide
5 Notes – Maintenance – Faults
732 IC Detector / 733 IC Separation Center
148
5.3.2 Malfunctions and their rectification
If difficulties appear with the IC system during analyses, their causes
are best investigated in the order separating column →→ pump →→
eluent →→ 732/733 IC System. Several of the malfunctions which may
appear are listed in the following table with details of possible causes
and countermeasures.
Malfunction Cause Rectification
Baseline with high
noise level,
pulsation
• Contaminated pump
values
• Faulty piston seals
• Quality of the pump
does not suffice for the
selected sensitivity
• Clean the valves (see
section 5.1.2)
• Replace the piston seals
(see section 5.1.2)
• Use pulsation dampener,
use more powerful pump
or lower the sensitivity
Drift of the
baseline
• Thermal equilibrium not
yet reached
• Leak in system
• Evaporation of organic
solvent in eluent
• Condition system with
heating switched on
• Check connections and
make leakproof
• Ensure better closure of
eluent supply vessel
Considerable
pressure drop
• Leak in system • Check connections and
make leakproof
Considerable
pressure rise
• Contamination of the
filter in the 6.2821.100
Filter unit PEEK
• Contamination of the
filter in the 6.2821.000
Filter unit Manufit
• Contamination of the
column inlet filter
• Change of column
packing by injection of
contaminated samples
• Replace the 6.2821.110
Filter (see section 2.6.3)
• Clean or replace
6.2821.020 Steel mesh(es)
• Clean or replace
6.2821.020 Steel mesh(es)
• Regenerate the column
(see section 5.1.1) or re-
place column
Note:
Samples should always
be microfiltered.
Chromatograms
with poor resolu-
tion, change in the
retention times
• Deterioration in separa-
tion efficiency of the IC
column
• Regenerate the column
(see section 5.1.1) or re-
place column
Extreme peak
broadening,
splitting (double
peaks)
• Dead volume at the
column ends
• Fill column with glass
beads (∅ ≤ 100 µm) or
replace column
No feed of re-
generation or
rinsing solution
for suppressor
• Contamination of the
filter in the 6.2821.100
Filter unit PEEK
• Counterpressure too
high in suppressor
module
• Replace the 6.2821.110
Filter (see section 2.6.3)
• Clean or replace suppres-
sor module (see section
5.2.6…5.2.8)