Preventive Maintenance
Packed column inlet
Packed column inlet
Changing septa
Septum lifetime is dependent upon frequency of use and upon needle quality; burrs, sharp edges, rough surfaces, or a blunt end on the needle decreases septum lifetime.
A leaking septum is evidenced by longer retention times, loss of response, and/or loss of column head pressure as well as degradation in detector signal quality (the signal becoming increasingly noisy). Where the instrument is used on a regular basis, daily septum replacement is recommended.
Figure
Septum
Septum Retainer
Nut
| Packed Column Inlet, Replacing the Septum |
| Turn off the detector (particularly a TCD or NPD!) before interrupting |
Caution | |
| column flow. |
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