This Tech Tips Tuesday installment demonstrates how to find a leak in an Agilent 5973 MSD when an air/water check is bad.
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Note that the core leak-finding methodology works with Agilent’s 5975 and 5977 MSDs as well. The fundamental approach — isolating sections of the vacuum system, checking O-rings, ferrules, the transfer line, and vent valve — applies to all of them.
That said, there are a few minor hardware and software differences across the series to be aware of such as:
- Vacuum pump type: The 5977 (especially later models) may use an IDP-3 dry scroll pump rather than the rotary vane pump common on the 5973, so pump-related checks differ slightly.
- Software: The 5975 and 5977 use MassHunter Acquisition rather than the older ChemStation interface on the 5973, so the steps to run and interpret an air/water check look different on screen — even if the physical troubleshooting is the same.
- Analyzer cover: On the 5977B, you need to remove the analyzer window cover from the front of the instrument, which is a slightly different physical access point than the 5973.
Related resources:
- Best Practice for Identifying Leaks in GC and GC/MS Systems – Technical Overview from Agilent
- Steps to Perform an Air & Water Check for a 5975 GC/MSD – video
- Leak-Free GC – article from Lab Manager
- What a GC–MS Tune Report Can Tell You – article from LCGC North America
- Impact of Air Leaks on the Productivity of GC and GC/MS Systems – Application Note from Agilent
- TECH TIP: How To Clean An EI Source From An Agilent 5973 Or 5975 MSD
- TECH TIP: How To Refill The EI Calibration Vial In An Agilent 5973 MSD
- TECH TIP: How To Replace A Filament In An Agilent 5973 MSD
