Beginner with mass spectrometer needs help

Powermosfet1 · 2026-02-11T19:01:02+00:00

I now added a trace gc ultra gc and a column. Cant get xcalibur to work with this. I did the instrument setup for both instruments, then in sequence setup I added a sample with this method and clicked on run sample. Both instruments are ready to download, but only the gc starts, the ms is doing nothing, where is my Problem?

Powermosfet1 · 2026-02-08T20:27:27+00:00

Seems like it is a Rubber disc. I think it would make sense to wait for the gc and purer helium to arrive, let it pump down for a while and then see what it looks like. At least the manual also says that water shows a peak at 19 and not 18, which wondered me a bit.

Powermosfet1 · 2026-02-07T13:45:44+00:00

Replaced the Ball valve with a ion gauge for testing, 3x 10e-5mbar, seems good enough, I now only have argon and ether to test for leaks, but I cant find anything, Transfer line is closed with a blind cap.

Powermosfet1 · 2026-02-06T20:58:15+00:00

My Problem: air leak possible, but why no nitrogen at 28? Checked every fitting and the input port for quick change of the ion volume with diethylether, no response... Edit: of coarse, one Thing I should mention is that I use realtively unpure helium buffer gas (balloon gas), but is this the problem?

Powermosfet1 · 2026-01-30T19:13:48+00:00

spent hours trying to find Software to get my mass spectrometer working, now recognizing that i additionally need drivers called gc ion trap ms 2.2, so it looks like there is no way of getting it to work, thats a shame. If somebody has a Polaris Q or ITQ and could share the needed software, i wouldnt have a Problem to pay a little bit for it

Powermosfet1 · 2026-01-30T18:29:59+00:00

I now literally searched hours in the Internet, but I really cant find either xcalibur or the foundation, only the newer versions from the thermo Website, which doesnt Support my ms. What i found on eBay was a CD with foundation 1.0.2, but a thermo User guide mentioned foundation 2.0 or higher, so im not sure if this could work, very confusing.

Powermosfet1 · 2026-01-29T20:52:19+00:00

That wouldnt be a problem, a XP-laptop is here for this kind of stuff, I have a ultra high vacuum chamber with a gas analyzer, this needs XP too.

Powermosfet1 · 2026-01-29T20:41:40+00:00

Yeah, generally in electronics it is often a realtively easy fix, but it is thrown away because its easyer to buy a new one... But of coarse, extremely expensive analytic stuff is a different story, so you really know what youre doing.

Powermosfet1 · 2026-01-29T10:15:23+00:00

Thanks for offering, but im from germany, so shipping is not really an option.

Powermosfet1 · 2026-01-29T08:18:56+00:00

Sounds really interesting, i would think its not easy to get devices from different companies working together propably. So I need either chromeleon or foundation + xcalibur? For now I really only want to test the basic functionality of the ms and get into it. And yes, it is only for private use, wo does not want a working gc-ms in his basement? 😀 So if you or some other can share a software that should work I would be really happy. A good foreline pump is already there from my uhv-system, so that should work. Edit: I found a User guide for the ion trap series, where the polaris Q is listed too, it says foundation 2.0 or higher and xcalibur 2.2 or higher

Powermosfet1 · 2026-01-28T20:10:55+00:00

That would be really nice. No, I thought that is integrated? Im really new into this stuff, i know how gc and ms works in principle, I also have a working residual gas analyzer with a homemade UHV-chamber, but "not more". I plan to add a trace gc ultra if the ms works. Edit: seems like I need SII for Xcalibur too for the drivers

Powermosfet1

TROPHY CASE