Calibrate PMT on Acquity FLR

rwinters
rwinters
in Instrumentation and Mass Spectrometry
I am trying to get a used Acquity FLR detector up and running. The detector had previously been flashed with the incorrect firmware - 2475 instead of Acquity FLR. I have managed to get the correct firmware flashed to the detector, but now I am stuck in a loop. Since the firmware was flashed the detector has lost its PMT calibration information. When I go to calibrate the PMT in the console, the start button is not available since the detector is in an error state. The only error in the detector log is that the PMT is not calibrated. How can I run the PMT calibration when the detector errors out due to not having the PMT calibrated?

Answers

  • JCarter280
    JCarter280
    Several years back I flashed a FLR so it reported it was a 2475. There were new options and a check box in an advanced menu to run as old FLR. Depends on version of E3 and driver pack. Look for an advanced menu and scroll down all the screens for options to reset or run the calibration. :/ You may need a Waters tech to get into their service mode screens to run it, sorry I don't know the password.
    Can you try to reset in the driver window which should give you a few moments to hit the start button to calibrate?
    Maybe flash it to latest and try options there?
    Good luck!
  • lizh
    lizh
    So sorry this has happened. 

    On occasion,  we also run into issues when the PMT will not calibrate, say after a battery replacement or a clear NV RAM. The issue yu are seeing is caused by a failure of console software to clear the error and allow the necessary diagnostic to execute. We are looking into this and hope to resolve in a future firmware update. If you experience this problem we do have a work around using Hyperterminal, see the instructions below. If you are not confident please do consider calling in Waters Field Service to execute. 

    BR Liz

    First you will need to hook up a RS232 cable to your PC and open the hyperterminal with the following ComPort settings:

    Baud rate 38400

    Data bits 8

    Parity none

    Stop bits 1

    Flow control none

    Ensure you have water pumping through the flowcell and execute the following commands in this order:

     syscal -  (allow to finish) This will calibrate the system.

    calpmt 4 - This will calibrate the PMT.

    normalize -  This will normalize unit.

     The System should now be restored and ready to use providing the normalization result is 416 +/- 3 nm.

  • lizh
    lizh
    Last note...some PC’s no longer have COM ports and require a USB to RS-232 converter. It also requires an appropriate version of Hyperterminal depending on the OS being used. Typically these can be found on the Web. 
  • rwinters
    rwinters
    Thank you very much for the information about serial port communication. I was able to quickly get the PMT calibrated and now the detector is good to go!

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