Installing and Controlling Third-Party Devices
CTC Analytics PAL LC and GC Samplers: Installation

Device Type:

Sample preparation and injection system

Device Driver:

Depending on the application:

  • PAL Sampler for LC

  • PAL Sampler for GC

What is required?

License:

Depending on the application:

  • LC: Timebase Class 3

  • GC: Timebase Class 1

Connection:

CTC ships the sampler with a serial cable (CTC part number: RS9B-3000 or RS9B-6000).

Hardware
Prerequisites:

The sampler firmware should be 2.4 or higher.

 Note:  

It is possible to control devices from firmware 2.2 on. However, certain functions may not be supported.

In addition, a free RS-232 port is required.

 Note:  

This port can be a COM port on the PC, on a multi-serial card, or on the Universal Chromatography Interface (UCI).

Control Panel:

CTC_LC Pal.pan or CTC_GC Pal.pan

 

Hardware Installation

Device Connection:

Use the serial cable shipped with the PAL LC and GC samplers (CTC part number: RS9B-3000 or RS9B-6000) to connect the instrument.

If your pump has a Sync output, it is possible to synchronize injection time with the piston stroke. For synchronization, connect the pump output with an input port on the PAL. In addition, set the Inject synchronization signal to this input port (see device settings).

Device Settings:

Internal configuration: Follow the steps below to change the internal configuration, e.g., to exchange trays:

  • Disconnect the sampler from Chromeleon to enable the device display.

  • Change the configuration on the instrument's display, following the description in the product manual.

  • Save the new configuration.

  • Start the server or double-click the sampler in the Server Configuration program and exit the dialog box by clicking OK.

 Tip:  

You have to re-install the device driver to load the new device configuration in Chromeleon. Contrary to all other modifications to the internal configuration, the information that the syringe has been changed is automatically downloaded to Chromeleon upon Connect. In this case, you do not have to double-click the sampler in the Server Configuration program.

Synchronizing the injection time with the piston stroke: On the menu, select Setup > Objects > Sync Signals > Inject. Set the Source to the input port that is connected with the Sync output of the pump (see device connection).

Restrictions:

You cannot use the PAL simultaneously as an injection unit for several timebases.

Chromeleon does not support multiple headspace injections.

 

Software Installation

Install the Device Driver in the Chromeleon Server Configuration:

  1. Start the Chromeleon server.

  2. Start the Server Configuration program. (For more information about the program, refer to  The Server Configuration Program.)

  3. Add the autosampler to the timebase. For details about how to add timebases and device drivers to the Server Configuration, refer to Adding, Configuring or Deleting Devices. When you add a driver to the timebase, the configuration dialog or wizard opens automatically. For information about the settings, click the Help button on a page or press F1.

  4. To control the sampler, connect the CTC_LC Pal.pan or CTC_GC Pal.pan Control Panel in the Chromeleon client to the corresponding timebase.

 

Troubleshooting

For more information, refer to Commands and Tips for Third-Party Devices  CTC Analytics PAL Sampler: Troubleshooting.

Further Information

For more installation details, refer to the manual for the instruments.

For an overview of the different CTC instruments for which device drivers are available in Chromeleon, refer to  CTC Analytics.