Device Type:

Gas chromatograph

Device Driver:

Agilent or HP: 6890 Gas Chromatograph

Supported Hardware Options:

• Up to 2 Inlets
  Options:
  - Purged Packed (with or without EPC)
  - Cool On-Column (with or without EPC)
  - Split/Splitless (with or without EPC)
  - Gerstel PTV
  - Gerstel CIS3
  - PTV

• Injectors supporting Fast Multiple Injection (TOWER) option (only with firmware version N.06.07 and above)

• Column Oven
  - up to 450°C
  - cryogenic gas: nitrogen or carbon dioxide

• Autosampler optionally with
  - up to 2 injectors
  - Tray
  - Bar Code Reader
  - Front/Back Injector: 7673 and 7683 ALS (as front or back injector)  or 7693 ALS (as front injector only if only 1 injector is used)

• Up to 2 Detectors (optionally with oven):
  Flame Ionization Detector (FID)
  Thermal Conductivity Detector (TCD)
  Electron Capture Detector (ECD)
  Nitrogen Phosphorus Detector (NPD)
  Flame Photometric Detector (FPD)
  micro Electron Capture Detector (µ-ECD)

• 8 valves

Firmware Requirements:

When using a 7693 ALS GC autosampler, the following minimum firmware versions are required:

• 6890N GC: N.06.07 or later

• 6890A GC: A.03.08 or later

• 6890 Plus GC: A.03.08 or later

When using an injector supporting the Fast Multiple Injection (TOWER) option, the following minimum firmware version is required:

• N.06.07 or later

Restrictions:

Chromeleon supports the Autozero command for compatibility reasons. You cannot execute the Autozero command from the command interface on the GC. Execute the command via the device keypad, if necessary.

The following limitations apply to the 7693 ALS autosampler:

• Sample preparation not supported

• Defining set points for "Air gap" and "Inject mode" not supported

• Custom plunger speed not supported

• Mixing different injector models on the same GC (e.g., using a 7683 ALS together with a 7693 ALS) is not supported

• Bar code reader not supported

• Alternating use of front and back injector not supported

• Due to firmware limitations, the device can only be used as front injector when only 1 injector is installed,

Device Connection:

For information about how to connect the 6890 GC, refer to:

 Agilent 6890 and 6850 GCs: LAN (Overview)

 Agilent 6890 and 6850 GCs: RS-232 (Overview)

Device Settings:
(for control via RS-232):

(Also, refer to the Site Preparation and Installation Manual shipped with the GC.)

1. Press the [Options] key.

2. Use the arrow keys to select the Communication line
   (< on the right margin).

3. Press <Enter>.

4. The first five settings must correspond to the device driver settings (see the General tab page for the instrument in the Chromeleon Server Configuration; for more information about the program, refer to Software Installation and Communication  The Server Configuration Program). Caution: The order of the settings is different here. Please note that End of command must be set to LF.

The communication settings must be as follows:

Baud rate 9600

Handshake XonXoff

Parity None

Data bits 8

Stop bits 1

End of command LF

To change the settings, move the < selection to the line you want to edit, and then click Mode/Type. Now, move the < to the required value and press <Enter>.

Device Settings:
(for LAN control):

For information about the device settings required for LAN control, refer to  Agilent 6890 and 6850 GCs: LAN Control.

Device Settings:

Injection range

Ensure the injection range is set correctly, depending on the GC and autosampler in use. Note that not all of the possible GC-autosampler combinations are mentioned below. If in doubt, please contact your Agilent or Thermo Fisher Scientific Service Representative for more information.

 Tips: 

7673 on the 6890 GC (The following applies to the 6890 GC, but not to the 6890N GC.): On the 6890 GC, check whether an injection range is set (Nanoliter adapt: On/Off under [Config] / [Front Injector]). If it is, verify that the same injection range is set both on the device and in Chromeleon. If the injection ranges are different, the actual injection volume will be different from the set volume. Set the injection volume in Chromeleon via the following sampler command:

Nanoliter = On / Off.

7683 on the 6890 GC

7683 on the 6890 GC: On the 6890 GC, set the injection range to Nanoliter adapt: On under [Config] / [Front Injector]. On the Sampler page in the Chromeleon Server Configuration, select 7673 ALS from the drop-down list.

7683 on the 6890N GC: On the 6890N GC, set the injection range to Nanoliter adapt: On under [Config] / [Front Injector]. On the Sampler page in the Chromeleon Server Configuration, select 7683 ALS from the list.

7693 on the 6890 GC and 6890N GC: The injection volume can be set in the range from 1%–50% of the syringe volume (in increments of 1%).

Enabling the Start key on the GC

Enable the Start key on the GC if you want manual injections to start the run and generate an inject response from the instrument's panel:

In the Server Configuration program, add a Remote Inject driver to the headspace timebase. (Select Add Device on the Edit or context menu, and then select Generic from the Manufacturers list box and Remote Inject from the Devices list box.) On the General tab page, select ExtStart from the Inject Port drop-down list box:

Issue an Inject command to enable the key:

[] 18:00:34 0.000 InjectValve.Inject

[Message] 18:00:34 0.000 {InjectValve} Waiting for inject response on ExtStart.

[Message] 18:00:41 0.000 {InjectValve} Got inject response.

 Caution:  

For Chromeleon versions up to 6.70 (including) the AGP Remote Start line on the GC was enabled automatically upon connect. From Chromeleon 6.70 Service Pack 1 on, the line is disabled (except during the Inject command). Therefore, you have to modify programs that include a Wait GC.RunState = Running command to synchronize injections with an external autosampler. (It is not necessary to change programs in which Remote Inject is set to ExtStart.) The new method will usually enhance the reproducibility of the retention times.