Installing and Controlling Third-Party Devices
Merck Hitachi LaChrom HPLC System: Installation

Hardware Installation

Device Connection:

Use a D-Line cable to connect the HPLC system to a D-Line converter. Use the upper D-Line socket of the L7100 (labeled RELAY BOX), as power is only supplied to this socket. Connect the devices with each other via D-Line cables.

Connect the D-Line converter itself to a free COM port on the controlling PC, using a fully connected null modem cable (Dionex part no. 1310.2263; for more information, refer to  Null Modem Cable.)

Device Settings:

Before you install the HPLC system in Chromeleon, you have to determine several device settings:

For more information about the device settings, refer to  Merck Hitachi LaChrom HPLC System: Device Settings for D-Line Control and Channel Assignment.

In addition, set the following parameters:

Baud rate: 4800
Parity: None
Stop bits: 1 Bit
Data bits: 8 Bit

The following DIP switch settings are required:

 

 

Software Installation

Install the Device Driver in the Chromeleon Server Configuration. (For more information about the program, refer to Software Installation and Communication  The Server Configuration Program.)

  1. Start the Chromeleon server.

  2. Start the Server Configuration program.

  3. Add the HPLC system to the selected timebase. Select Add Device on the Edit or context menu, and then select Hitachi (or Merck) from the Manufacturers list box and LaChrom HPLC System from the Devices list box.

  4. A wizard guides you through the initial installation. The following settings are required:

    On the General page, select the port to which the HPLC system is connected. In addition, disable the Demo Mode.

    On the Select configuration mode page, accept the default setting, Get configuration from instrument, to automatically download the configuration from the HPLC system. However, please note that not all module properties are downloaded. This option checks whether the different modules are present. Clicking Next> takes you to the next wizard pages. Finally, click Finish to complete installation.

    On the Detectors tab page, define only the AD ports to be used for signal output for each detector.

  5. To change the settings after installation, double-click the driver name to open the Properties dialog box. The dialog box provides the following tab pages. (Please note: It does not provide the Select configuration mode page described above.)

    On the Autosampler tab page, enter the name of the autosampler and the installed rack.

    On the Relays tab page, select all relays.

    The Error Levels tab page classifies the severity of any errors that occur. It is generally not necessary to change the default settings.

Application

For information on controlling the system, refer to:

Commands and Tips for Third-Party Devices  LaChrom HPLC System: Tips

How to: Creating and Modifying Programs  Creating a Shutdown Program

Troubleshooting

For a comprehensive list of errors issued in Chromeleon, refer to the Error Levels tab page in the Server Configuration program.

 

Further Information

 Tip:

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

For information about the Merck Hitachi LaChrom HPLC System, refer to  Merck Hitachi LaChrom HPLC System: Overview.

For an overview of the different Merck Hitachi instruments that can be controlled by Chromeleon, refer to  Merck Hitachi.