DataApex Alltech 3300 ELSD User Manual

Clarity Controls

Alltech 3300 ELSD

DET ENG

Code/Rev.: M151/70A

Date: 1/10/2017

Phone: [phone] DataApex Ltd.

Fax: [phone] Petrzilkova 2583/13

[e-mail] 158 00 Prague 5

www.dataapex.com The Czech Republic

Clarity®, DataApex®and

®

are trademarks of DataApex Ltd. Microsoft®and Windows

TM

are

trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

DataApex reserves the right to make changes to manuals without prior notice. Updated manuals can be
downloaded from www.dataapex.com.

Author: MP

Alltech 3300 ELSD Table of Contents

Contents

1 Alltech 3300 ELSD Control Module 1
2 Requirements 2
3 Installation Procedure 3

3.1 Hardware - Wiring 3

3.2 Clarity Configuration 4

4 Using the control module 6

4.1 Alltech 3300 ELSD Setup 7

4.2 Digital Outputs of Alltech 3300 ELSD 8

4.3 Method Setup - Acquisition 9

4.3.1 Method Setup - Acquisition - Settings 10

4.3.2 Method Setup - Acquisition - Time Table 12

4.4 Method Setup - Advanced 13

4.5 Device Monitor 14

5 Report Setup 15
6 Troubleshooting 16

- i -

Table of Contents Clarity Controls

To facilitate the orientation in the Alltech 3300 ELSD manual and Clarity chromatography station,
different fonts are used throughout the manual. Meanings of these fonts are:

Instrument (blue text) marks the name of the window to which the text refers.

Open File(italics) describes the commands and names of fields in Clarity, parameters that can
be entered into them or a window or dialog name (when you already are in the topic describing
the window).

WORK1 (capitals) indicates the name of the file and/or directory.
ACTIVE (capital italics) marks the state of the station or its part.

The bold text is sometimes also used for important parts of the text and the name of the Clarity
station. Moreover, some sections are written in format other than normal text. These sections are
formatted as follows:

Note: Notifies the reader of relevant information.

Caution: Warns the user of possibly dangerous or very important

information.

▌ Marks the problem statement or trouble question.

Description: Presents more detailed information on the problem, describes its causes,

etc.

Solution: Marks the response to the question, presents a procedure how to remove it.

- ii -

Alltech 3300 ELSD 1 Alltech 3300 ELSD Control Module

1 Alltech 3300 ELSD Control Module

This manual describes the setting of the Alltech 3300 ELSD detector. The
control module enables direct control of the instrument over Ethernet
(LAN) connection.

Fig 1: Alltech 3300 ELSD detector

Direct control means that the detector can be completely controlled from
the Clarity environment, including the digital data acquisition. That way,
no A/D converter is needed. Instrument method controlling the analysis
conditions will be saved in the measured chromatograms.

- 1 -

Alltech 3300 ELSD 2 Requirements

2 Requirements

l Clarity Installation CD ROM with LC Control module (p/n A24).

Caution: Minimal firmware version required for 3300 ELSD is 1.0.32.

l Crossed LAN cable (p/n SK08).
l Both PC and detector connected to the same Ethernet network.

Note: Cables are not part of Clarity Control Module. It is strongly

recommended to order required cables together with the Control Module.

- 2 -

Alltech 3300 ELSD 3 Installation Procedure

3 Installation Procedure

3.1 Hardware - Wiring

The Alltech 3300 ELSD detector is controlled by LAN (Ethernet)
communication. It uses standard cross LAN cable for direct connection
with PC and uncrossed LAN cable when connected to a network
hub/switch (however the most of modern switches are able to
automatically adapt to both types of cable).
For connecting the detector with other devices using synchronization
inputs and outputs there is 14-Pin connector available on the backside of
the detector. Pins 1-2 are Start input, used for starting the detector by
external device, pins 9- 10 accommodate External Output, suitable for
controlling some other device. For detailed description of this connector,
please check the original manual supplied by manufacturer of the
detector.

- 3 -

3 Installation Procedure Clarity Controls

3.2 Clarity Configuration

Fig 2: How to add Alltech 3300

l

Start the Clarity station by clicking on the icon on the desktop.

l Invoke the System Configuration dialog accessible from the Clarity

window using the System - Configuration... command.

l Press the Add button ① (see 3.2 on pg 4.) to invoke the Available Control

Modules dialog.

l You can specify the searching filter ② to simplify the finding of the driver.

l Select the Alltech 3300 ELSD and press the Add ③ button.

- 4 -

Alltech 3300 ELSD 3 Installation Procedure

The Alltech 3300 ELSD Setup dialog will appear.

Fig 3: Alltech 3300 Setup

l Select the correct IP Address and press the AutoDetect button. If the

detector is connected correctly, detector name and serial number will be
displayed.

l Fill in the signal name.

l Press the OK button.

The Alltech 3300 ELSD will appear in the Setup Control Modules list ④ of
the System Configuration dialog.

l Drag and drop the Alltech 3300 ELSD icon from the Setup Control

Modules list ④ on the left side of the System Configuration dialog to the

desired Instrument ⑤ tab on the right side ⑥ (or use the button ⑦ to
do so).

Note: The configuration dialog of the Alltech 3300 ELSD detector can be

displayed any time by double-clicking on its icon or using the Setup button.

- 5 -

Alltech 3300 ELSD 4 Using the control module

4 Using the control module

New Acquisition tab is created in the Method Setup dialog. If there are any
other detectors configured on the instrument, then the Alltech 3300 ELSD
detector can be accessed by switching to the desired signal in the Select
Detector section on the top of the dialog.

- 6 -

4 Using the control module Clarity Controls

4.1 Alltech 3300 ELSD Setup

The Alltech 3300 Setup dialog serves for the correct setting of the
communication between Clarity and the detector.

Fig 4: Alltech 3300 Setup

IP Address

IP address of the detector in your local network.

AutoDetect

This button is used to test the connection to the Alltech 3300 ELSD
detector using the previously set IP Address . Obtained data about the
detector are then displayed in the dialog.

Signal 1 - Name

Enables to set the relevant detector name.

Digital Output Names

Displays the Digital Output Names dialog which enables to set the custom
labels of Alltech 3300 ELSD digital outputs. The custom names are
displayed in the Device Monitor window described in the chapter "Device
Monitor" on pg 14.

Fig 5: DigitalOutput Names

Keyboard Lock

When checked, locks the keyboard of the detector and prevents other
users on the same network to connect the machine.

- 7 -

Alltech 3300 ELSD 4 Using the control module

4.2 Digital Outputs of Alltech 3300 ELSD

Fig 6: DigitalOutputs of Alltech 3300 ELSD

Serves for setting the initial and actual state of the Alltech 3300 ELSD
detector's auxiliary output.

- 8 -

4 Using the control module Clarity Controls

4.3 Method Setup - Acquisition

This tab serves for the setting of the template method that is used by the
Alltech 3300 ELSD detector for the acquisition. All parameters set on this
tab are automatically sent to the Alltech 3300 ELSD detector prior to each
injection in the ACTIVE sequence and may be sent there manually by
using the Send Method button in the lower part of this tab or in the Single

Analysis dialog.

Some analysis parameters cannot be modified neither from Clarity nor
directly on the Alltech 3300 ELSD detector. These parameters are not
changed when sending the method to the detector.
Setting of the acquisition parameters is spited into the Settings and Time

Table tabs.

- 9 -

Alltech 3300 ELSD 4 Using the control module

4.3.1 Method Setup - Acquisition - Settings

Settings tab for adjusting the parameters of the detector..

Fig 7: Method Setup - Acquisition

Heater Lower Drift Tube

Turn on the heater of the lower part of drift tube.

Heater Upper Drift Tube

Turn on the heater of the upper part of drift tube.

Heater Optics Block

Turn on the heater of the optics block.

Gas Flow

Turn on the flow of carrier gas.

Laser

Turns on the laser.

Gain

Sets the gain of the detector.

Shutdown

Sets the behavior of the detector after the analysis is completed.

Keep State

Detector keeps the ON state.

Set Off after analysis

Set the detector OFF after an analysis is performed.

Temperature

Sets the temperature of the drift tube.

- 10 -

4 Using the control module Clarity Controls

Gas Flow Rate

Sets the flow rate of the carrier gas.

Equilibry Time

Set the time required for equilibration of gas flow and temperatures. The
detector will become ready if the actual temperature stays within ± 1.5 °C
of the temperature set in the Temperature field and the flow stays within

0.3 ml/min of the value set in the Gas Flow Rate field. When any of the two
parameters exceeds the limits, the timer set in the Equilibry Time field
resets.

Lower section of the Method Setup - Acquisition dialog

In the right section on all Method Setup - Acquisition sub-tabs for Alltech
3300 ELSD detector new button emerges:

Det Status…

After pressing the Det Status… button the Hardware Configuration dialog
opens. It displays the detector type, LAN address through which it is
connected and the port used.

Fig 8: Hardware Configuration

- 11 -

Alltech 3300 ELSD 4 Using the control module

4.3.2 Method Setup - Acquisition - Time Table

This sub- tab serves for time program to change operating parameters
during run.
Available Event Types are : Autozero, setting the zero for detector output,
and Gain, setting the gain of the detector.

Fig 9: Method Setup - Time Table

- 12 -

4 Using the control module Clarity Controls

4.4 Method Setup - Advanced

Sets other parameters of the method, most notably the Subtraction and
Auxiliary Signals. When invoked by the menu command, the Method

Setup - Advanced dialog will open. The tab is common to all signals while

performing multidetector measurement.

Fig 10: Method Setup - Acquisition - Advanced

Subtraction

Set the chromatogram for subtraction from the measured signal.

Column Calculations

Set the parameters of the column.

Auxiliary Signal table

Set which auxiliary signals will be stored in the chromatogram file.

- 13 -

Alltech 3300 ELSD 4 Using the control module

4.5 Device Monitor

The window with the detector status can be invoked by the Monitor ­Device Monitor command from the Instrument window or using the LC
Monitor icon. It displays the actual detector temperatures and their settings

in the Method Setup - Acquisition window, as well as other parameters set
there.

Fig 11: Device Monitor

The detector can be monitored and partially controlled from the Device

Monitor window. There is a control command allowing the AutoZero

function, all other fields are informative and described in the Method

Setup - Acquisition dialog.

Auto Zero

This button performs the autozero operation.

Note: Values which exceeds expected limits are displayed in red color.

- 14 -

Alltech 3300 ELSD 5 Report Setup

5 Report Setup

All of the detector settings accessible on the Method Setup - Acquisition
tab for the given signal are reported. To do so, the Instrument Control
parameter on the Method tab of the Report Setup dialog must be checked.

Fig 12: Print Preview of the Report Setup

- 15 -

Alltech 3300 ELSD 6 Troubleshooting

6 Troubleshooting

When the remedy for some problem cannot be discovered easily, the
recording of communication between Clarity and the detector can
significantly help the DataApex support to discover the cause of the
problem.
The recording can be enabled by adding or amending the COMMDRV.INI
file in the Clarity installation directory (C:\CLARITY\CFG by default). The
file can be edited in any text editor (e.g. Notepad). Following section
should be edited or added:

[TCP_IP 192.168.0.100:79]
echo=on
textmode=on
filename=Alltech3300ELSD_%D.txt
reset=off

Note: Instead of 192.168.0.100:79 type correct IP address and port used for

communication with the Alltech 3300 ELSD detector. This port number
is displayed when the Det Status button in the Method Setup - Acquisition
dialog is invoked.

Note: %D (or %d) in the filename parameter means that the log will be created

separately for each day. The reset=off parameter disables deleting the
content of the log each time the station is started during the same day.

The created *.TXT files will greatly help in diagnosis of unrecognized
errors and problems in communication.

- 16 -