4 Preventative

maintenance
4.1 Introduction
ICP-AES systems require regular maintenance to
ensure continued optimum performance. This
section provides a preventative maintenance plan
to be completed at intervals of either six months
for a Vista instrument or 12 months for a Vista
MPX instrument by a Varian-trained service
representative.
The maintenance plan includes a procedure and
checklist. The procedure has been designed to
provide a logical sequence of events, allowing the
engineer to proceed from one item to the next with
a minimum of delay.
Upon completion of the maintenance visit both
engineer and customer should sign the checklist.
Any notable observations (e.g. corrosion,
inoperative facilities, etc) or any corrective action
not completed should be included in the comment
section. The completed checklist, printouts and
archived files should be stored in a safe place for
future reference. These will form the basis of the
instrument’s history and act as a valuable
reference for future preventative maintenance
actions.

4.2 Maintenance overview

The best performance indicators for Vista and
Vista MPX instruments are the installation
performance tests described in section 3 of the
service manual. These tests quantify the
performance of the sample introduction system,
optics and plasma generation system.
A shortened version of the analytical performance
test is conducted first. This provides a bench mark
of the instrument’s performance before any work
has been started. A second analytical performance
test is done in its entirety to ensure that the
instrument is performing satisfactorily at the end
of the preventative maintenance procedure.
Vista and Vista MPX ICP-AES Spectrometer

Maintenance requirements for the water cooler are

outlined in section 5 of the service manual.
Additional information on these peripherals is
available in the manufacturer’s literature.
Note: Some of the items inspected/replaced during the
preventative maintenance visit are considered by
Varian to be consumable items. Consumable items
are highlighted on the checklist. If the
consumables are not covered by local maintenance
contract they will only be replaced at the
customer’s expense.

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4.3 Initial performance test

1. Turn on the Vista instrument and ignite plasma.
2. Enable service diagnostics and ensure the poly
boost purge and snout or cone purge is
enabled.
3. Go to Details page and Print screen (press Alt &
PrintScreen, open “Paint”, Ctrl & V, File,
Print). Date the print-out and place in log
book.
4. Allow 20 minutes warm up time, if the purges
were not turned on. Allow 5 minutes warm up
time if the purges were on.
5. Optimize the nebulizer using 1000 ppm yttrium
(radial) or the Mn SBR using the multi-element
solution (axial).
6. Aspirate the multi-element test solution
(specified in Section 3 Installation).
7. Perform wavelength calibration
8. Open a New From Vista_QC worksheet (in the
Supplied Worksheets directory).
9. Aspirate the multi-element solution and read it
as a sample.
10. Print-out sample intensities. The intensities will
bench mark the light throughput before and
after the replacement of the pre-optics
window. Save the print-out for future use.

4.4 Water cooling system

1. Refer to section 5 of the service manual and
the manufacturer’s service instructions for
details.
2. Turn the water cooler off.
3. Disconnect the instrument return hose from the
water cooler and allow it to drain into an
appropriate container.
4. Turn-on the water cooler and drain the water
into a waste container.
5. Turn off the water cooler and disconnect it
from the mains supply.
6. Remove the water cooler’s condenser fins’
protective screen, front and top cover.
7. Clean condenser fins and protective screen.
Note: Steps 8 through 10 are required to be performed

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only once a year on Neslab water chillers only.

8. Locate/remove the pump strainer access nut.
9. Remove the pump strainer and clean it by
rinsing with tap water.
10. Re-install strainer and strainer access nut.
11. Lubricate the water cooler pump motor
bearings according to manufacturer’s
specification, and the information provided in
section 5.
12. Re-install covers on water cooler.
13. Remove top filler plate (fill plug cover).
14. Fill water level to top of filling plug and re-
install fill plug.
15. Add 1 gram of Chloramine – T Trihydrate for
each liter of water used to fill cooler.
16. Plug in the water cooler mains cable and turn-
on the water cooler. Allow five minutes to
purge the air through the system.
17. Turn-off water cooler and remove fill plug.
18. Check that the water level is at top of the fill
plug. Top up if necessary and re-install top filler
plate.
19. Turn-on water cooling system.
20. On Neslab and Affinity water cooler set the
temperature to 25°C.
21. Check the pressure on the gauge on the front
panel of cooler reads 35 psi, ( 10 psi).
Note: The maximum pressure of the water cooler system
should not exceed 45 psi.

4.5 Instrument
1. Turn-off the instrument.
2. Remove right front panel. Replace pre-optics
window. Check scanning mirror shaft for free
movement; lubricate shaft with Fomblin
grease if required.
3. Disconnect the mains cable from the supply.
4. Inspect the cables and connectors for wear and
signs of overheating.
5. Clean air inlet filter on top of instrument.
6. Remove left front panels. And tube that
connects from fan to the base of RF triode.

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7. With a vacuum cleaner clean out honeycomb

screen below RF triode socket.
8. Inspect the water cooling hoses from the water
cooling system to the water cooling manifold
for cracks and leaks.
9. Turn-on the extraction system and using a
match, perform smoke test.
10. Re-install the mains cable.
11. Turn-on the instrument power supply.
12. Enable extended service diagnostics.
13. Go to Instrument Diagnostics RF page.
14. Turn-on the filament power supply.
15. Check operation of water flow switch by
turning-off the water cooling system and
observing the ‘Low water flow’ error message.
16. Turn-on the water cooling system.
17. Reduce the argon inlet supply to 450 kPa (60
psi).
18. Ignite a plasma.
Note: If the error message ‘Low argon flow’ is
displayed during torch ignition this indicates
that the argon inlet sintered filter assembly is
partially blocked and requires replacing. If
this happens follow steps 19 to 22.
19. Turn-off the instrument
20. Turn-off the argon supply.
21. Remove the argon supply hose from the argon
inlet filter assembly.
22. Remove/replace the argon inlet sintered filter
assembly.

Caution Replacing the argon inlet sintered filter assembly

requires the use of Loctite 569. When installing
the new assembly, apply a small amount of
Loctite to the threads of the brass nipple and
ensure the adhesive does not come into contact
with the sintered filter. Loctite will cure in the
absence of oxygen and can restrict argon flow.
23. Re-install the argon supply hose.
24. Inspect the gas hoses for cracks and wear.

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25. On Vista instruments only inspect the Drie-rite

filter in the gasbox filter compartment, and
replace it if it is more than 25% pink. You can
also bake the crystals in an laboratory oven
until they turn blue again.
26. On Vista and Vista MPX instruments replace
the charcoal filters if they have been run for
more than 1500 hours. Go to the DETAILS tab
in the Diagnostics or Instrument Setup page.
27. On Vista instruments only replace the 0.1
micron molecular sieve filter.
28. Set the argon inlet supply to 600 kPa (90 psi).

4.6 Accessories
1. Inspect accessories according to checklist*.
Perform any actions as required.

4.7 Sample introduction system

1. Inspect tubing according to checklist*.
2. Radial instruments: Inspect torch and bonnet.
Clean if necessary. Inspect snout for salt
build-up around viewing slot. Clean if
necessary.
3. Axial instruments: Remove cooled cone
interface and inspect plastic insulator for
signs of arcing or degradation. Replace if
necessary.
4. Remove the nebulizer from the spraychamber.
5. Inspect nebulizer for chips/cracks.
Clean/replace if necessary*.
6. Go to Service Diagnostics - Quick page and
turn the Nebulizer gas supply to ‘On’.
7. Set Pump speed to 15 rpm.
8. Aspirate water and observe that the spray from
the nebulizer is delivered uniformly and in a
conical pattern.
9. Turn off the Nebulizer gas supply and the
peristaltic pump.

Caution Do not touch the sand blasted surfaces of the

spraychamber.
10. Disassemble and inspect spraychamber. Clean
if necessary.

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11. Inspect spraychamber O-rings to ensure they

are in a satisfactory condition. Replace if
necessary*.
12. Re-assemble spraychamber.
13. Disassemble ASA (if required) and using a mild
detergent clean the bowl.
14. Inspect ASA (if required) O-rings to ensure that
a satisfactory seal will be made. Replace if
necessary*.
15. Fill the ASA (if required) with 100 mL of de-
ionized/distilled water.
16. Go to Gasbox Diagnostics page and turn
Nebulizer gas supply to ‘On’.
17. Disconnect nebulizer gas supply hose from ASA
and ensure that there is no argon gas
escaping.
18. Disconnect ASA from nebulizer gas outlet and
ensure water does not retreat up ASA gas
supply hose.
19. Turn off the Nebulizer gas supply and reconnect
ASA hoses.

4.8 Performance tests

1. Ignite plasma, note time.
2. Enable extended service diagnostics
3. Increment RF power from 0.7 kW to 1.8 kW in
0.1 kW steps, ensuring plasma operates
without an audible buzz, and/or does not display
a “power unobtainable” error message.
4. Aspirate multi-element solution
5. Perform a dark current scan and then a
wavelength calibration.
6. Perform torch scan.
7. Perform installation tests in accordance with
section 3 of the service manual.
8. Exit software.
9. Using an archiving utility (e.g. WinZip) archive
the error.log, Debug.txt, Wavelength
Calibration.txt and contents of the \Validation
directory to a floppy disk.
10. Label and save the disk for future use.

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11. Delete the debug.txt file from the

\Varian\Vista\Run\Log directory and the
Validation.dll file from the \Varian\Vista\Run
directory.

4.9 Instrument condition

1. Assess the over-all condition of the instrument,
taking into account corrosion, cleanliness, and
overall performance of the instrument after the
checklist has been completed.
2. Record observations, recommendations,
comments and any corrective actions
completed or that could not be completed in
the space provided on the checklist.
3. Obtain the customer’s signature and place the
checklist in the instrument log book.

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4.10 Preventative maintenance requirements

Resources required
Personnel required: 1 Trained service
engineer
Time to complete: 4 hours
Tools required: General field tool kit
Customer supplied parts
10 litres clean, distilled water
Vista multi-element test solution
Blank solution
Chloramine –T Trihydrate
Consumable items*
Sample compartment O-ring kit 99 100572 00
Tubing and connector kit 99 100558 00
Torch tubing kit 99 100571 00
Argon inlet sintered filter 01 103216 90
Cooling air filter 01 105942 90
Pre-optics window 20 100709 90
Filter, Argon charcoal(2 places 68 100060 00
Vista)
Filter, 0.1 micron (Vista camera) 68 100080 00
Drie-rite filter (Vista camera) 68 100073 00

4.11 Cetac ultra sonic nebulizer

1 litre of anti-freeze coolant (refer to Cetac
maintenance publication)
Drain tubing
Pump tubing

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4.12 Preventative Maintenance Checklist

Customer Name:
Address:
Instrument Serial Number: Date:
System ID Number:
Incident Number (North America Only):

Strike out checks that are not applicable - tick boxes when you have performed the
check.

Preliminary
q Print Details page
q Perform wavelength calibration
q Record QC solution intensities
Water cooling system
q Drain water cooler.
q Clean water cooler condenser fins and protective screen.
q Remove/clean water cooler pump strainer (once/year).
q Lubricate water cooler pump motor bearings.
q Fill up water cooler
q Add 5 g Chloramine - T
q Turn on water cooler; allow five minutes run time
q Turn-off water cooler
q Check water level and top up if necessary
q Check water cooler temperature is set to 25 °C
q Check water pressure (Maximum pressure 45 psi)
Instrument
q Replace pre-optics window.
q Inspect mains cable and connectors for signs of
overheating/wear.
q Clean air inlet filter
q Clean honeycomb screen below RF triode
q Inspect external water cooling hoses for cracks/leaks
q Check operation of extraction system
q Check operation of water flow switch
q Replace polychromator charcoal purge filter
q Check Drie-rite camera purge filter for moisture and replace or
dry if >25% pink
q Replace camera charcoal filter if used more than 1500 hours
q Replace 0.1 micron camera purge filter if more than 6 months
since last changed

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q Check/replace argon inlet sintered filter

q Inspect inlet gas hose and supply
q Check argon supply pressure (set 550 kPa 80 psi)
Accessories
q Inspect VGA gas supply hose
q Check VGA gas supply (set to 325 kPa 46 psi)
q Inspect/replace VGA pump tubing*
q Inspect/replace SPS-5 probe O-rings*
q Inspect/adjust SPS-5 sampler arm tension/alignment
q Inspect/replace SPS-5 tubing*
q Inspect/replace USN pump tubing*
q Inspect/replace USN drain tubing*
q Check coolant level of USN bath, top-up if necessary*
Sample introduction system
q Inspect/replace pump tubing*
q Inspect/replace drain tubing*
q Inspect/replace torch tubing*
q Inspect/replace nebulizer tubing*
q Inspect/clean torch
q Inspect/clean torch bonnet
q Inspect/clean snout
q Inspect/clean nebulizer
q Inspect/clean spraychamber
q Inspect/replace spraychamber O-rings*
q Inspect/clean ASA
q Inspect/replace ASA O-ring*
q Check ASA for leaks and non-return valve operation
Performance tests
q Check RF from 0.5 kW (radial) or 0.7 kW (axial) to 1.8 kW
q Perform Installation tests
Software
q Update all relevant fields in the DETAILS page in Diagnostics
q Archive Error.log, Debug.txt, Wavelength Calibration.txt and
\Validation directory to a floppy disk and place in log book
Overall Instrument and environment conditions
q Good q Fair q Poor
Comments and recommendations
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Signatures
...........................................................................................
Customer Varian Service Engineer
Place this checklist and a copy of all tests in the instrument log
book.
* These consumable items are not covered under this preventative maintenance
plan. these items may be covered under local maintenance contracts or
agreements.

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