Switching Detectors

[TimB]

So I was helping clear out a storage room today when I stumbled upon some analytical equipment. To my surprise I found a fluoroescense detector and a refractive index detector. The fluorescence detector doesn't interest me right now, but the RI does. The front panel is missing, and the keypad is only hanging by the wires it's attached to. Not being very optimistic, i plugged the thing in and it powers up alright. The keypad, despite it "hanging by a thread" is still functional.

Currently our Waters system is connected to a 996 PDA, but we have interest in using the RI detector for some new stuff coming up. So what is the best way of going about evaluating this detector? Can i just take the inlet from the PDA and connect it to the RI? I'm not that familiar with this detector so I really don't know where to begin. I have the manual so i've been looking at that.

Thanks in advance.

[HPLCCONSULT]

You can connect the PDA's OUTLET line to the inlet line of the RI detector so you can have both detectors in series. Try and keep the connection between the two detectors as short as possible. Remember, RI for isocratic runs. Also remember to flush the cell (manually or automatically) when equilibrating and balance (zero) it at the start of the run. RI are very temperature sensitive so you might want to insulate the line with some tubing as well. The RI's outlet should be routed UP a bit so it has a small amount of backpressure on it when draining to waste. READ the manual to find out what the pressure limits are on the RI's flow cell. They are usually rated VERY, VERY low (~40 psi) and a plug in the outlet can break some.