Wanted: Instructions for Leybold PGA 100 mass spectrometer

[Michael Koch]

I have a Leybold PGA 100 mass spectrometer, including the instruction manual. The instrument is paired with a gauge head. If either the instrument or the gauge head is exchanged, then an alignment is required. It's mentioned in the instruction manual there exists a supplement, which contains the alignment instructions. Does anybody have these alignment instructions? I'm ready to pay for a photocopy.
Thanks,
Michael

 

[berkeman]

Why would you have to pay? Is it not available online? How about from the company?

 

[Michael Koch]

I wouldn't ask here if I hadn't already tried Google and the manufacturer. It's an old instrument and out of service for many years.

 

[berkeman]

Can you post a copy of the cover page of the manual you have, and also a shot of where is mentions the alignment supplement? That might help us to try to look for it. Also paging @dlgoff @davenn @jim hardy

 

[Michael Koch]

Here is the cover page of the manual and the second page, where the required supplement is mentioned.

 

[davenn]

I wouldn't ask here if I hadn't already tried Google and the manufacturer.

no probs, @berkeman had to ask the obvious, as a VERY high percentage of people ask here without ever doing any searches on even the most basic things

Here is the cover page of the manual and the second page, where the required supplement is mentioned.

Thanks for that ...
I searched through a few old manual repositories that I am familiar with and didn't have any luck either
even searched youtube

the only way you may get info is from some one who has one of these units

best of luck

Dave

 

[jim hardy]

Is either of these close enough to be of help ?
Manufacturers seldom start from scratch with each model.

http://www.idealvac.com/files/manualsII/Leybold_UL100_Plus_Operation_Instructions_Manual.pdf

http://www.idealvac.com/files/manualsII/Leybold_ul-200.pdf

hope it helps...

old jim

 

[Michael Koch]

Unfortunately these manuals aren't close enough. The leak detectors have a mass separator with a magnetic field, and they are tuned only for helium with mass 4. However the PGA 100 has a quadrupole separator and is tunable from mass 1 to 99. I have two PGA 100 instruments and one of them is defect. The measuring head was paired with the instrument that is now dead. When I use the working instrument with this head, then the mass spectrum is off by about one. The Argon peak is shown at 41, instead of 40 where it should be. The HF module has 14 potentiometers for adjustment. That's why I really need the instruction supplement. If there were only 2 or 3 potentiometer, I would simply try them out.
Michael

 

[Tom.G]

The HF module has 14 potentiometers for adjustment.

Ouch! About 50 yrs ago I tuned a large Helium Leak Detector, which is rather simple... it took only a couple hours! You have a head start on yours, it's "only off by a little bit."

Try a search for Leybold PGA 100 using duckduckgo.com. https://duckduckgo.com/?q=leybold+pga+100
Of course the first hit is this thread! But if you read the results you will find an outfit in Germany that does servicing and further down the list there are several papers that mention they used that model in their research. As @davenn suggested above, hopefully you can find someone that is willing to send you a copy of the needed manual.

Good Luck! And keep us posted.
Tom

 

[Michael Koch]

I did already contact the servicing company in Germany last week, but got no reply so far. May be they don't want to share the manual.

 

[Michael Koch]

Good news. The repair was successful. The defect component revealed itself by a smoke signal.
Michael

 

[Michael Koch]

I also figured out which of the 14 potentiometers must be adjusted for shifting the mass result. Now my two mass spectrometers are both working fine and have the peaks exactly where they should be.
Michael

 

[jim hardy]

Nothing like the sweet taste of success Congratulations! This is how we learn. Look how much more you know about your machine now.

 

[dlgoff]

Gotta love that smoke.

 

[Tom.G]

That's the 'good' thing about Tantalum capacitors, their failure is spectacular! (assuming a hefty enough power supply.)

Congratulations!