Your carrier gas regulator should have 2 valves on the low pressure port.
A 2-way valve in order to purge with pure gas and a 3-way valve to isolate the GC from the regulator. Changing tanks can be done quickly without the risk of introducing ambient contamination. There is enough gas pressure in the tubing and scrubber for the GC to continue running while the tanks are being switched. Only the regulator and these 2 valves need to be purged.
Turn the 3-way valve away from GC before disconnecting the empty tank.
Open the tank valve and the 2-way valve to purge after connecting to a full tank.
Close the purge valve and turn the 3-way valve toward the GC after purging.
The 2-way valve should remain closed except to purge with pure gas from the new tank.
Turn the 3-way valve toward the GC to run.
Turn the 3-way valve away from GC to change tanks and to purge.
There is enough gas in the purifier to run the GC while you are switching tanks.
“Air is everywhere and vacuum sucks”
Incomplete vial evacuation is a problem in most labs.
If you think your Exetainers™ are evacuated, then you better test some of your tubes: hold an "evacuated" vial upside down underwater and remove the cap. If it were evacuated it would fill completely with water. The bubble shows you how much air was in the "evacuated" vial. The photo below shows how much air was in these evacuated vials. The 4 vials in the middle were "pre-evacuated" vials purchased directly from Labco! "Lab B" results were from evacuating through a needle. The Exevacuatorr Chamber solves this problem and gives results like "Lab A" on the left.
small bubble: good Large Bubble: Bad
Air will leak into the evacuated vial as you pull the needle out. This graph shows the pressure in a vial as it is evacuated. the jump up in pressure is the moment after the needle is withdrawn. That is air leaking back in through the needle hole in the septum. The needle hole does not seal instantly.
Published Protocols have not yet addressed the issue of incomplete vial evacuation.
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Automated flux sampling in the field with the Bandolero X6
Sampling from flux chambers can be a marathon and the number of chambers is limited by your ability to run around and around to all chambers to draw samples. The Bandolero X6 sampler takes a set of 6 timed samples and logs the time and chamber temperature.
Old style manifold: Obsolete! DO NOT puncture the septum of a vial while evacuating. It will leak.
Causes leaks in vial septum and is awkward to use. Swagelock fittings are good for some things but only if you follow the correct procedures for assembly. Conventional valves are prone to vacuum leaks.
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Here is a helpful 'tip': make your disposable needles "non coring" : bend the tip like this:
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