DSC Q Series Getting Started Guide
57
Maintaining the Instrument
The primary maintenance procedures described in this section are the customer’s responsibility. Any further
maintenance should be performed by a representative of TA Instruments or other qualified service personnel.
Consult the online documentation installed with the instrument control software for further information.
WARNING: Because of the high voltages in this instrument, untrained personnel must
not attempt to test or repair any electrical circuits.
Cleaning the Touch Screen
You can clean the DSC touch screen as often as you like. The touch screen should be cleaned with a household
liquid glass cleaner and soft cloth. Wet the cloth, not the touch screen with the glass cleaner, and then wipe off
the touch screen and surrounding surfaces.
WARNING: Do not use harsh chemicals, abrasive cleansers, steel wool, or any rough
materials to clean the touch screen as you may scratch the surface and degrade its
properties.
Cleaning a Contaminated Cell
Baseline anomalies are often the sign of a contaminated cell. DSC and PDSC cells must be cleaned properly to
maintain satisfactory operation. Scraping the contamination off is not recommended.
If your baseline appears to show sample contamination, try the following recommended cleaning procedure.
The procedure varies slightly depending upon the type of cell (QDSC Standard Cell or QDSC Pressure Cell)
and the type of cooler that is installed. For instructions on cleaning the QDSC Pressure Cell refer to the online
help or the manual for the QPDSC.
Start by removing any pans from the cell.
Cleaning a Contaminated QDSC Standard Cell
•
Determine that the anomalies seen in the baseline are actually caused by contamination, and not a faulty
Tzero™ calibration. Contamination is normally manifested in very sharp, distinct, and sometimes noisy,
peaks in an empty baseline (no pans) run. If the baseline run shows shifts or step changes in the baseline,
large startup events, or slope, these are more likely caused by a faulty Tzero calibration and no amount of
cleaning will correct the problem.
•
If you have determined that the anomalies in the baseline are in fact caused by contamination, select a solvent
that is most appropriate for dissolving the contaminant. Note that in most cases and organic solvent such
as acetone or methanol may be necessary, but an aqueous solvent might also work for some contaminates.
•
Dampen the end of a small cotton swab with the chosen solvent. Avoid saturating the swab to prevent the
solvent from dripping into the Tzero thermocouple tube.
