Fault: “E14 Empty Chemical Container.” What should I do?
The touchscreen display will give you the option to Retry, Override, or Abort the run. Retry will simply try the delivery again. Override will ignore the fault for the remainder of the run. Abort will stop the run entirely.
Possible causes include:
(1) An empty chemical container. The fault screen will identify the container that was being drawn from when the error occurred. The vacuum sensor is designed to monitor vacuum pressure on the supply lines when they are being drawn from. When there is little or no vacuum on the line, this fault is declared. Refill the appropriate container as needed and select Retry.
(2) A leak in any one of the supply tubes or fittings that would allow air to get pulled into a supply line. To test for this, under Diagnostics, run a Motor Test, and then Set Valves. Open the supply line valve that generated the fault and open the output Waste valve. Set the volume to 40 ml and press GO. Observe the supply lines at the rear of the instrument or tilt the instrument forward using the pivot mechanism to see the supply lines. Look for any air being drawn in at a hole in the tubing or at a crack in a fitting. If this is observed, tubing or fittings may need to be replaced. For further assistance, contact ANKOM Technology at www.ankom.com/contact/technical-services or (315) 986-8090.
(3) An interruption in the Pump Motor Controller (PMC) operation. If the PMC hesitates or stops because it has overheated or because the electronics on the circuit board have been compromised, the pause in operation will cause a drop in vacuum pressure and trigger an E14 fault. This is possible even if the pause in operation was only for a second or two. You should be able to retry and continue without a problem if that is the case; however, perform further testing after the run is complete. After the run, perform a Motor Test, found under Diagnostics. For the test, set the Water Supply to Open and Waste to Open with all other valves closed. Set the volume to 250 ml – this will simulate the duration of operation for a 95% alcohol delivery. Fill and plug in the water container.
Press GO and listen for the Pump Motor operation. Be attentive to any pause in the pump’s operation. The pump should run continuously for six and a half to eight and a half minutes, depending on the volume calibration setting for your specific instrument. Stay with the instrument for the entire delivery. Refill the water container when it is nearly empty, as it will draw more than 1 liter of water (250ml x 6). If no pause in operation is noticed, allow the instrument to sit idle for ten minutes and repeat the test. If a hesitation or pause in operation is witnessed during the lengthy pump operation time, the Pump Motor Controller will need to be replaced. Contact ANKOM at www.ankom.com/contact/technical-services or (315) 986-8090 for assistance in replacing this part.