Cleaning the StepWave ion guide assembly components

Warning: To avoid personal contamination with biologically hazardous, toxic, and corrosive materials, wear chemical-resistant, powder-free gloves when performing this procedure.

Notice: To avoid damaging the StepWave ion guide assembly, handle it and its components carefully throughout the cleaning procedure. In particular, to avoid damaging the wiring on assemblies fitted with an externally wired printed circuit board (PCB), do not touch the wiring.

Notice: To avoid damaging the StepWave ion guide assembly, do not use acetone, chlorinated solvents, or acid as solvents when cleaning it. Use only the solvents specified in this procedure.

Required materials

• Chemical-resistant, powder-free gloves
• Appropriately sized glass vessels in which to completely immerse components when cleaning. Use only glassware not previously cleaned with surfactants.
• Two lengths of PEEK, PTFE, or stainless steel tubing, appropriately sized for suspending the first ion guide and second ion guide assemblies in the glass vessels when cleaning.
• HPLC-grade deionized water
• Waters MS Cleaning Solution (186006846)
• Waste container
• HPLC-grade isopropyl alcohol
• Ultrasonic bath
• Source of Oil-free argon gas or Oil-free nitrogen gas for drying.

To clean the first ion guide and second ion guide PCB assemblies:

1. Bend the PEEK, PTFE, or stainless steel tubing into a hook shape.

Notice: To avoid damage to the ion guide caused by vibration, ensure that the bottom of the ion guide does not touch the bottom of the glass vessel.

2. Use the hook to carefully suspend the first ion guide PCB assembly in the glass vessel so that the bottom of the assembly does not touch the bottom of the vessel.

3. Add Waters MS Cleaning Solution to the glass vessel until the first ion guide PCB assembly is immersed completely.
4. Repeat step 1 through step 3 for the second ion guide PCB assembly, placing the hook through one of the support rod holes.

5. Place the vessels containing the first ion guide and second ion guide PCB assemblies in the ultrasonic bath for 20 minutes.
6. Carefully pour the cleaning solution from the vessel holding the first ion guide PCB assembly into the holding container, retaining the ion guide in the vessel.

Tip: You can reuse the cleaning solution for one subsequent cleaning.

7. Fill the vessel with deionized water, to rinse the first ion guide PCB assembly, and then discard the water.
8. Refill the vessel with deionized water to rinse the first ion guide PCB assembly a second time, and then discard the water.

Note: Ensure that you remove all of the cleaning solution.

9. Repeat step 6 through step 8 for the second ion guide PCB assembly.
10. Fill both vessels with deionized water, ensuring that each ion guide PCB assembly is immersed completely.
11. Place the vessels containing the first ion guide and second ion guide PCB assemblies in the ultrasonic bath for 20 minutes.
12. Carefully pour out and discard the deionized water from both vessels, retaining the ion guide PCB assemblies in each vessel.
13. Fill both vessels with isopropyl alcohol, ensuring that each ion guide PCB assembly is immersed completely.
14. Place the vessels containing the first ion guide and second ion guide PCB assemblies in the ultrasonic bath for 20 minutes.
15. Carefully remove each ion guide PCB assembly from its vessel and blow-dry each assembly using inert, oil-free gas.
16. Discard the used isopropyl alcohol using an appropriate waste container.