Upchurch Support
Upchurch: Detector Connections
After the analytical column, the flow path typically consists of 1/16" OD Stainless Steel or PEEK™ Tubing. we recommend either our U-112 (10 cm long) stainless steel tubing, or our 1531B (5 foot long) PEEK polymer tubing, cut to length with our A-327 Polymer Tubing Cutter. This tubing usually continues on to the detector, where one of two configurations often exists. The first is a threaded female port on the front of the detector's flow cell, designed to accept your tubing with a threaded male fitting. If this is the configuration of your detector, you will need the same type of fitting as used to connect tubing to the outlet check valve of your pump and to your injection valve. Specifically, for this instance we would definitely recommend a polymer Fingertight fitting, not a stainless steel fitting. Good choices here are either our F-120 one-piece Fingertight fitting or F-195 SealTight™ (two-piece) Fingertight fitting.
The other possible configuration of your detector involves 1/16" OD tubing leads that extend from your detector's flow cell. Since the tubing leaving your column is also typically 1/16"OD, a Union Fitting is usually required. We recommend our P-702 low pressure PEEK union for this connection, since the pressure after the column is generally low. This product comes complete with the fittings and ferrules needed to attach the two pieces of tubing to the union body. If a high-pressure connection is required for specific applications, we recommend our P-742, a high pressure PEEK union which also comes with Fingertight fittings to connect your tubing together. Both of these recommended products provide stable connections with very little additional swept volume, as well as excellent physical strength and solvent resistance.
Once fluid has passed through the flow cell, the flow path again may take on one of the same two configurations mentioned above--either a direct connection port on the face of the detector or tubing leads extending off the detector's flow cell. Our recommendations here are the same as those discussed above.
For the Tubing leading from the detector to the waste reservoir use PEEK tubing, as is used throughout the rest of the system. Or, you can go with an even lower-cost option, PTFE tubing. If PEEK tubing is desired, we would once again recommend our 1531B PEEK tubing. If PTFE tubing is desired, we recommend part number 1526, a 10-foot roll of .010"