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GC Column Installation Made Easier with Extended Reducing Nuts for the Agilent® Split/Splitless Inlet

Every new Agilent® GC comes with an insulating cup (also known as a nut warmer cup with insulation) that is installed over 

the bottom of the split/splitless inlet. The purpose of this insulating cup is to protect the bottom of the inlet from the temperature fluctuations of the GC oven during a temperature ramp. Unfortunately, this insulating cup makes it difficult to install a GC column. The column installation is typically done “blind” as the user cannot see the reducing nut at the bottom of the inlet. Removal of the insulating cup makes it easier to install the GC column and as such, once the insulating cup is removed, it is rarely reinstalled.

While some analysts run their GCs without the insulating cup and get satisfactory results, unless you compare analyses with and without the insulating cup, you don’t know how good “good” can be. In Figure 1 we show low volatility pesticides, with one analysis using the insulating cup and with the other analysis not using the insulating cup. You can see from the difference in peak heights that you get better analyte responses with the insulating cup installed.

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