{"id":51825,"date":"2014-10-27T14:30:00","date_gmt":"2014-10-27T14:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/uncategorized\/think-twice-before-purchasing-a-3-16-od-packed-column\/"},"modified":"2026-01-28T16:01:32","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T16:01:32","slug":"think-twice-before-purchasing-a-3-16-od-packed-column","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/blogs\/gnbl4831\/think-twice-before-purchasing-a-3-16-od-packed-column","title":{"rendered":"Think twice before purchasing a 3\/16\u201c OD packed column"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

So you may be asking yourself, why the cautionary statement? Well, it\u2019s very simple, many of our customers who purchase 3\/16\u201d OD (outside diameter) packed columns have a difficult time installing them into their GC oven.  Why?  Sometimes finding the appropriate fitting\/ferrule is difficult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s say you have a packed column instrument. If your injection port was designed for 1\/4\u201d OD columns, then installation is usually not an issue.\u00a0 Most customers can use a 1\/4\u201d x 3\/16\u201d OD reducing ferrule, like Restek\u00a020258. To center the column properly (which is recommended if you plan to inject your sample into the packed column) and if you have an Agilent GC with a packed column injection port, you can use our kit\u00a021650, which resembles what is shown in the photo below.\u00a0 The silver thing that looks like a GC injection port liner is called a \u201ccentering sleeve\u201d, and as you may guess, its purpose is to center the packed column in the injection port.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"21650\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n


Now let\u2019s look at a few scenarios where installing a 3\/16\u201d OD packed column is not so simple. Many modern GC\u2019s have injection ports designed for 1\/8\u201d packed columns.\u00a0 So how does one install the larger 3\/16\u201d OD packed column into this smaller injection port?\u00a0 You will need a short piece of 1\/8\u201d OD tubing and a 3\/16\u201d to 1\/8\u201d reducing compression (straight) union like Swagelok\u00a0SS-300-6-2. Unfortunately, we do not sell this fitting.\u00a0 However, we do sell a 1\/4\u201d x 1\/8\u201d reducing union, Restek\u00a023170.\u00a0 Simply replace the 1\/4\u201d metal ferrule set with ferrule\u00a020258.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What if you have a GC designed for only capillary columns? Normally we would recommend a \u201cpigtail\u201d set-up, like described in the FAQ, “How do I install a packed column into a capillary GC injection port?”\u00a0 However, you would need a 3\/16\u201d x 1\/16\u201d reducing (straight) union, like Swagelok SS-300-6-1. Unfortunately, we do not sell this fitting either.\u00a0 However, we do sell a 1\/4\u201d x 1\/16\u201d reducing union, Restek 23169.\u00a0 Simply replace the 1\/4\u201d metal ferrule set with ferrule\u00a020258.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In summary, before purchasing a 3\/16\u201d OD packed column, make sure you have the proper fittings\/ferrules available for installation. To save yourself frustration, do a little homework first to determine if a 3\/16\u201d OD column is really your best choice, and if not, consider an alternative OD based upon your particular instrument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n
\n

Products Mentioned<\/h3>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n Catalog No. 20258 <\/a> <\/div>\n
\n
Ferrules, Vespel\/Graphite, Reducing for 1\/4-Inch Compression-Type Fittings, VG2, 60% Vespel\/40% Graphite, 1\/4" x 3\/16", 5-pk.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \u67e5\u770b\u4ea7\u54c1<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n Catalog No. 21650 <\/a> <\/div>\n
\n
Inlet Adaptor Kit, Packed Column, 1\/4"-3\/16"<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \u67e5\u770b\u4ea7\u54c1<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n Catalog No. 23170 <\/a> <\/div>\n
\n
Swagelok Fitting, 1\/4" to 1\/8" Reducing Union, Stainless Steel, 2-pk.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \u67e5\u770b\u4ea7\u54c1<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n
\n Catalog No. 23169 <\/a> <\/div>\n
\n
Swagelok Fitting, 1\/4" to 1\/16" Reducing Union, Stainless Steel, 2-pk.<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
\n \u67e5\u770b\u4ea7\u54c1<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

So you may be asking yourself, why the cautionary statement? Well, it’s very simple, many of our customers who purchase 3\/16” OD (outside diameter) packed columns have a difficult time installing them into their GC oven. Why? Sometimes finding the…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kadence_starter_templates_imported_post":false,"_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[],"industries-application":[],"post-badge":[],"resource-type":[],"product-library":[2385,2372],"resource-technique":[2294],"ppma_author":[582],"class_list":["post-51825","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blogs","product-library-ferrules-fittings-connectors","product-library-gas-chromatography-products","resource-technique-gas-chromatography-gc"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":9,"label":"Blogs"}],"product-library":[{"value":2385,"label":"Ferrules, Fittings, Connectors"},{"value":2372,"label":"Gas Chromatography Products"}],"resource-technique":[{"value":2294,"label":"Gas Chromatography (GC)"}]},"featured_image_src_large":false,"author_info":{"display_name":"Brenda Cogan","author_link":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/author\/brenda-coganrestek-com\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":9,"name":"Blogs","slug":"blogs","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":9,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":438,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":9,"category_count":438,"category_description":"","cat_name":"Blogs","category_nicename":"blogs","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":false,"authors":[{"term_id":582,"user_id":0,"is_guest":1,"slug":"alan-sensue","display_name":"Alan Sensue","avatar_url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/?s=96&d=mm&r=g","0":null,"1":"","2":"","3":"","4":"","5":"","6":"","7":"","8":""}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51825","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=51825"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51825\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":85497,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51825\/revisions\/85497"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=51825"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=51825"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=51825"},{"taxonomy":"industries-application","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/industries-application?post=51825"},{"taxonomy":"post-badge","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-badge?post=51825"},{"taxonomy":"resource-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-type?post=51825"},{"taxonomy":"product-library","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/product-library?post=51825"},{"taxonomy":"resource-technique","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/resource-technique?post=51825"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/discover.restek.com\/zh-hans\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ppma_author?post=51825"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}