Our trouble began with unstable results from the equilibration device, large
standard deviations and some results totally out of range, generally shifted
to the side of very high enrichment. So we looked for contamination, changed
sample bottles etc. In the end we tried new Hokko rods - and every run was
ok.  At least for a couple of weeks. Then the trouble started again. I am
almost sure the “new” Hokko rods we bought are from the same batch as the old
ones we hade in use for about one year.

We also asked our supplier for better Hokko rods recently made by the
manufacturer. We were suggested to run an experiment without any water at
all, with only the Hokko rods inside the sample bottles. The result is almost
0 for both H and CO2 for all 24 samples.

Has somebody in the community any experience about how to reactivate those
Hokko rods?
And what is their function in the equilibration process?

Until now we have done as suggested after every run: Flushing with distilled
water, oven at 60 degrees overnight and until 5 minutes before next run. But
so after one year the rods don’t work anymore.

I will be most grateful for any help.