AlphaLab Precis-Ion AIC3Pro Manual

AIC3Pro Air Ion Counter
Operator’s Guide
I O N
P R E C I S
A i r I o n C o u n t e r s
™
by AlphaLab, Inc.
The AIC3Pro is designed and manufactured in the U.S.A. by AlphaLab, Inc.,
a trusted source of standard and custom air ion measurement products since 1993.

2

Overview
Do not use plastics, adhesives,
labels, or stickers near the intake
or in front of the meter.
Non-conductive materials
(such as plastics) or ungrounded
conductive materials near the
intake or between the meter and
the ion source can build up
a static charge which will prevent
correct ion measurements
.
Charging the AIC3Pro:
Use of this shield is optional.
The shield minimizes electric field
interference when measuring ions
at low levels. To use it, simply slide
the shield over the top of the meter
until it seats firmly. This shield must
be removed when measuring high
ion levels near an air ion generator
or anytime the count exceeds
2 million/cc. Use of the shield when
measuring high counts can result in
a reduced (false) ion count. Note,
this shield is semiconductive. Any
ono conductive material near the
meters intake create measurement
problems.
The AIC3Pro’s rechargeable 2000mAh Li battery typically provides 7 hours of continuous operation.
The meter may be charged with the supplied USB charger. The meter may also be charged via a
USB port on a PC, laptop, or USB power pack. The meter can be operated indefinitely while
charging. Typical charge time for a depleted battery is 4 to 5 hours.
Power and Battery Status
Indicator Examples
Battery Powered, 100% Remaining
Battery Powered, 33% Remaining
USB Powered, Battery Charging
USB Powered, Battery Charging Completed
Air outlet and intake must be
unrestricted
The Static Shield:
Built-in safety precautions prevent battery
charging at temperatures below 0C°/32F°
or above 45C°/113F°. If charging is
attempted at these extremes, the meter
will display a notice that charging cannot
begin until the temperature of the meter is
brought within battery charging safety
limits.
Extreme Temperatures
USB C Port
The Precis-Ion™ Air Ion Counter Model AIC3Pro is a Gerdien condenser air ion meter. During
operation, a blower draws air through the top of the meter, and the electrical charge from air ions
(charged air molecules) is measured. The air ion count is calculated and displayed.
3

Grounding the AIC3Pro
A 10 ft. (3 meter) ground cable is included with connectors
for grounding (earthing) the AIC3Pro to a standard wall outlet
(mains), ESD mats, metal water pipes, or metal heating/air
conditioning ducts.
USB Connecting Caution
When measuring high ion counts near an ion
generator, make sure the meter is grounded prior
to connecting the USB cable to a desktop or laptop
PC. Failing to do so may damage the AIC3Pro
and/or the computer!
Grounding cable connection
at the bottom of the meter.
Using USB Connection as Earth Ground:
The included USB charger will not provide earth
grounding. PCs and laptops with the third prong
ground connection power cords usually provide
earth ground via their USB ports. Unless you know
for sure that your PC’s USB ports are grounded, do
not rely on grounding via a USB cable.
Common Symptom if the Meter Is Not Grounded:
If not grounded when exposed to high ion levels, the
meter will initially show a high ion count. Then as the
meter’s housing builds up a static charge from the
charged air molecules, air ions in the vicinity of the
meter will be repelled, and the air ion count will rapidly
decrease to near zero. Materials between the ion
counter and ion source can also become charged and
repel air ions. See the bottom of page 15.
Bi-Polar Ionizers:
Well balanced bi-polar ionizers minimize the static
charge compared to single polarity ionizers. However,
any static electricity (even that which is created from
walking on a carpet) will influence air ion readings.
Grounding insures accurate readings.
4
Air Ions are charged air molecules. These air molecules are measured with respect to earth/ground
reference. Thus, the meter must have an earth ground reference either via the hand/body of the
operator or a ground cable connected to an outlet ground or other ground connection.
At low air ion counts (<20K ions/cc), holding the meter (with the kickstand removed) maintains suffi-
cient ground reference, provided that your body doesn’t build up a static charge. Occasionally touching
a pipe or the screw on a light switch plate will ensure accurate readings.
When using the kickstand (no meter to hand contact) or any time when high ion counts are possible,
such as the ion counts near ionizers, the ground cable must be used!

Operating Modes and Displayed Information
Humidity
Temperature
°C/°F
Selected Polarity
X10³ (multiply ion count by 1000), Range = 10 ions/cc to 2 million ion/cc
Ion Count Averaging
Real-Time Ion Count
Positive Ion Count
Negative Ion Count
SUM Ion Count
MicroSD Card Installed
Rotating Timer
Peak Ion Count
Scale X10³ or X 10⁶
X10⁶ (multiply ion count by 1 million), Range = 1000 ions/cc to 200 million ions/cc
Ion polarities are alternately updated every 7.5 seconds.
The rotating timer indicates the update cycle.
Single Polarity (Positive or Negative) Operating Mode
Dual Polarity Operating Mode
This mode allows for the alternating measurement of each polarity to be displayed. The SUM
feature adds the total number of positive and negative air ions and displays the cumulative count.
Scales:
See page 9 for details.
System Warning
5

Power
On/Off
Select Ion
Polarity
+, -, or Dual
Zero Reference
Verification and
(when needed)
Rezeroing
Reset of the Peak Ion Count
Key Pad Functions
Menu Functions,
see page 7 for
details.
Zero Reference
Automatic rezero 10 second
rotating timer
Standby/Zero Display
with instructions
6

Measuring Air Ions
Ion Count Averaging
Air Ion Measurement Examples
7

8
Recording Data
MicroSD Card
Gently push in to dismount.
Recorded CSV Spread Sheet
Maximum File Length:
To prevent excessive file sizes, files are
truncated when their duration exceeds the
intervals noted below. A new file is automati-
cally created, and the recording continues.
To stop a recording:
To start a recording:
Maximum MicroSD Card Size 32G
Included 8G Card Recording Time:
Approximately 150,000 hours can be
at a one second record interval.
Field for user label/title via PC spreadsheet utilities
12 Hours
24 Hours
48 Hours
1 Week
1 Second
2 Second
5 Second
All Others
To check the recording status,
press the “UP Arrow”.

9
AlphaApp Data Streaming, Uploading, and Plotting
With the AlphaApp (free PC application), previously recorded data or live streaming data can be saved and graphically
plotted. Download the AlphaApp at: https://www.alphalabinc.com/alphaapp
Open the Application
The Application should detect the meter and start acquiring information. If not, select “Home” (top left) and “Connect”.
Bottom right corner of the application
provides key status information.
Connect (powered) AIC3Pro via USB cable.

Menu Selections and Additional Features
Main Menu
Menu, Zero Settings
Press the “Menu(Enter)” button to
access the main menu. Use the up and
down arrows to highlight the desired
settings/functions. Once highlighted,
press “Menu (Enter)”. When settings
are changed, the new setting becomes
the new power-up default.
Zero reference verification / rezeroing, same as “Standby Zero” button
Guidelines for zeroing the meter
Last zero date/time and zeroing analysis
Automatic rezeroing for long term unattended recordings
None, 3, 6, 12, or 24 hours. The factory default is none.
Menu, Data Settings
Scale selection, x10³ or x10⁶. The factory default is x10³.
Display peakhold, on/off. The factory default is on.
Power up polarity, negative, positive or dual. The factory default is negative.
Ion count averaging, 1 to 15 seconds or none. The factory default
is 5 seconds.
Menu, Display Settings
Backlight intensity reduction. The factory default is full brightness.
Temperature units celsius or fahrenheit. The factory default is celsius.
Automatic power shut down after 5, 15, 30, 60 minutes or no auto shut down.
The factory default is no auto shut down.
Display contrast settings, (firmware version 1.0.2 or later). Due to the
polarized LCD glass, the background lightness/darkness and character
contrast may vary slightly depending on the viewing angle. This setting allows
for optimal screen contrast for different viewing angles.
Firmware version 1.0.1 has a “Display Theme” menu selection for inverting
the black characters on the white background in place of contrast settings.
Menu
Groupings
10

11
Additional Menu Selections
Menu, Record Settings
If there are system warnings or errors, the
warning icon will appear on the (bottom left)
of the main display. The warning icon will also
appear in the menu adjacent to the menu
group that is related to the error or warning.
Menu, System Information
Warning
Icon
Warnings & Error Messages

12
Accessories (Included)
Deluxe Protective
Carrying Case

13
Specifications

14
Frequently Asked Questions about Air Ions

Frequently Asked Questions about the AIC3Pro
15

Calibration, Troubleshooting, Warranty, and Support