Apera Instruments PH60F-Z User manual

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ZenTest™ PH60F-Z Smart Flat pH Tester
(pH/Temp./ORP)
Instruction Manual
APERA INSTRUMENTS (Europe) GmbH
www.aperainst.de

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Contents
1. Introduction ....................................................................................................................- 3 -
2. What’s in the Kit ..............................................................................................................- 4 -
3. Battery Installation ..........................................................................................................- 4 -
4. Keypad Functions ............................................................................................................- 5 -
5. Preparation before Use ....................................................................................................- 5 -
6. pH Calibration.................................................................................................................. - 5 -
7. pH Measurement.............................................................................................................- 7 -
8. ORP Measurement...........................................................................................................- 8 -
9. Probe Cleaning ................................................................................................................- 8 -
10. Probe Storage...............................................................................................................- 8 -
11. Parameter Setting......................................................................................................... - 9 -
12. Technical Specifications .............................................................................................. - 10 -
13. Icons and Functions .................................................................................................... - 10 -
14. Probe Replacement .................................................................................................... - 11 -
15. Troubleshooting Guide ............................................................................................... - 11 -
16. Warranty.................................................................................................................... - 12 -
ATTENTION
•Water droplets are added during production to maintain the moisture of the probe. This is
normal practice and should not be attributed to used product.
•Never use the product when it’s freezing cold. Let it warm to room temperature before using.

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1. Introduction
Thank you for choosing Apera Instruments PH60F-Z Smart Flat pH Tester. Please carefully read this
manual before using the product.
Search “zentest smart” in Apple App Store or Google Play App Store to download the latest
App for your tester. Turn on the Bluetooth of your phone, go to ZenTest™ App, tap on the
upper right corner, then select your tester to connect.
For video tutorials on how to get the most out of ZenTest™, please go to www.aperainst.de
This product is designed with a two-way control on both the tester and ZenTest™ App. Please
refer to the functions available on each platform in the following table. This manual shows you how
to operate the tester without connecting to a smartphone.
Table 1: Funtions on 60-Z Tester and ZenTest® Mobile App
Functions
60-Z Tester
ZenTest Mobile App
Display
LCD display
1. Basic Mode: digital display
+calibration info
Swipe to
switch
among
various
modes
2. Dial Mode: digital display+dial
display
3. Graph Mode: digital display+graph
display
4. Table Mode: digital display+real time
measurement and history display
Calibration
Press buttons to
operate
Operate on smartphone following graphic guides
Self-
Diagnosis
Er1 – Er6 icons
Detailed problem analysis and solutions
Parameter
Setup
Press buttons to set up
(except for P7 and P11)
All parameters can be set up in Settings.
Alarm
The screen turns red
when alarm triggered;
cannot be setup
Alarm display and alarm values can be preset for each
parameter
Datalogger
N/A
Manual or Auto. Datalogger; notes can be added to
saved data
Data
Output
N/A
Share data via Email

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2. What’s in the Kit
3. Battery Installation
Please install batteries according to the following steps. *Please note direction of batteries: All
POSITIVE SIDES (“+”) FACING UP. (Wrong installation of batteries will cause damage to
the tester and potential hazards)
Calibration Vials
PH60F-Z Tester
-
+
+
+
+
-
-
-

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4. Keypad Functions
■ Short press------ < 2 seconds ,Long press------- > 2 seconds
5. Preparation before Use
Pull out the battery insulation slip, and take off the probe cap.
Rinse off the probe in pure water (preferably distilled or deionized water. RO water or tap
water is the alternative) , then shake off excess water.
Perform calibration. For pH calibration tutorial, refer to Section 6; for conductivity calibration,
refer to Section 8.
If the tester hasn’t been used for a long time (over 1 month), please soak the probe in the 3M
KCL soaking solution for 15 minutes, then calibrate it before test.
6. pH Calibration
Short press to turn on the meter; rinse the probe in distilled water, Shake off excess
water
1. When turned off, short press to turn on the tester; long
press to enter parameter setting.
2. In calibration mode or parameter setting, short press to
return to measurement mode.
3. In measurement mode, long press to turn off the tester,
short press to turn on/off backlight.
1.In measurement mode, long press to turn on/off
Bluetooth® receiver. When turned on, will be flashing;
when connected to smartphone, will stay on.
2.In parameter setting, short press to change parameter
(Uni-directional).
1. Long press to enter calibration mode.
2. In calibration mode, short press to confirm calibration.
3. In measurement mode, when automatic lock is turned off,
short press to manually lock or unlock readings.
Battery Cap
Buttons
Probe
Probe Cap
LCD
Display

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Pour certain amount of pH 7.00 and pH 4.00 buffer solution into the
corresponding calibration bottles (to about half volume of the bottle);
Long press to enter calibration mode; Short press to exit.
Insert the probe into pH 7.00 buffer solution, make a quick stir, and
hold still. When the reading is stabilized ( stays on the LCD
screen), short press to complete 1st point calibration. After
calibration is completed, the tester will return to measurement mode. Icon will appear at
the bottom left of the LCD screen. indicating a successful 1st point pH calibration.
To calibrate 2nd point, use 4.00 pH buffer and repeat Step 6.3 to 6.4 (Do NOT turn off the
tester after you finish pH 7 calibration). will display next to , indicating a successful 2-
point pH calibration (low and middle points).
If necessary (target pH>8.00), calibrate 3rd point using 10.01 standard pH buffer and repeat
Step 6.3 to 6.4, will show up next to and , indicating a successful 3-point
calibration (high, low, and middle points).
Notes about Calibrationhe
1) The 1st point calibration must be 7.00 pH. Perform the 2nd and 3rd point calibrations (4.00,
10.01, 1.68, or 12.45) immediately after the 1st point calibration is finished. Do NOT turn off
the meter before you calibrate 2nd or 3rd point. Otherwise, you will need to restart the
calibration process with 7.00 pH first.
2) The pH 4.00 and 7.00 buffer solutions poured into the calibration vials can be used for up to 10
times as long as they are not contaminated and the bottles are capped when not in use. pH
10.01 can only be used for up to 5 times as it will lose its accuracy much faster. After that,
replace the buffer solutions in the calibration vials with new ones to keep the accuracy.
Keeping the freshness and cleanliness of calibration buffers is essential for accurate pH
measurement.
3) The tester can perform 1 to 3 points of automatic calibration and can recognize 5 types of pH
standard solutions. For details, please refer to the following table:
Calibration
USA Series
NIST Series
Indication icon
Recommended
1-point
7.00 pH
6.86 pH
Accuracy
requirement ≥ 0.1
pH
2-pt
Option
A
1st pt: 7.00 pH
2nd pt: 4.00 pH or
1.68 pH
Option
A
1st pt: 6.86 pH
2nd pt: 4.01 pH or 1.68
pH
Range < 7.00 pH
Option
B
1st pt: 7.00 pH
2nd pt: 10.01 pH or
12.45 pH
Option
B
1st pt: 6.86 pH
2nd pt: 9.18 pH or
12.45 pH
Range >7.00 pH
3-pt
1st pt: 7.00 pH
2nd pt: 4.00 or 1.68 pH
3rd pt: 10.01 or 12.45 pH
1st pt: 6.86 pH
2nd pt: 4.01 or 1.68 pH
3rd pt: 9.18 pH or 12.45 pH
Range: 0 to 14.00
pH

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For the self-diagnosis information, please refer to the table below:
Symbol
Self-Diagnosis information
Potential problems and how to fix
The pH calibration
solution cannot be
recognized by the meter.
1. Make sure the probe is fully immersed in the
calibration solution.
2. Check if calibration solution is expired or polluted.
3. 1st point of pH calibration must be pH 7.00 or 6.86.
See 6.2 (1).
4. Please check whether pH electrode is damaged or
broken. If so, please replace with a new one.
5. The glass bulb or junction is severely
contaminated. Please use a soft brush with soap
water to clean it thoroughly. Then soak it in 3M KCL
3-5 hours before performing calibration again.
Is pressed before
measurement is fully
stable
Wait for to come up and stay on screen
before pressing
During calibration,
readings being unstable for
over 3 minutes
1. Please check whether pH electrode is damaged or
broken. If so, please replace with a new one.
2. The glass bulb or junction is severely
contaminated. Please use a soft brush with soap
water to clean it thoroughly. Then soak it in 3M KCL
overnight before performing calibration again.
3. The electrode is aged (used for over a year and
has a much slower response). A replacement is
needed.
pH electrode zero electric
potential out of range
(<-60mV or >60mV)
1. Check whether pH buffer solutions comply with the
USA or NIST standard.
2. Check whether pH buffers are expired or
contaminated.
3. Please check whether pH electrode is damaged or
broken. If so, please replace with a new one.
4. The electrode is aged (used for over a year and
has a much slower response). A replacement is
needed.
5. The electrode is invalidated (Er4/Er5 repetitively
appears, and problems 1, 2, 3 are excluded). A
replacement is needed.
pH electrode slope out of
range (<85% or >110%)
The calibration reminder is
triggered. It’s time to
perform a new pH
calibration
Perform pH calibration or cancel calibration reminder in
ZenTest App settings.
7. pH Measurement
How to take pH measurements
Short press to turn on the tester. Rinse the probe in distilled water, shake off excess water.
Insert the probe in your sample solution, make a quick stir and hold still. Record the reading when it

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is stabilized ( appears and stays on screen).
PH60F Flat probe testers are mostly for flat surface sample test.
1) For skin test: skin should be without sweat or dirt, nor be overly
cleaned (do not use facewash products before testing) to avoid
affecting measurement results, dampen skin with some distilled water,
slightly force flat probe onto the skin, get readings after value
stabilized.
2) For paper, fabric and leather test: add a few drops of distilled/deionized water on surface before
performing tests.
3) For micro sample testing, use a container with an inner diameter<=19mm and a flat bottom. The
tester can test volume >=0.5ml.
8. ORP Measurement
1) ORP stands for Oxidation-Reduction Potential, measured in mV. It’s also called redox. ORP is a
measure of the cleanliness of water & its ability to break down contaminants. A separate ORP
probe (ORP60-DA) needs to be installed to be able to measure ORP.
2) Power on the PC60-Z tester, unscrew the original probe, and install the ORP60-DA probe, then
the tester will automatically switch to ORP measurement mode (Refer to Section 14 for how to
replace a probe).
3) Rinse the probe in distilled water and dry it. Dip the probe in sample solution, shake for a few
seconds, and allow it to stand still. Get the ORP readings after appears and stays on screen.
9. Probe Cleaning
1) The tester is only as accurate as the probe is clean. Always thoroughly rinse off the probe before
and after each measurement with pure water in a container or with a wash bottle.
2) For tough contaminants, detach the sensor shield, soak the probe in Apera probe cleaning
solution (AI1166) or detergent water for 30 minutes. Then use a soft brush to remove the
contaminants. Afterwards, soak the probe in 3M KCL soaking solution for at least 1 hour. Rinse it
off, then re-calibrate the tester before using again.
10.Probe Storage
1) Under regular usage (daily or weekly use), make sure the probe cap is wet, and tightly close the
cap with the O-ring.
2) For long-term storage (you are not going to use the product for a while), add 3M KCL soaking
solution to the Fill line in the probe cap and store the probe in it. Close on the probe cap tightly
with the O-ring.
3) If you find white crystals inside or outside the probe cap, it is perfectly normal. It is the 3M KCL
soaking solution that crystalizes over time by its nature. Just rinse them off and add in new soaking
solution. This chemical is not poisonous nor dangerous, and the probe’s performance will not be

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affected at all.
4) NEVER store the probe in pure water like tap, RO, distilled, or deionized water as they could
damage the pH probe. If this happens, immediately soak the pH probe Apera 3M KCL soaking
solution overnight, then re-calibrate it before using. Pure water is only for rinsing the probe.
11.Parameter Setting
Table of Settings
Parameter Setting
1) When the meter is turned off, long press to enter parameter setting →short press to
switch P01-P02… →P8. Short Press , parameter flashes → short press to adjust
parameter → short press to confirm →Short press to exit parameter setting and go
back to measurement mode.
2) Auto. Lock (P02) – Users can set the auto lock time from 5 to 20 seconds. For example, if 10
seconds is set, when the measured value is stable for more than 10 seconds, the measured value
will be automatically locked, and the HOLD icon will be displayed. Short press to release the
lock. When the setting is "Off", the Auto. lock function is turned off, that is, the measured value
can only be manually locked. Short press to lock or unlock the measured value. The HOLD
icon will be displayed when reading is locked.
3) Auto. Backlight (P03) ─ Users can set the automatic backlight time for 1 to 8 minutes. For
example, if 3 minutes is set, the backlight will turn off automatically after 3 minutes; when the “Off”
is set, the auto. backlight function will be turned off, and short press to manually turn the
backlight on or off.
4) Auto. Power off (P04) ─ The auto. power off time can be set to 10 to 20 minutes. For example,
if 15 minutes is set, the meter will automatically shut down after 15 minutes if no operation; when
“Off” is set, the auto. power off function will be turned off. Long press to manually shut down
the meter.
5) pH Calibration Reminder (P07) – set X hours (H) Or X days (D) in ZenTest mobile app – settings
– Parameter – pH – Calibration Reminder. On the meter, you can only check the values that’s
been set up on ZenTest App. For example, if 3 days is set up, the Er6 icon (see Figure-4) will
Symbol
Parameter Setting Contents
Content
Factory Default
P1
Temperature Unit
˚C – ˚F
˚F
P2
Select automatic lock
5-20 seconds –Off
Off
P3
Automatic Backlight Off
1-8 minutes –Off
1
P4
Automatic Power Off
10-20 minutes –Off
10
P5
pH Buffer Series Selection
USA –NIST
USA
P6
pH Resolution
0.1 –0.01
0.01
P7
pH Calibration Reminder
H-hours D-Days (set up in
ZenTest App)
/
P8
pH back to factory default
No –Yes
No

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appear in the lower right corner of the LCD screen in 3 days to remind you to perform calibration,
also in the ZenTest App there will be a pop-up reminder. After calibration is finished or the reminder
setting is cancelled in the ZenTest App, the Er6 icon will disappear.
6) pH Back to Factory Default (P08) – Select “Yes” to recover instrument calibration to theoretical
value. This function can be used when instrument does not work well in calibration or
measurement. Calibrate and measure again after setting the instrument back to factory default.
12.Technical Specifications
13.Icons and Functions
pH
Range
-2.00 to 16.00 pH
Resolution
0.01 pH
Accuracy
±0.01 pH ±1 digit
Calibration Points
1 to 3 points
Auto. Temperature Compensation
0 –50˚C (32 – 122˚F)
ORP (mV)
Range
-1000 mV to 1000 mV
Accuracy
±0.2% F.S
Temperature
Range
0 to 50˚C (32-122˚F)
Accuracy
±0.5˚C
Calibrated points
Self-Diagnosis
Symbol
Er1, Er2, Er3, Er4, Er5, Er6
Stable reading indicator
Waterproof Rating
IP67, floats on water
Reading Lock
HOLD
Power
DC3V, AAA batteries*4
Bluetooth Signal
Battery Life
＞200 Hours
Low power reminder
Backlight
White: Measurement.
Green: Calibration; Red: Alarm
Auto. Power Off
Automatically power off if no operation for 10 minutes
Dimension/Weight
Instrument：40×40×178mm/133g; case：255×210×50mm/680g;
Graph-3
LCD Display
Graph-4
pH calibration reminder
Graph-5
pH alarm triggered

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14.Probe Replacement
pH probes don’t last forever. Every probe will eventually age and fail even if you don't use it that
often. The typical service life of Apera probes is 12-24 months depending on the frequency of usage
and how well you keep it clean and properly stored. We recommend replacing your probe every 1 to
2 years to ensure the best performance
To replace a probe:
1) Take off the probe cap; 2) Screw off the probe ring 3) Unplug the
probe; 4) Plug in the new replacement probe (pay attention to the
probe’s position); 5) Screw on the probe ring tightly. Soak the probe in
3M KCL for 5-15 minutes. Then perform calibration before testing.
The replacement probes that are compatible with PH60F-Z are:
•PH60F-DE (Flat pH probe for surface pH testing), PH60-DE
(Regular pH glass bulb probe), PH60S-DE (Spear pH probe for
solids/semi-solids pH testing)
•ORP60-DA (ORP Probe).
15.Troubleshooting Guide
Trouble
Reason
How to fix
Cannot
calibrate
Pressing too soon
Wait for to stay on screen before pressing
Incorrect standard
solutions
Reboot tester, calibrate pH 7 first, then pH 4. For details
refer to Section 5.2 (a).
Poor quality standard
solutions
Replace with fresh and clean standard calibration
solutions made by legitimate scientific instrument
manufacturers.
Contaminated probe
Clean the probe with Apera cleaning solution or
detergent water.
Aged probe
Replace the probe.
Dried-out probe
Soak the probe in 3M KCL solution for at least 15
minutes.
Probe is not fully
submerged in the solution
Make sure the probe is fully immersed in the
solution at least 1 inch deep.
Air bubbles around the
sensor
Make a quick stir in the solution to remove air
bubbles.
Reading is
always slowly
changing, won’t
stabilize
Contaminated probe
Clean the probe with Aprea’s cleaning solution or
detergent water.
Clogged junction
Clean the probe with Aprea’s cleaning solution, then
soak it in 3M KCL soaking solution overnight.
Aged probe
Replace the probe.
Testing pH of low iconic
strength solutions like tap
water, drinking water, RO
water
Be patient, wait for 1-5 minutes to reach a fully
stabilized reading. If still not stabilizing, add 1ml of
3M KCL solution to 1000ml of test solution (or 1
teaspoon to 1 gallon).

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Display similar
readings in any
solutions or
always display
7.0 pH
Broken probe
If you don’t find any visible damage of the probe,
contact us for warranty fulfillment; If there is visible
damage, replace the probe.
Reading keeps
jumping
Probe is not fully
submerged in the solution
Make sure the probe is fully immersed in the
solution at least 1 inch deep.
Air bubbles around the
sensor
Make a quick stir in the solution to remove air
bubbles.
Probe is not properly
connected, or the pin
connector is broken.
Check the probe’s connector, make sure it’s not
broken and is correctly connected. Align the probe
and instrument correctly before plugging in. Never
force it. Ensure that the probe connector is not
exposed to air too long.
Calibration is
successful, but
reading is not
accurate
Aged probe
Replace the probe.
Air bubbles around the
sensor
Make a quick stir in the solution to remove air
bubbles.
Clogged junction
Clean the probe with cleaning solution, then soak it
in 3M KCL soaking solution overnight.
Comparison with other
testers, test strips, or drop
tests
To compare with other testers, make sure to
perform a 2-point calibration for all testers in the
same standard, then test a 3rd point. Whichever
gives more accurate reading is the more accurate
one. Test strips or drop tests’ accuracy is not
comparable to pH meters ‘.
16.Warranty
We warrant this instrument to be free from defects in material and workmanship and agree to repair
or replace free of charge, at option of APERA INSTRUMENTS (Europe) GmbH, any malfunctioned
or damaged product attributable to responsibility of APERA INSTRUMENTS (Europe) GmbH for a
period of TWO YEARS (SIX MONTHS for the probe) from the delivery. This limited warranty does
NOT cover any damages due to: accidental damage, unauthorized repair, normal wear and tear, or
external causes such as accidents, abuse, or other actions or events beyond our reasonable control.
APERA INSTRUMENTS (Europe) GmbH
Wilhelm-Muthmann-Straße 18, 42329 Wuppertal, Germany
Contact: [e-mail] | www.aperainst.de |Tel. [phone]