Apex Digital MASS FLOW METER User manual

MASS FLOW METER
OPERATING MANUAL

2 Introduction
Thank you for your purchase.
If you have any questions about operating it, or if something is not working
as expected, please contact support:
Apex Vacuum
222 Riverstone Drive
Canton, Georgia 30114
United States of America
Phone: [phone]
ApexVacuum.com
Serial Number:
Next Calibration (Month/Day) :
Recalibrate your flow meter every year.
Your flow meter should be calibrated every year in order to ensure the
continued certainty of your readings and extend the Limited Lifetime Warranty.
This device comes with a NIST traceable calibration
certificate.
This device conforms to the European Union’s Restric-
tion of Use of Hazardous Substances
in Electrical and Electronic Equip-
ment (RoHS) Directive 2011/65/EU.
This device complies with the requirements of the Low
Voltage Directive 2014/35/EU and
the EMC Directive 2014/30/EU and
carries the CE Marking accordingly.
This device complies with the requirements of the
European Union’s Waste Electrical
& Electronic Equipment (WEEE)
Directive 2002/96/EC.

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Introduction
Your new flow meter has a variety of innovative features:
• High-accuracy performance for all your gases. Use
your flow meter with any of the 98 or more gases
that are part of Gas Select, page 23.
• 1000 readings per second ensures high resolution data, page 30.
• Monitor pressure and temperature during flow measurement. View
internal stream absolute pressure and temperature, page 17.
• Backlit display with adjustable contrast is easy to
read in direct sunlight. In dimly lit areas, press the large
center button to turn on the backlight, page 8.
• Change your STP to match any standard temperature
and pressure reference, page 27.
• Log data to your PC. Talk to the flow meter serially to capture
all flow data for logging and analysis, page 31.
Please contact your vendor or view the contact information
on the device (see page 21) if you have any questions
regarding the use or operation of this device.

4 Table of Contents
Contents
Quick Start Guide 6
Getting Started 7
Getting to Know Your Mass Flow Meter 7
Connectors and Buttons 7
The Flow Meter Display 8
Status Messages 8
Option: Charging Your Portable Flow Meter 9
Mounting 10
Filters 10
Connecting The Gas Flow Meter 11
Power and Signal Connections 12
RS-232 / RS-485 Digital Input / Output Signal 13
Analog Signals 14
Option: Color TFT Display 15
Navigation and Customization 16
Flow Meter Menu Outline 16
Main Menu 16
Collecting Live Flow Data 17
Choosing Engineering Units 18
Option: Collecting Totalized Flow Data 19
Menu 20
Taring Your Flow Meter 20
Device Info 21
Diagnostic Information 21
Basic Configuration Menu 22
Choosing Engineering Units from the Basic Configuration Menu 22
Gas Select 23
Gas List 24
Using COMPOSER to Personalize Mixed Gas Compositions 25
Creating Gas Compositions in COMPOSER 26
Advanced Setup 28

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Display Setup 28
Sensor Setup 29
Configuring Serial Communications 30
Serial Communication 31
Establishing Communication 31
Polling Mode 32
Taring 33
Addressing All Units 33
Collecting Flow Data 33
Streaming Mode 34
Using Gas Select and COMPOSER 35
Troubleshooting 37
Maintenance 40
Engineering Units 43
Flow Units 43
Pressure Units 44
Pinout 45
M12 Connector Pinout 45

6 Getting Started
Quick Start Guide
Setup
• Connect your flow meter. Ensure that flow through
your device will be in the same direction as the
arrow on the flow body (usually left to right).
• Tare your flow meter. Before you connect the flow meter,
ensure that no gas is flowing through the device and select
TARE FLOW from the Main Display. Note: Low-pressure-drop
flow meters are sensitive enough to measure the lightest of
breezes, so ensure that one end is plugged before taring.
• Choose your engineering units. Press the button above or below
any parameter to enlarge it in the middle of the display. If you select
that same item a second time, you can change the engineering unit
for that parameter. You can choose units for all of the parameters
at once by selecting MENU →BASIC CONFIG →DEVICE UNITS.
Operation: Flow Verification
• Monitor live flow readings. You can monitor live readings
of flow, pressure and temperature by viewing the screen.
Readings are updated in real time. See page 17.
• Tare your flow meter before you begin another round of
measurements. Ensure that no flow is passing through your meter,
and select TARE FLOW. See page 20 for how to tare manually.
• (Optional) Capture a totalized reading. The totalizer
option displays the total flow that has passed through the
device since the last time the totalizer was reset. Press
TOTAL/MENU to access the totalizer. See page 19.
Backlight
The monochrome display comes equipped with a backlight. To toggle its
power, press the bottom-center button on the front of your device. For
color displays, pressing this button will turn o the display to conserve power.
Maintenance and Care
• Flow meters will require no periodic cleaning for
clean gases. Read more on page 40.
• Calibrate your flow meter annually.

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Getting Started
Getting to Know Your Mass Flow Meter
Connectors and Buttons
The drawings below represent typical configurations of a standard mass
flow meter and a standard battery-powered mass flow meter. Your flow
meter’s appearance and connections may differ.
+0.0 +0.0
+13.49 +22.73
Mass Flow
CCM SCCM MENU
PSIA ¤C TARE
FLOW
SCCM
A ir
+0.0 +0.0
+13.49 +22.73
Mass Flow
CCM SCCM MENU
PSIA ¤C TARE
FLOW
SCCM
A ir
Process ports
Mounting holes
Flow body
Light button
Display
Softkey buttons
Power input Data I/O
Micro-USB
(data & power)
Power switch
Enclosed
battery
Meters Battery-Powered Meters

8 Getting Started
The Flow Meter Display
The figure below identifies the various features of the flow meter display.
Press the bottom central button to toggle the backlight on and o.
Engineering units are used by the meter in its serial communications and
calculations. These can be dierent from button units, which are the units
being displayed. These are independently configurable. See page 18.
Highlights pressure in the center of the meter. Push a second
time to choose the pressure parameter (if available), or to select
pressure engineering units.
Highlights temperature.
Push a second time to select
temperature engineering units.
TARE FLOW tare the flow
rate (see page 20).
Highlights volumetric (actual)
flow rate. Push a second
time to select volumetric flow
rate engineering units.
Highlights mass flow rate. Push a
second time to select a dierent
mass flow (normal mass flow) or
true mass flow engineering unit.
TOTAL/MENU Accesses the optional flow totalizer
(page 19). MENU enters the Menu system (page 20)
Toggles the backlight.
Status Messages
Status messages are shown to the right of the main readout number, in
the example above as OVR.
ADC Analog-digital converter error
LCK Front display is locked
OVR Totalizer rolled over to zero
POV Pressure over range of device
MOV Mass flow over range of device
TMF Totalizer missed out of range flow
TOV Temperature over range of device
VOV Volumetric flow over range of device


 PSIA ¤C TARE
+13.60 +24.38 FLOW
+24.38
 FlowTemp
¤C
Air
OVR
+16.670 +15.440
 LPM SLPM MENU
The Flow Meter Display


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Option: Charging Your Portable Flow Meter
If you purchased a portable meter, it was fully charged at the factory, so
you can use it right away. Typical battery life of a fully-charged battery is 18
hours with a monochrome display or 8 hours with a TFT color display, when
the backlight is set to 10. Dimming the backlight will increase battery life.
The battery indicator on the right side of the Main Display reflects the
relative battery level. When the battery indicator is completely empty,
approximately 15 minutes of battery life remains. Please charge the flow
meter as soon as possible to maintain full device performance.
Charge the meter using the supplied USB cable (micro-B to type A) or a
similar cable. You may charge the flow meter using any USB outlet on a
computer or portable power supply, but charging will be fastest (approx-
imately 3.5 hours) when connected to the supplied 2.0A power supply.
The red indicator LED on top of the device lights up red to indicate that
the unit is charging. The red LED turns o when the battery is charged.
Your flow meter may be used while it is charging. A small lightning bolt
symbol () will appear to the right of the battery symbol while the device
is charging. If the battery has been fully depleted, you may need to charge
the flow meter for a full minute before the device can be turned on.
! Warning: The safe charging temperature range is 0–45°C
(32–113°F). If internal sensors detect temperatures
outside of this range, the battery will not charge.
95 – 100%
70 – 95%
50 – 70%
25 – 50%
5 – 25%
0 – 5%
Charging Indicator

 PSIA ¤C TARE
+13.60 +24.38 FLOW
+24.38
 FlowTemp
¤C
Air

+16.670 +15.440
 LPM SLPM MENU

10 Getting Started
Mounting
No straight runs of pipe are required upstream or downstream of the meter.
For most flow meters, you can mount or hold the meter in any position,
because it is internally compensated for any changes to its orientation
during use. The flow meter is also minimally aected by vibrations, so it can
on top of a vibrating instrument with little impact to measurement accuracy.
Device Ports
Your flow meter has been shipped with plastic plugs fitted into its ports.
To lessen the chance of contaminating the flow stream, do not remove
these plugs until you are ready to install the device.
Standard gas flow meters have female inlet and outlet ports. Welded VCR®
and other specialty fittings may have male connections.
• If you are using a fitting that does not have a face seal, use
thread-sealing Teflon tape to prevent leakage around the
port threads, but do not wrap the first two threads. This
will minimize the possibility of getting tape into the flow
stream and clogging the laminar flow elements (LFE).
• If you are using a fitting that has a face seal, there is
no need to apply Teflon tape to the threads.
! Warning: Do not use pipe dopes or sealants on the process
connections, as these compounds can cause permanent
damage to the meter should they get into the flow stream.
Filters
When pressure drop is not an issue, use in-line sintered filters to prevent
large particulates from entering the flow meter. Suggested maximum
particulate sizes are as follows:
• 5 microns for units with flow ranges of 1  or less.
• 20 microns for units with flow ranges between 2  and 1 .
• 50 microns for units with flow ranges of 1  or more.

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Connecting The Gas Flow Meter
The flow meter can measure flow generated by positive pressure and/or
suction. Connect the meter so that the flow travels in the same direction as
the flow arrow, usually from left to right from in front of the device.
Model
Max Common
Mode Pressure
Max Dierential
Pressure
Standard meters 175  75 
Low-pressure-drop meters 80  10 
Inlet
Connection
Outlet
Connection
Flow Direction Indicator

12 Getting Started
Power and Signal Connections
Power can be supplied to your meter through either the power jack or the
multi-pin connector on top of your device.
✓ Meter power jacks require a 9–24 Vdc power supply with a 2.1
mm female positive center plug capable of supplying at least
50 mA. 4–20 mA analog signal outputs require at least 12 Vdc
and 100 mA, and 0–10 Vdc outputs require at least 12 Vdc.
Standard 8-Pin Mini-DIN Pinout
Pin Function Cable color
Not Connected
(or optional 4–20 mA Primary Output Signal) Black
Static 5.12 Vdc Optional: Secondary Analog Output (4–20
mA, 0–5 Vdc, 1–5V dc, 0–10 Vdc) or Basic Alarm Brown
Serial RS-232RX / RS-485(–) Input Signal (receive) Red
Remote Tare (Ground to Tare) Orange
Serial RS-232TX / RS-485(+) Output Signal (send) Yellow
0–5 Vdc (or optional 1–5 Vdc or 0–10 Vdc) Output Signal Green
Power In (as described in the note above) Blue
Ground (common for power, digital communi-
cations, analog signals and alarms) Purple
Note: The above pinout is applicable to all flow meters with the Mini-DIN
connector. The availability of dierent output signals depends on the options
ordered. Optional configurations are noted on the unit’s calibration sheet.
▲Caution: Do not connect power to pins 1 through 6,
as permanent damage can occur.
It is common to mistake Pin 2 (labeled 5.12 Vdc Output) as the
standard 0–5 Vdc analog output signal. Pin 2 is normally a
constant 5.12 Vdc that reflects the system bus voltage.
For 6-pin locking industrial connector, M12,
DB9 and DB15 pinouts, see page 45.
12
5
3
4
678
21
3
5
4
876
Male Connector: CableFemale Connector: Device

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RS-232 / RS-485 Digital Input / Output Signal
To use the RS-232 or RS-485 digital signal, connect the RS-232 / RS-485
Output Signal (Pin 5), the RS-232 / RS-485 Input Signal (Pin 3) and Ground
(Pin 8) to your serial port as shown below. (See “Serial Communication”
on page 31 for details)
DB9 to 8-Pin Mini-DIN Connection
for RS-232 / RS-485 Signals
9 Pin Serial Connection 8 Pin Mini-DIN Connection
Pin Function Pin Function
5Ground 8Ground
3Transmit 3Receive
2Receive 5Transmit
DB9 connections
See also the M12 connector pinout on page 56.
Female Connector Male Connector
1
69
55
96
1

14 Getting Started
Analog Signals
Primary Analog Output Signal
Most instruments include a primary analog output signal, which is linear
over its entire range. For all analog output configurations, the lowest output
indicates zero flow, and highest indicates full-scale flow. Depending on
the quality of the grounding, a zero flow condition is in the range of 0.010
Vdc. For example, a 5 Vdc output from a 0–5 Vdc 100  unit would
indicate a flow of 100 .
The default 8-pin mini-DIN connector places the primary analog output
on Pin 6 for voltage signals and Pin 1 for 4–20 mA current signals. Ground
for these signals is common on Pin 8.
Using Ground to Tare
You can tare your mass flow meter remotely by momentarily grounding
Pin 4, as shown below. When the switch is closed, the device will tare,
and resume operation once the switch has been released.
Option: Second Analog Output Signal
The default 8-pin mini-DIN connector places the secondary analog output
on Pin 2 for both voltage and current signals. Your device’s secondary
analog signal may dier from its primary output signal.
✓ See the calibration sheet that shipped with your meter to
determine which output signals were ordered.
Option: 4–20 mA Current Output Signal
If your meter has a 4–20 mA current primary or secondary output signal,
your flow meter will require 12–24 Vdc power.
▲Caution: Do not connect 4–20 mA devices to “loop
powered” systems, as this will destroy portions of the
circuitry and void the warranty. If you must interface
with existing loop powered systems, always use a
signal isolator and a separate power supply.
Pin 8
Ground
Pin 4
Pin 4
Pin 8
Connect to tare

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Option: Color TFT Display
Instruments ordered with a color display function the same as standard
backlit monochrome instruments, but color is used to provide additional
on-screen information.
Multi-Color Display Indicators
• GREEN: Parameter labels and adjustments associated with the
button directly above or below the label are presented in green.
• WHITE: The color of each parameter is displayed in
white while operating under normal conditions.
• RED: The color of a parameter is displayed in red when
its value exceeds 128% of the device’s specifications.
• YELLOW: Menu items that are ready to be selected
appear in yellow. This color replaces the symbol
(>) in selections on monochrome display.
✓ Press the bottom center button to turn o the
color display backlight. The flow meter remains
in operation while the backlight is o.
LCD Contrast
LCD contrast is ranged from 0 to 11 on color displays, with 11 indicating
the greatest contrast. See “Display Setup” on page 28.
Specification Meter
Supply Voltage 7–24 Vdc
Supply Current 80 mA at 12 Vdc
70 mA at 24 Vdc
Note: Color displays will require an additional 40 mA when using a 12 Vdc power supply.
All other device specifications from your device’s specification sheet remain in eect.

16 Navigation and Customization
Navigation and
Customization
Flow Meter
Menu Outline
Main Menu
Accessible from MENU on the Main Display
• About (page 2)
• Device information
• Device state
• Manufacturer information
• Tares (page 20)
• Tare pressure
• Tare flow
• Basic config (page 22)
• Gas configuration
• Gas categories and gases
• COMPOSER mix creation
and management
• Device units
• Mass flow
• Volumetric flow
• Pressure
• Temperature
• STP/NTP
• Advanced setup (page 28)
• Sensor setup
• Display as zero (zero band)
• Number of digits
• Flow and pressure averaging
• Communication setup
• Unit ID
• Baud
• Display setup
• LCD contrast
• Power-up light
• Display rotation
• Main display (page 17)
   ABOUT TARES
 BASIC ADV
CONFIG SETUP MAIN
The Main Menu

2020.07.24  REV. 2  MASS FLOW METER OPERATING MANUAL 17


Collecting Live Flow Data
The Main Display has two primary functions:
• Collecting live temperature, pressure and flow data (see below)
• Changing engineering units for temperature,
pressure and flow (page 18)
This screen displays live data for all flow parameters simultaneously. Live
data is measured 1000 times per second and typically displayed 10 times
per second on the device LCD screen. Press the button next to any of the
four flow parameters once to highlight its value in the center of the screen.
Press the same button again to enter the engineering unit selection menu
for that parameter (page 18).
Main Display
Highlights pressure in the center
of the meter. Push a second
time to select engineering units
or the pressure parameter:
• Internal absolute pressure
• Internal gauge pressure (optional)
• Barometric pressure (optional)
Highlights temperature.
Push a second time to select
temperature engineering units.
TARE FLOW Tares the flow rate (see page 20).
Highlights volumetric (actual) flow rate. Push a second
time to select volumetric flow rate engineering units.
Highlights mass flow rate. Push a second time to
select mass flow engineering units and switch between
standardized, normalized, and true mass flow.
TOTAL accesses flow totalizer (optional) (page 19).
MENU enters the Menu system (page 20).
 PSIA ¤C TARE
+13.49 +26.03 FLOW
+26.03
 FlowTemp
¤C
Air
LCK
+0.0000+0.0000 TOTAL/
 LPM SLPM MENU
The Main Display

18 Navigation and Customization
Choosing Engineering Units
Press the button adjacent to any of the four
measurement parameters twice to enter its
unit selection menu. You can change units in
two ways:
Button engineering units (page 18) alter
the display only, not the serial data:
• Select Set button eng units and
press SELECT to change the engineering
unit on the display only. This does
not alter the flow meter data frame.
Device engineering units alter both the display and the flow meter data frame:
• Select Set device eng units and then choose the
engineering unit as above. An additional confirmation
screen asks you to confirm the serial change.
• If the button engineering unit is dierent than the device engineering
unit, Set device eng units will not appear. To change them:
• First select Show device eng units to revert the button to the
current device unit for that parameter. Enter the unit selection
menu again to change the device engineering unit.
✓ Note: The totalizer's set flow variable (mass flow or
volumetric flow) cannot be altered directly. Please
contact support (page 2) if you wish to change your
totalizer from mass flow to volumetric, or vice-versa.
Changing the engineering units:
  UP DOWN
>Showabspressure
Showgaugepressure
Showbaropressure
Setbuttonengunits
Setdeviceengunits
CANCEL  SELECT
Engineering Unit Screen



 PSIA ¤F TARE
+13.68 +75.88 FLOW
+75.88
 FlowTemp
¤F
Air
+0.0000 +0.0000
LPM SLPM MENU
  UP DOWN
Setbuttoneng
units
>Showdeviceeng
units
BACK  SELECT
 PSIA ¤C TARE
+13.68 +24.38 FLOW
+24.38
 FlowTemp
¤C
Air
+0.0000 +0.0000
LPM SLPM MENU
  UP DOWN
 Setbuttonengunits
>Setdeviceengunits
BACK  SELECT

2020.07.24  REV. 2  MASS FLOW METER OPERATING MANUAL 19
Totalizer (Optional)
TOTAL/TIMER
toggles between
totalized flow and
elapsed time as
the parameter
highlighted in
the center
M PEAK or
V PEAK displays the
maximum flow rate
since the last reset. Press to
select engineering units.
Displays live flow rate. Press
to select engineering units.
RESET clears all totalized data
and immediately resets the
timer to . Totalization of flow
data continues immediately.
MENU/MAIN enters the menu
system (page 20). From
there, press MAIN to exit to
the Main Display of live data.
• M AVG: Shows optional
totalizer averaging, which
displays average flow rate
since last reset, updated live
• Main display shows either time
since reset, or totalized flow
Totalizer Rollover Functions
Your flow totalizer has been configured to report a maximum of 7 digits. By
default, the placement of the decimal is the same as the live flow rate. The
totalizer can be configured at the time of order for the following behaviors.
• Rollover (default):
Totalizer resumes
counting from 
as soon as the
maximum count has
been reached.
• Freeze: Totalizer
stops counting at
max count, until it
is reset manually.
• Error: Displays OVR
status message when
maximum count
has been reached;
compatible with
Rollover and Freeze.
The time counter has a maximum value of 9999:59:59 (h:m:s) (416 days, 16
hours). If flow is still being totalized at that point, the timer freezes, regardless
of totalized flow settings.
Option: Collecting Totalized Flow Data
Your flow meter may have been purchased with an optional flow totalizer.
This displays the total amount of mass or volume that has flowed through
the instrument since its last reset, like a gasoline pump. You can access
the totalizer screen by pressing TOTAL/MENU on the Main Display.
TOTAL/ MPEAK SLPM
TIMER +18.030 +15.45
MAVG +0:24:56 h:m:s
+24:56
+45.290 SL
    MENU/
   RESET MAIN
TOTAL/ MPEAK SLPM
TIMER +18.030 +15.45
MAVG+45.290SL
+45.29
  +0:45:56h:m:s
    MENU/
   RESET MAIN





20 Navigation and Customization
How to Tare
First, ensure that nothing is flowing through
the device.
Taring Flow
MENU → TARES →TARE FLOW. Flow tares should
occur at the expected process pressure, as long
as there is no flow. A message, "ENSURE NO
FLOW BEFORE PRESSING TARE" will be displayed.
Press TARE to complete the taring process.
Taring Pressure
MENU →TARES → TARE PRESS. Absolute pres-
sure tares must be done with the meter open to
atmosphere (requires a barometer, which is included by default in portable
devices). A message, " PRESS TARE WHEN VENTED TO AMBIENT WITH NO FLOW "
followed by "CURRENT PRESSURE OFFSET:" If the absolute pressure sensor
in the flow body disagrees with the internal barometer, the dierence will
be displayed. If there is no dierence, it will display: ----- PSIA.
When to Tare
• Before every new flow measurement cycle
• After significant changes in temperature or pressure
• After dropping or bumping the flow meter.
• After installing the meter in a dierent orientation.
Menu
You can enter the menu system by pressing
the MENU button from the Main Display.    ABOUT TARES
 BASIC ADV
CONFIG SETUP MAIN
Main Menu
• ABOUT (page 21), TARES (below),
BASIC CONFIG (page 22), and
ADV SETUP (page 28) enter
their respective menus.
• MAIN exits to the Main
Display (page 17).
Taring Your Flow Meter
Taring is an important practice that ensures
that your flow meter is providing the most
accurate measurements possible. This function gives the flow meter a
good zero reference for flow measurements. For meters with an optional
barometer, taring can also be used to align the internal absolute pressure
sensor with the barometric pressure reading.
 TARE  TARE
 PRESS  FLOW
BACK  MAIN
Tare Menu