BASI Epsilon EClipse User manual

February 2020
Epsilon EClipse™
Potentiostat/Galvanostat/Bipotentiostat
Instruction Manual

Copyright BASi 1997 – 2020
Bioanalytical Systems, Inc.
www.basinc.com
This instrument, either wholly or in part, is manufactured for research purposes only. Use for medical diagnosis
is not intended, implied, or recommended by the manufacturer. Use for this purpose and accountability for same
rest entirely with the user.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Introduction...................................................... 3
2. Safety Precautions ................................................. 6
3. Installation ...................................................... 8
3.1. Power .................................................... 8
3.2. Computer ................................................. 9
3.3. Cell Connection ............................................. 9
3.4. Analog Input/Output .........................................10
3.5. Remote Start/Stop ...........................................10
3.6. Timed Events ...............................................11
3.7. Starting the Epsilon EClipse™ ....................................11
4. Epsilon EClipse™ Chemical Test Procedure................................ 13
5. Interfacing BASi Accessories with the Epsilon EClipse™ ...................... 23
5.1. Cell Stand (C3 and CGME).......................................23
5.2. RDE-2 Rotating Disk Electrode ...................................23
6. Upgrading the Epsilon EClipse™ ....................................... 24
7. Epsilon EClipse™ Software ........................................... 25
7.1. Introduction ...............................................25
7.2. Instrument Menu ............................................25
7.3. Selecting a Technique .........................................28
7.4. Editing Techniques ...........................................30
7.5. Available Techniques..........................................36
7.6. Experiment ................................................61
7.7. Graphing ..................................................61
7.8. Data Analysis...............................................67
7.9. Data Storage and Export .......................................71
7.10. Shortcut Keys...............................................71
8. Maintenance and Troubleshooting ..................................... 72
8.1. Working Electrodes ...........................................72
8.2. Reference Electrodes ..........................................74
8.3. Troubleshooting .............................................78

3
BASi | Epsilon EClipse
1. INTRODUCTION
The Epsilon EClipse™ is the latest potentiostat designed by Bioanalytical Systems Inc. to enable scientists to
conduct cutting edge electrochemistry experiments in the laboratory. It has upgraded hardware, updated software,
an expanded applied potential range, and improved design compared to the Epsilon. This manual is intended to aid
the electrochemist in utilizing the Epsilon EClipse™ to its utmost potential.
Additional accessories for electrochemistry experiments using the Epsilon EClipse™ are available from BASi. These
include the C3 cell stand, the controlled growth mercury electrode (CGME), a rotating disk electrode (RDE2), and
many different electrodes. These are mentioned where appropriate throughout the manual.
1.1 TECHNIQUES
Basic Software:
Potentiostat
Cyclic Voltammetry (CV)
Linear Sweep Voltammetry (LSV)
Chronoamperometry/Chronocoulometry (CA/CC)
Controlled Potential Electrolysis (CPE)
DC Potential Amperometry (DCPA)
Galvanostat
Chronopotentiometry (CP)
Double Step Chronopotentiometry (DSCP)
Other
Open Circuit Potential Vs Time (OP)
Basic Plus Software:
Pulsed Voltammetry
Square Wave Voltammetry (SW)
Normal Pulse Voltammetry/Polarography (NP)
Differential Pulse Voltammetry/Polarography (DP)
Sampled Current Polarography (SCP)
Stripping Voltammetry
Linear Sweep Stripping Voltammetry (LSSV)
Square Wave Stripping Voltammetry (SWSV)
Differential Pulse Stripping Voltammetry (DPSV)
Methods Software:
Sequential Techniques
Bipotentiostat Techniques :
Multi-Channel Amperometry (MCA)
Multi-Channel Cyclic Voltammetry (MCCV)
Multi-Channel Chronoamperometry (MCCA)
PART 1 | INTRODUCTION

4
BASi | Epsilon EClipse
1.2 FEATURES
Nineteen techniques
±10 V applied potential range
±12V compliance voltage range
Update user friendly software
100 µv potentiostat resolution
Hardware interfaces with BASi Voltammetric Cell Stand, Controlled Growth Mercury Electrode Cell Stand, and
Rotating Disk Electrode Cell Stand
Control of magnetic stirring and gas purging with BASi cell stands
Automatic and manual peak fitting
Anson and Cottrell Plots
Digital smoothing
Semi-integration, and semi-differentiation
1.4 WARRANTY
BASi® warrants equipment manufactured by the company to be free of defects in material and workmanship for a
period of one year from the date of shipment, except as provided hereinafter. This assumes normal usage under
commonly accepted operating parameters and excludes consumable products. BASi® further warrants that it has
clear title to the goods and the goods shall be delivered free of liens and encumbrances. BASi® does not warrant
either a good effect or against any ill effect following use of the goods.
All products manufactured by BASi® are tested and inspected prior to shipment. However, in the event a prod-
uct is delivered to buyer with a defect, upon prompt notification by the buyer, BASi® will correct any defect in
products or equipment of its manufacture either, at its option, by return of the item to the factory, or shipment
of a repaired or replacement part. BASi® will not be obliged, however, to replace or repair any piece of equipment
which it determines has been abused, improperly installed, altered, damaged, or repaired by others. Defects in
1.3 SPECIFICATIONS:
Potentiostat:
Channel 1 applied potential: Dynamic DAC: 16 bit, ±3.275 V
at 0.1 mV resolution or ±10V at 0.33 mV resolution
Offset DAC: 8 bit, ±2.55 V at 10 mV resolution
Channel 2 applied potential: Dynamic DAC: 8 bit, ±2.55 V at
10 mV resolution
Compliance voltage: ±12 V
Maximum current: 100 mA
Bandwidth: >1012 W
(values for parameters other than applied potential
are for both channels)
Current to voltage converter:
Full scale sensitivity: 1 nA*, 10 nA*, 100 nA, 1
µA, 10 µA, 100 µA, 1 mA, 10 mA, 100 mA
(*secondary gain used)
Secondary gain: x1, x10, and x100
ADC resolution: 16 bit
Sampling rate: 50 kHz (20 µs/conversion)
Data length: ≤64,000 points – fast
Galvanostat:
Applied current: 50 pA – 50 mA
Voltage range: ±10 V or ±1 V
Measured voltage resolution: 0.02 mV
Maximum leakage current: 30 pA
Minimum PC requirements:
Windows 7 or higher
USB port
Power requirements:
120 or 240 V AC, 50/60 Hz, 60 VA
Dimensions & Weight:
15.75” (40 cm) x 5.25” (13 cm) x 12.75” (32.5 cm)
17.5 lbs (7.4 kg)

5
BASi | Epsilon EClipse
equipment do not include decomposition, wear, or damage by chemical action or corrosion, or damage incurred
during shipment.
BASi® agrees either to repair or replace, at its sole option and free of part charges to the buyer, any parts of such
instrumentation which, under proper and normal conditions of use, prove to be defective within 90 days from the
date of shipment.
BASi® neither assumes nor authorizes any person to assume for it any other liability in connection with the sale,
installation, service or use of its instrumentation. BASi® shall have no liability whatsoever for special, consequential, or
punitive damages of any kind from any cause arising out of the sale, installation, service or use of the goods or services.
THE WARRANTY AND REMEDY PROVIDED HEREIN ARE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE WARRANTY AND REMEDY MADE
BY BASi® AND IN LIEU OF ALL OTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTY OF
MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
Limited Obligations Covered by this Warranty
1.In the case of instruments not of BASi® manufacture, the original manufacturer’s warranty
applies.
2.Shipping charges under warranty are covered only in one direction. The buyer is responsible for
shipping charges to the factory if return of the part is required.
3.This warranty does not cover damage to valves, lamps, seals, or columns due to improper instal-
lation by the buyer.
4.Warranty for thin-layer amperometric cells and working electrodes are limited to 60 days.
5.Warranty for valves is limited to 30 days.
6.Expendable items, including but not limited to microdialysis probes, catheters, tubing sets,
reference electrodes, chemical standards, prepared solutions, lights, fuses, O-rings, gaskets, glass
items, membranes and filters, are excluded from warranty.
7.Failure by the buyer to perform normal and reasonable maintenance on instruments will void
warranty claims.
8.If the original invoice for the instrument is issued to a buyer which is not the end user, and not
an authorized BASi® distributor, then all requests for warranty must be processed through the
company which sold the product to the end user, and not through BASi® or its distributors.
1.5 SERVICE INFORMATION
BASi has skilled staff available to assist with technical support for your BASi equipment. For service, call (765)
463-4527 and ask for Customer Service. Following discussion of your specific difficulties, an appropriate course of
action will be described and the problem will be resolved accordingly.
Do not return any products for service until a Return Authorization Number (RA#) has been obtained. The RA#
identifies you as the sender and describes the problem you are having in full detail. All correspondence and ship-
ments should be sent to:
Service Department
Bioanalytical Systems, Inc.
2701 Kent Avenue
West Lafayette, IN 47906
RA# __________’

6
BASi | Epsilon EClipse
2. SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
The following general safety precautions must be observed during all phases of operation, service, and repair
of this instrument. Failure to comply with these precautions or with specific WARNINGS, CAUTIONS, or NOTES
elsewhere in this manual may impair the protection provided by the equipment. Such noncompliance would also
violate safety standards of design, manufacture, and intended use of the instrument.
Bioanalytical Systems, Inc. assumes no liability for the customer’s failure to comply with these requirements.
• For indoor use only.
• Ground the Instrument. To avoid electric shock, the instrument must be grounded with the
supplied power cable’s grounding prong.
• DO NOT exceed the operating input power, voltage, current level and signal type appropriate for
the instrument. Refer to the Installation Section for further information.
• Electrostatic discharge (ESD) can damage the highly sensitive microcircuits in your instrument.
ESD damage is most likely to occur as the instruments are being connected or disconnected.
Ground yourself to discharge any static charge built-up by touching the outer shell of any
grounded instrument chassis before the I/O connectors are connected or disconnected.
• DO NOT place the instrument in fluid or expose the internal elements or back panel to fluid.
• DO NOT Operate in an Explosive Atmosphere. Do not operate the instrument in the presence of
inflammable gasses or fumes. Operation of any electrical instrument in such an environment
clearly constitutes a safety hazard.
• Keep Away from Live Circuits. Operators must not remove instrument covers. Component replace-
ment and internal adjustments must be made by qualified maintenance personnel. Do not replace
components with the power cable connected. Under certain conditions, dangerous voltage levels
may exist even with the power cable removed. To avoid injuries, always disconnect the power
and discharge circuits before touching them.
• DO NOT Substitute Parts or Modify the Instrument. To avoid the danger of introducing additional
hazards, do not install substitute parts or perform unauthorized modifications to the instrument.
Return the instrument to Bioanalytical Systems, Inc. Service Department for service and repair to
ensure that safety features are maintained in operational condition.
If you notice any unusual conditions as listed below, immediately terminate operation and disconnect the power
cable. Contact the Bioanalytical Systems, Inc. Service Department for repair of the instrument. If you continue to
operate without repairing the instrument, there is a potential for hazard or damage to both the equipment and the
operator.
• Instrument operates abnormally
• Instrument emits abnormal noise, smell, smoke or a spark-like light during operation
• Instrument generates high temperatures or electrical shock during operation
• Power cable, plug or receptacle on instrument is damaged
• Foreign substance or liquid has penetrated the outer cover of the instrument
PART 2 | SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

7
BASi | Epsilon EClipsePART 2 | SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Throughout the course of this manual, the following words and symbols will be used to designate important information:
WARNING – This signifies extreme
hazard. Not following the instructions
may result in serious injury or death.
CAUTION – Following information relates
to a hazard. If instructions are not
followed properly, it can result in
irrevocable damage to the instrument.
NOTE – This implies that the following
instructions are essential for the user
to understand in order to operate the
equipment effectively.
SYMBOLS
Caution: Risk of danger. User’s manual must be consulted in all cases where this symbol is marked.
Fuse
Alternating current
On (supply)
Off (supply)
Complies with European Union directives
The European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive

8
BASi | Epsilon EClipse
3. INSTALLATION
Connections to the cell and the cell stands (C3, RDE-2, CGME) are made on the front panel of the Epsilon EClipse™
system. All other connections, including the power and USB port, are made on the rear panel.
3.1. POWER
The Epsilon EClipse™ system requires a grounded power supply, providing either 120VAC at 60Hz or 240VAC at
50Hz. Before connecting the supplied power cord, check that the indicator next to the power connection shows
the correct voltage.
If you need to change the power input for any reason, please contact BASi for assistance.
PART 3 | INSTALLATION

9
BASi | Epsilon EClipse
3.2. COMPUTER
The Epsilon EClipse™ system requires a computer running Windows 7 or later. Connect a standard USB cable
between any USB port on the computer and the USB port on the back of the Epsilon EClipse™. The Epsilon EClipse
software is included on a USB stick with each purchase. For the most up-to-date version of the software, please
email [e-mail].
3.3. CELL CONNECTION
The cell connection on the Epsilon EClipse™ can be found on the lower front panel of the instrument. The cell
lead cable is the group of wires that connects the Epsilon EClipse™ to the electrodes of the electrochemical cell.
The Epsilon EClipse™ has been supplied with a single-channel cell lead cable or a dual-channel cell lead cable,
depending on whether it is a standard potentiostat or a bipotentiostat.
WARNING: NEVER CONNECT OR ADJUST
THE CELL LEADS DURING AN EXPERIMENT
OR WHEN THE CELL IS ON. DOING SO
COULD DAMAGE THE SENSITIVE
AMPLIFIERS AND VOID YOUR WARRANTY.
The general purpose cell lead cable is terminated with alligator clips that attach directly to the cell electrodes.
PART 3 | INSTALLATION
SINGLE-CHANNEL
CELL LEAD (ER-
9861)
There are 3 electrode leads and 1
grounded (shielding) lead.
Black: Working Electrode
Red: Auxiliary electrode
White: Reference electrode
Ring: Ground connector
BIPOT CELL LEAD
(ER-9860)
There are 4 electrode leads and 1
grounded (shielding) lead.
Black W1: Working Electrode W1
Black W2: Working Electrode W2
Red: Auxiliary electrode
White: Reference electrode
Ring: Ground connector
CELL STAND CABLE
(ER-9862)
This cable is available for direct
attachment to the LEMO port on a
BASi cell stand.

10
BASi | Epsilon EClipse
3.4. ANALOG INPUT/OUTPUT
Analog inputs and outputs can only be used for potentiostatic techniques. An analog output is provided for the
W1 and W2 channels (W3 and W4 are unavailable on the Epsilon EClipse™), and must be activated from within the
software (see Manual Control in section 7.2). These outputs have a full scale output of ± 10 V and are provided for
connection to chart recorders and other data-acquisition devices. The W1 or W2 terminal should be connected to
the “high” or “+” input of the peripheral device, and the GND terminal to the “low” or “-” input (do not use any
additional grounding that may be available on the peripheral device).
The E OUT output is provided to monitor the potential applied to the cell on W1 (or the potential of the working
electrode in the Open Circuit Potential technique), and the E IN input is provided to apply a potential to W1 from
an external source (this external potential is summed to the potential applied by the Epsilon EClipse™). Please be
aware that noise may be introduced into the system when E IN is activated.
3.5. REMOTE START/STOP
The remote start and stop connections provide several alternatives for sending and receiving signals to and from
other instruments. These functions are fixed in time and cannot be modified. For programmable triggers to remote
instruments, see Timed Events below.
START IN
Allows an external device to trigger the start of an experiment. Note that this is not the start of data acquisitions,
and several hundred milliseconds plus the Quiet Time may elapse from the trigger until data acquisition starts. A
switch closure or TTL-low of at least 55ms across the START IN terminal and its ground will trigger the run.
START OUT
Used to trigger other instruments at the start of an experiment. It provides a 1 second TTL-low.
PART 3 | INSTALLATION

11
BASi | Epsilon EClipsePART 3 | INSTALLATION
STOP IN
Not applicable for the Epsilon EClipse™.
STOP OUT
Used to trigger other instruments at the end of an experiment. It provides a 1 second TTL-low at the end of the
run. The time between the last data point acquired and this signal depends upon the technique and its parameters.
3.6. TIMED EVENTS
Timed Events are programmable switch closures that provide exceptional flexibility for controlling peripheral
instruments. Four switches are provided, which can be connected in a normally-open (NO) or a normally-closed
(NC) configuration. Two possible configurations to create TTL signals are shown below.
With both configurations the trigger line will normally be at 5V and will step to 0V when activated. In the figure on
the right, the resistor (1 - 10kΩ) is required to limit the current drawn from the 5V power supply. These switches
may be manually activated in the software, or programmed as part of Sequential Techniques (see section 7.4 and
section 7.6).
3.7. STARTING THE EPSILON ECLIPSE™
Once the Epsilon EClipse™ is plugged into the USB port on your computer and powered on, you can open the
Epsilon EClipse™ software. The software will automatically connect to the instrument. You should see the message
“Epsilon Connected” in the bottom left corner of the software. If you receive the following message when you open
the software, please check the power and USB connections.

12
BASi | Epsilon EClipse
If the connection is broken after it has been established, the PC and the Epsilon EClipse™ can be reconnected
using Reconnect Epsilon in the Instrument menu.
PART 3 | INSTALLATION

13
BASi | Epsilon EClipsePART 4 | CHEMICAL TEST PROCEDURE
4. EPSILON ECLIPSE™ CHEMICAL TEST PROCEDURE
PURPOSE
The purpose of this test is to perform a final examination of the Epsilon EClipse™ before going to the
customer, and to provide the customer with typical output and data. From these outputs, the customer
can verify that the instrument is working properly on arrival and can gain some experience in its
operation.
INSTRUMENT INSTALLATION
Please follow the installation instructions at the beginning of this manual. If available, a BASi cell stand
should be connected to the CELL STAND port on the front of the Epsilon EClipse™.
TEST SOLUTION
2 mM potassium ferricyanide with 1 M potassium nitrate in water.
PREPARATION OF THE TEST SOLUTION
1. Weigh 16.5 mg potassium ferricyanide and place in a 25 mL volumetric flask.
2. Weigh 2.53 g potassium nitrate and add to the same volumetric flask.
3. Add about 20 mL deionized water to dissolve the potassium ferricyanide and potassium nitrate.
4. Dilute to 25 mL with deionized water.
CELL (C3 CELL STAND)
Platinum (PTE) Working Electrode (Black lead)
Platinum Wire Auxiliary Electrode (Red lead)
Silver/Silver Chloride RE-5B Reference Electrode (White lead)
Add 10-15 mL of the ferricyanide solution to the cell vial and place in the cell holder (see Cell Stand
instructions). Polish the PTE with 0.05 µm alumina following the polishing instructions provided in the
polishing kit.
If the RE-5B electrode is new, carefully remove the yellow plastic sheath before use. In addition, there
may be air bubbles inside the electrode next to the CoralPor™ frit; these must be displaced (by flicking
the electrode). RE-5B electrodes must be stored in 3M sodium chloride when not in use.
PROCEDURE
1. Turn the Power switch on the Epsilon EClipse™ to on.
2. Open the Epsilon EClipse™ software by clicking the EpsilonEC icon. The software will automatically connect to
the instrument. You should see the message “Epsilon Connected” in the bottom left corner of the software. If
you receive a message that the software is unable to connect to the instrument, please check the power and
USB connections. If the link is lost after being established, use Reconnect Epsilon in the Instrument menu to
reestablish the link.

14
BASi | Epsilon EClipse PART 4 | CHEMICAL TEST PROCEDURE
3. Click New in the File menu to set up a new experiment. The list of available techniques is displayed (Fig 1).
It should be noted that there are some techniques that are labeled as DEMO. This label indicates that this
technique is NOT active on this particular Epsilon EClipse™. However, it is possible to load a data file for that
technique to examine the parameters and the typical output. If the RUN button is clicked when a DEMO data
file is displayed in the active window, an error message will be shown. The technique list shown in Figure 1 is
the list for the Basic-Plus and Methods Epsilon EClipse™ software.
Figure 1 – Selecting a New Technique
4. Select Cyclic Voltammetry. The new .etech file can now be edited. Enter the values shown in Figure 2. Note
that Switching Potential 2 is not required since there are only 2 segments (Initial Potential to Switching
Potential 1 to Final Potential). Various experimental data can be entered into the Experimental Conditions
section. These notes will also be saved when the experimental data is saved. Once these changes have been
entered, an experiment using these parameters can be run by clicking the RUN button. An experiment can be
run using either Run in the Experiment menu, or the RUN icon on the Tool Bar. This icon will change to STOP
during the experiment, and can be used to abort the experiment.

15
BASi | Epsilon EClipsePART 4 | CHEMICAL TEST PROCEDURE
Figure 2 - Editing the .etech for Cyclic Voltammetry
5. After the experiment has been run, the voltammogram will be displayed (Figure 3). Note the information about
the experiment and the peak parameters on the right side of the graph.
Figure 3 - Cyclic Voltammetry graph
6. A specific area of the graphic can be enlarged by using the mouse cursor (and the left mouse button) to define
the area (Figure 4), by using the mouse scroll to zoom in and out, or by entering the x and y values in the Data
Display Settings dialog box in the Graph menu (Figure 5). The original graph can be restored using Zoom Full
Range in the Graph menu.

16
BASi | Epsilon EClipse
Figure 4 - Enlarged section of the Cyclic Voltammetry graph
Figure 5 - Data display settings dialog box
7. Use Save in the File menu to save the data in the active .edata window. The data can be converted to a number
of different text formats using Save Data As in the File menu (Figure 6). Select the desired options and the
delimiter, and then click OK to save the converted Data.
PART 4 | CHEMICAL TEST PROCEDURE

17
BASi | Epsilon EClipse
Figure 6 - File conversion
8. Click on the open .etech window. To the right of the graph, find the scan rate parameter box and change the
Scan Rate to 200 mV/s. Run the experiment again. Note that the new data is displayed in a new .edata window.
Save this data. Change the scan rate to 500 mV/s, run the experiment, and save the data.
9. The three data sets run at different scan rates can be displayed on the same sets of axes using the File Overlay
function in the Graph menu. All open *.edata files will be added to the overlay (Figure 7).
Figure 7 - Overlayed cyclic voltammograms
PART 4 | CHEMICAL TEST PROCEDURE

18
BASi | Epsilon EClipse
10. Click New in the File menu, and select Cyclic Voltammetry again. Enter the parameters shown in Figure
8, and run this experiment. Since there are 3 segments, 4 potential parameters must be defined (Initial
Potential-Switching Potential 1-Switching Potential 2-Final Potential).
Figure 8 - New Cyclic Voltammetry Parameters
11. Click New, and select Chronoamperometry/Chronocoulometry from the list of techniques. A third window will
appear. Enter the parameters shown in Figure 9. Running the experiment generates the plot shown in Figure 10.
Figure 9 - Parameters for Chronoamperometry/Chronocoulometry
PART 4 | CHEMICAL TEST PROCEDURE