Casella Apex 2 User manual

USER MANUAL
www.casellasolutions.com
Casella
Regent House,
Wolseley Road,
Kempston,
Bedford.
MK42 7JY
T:[phone]
F:[phone]
E: [email protected]
Personal Air Sampling Pump
HB4058-04
October 2017

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Contents
Safety and warnings.............................................................................5
Disposal.......................................................................................................... 6
Disclaimer ............................................................................................7
Introduction.........................................................................................8
Controls and fittings ............................................................................9
Controls and menu structure ......................................................................... 9
Tube connections ......................................................................................... 10
Sampling inlet connection............................................................................................... 10
Gas bag outlet connection .............................................................................................. 10
Protective boot ............................................................................................ 10
Operation ..........................................................................................11
Turn the pump on/off .................................................................................. 11
Charge the pump battery ............................................................................. 11
Setup before starting a run .......................................................................... 12
Set the flow rate..............................................................................................................13
Reset the data ................................................................................................................. 13
Calibrate the pump ......................................................................................................... 13
Start/stop a sampling run............................................................................. 14
Lock and unlock the pump ........................................................................... 14
Partial lock....................................................................................................................... 14
Full lock............................................................................................................................ 15
Motion sensing............................................................................................. 15
Timer programmes (Plus and Pro models only)............................................ 15
Timed run ........................................................................................................................15
Run Sequence (Pro model only)......................................................................................16
TWA run (Pro model only) .............................................................................................. 16
Flow mode ................................................................................................... 16
Gas sample collection................................................................................... 17
Settings ..............................................................................................18

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Language...................................................................................................... 18
Temperature units ....................................................................................... 18
Pressure units............................................................................................... 18
Time and date .............................................................................................. 18
Screen contrast ............................................................................................ 19
Screen timeout............................................................................................. 19
Activity ......................................................................................................... 19
Screen rotation............................................................................................. 19
Bluetooth ..................................................................................................... 19
Advanced mode ........................................................................................... 19
Sequencer .................................................................................................... 20
Block Retry ................................................................................................... 20
Pump information ........................................................................................ 20
Diagnostics................................................................................................... 20
Auto –Lock................................................................................................... 20
Auto –Run ................................................................................................... 21
Warning and error messages .............................................................21
Warnings...................................................................................................... 21
Errors ........................................................................................................... 21
Airwave software for mobile devices.................................................22
Bluetooth connection and security............................................................... 22
Dashboard view............................................................................................ 22
Control panel................................................................................................ 23
Menu options............................................................................................... 23
Send Results via eMail..................................................................................................... 23
Copy to Clipboard............................................................................................................ 24
Set Instrument ID ............................................................................................................24
Customise eMail Header .................................................................................................24
About...............................................................................................................................24
Computer download utility................................................................25
Install the utility ........................................................................................... 25
Download data from the pump .................................................................... 25

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Technical specifications .....................................................................27
Flow performance table ............................................................................... 28
Declarations.......................................................................................29
Frequently asked questions ...............................................................31
What is the difference between the Standard, Plus and Pro models?...........................31
I would like to upgrade models –is this possible?.......................................................... 32
What program options are there for the Apex2?........................................................... 32
Is there an intrinsically safe version?.............................................................................. 32
Will there be a model suitable for the mining industry?................................................ 32
What is the recommended service interval for the Apex2?........................................... 32
How do I know what filters and accessories I need for my application? ....................... 32
Why include a motion sensor?........................................................................................33
Is wearer acceptance a problem then?...........................................................................33
What is the battery life and charge time and what’s the benefit?.................................33
What is the pulsation value and why is it so important? ............................................... 33
What is the flow control and why is that so important? ................................................33
What is back pressure? ...................................................................................................34
Servicing, maintenance and support .................................................35
Servicing....................................................................................................... 35
Maintenance ................................................................................................ 35
Replacing the inlet filter.................................................................................................. 35
Support ........................................................................................................ 36
Part numbers and accessories...................................................................... 36

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Safety and warnings
The Apex2 does not present a safety risk when you use it as instructed in this User Manual.
However, it is possible that the environment where you use the instrument may present a
safety risk. For this reason, always follow correct, safe working practices.
WARNING
Although the Apex2 is designed to be intrinsically safe (IS), you must comply with
these instructions relating to intrinsic safety:
Instructions specific to hazardous area installations (reference European ATEX
Directive (2014/34/EU, Annex II, 1.0.6.) and the following Intrinsic Safety
Standards:-
IEC60079-0:2011 IEC60079-11:2011
The following instructions apply to equipment covered by certificate number: CML
16ATEX2152, IECEx CML 16.0068, ANZEx 17.3007 (Australia and New Zealand) and
QPS (USA and Canada) LR1409-2 for the Apex2 series.
The following warnings should be observed for intrinsically safe versions of the
Apex2 Pump:-
•The Apex2 MUST be charged only using 1-Way Docking Station (Casella Part
Number 209152B), or 5-Way Docking Station (Casella Part Number
209156C). A Um of 63V is specified for the USB and DC power inputs of the
Docking station. This is ensured by connection to safety extra low-voltage
circuits (SELV) or protective extra low-voltage (PELV) circuits.
•DO NOT use the battery charger in a hazardous area.
•DO NOT attempt to download data via USB in a hazardous area.
•DO NOT use the equipment if the outer case of the instrument is cracked as
this invalidates the intrinsically safe certification.
•DO NOT service while in a hazardous area.
•The equipment is certified only for use in ambient temperatures in the
range -20oC to +45oC and MUST NOT be used outside this range.
•The user MUST ENSURE that the I.S. rating of the pump to be used is
suitable for the I.S. rating of the intended hazardous area.
CAUTION
The Apex2 air sampling pumps are designed to be robust, however please use the
pump as follows:
•Do not drop the pump or subject it to mechanical shock.

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•Avoid letting the pump suck in water, solid materials or highly saturated or
corrosive gases as this may cause damage and will invalidate the warranty.
•The Apex2 pump contains no user serviceable parts. If a fault is suspected,
return the pump to Casella or a Casella approved service centre.
CAUTION
If the equipment is likely to come into contact with aggressive substances, take
precautions to prevent the instrument from being adversely affected, so that the
type of protection is not compromised. (Aggressive substances such as solvents
may affect polymeric materials.) Suitable precautions include, regular checks as
part of routine inspections and establishing from the material’s data sheet that
the pump is resistant to specific chemicals.
CAUTION
Repair of this equipment shall only be carried out by the manufacturer or an
authorised representative in accordance with the applicable code of practice.
CAUTION
When Bluetooth® is enabled, care must be taken to avoid interference with
sensitive equipment such as in medical, aviation or safety critical environments.
Disposal
WEEE Notice
At the end of the instrument’s life please do not throw away with the
unsorted municipal waste. Please recycle with a registered WEEE
handler.

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Disclaimer
Do not use the Apex2 until you have thoroughly read this manual or have been instructed by
a Casella engineer.
At the time of writing, this manual was up to date but due to continual improvements the
final operating procedures may differ slightly from those in the manual. If there are any
questions please contact Casella for clarification.
Casella makes continual advancements in its products and services. We therefore reserve
the right to make changes and improvements to any information contained within this
manual.
Whilst every care is taken to ensure that the information in this manual is correct, Casella
will assume no responsibility for loss, damage or injury caused by any errors in, or omissions
from, the information given.

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Introduction
The Apex2 is the latest generation of personal sampling
pump, which can now be monitored from your mobile
phone or tablet without disturbing the wearer using the
Airwave App and Bluetooth® 4.0 connectivity (Plus and
Pro models). On models without remote connectivity, all
the running parameters are clearly displayed on the
pump LED screen.
Motion sensing allows you to confirm that the pump is
being worn, and the slim ergonomic design provides a
high degree of wearer acceptance. To provide greater
protection against dust and water ingress the pump is
IP65 rated and its smooth finish makes it easier to decontaminate.
The Apex2 has a maximum flow rate of 5 l/min and an impressive back pressure capability,
which ensures it operates reliably with a wide range of filter media. Inlet pressure is
continually sensed to establish filter loading and aid diagnostics. Gas and vapour collection is
also possible using the gas bag outlet on the pump.
On a full battery charge the pump is designed to operate for up to three 8 hr shifts before it
needs to be charged up. A gauge shows the battery charge level, and on Pro and Plus
models, the remaining run time.
The following table summarises the features and capabilities of the Apex 2 range of pumps.
Apex 2
Apex 2 Plus
Apex 2 Pro
Intrinsically safe
✔
✔
✔
Motion sensor
✔
✔
✔
Bag outlet
✔
✔
✔
Bluetooth®
✔
✔
Computer download
✔
✔
Inlet pressure sense
✔
✔
Run duration timer
✔
✔
Fully programmable timers
✔
Graph time history data
✔

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Controls and fittings
The Apex 2 has a limited number of easy to use controls and two pipe fittings.
Controls and menu structure
The up / down arrows, which are used to scroll through menu and setting items
and also to change values.
The On / Off button, which is used to turn the pump on and off, and to return to
a previous screen.
The enter key, which is used to enter sub-menu items and to save changed
values.
This is one of three dashboard screens that cycle after you turn on
the pump. The same information is also displayed when the pump is
running (see Operation on page 11). To temporarily maintain a single
screen as the visible screen, press and hold .
This is the menu that you use on a regular basis to reset, set the flow
and calibrate the pump between sample runs. It also gives you
access to timer control (see Setup before starting a run on page 12
and Timer programmes (Plus and Pro models only) on page 15).
The settings can be used to change the functionality of the pump or
to access diagnostic information. You’ll probably only access the
settings infrequently (see Settings on page 18).
Inlet nozzle
Scroll up / increase
Scroll down / decrease
Status indicator
Blue light flashes when pump running
Red light flashes when there is a fault or during charging
On / off / cancel
Start / stop / enter
Colour display
View all run parameters
and menu items

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Tube connections
Sampling inlet connection
Gas bag outlet connection
To collect a gas sample see Gas sample collection on page 17.
Protective boot
Ensure the protective boot (grey in colour) is fitted at all
times as it helps to guard against knocks and rough
treatment.
If you need to decontaminate the pump, remove the boot
temporarily.
Connect the collection head tube
to the inlet nozzle on the pump
When using the pump to collect gas, connect the
gas bag tube to the pump outlet using the supplied
Luer fitting.
Note: The gas bag tube must have a nominal inside
diameter of 5 mm.

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Operation
This section describes how to use the pump to take air samples using the minimum of
settings. The Apex2 has many other menu and settings options and these are described in
later chapters.
Turn the pump on/off
To turn on the pump:
On the top of the pump, press .
The following sequence is displayed:
This is followed by the three alternating dashboard screens, showing data from the last run.
Notice that the screen header is prompting you to start a sampling run.
To turn off the pump:
On the top of the pump, press and hold until the countdown has finished and the screen
goes blank.
Note: You can’t turn off the pump during a sampling run or when a programme timer is set.
Charge the pump battery
Before using the pump, check the battery level icon or battery gauge to ensure there is
enough charge for the intended sampling run. A good discipline is to place the pump on a
charger at the end of the shift so that it is always fully charged at the start of next shift.
Remember, it takes approximately 6 hours to fully charge a pump battery.

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To check the battery level:
1. Turn on the pump as described above.
2. Check the battery level, which will show either a percentage when
the pump is not running or number of hours remaining when the
pump is running (except Apex2 Standard which will show
percentage).
3. Turn off the pump.
The Apex2 is supplied with either a single or five-way charger station and power supply. You
cannot interchange the power supplies of the two chargers.
The chargers include a USB port for downloading data from the pump to a computer (see
Computer download utility on page 25).
To charge the pump battery:
1. Ensure that the pump is either off or on but not running.
Note: If you place the pump on the charging station while it is running it will be
powered by the charger and will continue to sample, however it will not charge.
2. Place the pump on a charging station in the orientation shown below with the belt clip
towards the power supply connection end.
The red light on the top of the pump flashes during the whole of
the charging time and the charge state is displayed for a user
defined period.
3. To see the amount of charge at any time press .
Once fully charged the blue light turns on for 10 minutes, after which time the pump
turns off.
Setup before starting a run
Depending on your sampling requirements you may want to perform one or more of the
following setup procedures before starting a sampling run.
To access the menu items described below:
Ensure the pump is turned on and then press to display the menu.
Press or to highlight the menu item you want to alter, and then press .

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Set the flow rate
1. Navigate to SET FLOW, and then press .
2. Press or to change the flow rate, and then press the enter key.
Reset the data
Use this menu item to reset the accumulated run time, motion index and volume data to
zero.
1. Navigate to RESET.
2. Press for 3 seconds.
Calibrate the pump
Always calibrate the pump at the sampling flow rate for greatest accuracy.
Note: If using a filter with a small pore size or if operating at a high flow rate, which results in
a high back pressure, it may take the pump a little longer to stabilise when adjusting the
calibrated value.
1. Attach a sampling head or flow tube or other flow-measuring device to the pump’s
inlet nozzle. The flowmeter should be connected to the inlet of the sampling head.
2. Navigate to CALIBRATE.
3. Press to start the test.
4. Press or to change the pump speed until the meter flow rate and the pump
flow rate match.
5. Press to stop the test.

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Start/stop a sampling run
Ensure your pump is calibrated, set to the correct flow rate and you have reset the
accumulated data if necessary. If you want to start a timed sampling run see page 15.
To start a sampling run:
1. Turn on the pump.
2. Press for 3 seconds.
The following screens should be visible.
To stop or pause a sampling run:
•Press for 3 seconds.
Lock and unlock the pump
Partial lock
Partial Lock mode is denoted by a half open padlock icon and can be set
in Run or Stop modes. While partially locked, the wearer may stop and
start the sampling pump but has no access to the menu or other
functions.
To partially lock and unlock the pump:
•Press and hold , and then press 3 times within quick succession. The partial
lock icon will be displayed.
Note: If you try to remove a partial lock when the pump is running you will need to
apply the above procedure twice, which applies and then removes a full lock.

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Full lock
The full lock can only be set when the pump is running and is denoted by
a closed padlock icon. While fully locked, the keypad is fully de-activated.
The wearer cannot stop or disturb the pump by any key presses.
To fully lock the pump:
•Press and hold , and then press 6 times in quick succession. The full lock icon
will be displayed.
To unlock the pump:
•Press and hold , and then press 3 times in quick succession.
Motion sensing
The Apex2 includes a motion sensor, which reports the amount of time
the pump is moving as a percentage of the sample run time (shown as
67% in the example on the right). This ensures wearer compliance giving
you confidence in the validity of the sample.
Note: The percentage value is only updated after a fixed time interval that you set in
minutes. The available intervals are 1, 3, 5, 10 or 15 minutes (see Activity on page 19).
Timer programmes (Plus and Pro models only)
The duration and programmed sequence timer functions are only available when
ADV. MODE (Advanced Mode) has been enabled in the SETTINGS menu (see page 19).
Timed run
Using this mode you can run the pump for a set period, after which the pump will turn off
automatically.
To start a timed run for a set period:
1. Navigate to Ti RUN 08:00, and then press .
Note: 08:00 in this example is the previously set time.
2. Press or to set the time in hours and minutes.
3. Press for 3 seconds to start the timed run.

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Run Sequence (Pro model only)
The RUN SEQUENCE timer allows nine ON and OFF events to be run in sequence. These may
be used to define daily or weekly sampling sequences. For example, sampling may start in
the morning then automatically pause for a worker’s lunch or rest breaks.
To set up the run sequence, see Sequencer on page 20.
To start the run sequence:
1. Navigate to RUN SEQUENCE, and then .
2. Press for 3 seconds to start the run sequence.
TWA run (Pro model only)
In time weighted average (TWA) mode the pump samples for a proportion of the specified
run time (called the exposure time). The pump calculates the required ON/OFF cycle to
spread the total sample time evenly over the run time. The ON time is always 1 minute and
the OFF time is varied according to the calculation. For example, with an exposure time of 2
hours and a total run time of 8 hours the pump turns on for 1 minute every 4 minutes.
To start a TWA sampling run:
1. Navigate to TWA, and then press .
2. Press or to set the run time in hours and minutes, and then press .
3. Press or to set the exposure time in hours and minutes.
4. Press for 3 seconds to start the pump immediately.
Flow mode
Flow mode enables the pump to be operated as follows:
•Outlet flow is controlled –this is the normal setting for air sampling in which the flow
rate is controlled by varying the back pressure.
•Inlet pressure control –use this setting to set the inlet pressure to a fixed value. This
would normally be used for sampling with sorbent tubes (e.g. charcoal). Further details
are available on using low flow adaptors with the inlet pressure control on the Apex2
product page at www.casellasolutions.com.

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To set the flow mode:
1. Navigate to FLOW MODE, and then press .
2. Press or to select either OUTLET FLOW or INLET PRESSURE, and then press .
3. If you selected INLET PRESSURE, the last action takes you to the SET PRESSURE menu
option (which replaces the SET FLOW option). Press or to set the pressure,
and then press .
Gas sample collection
The pump has an outlet to which you can connect a gas sample bag. When operating in bag
fill mode the pump runs until the back pressure reaches 15 mBar and therefore it
automatically fills bags of any size.
To collect a gas sample:
1. Connect the gas bag (see Gas bag outlet connection on page 10).
2. Navigate to SET FLOW, and then press .
3. Press and hold until BAG FILL is displayed.
4. Press to save the setting.

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Settings
This section describes the settings you may wish, or need, to alter occasionally, and it
describes how to access system information you may be asked for by a service technician.
To access the SETTINGS menu:
Press or to scroll to any of the following settings.
Press to enter/save a setting or move between values, and press to go back.
Language
Supported languages include
English, Portuguese, Brazilian,
Spanish, Italian, German and
French.
Temperature units
Select centigrade or Fahrenheit.
Pressure units
Select cmH2O, kPa, ”H2O or
mBar.
Time and date
Set the date and time. Press
enter to sequence through the
numbers to be set.
Press
With the Casella
screen visible,
press and hold
+

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Screen contrast
You may want to reduce the
contrast for operation in low
light conditions.
Screen timeout
Use a screen timeout if you
want to save power. Once the
screen is off, press any key to
turn it on again.
Activity
Set the averaging period of the
motion sensor in minutes.
Screen rotation
Allows the screen to rotate 180°
when the pump is held
horizontally and rotated.
Bluetooth
Enable or disable Bluetooth.
You need to enable Bluetooth
when using the AirWave app
(see page 22).
Advanced mode
Hides or displays these menu
items:
Run Duration, Run Sequencer,
TWA and Flow Control.

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Sequencer
You can specify up to nine
ON/OFF times/days. A number
in the corner of the screen
identifies each sequence.
A sequence runs until an OFF
period has been set to END.
In the example above the pump runs in the morning and
afternoon with a one hour stop during the wearer’s lunch.
Block Retry
When the inlet is blocked for
more than 20 seconds the
pump stops sampling. After 1
minute the pump tries to
resume sampling.
You can set the number of retries before the pump stops working.
Pump information
Use this setting to see the serial
number and firmware version.
A contact telephone number is
also provided.
Diagnostics
This information is intended for
routine maintenance and fault
diagnosis.
Auto –Lock
Use this setting if you want a
full lock (see page 15) to be
applied automatically after you
start the pump.