DURRIDGE RAD7 User manual

RAD7 RADON DETECTOR
User Manual
Owner__________________________
Serial #______________
SERVICE RECORD
Date Service
It is recommended that the unit be returned to DURRIDGE Co annually, for recalibration.
DURRIDGE COMPANY Inc.
7 Railroad Avenue, Suite D
Bedford, MA 01730
Tel: [phone]
[email protected]
© 2009 DURRIDGE Co. www.durridge.com

WARNING
The mains plug for this instrument shall only be inserted in a socket outlet
provided with a protective ground contact. Any interruption of the protective
conductor may make the instrument dangerous.
Opening the cover of this instrument is likely to expose dangerous voltages.
Disconnect the instrument from all voltage sources while it is being opened.
Due to battery power, the instrument may still be dangerous.
Using this instrument in a manner not specified by the manufacturer may impair the protection provided
by the instrument.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
....................................................................................................INTRODUCTION 9
...........................................................................1. GETTING STARTED: 10
YOUR FIRST DAY WITH THE RAD7 10
..............................................................................................1.1 Unpacking 10
....................................................................1.2 General Safety Instructions 10
........................................................................................1.3 Taking a Look 11
..........................................................................1.4 Starting a Two-day Test 12
................................................................................1.5 Starting a Sniff Test 14
.........................................................2. BASICS OF RAD7 OPERATION 16
............................................................................................2.1 Introduction 16
.......................................................................................................................2.1.1 The Key Pad 16
....................................................................................................................2.1.2 Command List 16
.........................................................................................................2.2 Test 16
...........................................................................................................................2.2.1 Test Status 16
......................................................................................................2.2.1a Quick Save-and-Restart 17
......................................................................................................2.2.2 Test Start and Test Stop 18
.............................................................................................................................2.2.3 Test Save 18
............................................................................................................................2.2.4 Test Clear 18
...........................................................................................................................2.2.5 Test Purge 18
.............................................................................................................................2.2.6 Test Lock 19
............................................................................................................................2.2.7 Test Sleep 19
............................................................................................................................2.2.8 Test Print 19
.............................................................................................................................2.2.9 Test Com 19
........................................................................................................2.3 Data 19
...........................................................................................................................2.3.1 Data Read 19
...........................................................................................................................2.3.2 Data Print 20
............................................................................................................................2.3.3 Data Com 20
....................................................................................................................2.3.4 Data Summary 21
............................................................................................................................2.3.5 Data Free 21
.........................................................................................................................2.3.6 Data Delete 21
..................................................................................................................2.3.7 Data Renumber 21
..........................................................................................................................2.3.8 Data Erase 22
......................................................................................................2.4 Setup 22
....................................................................................................................2.4.1 Setup Protocol 22

Table 2.4.1 Preset protocols 22
.........................................................................................................................2.4.2 Setup Cycle 22
......................................................................................................................2.4.3 Setup Recycle 22
.........................................................................................................................2.4.4 Setup Mode 23
......................................................................................................................2.4.5 Setup Thoron 23
.........................................................................................................................2.4.6 Setup Pump 24
...........................................................................................................................2.4.7 Setup Tone 24
......................................................................................................................2.4.8 Setup Format 24
..........................................................................................................................2.4.9 Setup Units 24
......................................................................................................................2.4.10 Setup Savuser 25
.........................................................................................................................2.4.11 Setup Clock 25
......................................................................................................................2.4.12 Setup Review 25
....................................................................................................2.5 Special 25
.......................................................................................................................2.5.1 Special Ident 26
....................................................................................................................2.5.2 Special SPrOn 26
....................................................................................................................2.5.3 Special SPrOff 26
..................................................................................................................2.5.4 Special SetBaud 26
......................................................................................................................2.5.5 Special Status 26
.......................................................................................................................2.5.6 Special Start 26
........................................................................................................................2.5.7 Special Stop 26
.................................................................................................................2.5.8 Special Comspec 26
...................................................................................................................2.5.9 Special ComAll 26
....................................................................................................................2.5.10 Special SPrAll 26
....................................................................................................................2.5.11 Special S-Load 26
...................................................................................................................2.5.12 Special Version 26
.....................................................................................................................2.5.13 Special Model 26
......................................................................................................................2.5.14 Special Serial 26
.......................................................................................................................2.5.15 Special Beep 27
....................................................................................................................2.5.16 Special Relays 27
.......................................................................................2.6 Infrared Printer 27
Alpha Energy Spectrum 28
..................................................3. BASICS OF RAD7 TECHNOLOGY: 29
HOW IT WORKS 29
............................................................................................3.1 Introduction 29
...............................................................................3.2 Radon Decay Chain 29
Radon and Thoron decay chains 30
............................................................................................................3.2.1 Radon-222 (Radon) 31
...........................................................................................................3.2.2 Radon-220 (Thoron) 31
.............................................................................3.3 Continuous Monitors 31
...................................................................................................3.4 Sniffers 32
........................................................................................3.5 Working Level 32
....................................................................3.6 RAD7 Solid-State Detector 33
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.....................................................................................3.7 RAD7 Spectrum 33
................................................................................................3.8 Windows 34
................................................................................3.9 Isotope Equilibrium 35
..........................................................................3.10 Modes: Sniff and Auto 36
............................................................................................3.11 Background 36
........................................................................3.11.1 Short-lived Radon and Thoron Daughters. 36
.........................................................................................................3.11.2 Adsorbed Radon Gas. 37
............................................................................................3.11.4 Long-lived Radon Daughters. 37
...................................................3.11.5 Contamination by Radon, or Thoron, Producing Solids. 37
........................................................................................................3.11.6 Other Alpha Emitters. 37
................................................................................................3.11.7 Beta and Gamma Emitters. 37
............................................................................3.12 Precision & Accuracy 37
...............................................................................3.13 Spectrum Examples 39
................................................................................................3.13.1 Operational Radon Spectra 39
...................................................................................................................3.13.2 Thoron Spectra 40
..........................................................................................................3.13.3 Combination Spectra 41
..........................................................................................................3.13.4 Pathological Spectra 43
...............................................................................4. USING THE RAD7: 45
GOOD OPERATING PROCEDURES 45
............................................................................................4.1 Introduction 45
..........................................................................4.2 Continuous Monitoring 45
........................................................................................................................4.2.1 Preparation 45
...............................................................................................................................4.2.2 Purging 45
......................................................................................................................4.2.3 Test Location 45
.......................................................................................................................4.2.4 Test Protocol 46
....................................................................................................4.2.5 To Print Or Not To Print 46
..............................................................................................4.2.7 Security and Quality Control 47
...............................................................................................................4.2.8 Finishing the Run 47
............................................................................................................4.2.9 Examining the Data 48
...............................................................................................4.2.10 Very Short Term Monitoring 48
..................................................................................................4.3 Sniffing 48
..........................................................................................................................4.3.1 Why Sniff? 48
.............................................................................................4.3.2 Locating Radon Entry Points 48
........................................................................................................................4.3.3 Preparation 49
...............................................................................................................................4.3.4 Purging 49
.................................................................................................................4.3.5 Running the Test 49
.....................................................................................................4.3.6 Drilled Sampling Points 50
.....................................................................................................................4.3.7 Spot Readings 50
.......................................................................................4.4 Grab Sampling 50
........................................................................................................................4.4.1 Applicability 50

........................................................................................................................4.4.2 Preparation 50
..............................................................................................................................4.4.3 Protocol 51
...............................................................................................................4.4.4 Taking the Sample 51
..............................................................................................................................4.4.5 Analysis 51
......................................................................................4.5 Radon in Water 51
............................................................................................................................4.5.1 RAD H2O 51
.........................................................................................................................4.5.2 RAD AQUA 51
..................................................................................4.6 Soil Gas Sampling 51
..........................................................................................................................4.6.1 Application 51
....................................................................................................................4.6.2 Soil Gas Probe 52
........................................................................................................................4.6.3 Preparation 52
.................................................................................................................4.6.4 Running the Test 52
..........................................................................................................4.6.5 Interpreting the Data 52
........................................................................4.7 Emission Measurements 52
..........................................................................................................................4.7.1 Application 52
................................................................................4.7.2 Open or Closed Loop Configurations 52
....................................................................................................................4.7.3 Bulk Emissions 53
................................................................................................................4.7.4 Surface Emission 53
.............................................................................4.8 Thoron Measurement 53
..............................................................................................................4.8.1 Thoron and Radon 53
...............................................................................................4.8.2 Thoron Measurement Issues 54
...........................................................................4.8.3 Calculation and Interference Correction 54
.............................................................................4.8.4 Avoiding Longer Lived Decay Products 54
....................................................4.8.5 Decay Correction, Flow Rate, and Thoron Calibration 55
.................................................................................................4.8.6 Calculating Sample Decay 55
............................................................................4.8.7 Calculating Internal Cell Concentration 55
......................................................................4.8.8 Internal Cell Thoron Sensitivity Calibration 55
......................................................................................4.8.9 Setting up a Thoron Measurement 56
......................................................................................................................4.8.10 Thoron Mode 56
...........................................................................4.9 Managing Background 56
........................................................................................5. PC Connection 57
.................................................................................5.1 RS-232 Serial Port 57
........................................................................................................................5.1.1 Capabilities 57
................................................................................................................5.1.2 Hardware Bridge 57
..................................................................................................................5.1.3 Software Bridge 57
........................................................................................................................5.1.4 Applications 57
...............................................................................5.1.5 Technical Specifications for the RAD7 57
..............................................................................................................5.1.6 Serial Port Output 58
..............................................................................................5.2 RADLINK 58
........................................................................................................................5.2.1 Capabilities 58
......................................................................................................................5.2.2 Requirements 59
.......................................................................................5.2.3 RAD7 Remote Command Format 59
........................................................................................................................5.2.4 Special Keys 60
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.............................................................................................................5.2.5 Special Commands 60
...............................................................................................6. CAPTURE 61
............................................................................................6.1 Introduction 61
..............................................................................................6.2 Installation 61
.........................................................................................6.3 File from disk 61
......................................................................6.4 Downloading from RAD7 62
..............................................................................................................................6.4.1 Connection to RAD7 62
6.4.2 RAD7 Setup 62
....................................................................................................................................6.4.3 CAPTURE Setup 62
................................................................................................................................6.4.4 Initiating download 62
....................................................................................................6.5 Parsing 63
.................................................................................6.6 Thoron Parameters 63
6.6.1 Spill factor 63
...................................................................................................................................6.6.2 Thoron sensitivity 63
............................................................................................6.7 Main Graph 64
6.7.1 Time axis 64
............................................................................................................................................6.7.2 Vertical axis 64
6.7.3 Graph lines 65
6.7.4 Data points 65
............................................................................................................................................6.7.5 Cursor lines 65
6.7.6 Mouse 66
...............................................................................6.8 Graph Control Panel 66
6.8.1 Smoothing 66
6.8.2 Line weight 66
6.8.3 Units 66
...........................................................................................................................................6.8.4 Graph Zoom 66
................................................................................................................................6.8.5 Show radon, thoron 66
............................................................................................................................................6.8.6 Lock Y scale 66
..........................................................................................................................................6.8.7 Show Legend 66
............................................................................................................................................6.8.9 Show Points 66
6.8.10 Show log 67
......................................................................................................................................6.8.11 Show Spectrum 67
6.8.12 Show Stats 67
................................................................................................6.9 Spectrum 67
.................................................................................................................................6.9.1 Spectrum synthesis 67
.....................................................................................................6.9.2 Pathological spectra and CAPTURE 67
.................................................................................................................................6.9.3 Bar chart spectrum 67
...............................................................................6.10 Graph Statistics box 67
..................................................................................................................................6.10.1 Entire data range 67
........................................................................................................................................6.10.2 Selected data 67
.........................................................................................................................6.10.3 Point nearest to cursor 67

......................................................................................6.11 Drop Down Menus 68
...........................................................................................................................................6.11.1 Preferences 68
..........................................................................................................................................6.11.2 Export Data 68
............................................................................................................................6.11.3 Export Selected Data 68
...............................................................................................................................6.11.4 Save Graph Picture 68
6.11.5 Join Data 68
..............................................................................................................................6.11.6 Copy Graph Picture 68
6.11.7 View menu 68
.......................................................................................................7. Maintenance 69
................................................................7.1 Accessories - Usage and Care 69
............................................................................................................................7.1.1 Desiccant 69
.......................................................................................................7.1.2 Laboratory drying unit 69
............................................................................................7.1.3 Small drying tube (small tube) 69
......................................................................................................7.1.4 Cascading drying tubes 70
.................................................................................................................................7.1.5 Filters 70
..............................................................................................................................7.1.6 Batteries 70
........................................................................7.1.7 Real-time Clock and Non-volatile Memory 71
............................................................................................................7.1.8 Printer and Adapter 71
....................................................................................7.2 Operating ranges 71
.................................................................................7.3 Service and Repair 72
.........................................................................................................................7.3.1 Calibration 72
.................................................................................................................................7.3.2 Repair 72
..............................................................................................................................7.3.3 Shipping 72
............................................................................................................................7.3.4 Upgrades 72
.......................................................................7.4 RAD7 Quality Assurance 73
.............................................................................................................................7.4.1 Spectrum 73
.........................................................................................................................7.4.2 Spill Factor 73
.............................................................................7.5 RAD7 Specifications 73
DURRIDGE COMPANY Inc.
7 Railroad Avenue, Suite D
Bedford, MA 01730
Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
email: [email protected]
web: WWW.DURRIDGE.COM
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INTRODUCTION
The RAD7 is a highly versatile instrument that can form the basis of a comprehensive radon measurement
system. It may be used in many different modes for different purposes. This manual adopts a progressive
approach, in which there is, first, a simple, step-by-step description of how to get readings for a) real-time
monitoring, and b) sniffing. Next comes a more detailed description of the many features of the
instrument and how to access them. The rest of the manual covers a whole range of topics, in somewhat
arbitrary order. We recommend that, as soon as possible, you read the entire text, just so that you will
have an idea of what there is. While you can start to make good measurements on the first day of
ownership of the RAD7, it can take years to master the subtleties of radon and thoron behaviour, and to
appreciate the full capabilities of the instrument.
We have tried to make the manual easy to use, with a useful table of contents. Please let us know how
well we have succeeded. If there are some topics inadequately covered, please tell us. We will issue
updates from time to time.
Points of special note
The RAD7 is a rugged and long-lasting piece of equipment. There are many units still in daily use that
were sold nine years ago or more. However, it is a sophisticated, precision electronic device, and it is not
hermetically sealed, so please treat it with respect. Please do not allow water, other liquids or dirt to get
into the machine. If using it somewhere where it may get splashed, damaged, or exposed to rain, please
protect it.
The batteries are lead-acid technology, like a car’s. If left in a discharged state they will, like a car’s, lose
capacity. After running the RAD7 on its batteries please recharge them as soon as possible (by plugging
in the unit and turning it on). With careful use, the batteries, like a car’s will last five years or more.
Finally, there is one security feature that is sometimes inadvertently set by an inexperienced, though
authorized, user; namely the key pad lockout. If the key pad ceases to function, and all you see is
“DURRIDGE RAD7" on the display, just do the following: Hold down the ENTER and two arrow keys
until you hear a beep, release the three keys and immediately push MENU. You should then be rewarded
by “Test” on the display. If the tone was set to OFF, then you will not hear the beep, so hold the three
keys down for three to four seconds, before releasing them and pushing MENU, - try hold-down times a
little longer, or shorter, if, at first, you do not succeed.

1. GETTING STARTED:
YOUR FIRST DAY WITH THE RAD7
1.1 Unpacking
First make sure you have everything you’re
supposed to have. Take the materials out of the
packing boxes and see if you have all the items
shown below or on the packing list enclosed with
the shipment. If anything is missing, please call
DURRIDGE immediately at [phone].
RAD7 monitor
Power cords
Shoulder strap & keys
Printer
2 sets Velcro tabs
3 rolls printer paper
Printer adapter
6 inlet filters
1 dust filter
Vinyl tubing: 3 pieces 3' long
Large drying tube
4 small drying tubes
5 lbs. desiccant (drying granules)
CAPTURE CD
Null-modem computer cable
USB adapter
Manual
1.2 General Safety Instructions
For your own safety and the proper operation of
RAD7:
DO NOT spill liquids onto the machine.
DO NOT expose operating panel of machine to
rain or any other excess moisture.
DO NOT allow liquid to be sucked into inlet tube.
If you intend to use the instrument in a harsh
environment, give it some protection. Even just a
transparent plastic bag enclosing the RAD7 (but
not the air sampling tube) can protect it from
splashing mud and water. Allowing the dry air
from the RAD7 outlet to exhaust into the interior
of the bag will keep the RAD7 in a clean and dry
environment.
If liquid does get into the machine, please
disconnect the power cord, turn off the power
switch, and return the RAD7 to DURRIDGE for
repair.
Do not use your RAD7 if the instrument is
damaged or malfunctioning. Please call, or email,
the DURRIDGE service department, who will
advise what to do about the problem.
Replace a frayed or damaged power cord
immediately.
Electrical equipment may be hazardous if
misused. Keep away from children.
Do not open or attempt to repair the machine.
The detector has an internal high voltage supply
that can generate more than 2,500 volts.
Warning: This machine is intended to be
electrically grounded when externally powered.
The power cord is equipped with a plug, to fit
only into a grounding-type AC outlet.
The instrument is factory set to either 120 VAC or
240 VAC operation. The setting is indicated on
the input power label.
The batteries are Gates Monobloc type
0819-0012, 6V 2.5Ah. There are two installed in
the instrument. They are not user replaceable.
Chapter 1
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