Elcometer 345 User manual

English
Elcometer 345
Coating Thickness Gauge
Operating Instructions

English
R
Equipment described in these instructions is covered by the following Patents:
FNF UK Patent No: GB2306009B and FNF US Patent No: 5886522
Simple Statistics Patent Applications: UK No. 9903992.7, GmbH No. 19945836.7
This product meets the Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive.
The product is Class B, Group 1 ISM equipment according to CISPR 11
Group 1 ISM product: A product in which there is intentionally generated and/or used conductively coupled radio-
frequency energy which is necessary for the internal functioning of the equipment itself.
Class B product are suitable for use in domestic establishments and in establishments directly connected to a low
voltage power supply network which supplies buildings used for domestic purposes.
and are registered trademarks of Elcometer Limited.
All other trademarks acknowledged.
© Copyright Elcometer Limited. 2009.
All rights reserved. No part ofthis Document may be reproduced, transmitted, transcribed, stored (in a retrieval system
or otherwise) or translated into any language, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, magnetic, optical,
manual or otherwise) without the prior written permission of Elcometer Limited.
A copy of this Instruction Manual is available for download on our Website via www.elcometer.com.
Doc No. TMA-0431 Issue 03
Text with Cover No. 20607

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CONTENTS
Section Page
1 About your gauge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
1.1 Gauge features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.2 Standards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.3 What the box contains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2 Getting started . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.1 Fitting batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.2 Low battery voltage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
2.3 Fitting the Harness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.4 Connecting the Separate Probe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.5 Switching the gauge on/off . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.6 Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.7 Changing units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.8 Key-Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
2.9 Backlight Operation: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.10 Simple Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
2.11 Delete Last Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3 Quick Operation Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4 Taking a measurement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

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5 Calibration adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
5.1 Calibration Adjustment Error . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
5.2 Calibration Adjustment for Smooth Surfaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
5.3 Special Calibration Adjustment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.4 The Correction Value Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
5.5 To Recall The Factory Calibration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
6 Statistical summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
6.1 Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
6.2 Displaying Statistical Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
6.3 Clearing Statistical Data. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
6.4 Setting The User List For Statistical Values . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
6.5 Example of Statistical User List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
7 Data Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
8 Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
9 Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
10 Error Codes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
11 Technical specification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
12 Probes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
13 Spares and accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
14 Related equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

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Thank you for your purchase of this Elcometer 345 Coating Thickness Gauge. Welcome to Elcometer.
Elcometer are world leaders in the design, manufacture and supply of inspection equipment for coatings
and concrete. Our products cover all aspects of coating inspection, from development through application
to post application inspection.
The Elcometer 345 Coating Thickness Gauge is a world beating product. With the purchase of this gauge
you now have access to the worldwide service and support network of Elcometer. For more information visit
our website: www.elcometer.com
1 ABOUT YOUR GAUGE
The Elcometer 345 Coating Thickness Gauge is a hand-held
coating thickness gauge for fast and accurate measurement of the
thickness of coatings on metal substrates.
The gauge is available either with a built-in integral probe or with a
separate probe.
The gauge can be switched to display metric (µm/mm) or imperial
(mils) units of measurement.
Your gauge was calibrated at the factory, however you can adjust
the calibration using the set of calibration foils supplied with the
gauge.
The Elcometer 345 Coating Thickness Gauge is powered by
internal dry cell batteries.
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Elcometer
345 with
Integral
Probe
Elcometer 345 with
Separate Probe

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1.1 GAUGE FEATURES
• User adjustable calibration
• Switchable between metric and imperial units
• Bleep (when valid reading taken)
• Infrared data output (to mini-printer)
• Simple Statistics
1.2 STANDARDS
The Elcometer 345 can be used in accordance with the following National and
International Standards, ASTM B 499, ASTM D 1186-B, ASTM G 12, BS 3900 (C5), BS 5411 (11), DIN 50981, IMO
MCS.215 (82/84), IMO MSC.244(83), ISO 1461,
ISO 2063, IS0 2808-7C, ISO 2808-12, ISO 19840, NF T30-124, SSPC-
PA2 (2004).
For IMO, PSPC
a
, the thickness coating, should be measured and recorded. Your Elcometer 345 can be
used for this.
1.3 WHAT THE BOX CONTAINS
• Elcometer 345 Coating Thickness Gauge with batteries fitted
• Set of calibration foils
• Neck harness
• Carrying case
• Operating instructions
a. International Marine Organisation, Performance Standard for Protective Coatings.
IR
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The Elcometer 345 Coating Thickness Gauge is packed in a cardboard and foam package. Please ensure
that this packaging is disposed of in an environmentally sensitive manner. Consult your local Environmental
Authority for further guidance.
To maximise the benefits of your new Elcometer 345 Coating Thickness Gauge please take some time to read
these Operating Instructions. Do not hesitate to contact Elcometer or your Elcometer supplier if you have any
questions.

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2 GETTING STARTED
Note: Before you use your gauge for the first time, remove the paper strip from the battery compartment.
2.1 FITTING BATTERIES
The Elcometer 345 may be used with dry cell batteries or rechargeable batteries. 2 x LR03 (AAA) alkaline
batteries are supplied with the gauge. To fit or replace batteries:
1. Switch off the gauge.
2. Lift off battery compartment cover at rear of gauge.
3. Place batteries in the battery clips ensuring correct polarity.
4. Replace battery compartment cover.
Note: Remove the batteries from the gauge if it is to remain unused
for a long period of time. This will prevent damage to the gauge in
the event of malfunction of the batteries.
2.2 LOW BATTERY VOLTAGE
When the battery voltage is low the battery symbol illuminates on
the display. The gauge will still function but new batteries are
recommended.
When the battery symbol flashes and the gauge beeps every ten
seconds, the batteries must be replaced.
When the batteries are exhausted, the gauge will beep three times and then switch off.

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2.3 FITTING THE HARNESS
Your gauge is supplied with a neck harness which should be
threaded through the bracket on the side of the gauge as shown.
2.4 CONNECTING THE SEPARATE PROBE
The Elcometer 345 separate probe gauge has a 4-pin socket at the
base of the gauge. Line up the 2 red marks when inserting the plug.
To disconnect a probe, pull on the outer knurled sleeve of the plug
- do not twist. This will release the lock that prevents the plug from
being pulled out of the socket accidentally.
• Do not operate the Elcometer 345 without a probe connected.
• Do not remove the probe while the instrument is switched on.

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2.5 SWITCHING THE GAUGE ON/OFF
To switch on, press .
Gauges with an integral probe will switch on automatically by placing the probe against a hard surface.
To switch off, press and hold until OFF is displayed.
The gauge will switch off automatically after one minute of inactivity.
2.6 DISPLAY
The display will show the measurement value.
In addition, a number of symbols can appear on the display:
2.7 CHANGING UNITS
To change the units of measurement displayed on the screen
(µm/mm or mils):
With the gauge switched on, press . The symbol on the display will start to flash. Press . The
units will change. To change units again, repeat these steps.
2.8 KEY-LOCK
The gauge is fitted with a ‘Key-Lock’ feature, which is a form of password, to prevent accidental operation
of calibration adjustment - see “Calibration adjustment” on page 16.

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2.9 BACKLIGHT OPERATION:
Elcometer 345 gauges have a backlit display. The backlight is designed for low light operations and can be
turned on and off via the keypad. Turning the backlight off will save battery power.
To toggle the backlight on/off, press and release . The symbol will flash on the display. Press and
release once more. The will stop flashing and the backlight will be toggled on or off.
When switched on, the backlight comes on when a reading is taken and remains on for 3 seconds.
2.10 SIMPLE STATISTICS
This feature is normally switched off when the gauge is dispatched from the factory.
Your gauge can display statistical summary information in a preset sequence. The user can select any value
in any sequence from the list of five values, plus an OFF option - see “Statistical summary” on page 21.
2.11 DELETE LAST READING
This operation will only delete the last reading taken. Previous readings can not be deleted individually.
To delete the last reading from the statistical calculations when the statistics feature is switched on, press
and hold for more than 2 seconds but less than 4 seconds. The display will show dEL. Release
to delete the last reading,
Note: If is held for longer than 4 seconds, dEL will change to OFF. Releasing will switch the
gauge off and the last reading will not be deleted - see “Switching the gauge on/off” on page 10.
Switch on and try again.

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3 QUICK OPERATION GUIDE
Switch on or
Switch off >>>> >>>>
Metric <=>
English >>>> µm or mm <=> mil
Calibration
adjustment for
Smooth
Substrates >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> to set.
separate
gauges
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4 seconds
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bare metal
on
4 seconds
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on foil
>4 seconds
or
adjust to foil

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Calibration
adjustment for
Rough and
Special
Substrates
>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>
>>>> to set >>>> >>>> >>>>
>>>> to set.
Set User List
for Statistical
Values
>>>> >>>> >>>> keep pressing until first statistic
wanted appears, then press to accept. Repeat for all statistics wanted. Press
to set.
View Statistics >>>> etc. to view each statistic
To Clear
Statistical Data >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> to clear, to retain
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on thin foil
>4 seconds
or
adjust to foil
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on thick foil
>4 seconds
or
adjust to foil

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To Turn
Statistical Data
‘Off’
>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> until
>>>> >>>> Stats off
Print Data
Output Align IR’s >>>> >>>>
to continue measurements
To Reset
Factory
Calibration
>>>> to adjust to 10 µm (0.5 mil) [or 100 µm (4.0 mil) for scales F2
and F3] >>>> >>>> >>>> to clear
1
Err and reset factory
calibration.
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bare metal
on

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4 TAKING A MEASUREMENT
Before starting to take measurements it is good practice to check the performance of the gauge using the
calibration adjustment procedure - see “Calibration adjustment” on page 16.
1. Hold the gauge with the probe pressed
firmly
b
against the surface you are
measuring.
2. The display will blink
c
and then display the
coating thickness.
If required, this reading can be adjusted for
the conditions of the measurement - see
“Calibration adjustment” on page 16.
If the following display appears
the value is just greater than the range of
the gauge, or the gauge is out of
calibration.
b. The reading may be inaccurate if the probe is not held flat against the surface.
c. If the display does not blink then the gauge has not recognised that the probe is on the surface, usually because the
coating is much too thick for the range of the gauge.
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Integral
probe
Separate
probe
F

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5 CALIBRATION ADJUSTMENT
The Elcometer 345 should be adjusted before use, or at least checked to ensure that the calibration
adjustment is correct for the conditions of use.
Calibration adjustment should be carried out with the appropriate probe, on the same type of metal, the
same curvature and similar surface finish as that of the item to be measured. It is best to use an uncoated
item that is similar to the coated item to be tested.
When the gauge is shipped from the factory it comes with a preset calibration. See “To Recall The Factory
Calibration” on page 20 for instructions on how to restore this calibration.
5.1 CALIBRATION ADJUSTMENT ERROR
If an error message
1
Err is displayed during adjustment it indicates that the adjustment has not taken place
correctly. This may be due to incorrect substrate, incorrect values or units, etc. Press to cancel the
error message. This will automatically restore the gauge to the factory calibration setting. Check and repeat
the adjustment procedure. See “To Recall The Factory Calibration” on page 20 for a method to deliberately
reset the factory calibration setting.

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5.2 CALIBRATION ADJUSTMENT FOR SMOOTH SURFACES
Use this calibration adjustment procedure for measurements on smooth, flat surfaces.
Note: The key-lock feature requires the keys used to access these routines to be pressed for 4 seconds
before any response is made. This is to prevent accidental operation.
1. Place the probe on the bare metal, wait for a reading to be displayed. Lift the probe from the surface.
2. Press and hold for 4 seconds to set the display to zero. The bleeper will sound to indicate the
instruction has been accepted.
3. Place the calibration foil closest to the thickness to be measured on the bare
metal surface and take a reading.
Note: If the probe is left on the bare substrate or moved quickly to the calibration
foil the display will show a sequence of three ‘rising’ ‘-’ symbols and sound a
series of bleeps as a warning. The probe must be lifted into free air before taking
a measurement on the calibration foil.
4. Press or for more than 4 seconds to adjust the display to the
calibration foil value, When close to the correct reading, a few quick presses of
or will step to the correct reading. If the statistics feature is switched
on, the display will show one of the statistical values (“Statistical summary” on
page 21). After 4 seconds Cappears in the left-hand side of the display and the
value will start to change. The bleeper will sound to indicate that the calibration
routine has been started.
5. When the value in the display is correct, press to accept the new
calibration or wait 7 seconds for the gauge to accept the calibration automatically. The display will blink
then re-display the reading. The bleeper will sound to indicate acceptance of the new calibration.
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6. Confirm that the gauge reads correctly at zero and at the calibration foil value. If required the
calibration adjustment can be repeated to ensure its accuracy.
To re-adjust the gauge, repeat all the steps in Section 5.2.
Note: As well as calibration foils, certified coated standards are available - see “Spares and accessories”
on page 32.
5.3 SPECIAL CALIBRATION ADJUSTMENT
Use this calibration adjustment procedure for measurements on rough surfaces, small diameters, special
steel alloys, thin substrates below 300 µm (0.012"), etc.
Two calibration foils are required; one below the thickness to be measured (the thin foil) and one above (the
thick foil).
Note: In this routine if, after the key-lock feature is operated, 7 seconds elapses without pressing a key or
taking a reading, the gauge will automatically continue to the next step, i.e. the gauge will move from low
calibration CLO to high calibration CH1 or from high calibration to measurement mode.
1. Switch the gauge on and press , the symbol in the display will flash. Press and release to
begin the special calibration sequence. The display will show CLO (= Calibrate Low) and the rough
surface icon will flash at the rate of once per second.
2. Place the chosen thin calibration foil onto the bare metal surface.
3. Repeated measurements can now be taken on this foil and the display will show the accumulated
average of these readings. This is useful when there is significant variation from one reading to the
next, such as would occur on a rough surface or profile. Averaging a number of readings will give a
more stable value and it is this average that should be adjusted for calibration.

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4. Press and hold or for more than 5 seconds to adjust this average to the foil value.
5. Press to accept the low calibration or wait 7 seconds to accept the calibration automatically.
The display will now show CH1 (= Calibrate High).
6. Place the chosen high calibration foil on the bare metal surface and take a number of readings until a
stable average is displayed.
7. Press and hold or for more than 4 seconds to adjust this average to the foil value.
8. Press to accept the calibration or wait 7 seconds for the gauge to accept the calibration
automatically. The display will blink and then re-display the reading. The bleeper will sound 3 times to
indicate that this routine is complete. will stop flashing and will remain visible on the display.
9. Confirm that the average gauge reading on each calibration foil is correct. An intermediate foil
thickness can also be used to confirm the performance over the calibrated range.
The calibration values are stored in the gauge until new values are entered, even when the gauge is
switched off. on the display indicates the special calibration on switch on.
To re-calibrate, repeat the procedure. Re-calibrating using the smooth surface calibration method (see
“Calibration Adjustment for Smooth Surfaces” on page 17) to set zero will remove from the display.
5.4 THE CORRECTION VALUE METHOD
The smooth surface adjustment method (see “Calibration Adjustment for Smooth Surfaces” on page 17)
can be used for blast cleaned surfaces if a correction value is applied to each reading taken on the
roughened surface.

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When coating thickness gauges are adjusted on a smooth surface, readings on a blast cleaned or otherwise
roughened surface will be high and the correction value must be subtracted from the reading to obtain the
thickness of the coating,
The correction value is determined according to the roughness of the surface per ISO 8501, the Surface
Roughness Comparator Elcometer 125. If the roughness of the surface under the coating is unknown a
default correction value of 25 µm (1.0 mil) is subtracted from each reading. For further details see EN19840
'Paints and Varnishes - Corrosion protection of steel structures by protective paint systems - Measurement
and acceptance criteria of the dry film thickness”.
5.5 TO RECALL THE FACTORY CALIBRATION
Set zero in the normal way. Then take a reading on the same bare substrate and adjust the gauge to read
10 µm (0.5 mil). This will cause the gauge to display
1
Err. The factory setting will be recalled automatically
when is pressed to clear the error message.