Felix Instruments F-900 User manual

F-900
Portable Ethylene Analyzer
Operation Manual

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
Manufacturer:
CID Bio-Science, Inc.
1554 NE 3
rd
Ave
Camas, WA 98607
Declares that the CE-marked Product:
Product Models (s):
Model F-900
Complies With:
89/336/EEC Electromagnetic Compatibility Directive
73/23/EEC Low Voltage Directive
Compliance Standards:
EN 55027 RF Emissions Information
Technology Equipment
EN 50082-1 EMC Immunity Standard
EN 60950 Safety of Information
Technology Equipment
Including Electrical
Business Equipment
December 18, 2013
Leonard Felix
President

DOCUMENT OVERVIEW
Introduction ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................1
Features............................................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Specifications....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Warnings ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................5
Theory of Operation .................................................................................................................................................................................................. 6
Interfering Gases..................................................................................................................................................................................................7
PolarCept .............................................................................................................................................................................................................8
Unpacking the F-900 ...............................................................................................................................................................................................10
F-900 Research Kit Accessories ..........................................................................................................................................................................11
Operating Instructions............................................................................................................................................................................................. 12
Charging the Internal Battery.............................................................................................................................................................................13
Measure Menu: Taking a Measurement .................................................................................................................................................................15
Sensor Stability ..................................................................................................................................................................................................15
Graph Mode....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 16
Monitor Mode ...................................................................................................................................................................................................17
Measurement Settings .................................................................................................................................................................................18
Electrochemical Sensor Response ................................................................................................................................................................ 19
Auto-Escape Feature ....................................................................................................................................................................................20
Flow Block Error ...........................................................................................................................................................................................20
No SD card Present....................................................................................................................................................................................... 20
F-900RK: Using the Research Kit Fruit Chamber ................................................................................................................................................20
GC Emulation Mode........................................................................................................................................................................................... 22
How GC Emulation Mode Works ..................................................................................................................................................................23
GC Emulation Mode Operation Procedure ...................................................................................................................................................25
Ethylene Sensor Zero Calibration ............................................................................................................................................................................30
Manually Set Zero.............................................................................................................................................................................................. 30
Automatically Set Zero: Offset Autocorrection.................................................................................................................................................. 31
F-900 Controller Software for Calibration ............................................................................................................................................................... 32
Ethylene Sensor Span Calibration ......................................................................................................................................................................33
Set C2H4PPB Span.........................................................................................................................................................................................33
F-900 Menu System Diagram ..................................................................................................................................................................................38
Setup Menu.............................................................................................................................................................................................................39
Setup Measure................................................................................................................................................................................................... 39
Setup Autosave..................................................................................................................................................................................................39
Setup Sensor...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 41
Setup Calibration ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 44
C2H4Calibration ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 44

Offset Autocorrection................................................................................................................................................................................... 45
Sensitivity Correction.................................................................................................................................................................................... 46
CO2Calibration ............................................................................................................................................................................................. 46
O2 Calibration................................................................................................................................................................................................ 51
Flow Rate Calibration ................................................................................................................................................................................... 52
Setup Time and Date..........................................................................................................................................................................................52
Setup Flow .........................................................................................................................................................................................................53
Setup Chamber ..................................................................................................................................................................................................54
Setup Terminals .................................................................................................................................................................................................58
Setup Board ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 59
View Menu ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................60
View Files........................................................................................................................................................................................................... 60
View Voltage...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 61
View Battery ......................................................................................................................................................................................................61
Other View Menu Options .................................................................................................................................................................................62
File Menu ................................................................................................................................................................................................................63
Clear a File ......................................................................................................................................................................................................... 63
Delete a File .......................................................................................................................................................................................................64
Create a File ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 64
Open File............................................................................................................................................................................................................66
Data Transfer to a Computer ............................................................................................................................................................................. 67
Firmware Update ....................................................................................................................................................................................................70
Cleaning and Maintenance...................................................................................................................................................................................... 74
Maintaining the Electrochemical Sensor............................................................................................................................................................ 74
Technical Support.................................................................................................................................................................................................... 76
Customer Service ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 76
Frequently Asked Questions .............................................................................................................................................................................. 77
Supporting Sciences References.............................................................................................................................................................................. 82
FELIX INSTRUMENTS HARDWARE WARRANTY ........................................................................................................................................................84
APPENDIX I: Material Safety Data Sheet for 2N Sulfuric Acid Solution....................................................................................................................85
APPENDIX II: Procedure for F-900 Validation Using Fruit ........................................................................................................................................90
APPENDIX III: Guidelines for Measuring Sample Bags ............................................................................................................................................. 92
F-900 Production Test Check Sheet......................................................................................................................................................................... 94
Warranty Registration Card.....................................................................................................................................................................................96
This instruction manual is written for firmware version 4.6.1

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
Introduction
Congratulations on the purchase of your new F-900 Portable Ethylene Gas Analyzer. The F-900
provides accurate real-time measurement of ethylene gas concentrations in a compact instrument
suitable for field and laboratory use. At the core of the instrument is an electrochemical sensor that
offers extraordinary sensitivity to ethylene, at levels as low as 0.04 ppm (40 ppb) in air.
Ethylene production is known to increase in response to plant stress and during fruit ripening and
maturity, and until recently, sensitive ethylene measurements were available only through
elaborate and expensive gas sampling and gas chromatography analysis. The intent of the F-900’s
portable design is to aid the research community in developing real-world ethylene management
applications for the benefit of growers, processors, and consumers.
The F-900 analyzes the concentration of ethylene in a gas sample for the purpose of research or
ethylene management. The F-900 employs electro-chemical sensors as well as several other
sensors for temperature, humidity, GPS location, and optionally carbon dioxide (CO2: high and low
range) and oxygen (O2). During a sample, the subject gas travels across the surface of the electrode
and diffuses into the electrochemical cell where ethylene is oxidized. The current created by the
oxidation is measured and interpreted as the concentration of ethylene (reported in parts per
million or ppm).
We hope you enjoy using your F-900 Portable Ethylene Gas Analyzer.
Figure 1: The F-900 Portable Ethylene Analyzer front panel and display.

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
Features
High sensitivity to C2H4 (0 ppm –200 ppm)
CO2 and O2sensing capability (optional)
Compact portable form factor (2.43 kg)
Real time continuous monitoring
Internal data logging and storage (4 GB SD card included)
Automatic data logging with adjustable interval
User adjustable flow rate
Transflective display enables easy viewing in direct sunlight
Rechargeable Li-Ion battery provides 4 hours of monitoring in the field
Multiple configurations to accommodate in situ research and controlled atmosphere
monitoring
Instantaneous and accumulated measurement modes (Monitor and Graph View)
Quick connect sampling ports
Data saves in .csv (commas separated value) file
Configured for domestic and international operation: 110 VAC, 60 Hz or 230 VAC, 50 Hz
Non-destructive measurements
Mini-USB chargeable and mini-USB data download
Time-date stamped data records
External wire terminals for fixed location monitoring or control applications
GC Emulation Mode for small sample volumes ranging 0.8 –20 ppm C2H4(optional)
Figure 2: The removable SD card on the F-900 makes data transfer quick and simple.

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
Specifications
F-900 Specifications
Display
Sunlight visible transflective graphic LCD
Operating environment
0°C - 45°C (0-90% humidity non-condensing)
Battery Capacity
4 hours - Rechargeable Li-Ion (5000 mAh)
Dimensions
183.5 mm x 111 mm x 120 mm
Weight
2.43 kg
Enclosure
Anodized aluminum
Air Sampling Rate
0.2 Liters/minute
Sample Rate
Open Loop - Monitoring @ 5 sec intervals
Closed loop < 3 min
Warm-up time
<5 minutes
C2H4PPB Sensor
Electrochemical
Nominal Range
0- 2 ppm
Resolution
0.001 ppm
Lower Detection Limit
0.04 ppm (40 ppb)
Accuracy
±10 %; adjusted for temperature and humidity
Offset Recalibration
Daily
Span Recalibration
Weekly (calibration gas required)
C2H4PPM Sensor
Electrochemical
Nominal Range
0- 200 ppm
Resolution
0.1 ppm
Lower Detection Limit
0.5 ppm
Accuracy
±5 %; adjusted for temperature and humidity
Offset Recalibration
Bi-annually
Span Recalibration
Bi-annually (calibration gas required)
GC Emulation Mode Specifications
C2H4 Range
0.8-20 ppm
Accuracy
±10 %
Minimum Sample Volume
15 cc

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
Optional Sensors
CO2PPM Sensor
Low-Power Non-Dispersive Infrared Gas Analyzer
Chopping Frequency
1Hz
Source Life
5000 Hours
Nominal Range
1 –2000 ppm (Standard)
0 –3000 ppm (Optional)
Zero Scale Resolution
0.1 ppm
Full Scale Resolution
1 ppm
Repeatability
±0.1 ppm (short term)
Accuracy
< ±2% up to 3000 ppm
Sample Cell
100 mm x 10.2 mm (3.94" x 0.4" diameter)
Warm-up time
<3 minutes
Weight
172.6 g
Offset Recalibration
Daily
Span Recalibration
Bi-annually (calibration gas required)
CO2Percent Sensor
Infrared Sensor, Pyroelectric detector
Nominal Range
0 –20% (200,000 ppm) (optional: 0-5%)
Full scale resolution
0.01%
Zero repeatability
±10 ppm
Full scale Repeatability
±500 ppm
Accuracy
1.5% of Full Scale
Lifetime
>5 years
Warm-up time
<3 minutes
Weight
7 g
O2 Percent Sensor
Electrochemical
Nominal Range
0-100%
Resolution
0.1%
Operating environment
0°C - 55°C (5-95% humidity non-condensing)
Weight
7 g

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
Warnings
Read this manual carefully before using: this manual should be read by anyone who will be
operating the F-900.
By following the guidelines, the F-900 will function according to the specifications in this
instruction manual.
All repairs should be performed by a Felix Instruments technician.
The analyzer must be used to measure the rate of ethylene in the presence of nitrogen,
oxygen and carbon dioxide. All other gases in high concentration could lead to erroneous
measurements, or the destruction of the sensor. Do not use the instrument in the presence
high concentrations of aromatic solvents, hydrocarbons or other volatile organic
compounds, such as in unventilated painting rooms or chemical storage rooms.
Damage to the analyzer can occur if the fluid reservoir level is too low or if the inlet and
outlet gas connections are blocked while the pump operates. This can cause false readings
or irreparable damage to the sensor.
If smoke comes out of the analyzer, turn off the power immediately and contact Felix
Instruments-Applied Food Science.
Keep the analyzer in a clean and ventilated room at ambient temperature.
Do not allow fluid to aspirate in the analyzer, which can destroy the sensors.
Do not use the F-900 in a high RF (radio frequency) environment. High RF will disrupt
the F-900.
ESD (electrostatic discharge) interferes with the F-900 measurement data.
Do not tilt the F-900 when Chamber In contains water!
WARNING: Do not store the F-900 without charged batteries! The internal batteries
must have charge to maintain the accuracy of the sensors, even when the unit is
powered off. It is recommend to keep the instrument connected to the power supply
for long term storage.
The analyzer has a reservoir containing 1 mol of sulfuric acid (2N H2SO4). Avoid
contact with skin and eyes. If contact occurs, rinse thoroughly with water or use
an eyewash or safety shower. Do not drink the contents of the fluid reservoirs as
it could cause chemical burns. See Appendix I for the safety data sheet and
further information on sulfuric acid.

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
Theory of Operation
The ethylene sensors in the F-900 are electrochemical. With this type of sensor, the gas sample
travels across the surface of the electrode and diffuses into the electrochemical where ethylene is
oxidized. The current created by the oxidation is measured and converted to parts per million
(ppm) of ethylene.
Figure 3: Diagram of an electrochemical sensor. (A) working electrode (R) reference
electrode (C) counter electrode (E) electrolyte. Image credit: doi:10.1093/aob/mcs259.
The F-900 flow rate is regulated by a pump and a flow meter. Additional optional sensors are
enabled/disabled in the Setup Menu (see page 41), as well as “conditioning chambers” on the back
of the instrument (see page 54).
The temperature and relative humidity sensors are located inside the instrument. Therefore, the
temperature sensor is subject to heating by the F-900 internal electronics. The temperature reading
is often 4-5OC above ambient and in turn, relative humidity readings are affected. The use of water
in Chamber In (PolarCept, see page 8), will also affect relative humidity readings.

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
Figure 4: Flow path diagram of the F-900 ethylene analyzer. Dashed line indicates optional
flow path capabilities.
Interfering Gases
No analytical method is completely specific. Gases present in the environment, other than the
“target” gas of a measurement, may affect instrument response. Interferences are not necessarily
linear, and may also exhibit time dependent characteristics.
The following table details the approximate concentration in parts per million of interfering gas
required to cause a 1 ppm detection in the ethylene analyzer. Please note that the response values
given are not absolute.

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
Table 1: Interfering Gas and the F-900 sensor
Ripening fruit emit a complex mixture of hydrocarbons, including ethylene. Oxidation of these other
gases in the electrochemical sensor cannot be readily distinguished from ethylene. This causes the
ethylene value to be falsely high in the presence of interfering gas. Felix Instruments has tested a
method to absorb some of the competing gases and provide better ethylene measurements. This
method, PolarCept, uses distilled water in conditioning Chamber In and has been shown to filter out
alcohols and produce less interference.
PolarCept
PolarCept is the use of distilled water in conditioning Chamber In to filter out or trap some of the
interfering gases. Gas from the sample environment is passed through the water trap. Some of the
polar molecules are held in the trap, while ethylene passes through the water trap to the sensor,
where oxidation occurs. CO2is released as the oxidation product from the sensor. The water being
used can become saturated after several minutes, so it must be cleaned of the trapped interfering
gas molecules. Trapped interfering gases are driven out of the water during the cleaning time by a
concentration gradient.
It is recommended to always use the PolarCept filter when measuring a gas mixture or
interfering gases present will be reported by the instrument.

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
PolarCept: Measure
Regeneration: cleans the waeter
PolarCept: Clean
Figure 5: Top: diagram of measure period during use of PolarCept. Bottom: diagram of
cleaning period of PolarCept.

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
Unpacking the F-900
The F-900 base unit arrives with the F-900, strap and several accessory parts to use with the
instrument. Included are the heavy duty USB cable, charger, tubing accessory kit, potassium
permanganate (KMnO4) and an F-900 Instruction Manual. Several different styles of connector
pieces and various lengths of tubing that do not outgas (ex: Viton or Teflon) are provided as part
of the tubing accessory kit. Male and female quick connectors can be added to tubing and used to
connect sample bags or custom chambers to the F-900.
Figure 6: Accessories and parts that arrive with the F-900, clockwise from top center: F-900
ethylene analyzer, power supply and heavy duty USB cable, Viton tubing, Teflon tubing with
quick connects, GC Emulation port, assorted quick connects, GC Emulation sampling
syringe, Silica gel in conditioning chamber with lid.
The F-900 includes the consumable potassium permanganate (KMnO4), which is used to scrub
ethylene and other hydrocarbons from the gas stream. If the instrument has an optional CO2sensor,
soda lime is included, which is used to scrub carbon dioxide from the gas stream and to create a 0
ppm CO2gas for the CO2zero calibration.

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
F-900 Research Kit Accessories
The F-900 Research Kit (F-900RK) includes parts to non-destructively sample fruit in the field or
laboratory. The F-900RK arrives in a hard-sided carrying case with a fruit chamber and wand with
flexible tubing to sample fruit or plants. The fruit chamber includes a closed chamber lid and a lid
with a seal to allow sampling of fruit still intact on the plant. The F-900RK includes all the parts and
accessories that arrive with the F-900, as well as an external conditioning tube, sample bag,
injection port assembly, glass syringe, needle, and a jar of silica gel which can be used to dehumidify
the gas.
Figure 7: The F-900RK arrives with a fruit chamber and two lids: closed chamber lid (left)
and slit chamber lid (right).

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
Operating Instructions
To turn the instrument on, press the green power button. The top of the display reads F-900 and
the current firmware version the unit is running. For information on the latest firmware version,
please visit the F-900 software webpage (http://felixinstruments.com/support/f-900-support).
The line underneath this states “Felix Instruments”. Below this, a menu will appear on the display
with the following options: Measure, Setup, View and File. This is the F-900 Main Menu. After the
instrument is powered on, the uptime and battery life remaining will be displayed on the bottom
line. The uptime, or time the instrument has been powered on, is displayed in hours: minutes,
followed by the battery life in percent.
Note: If the F-900 does not power on, eject the SD card or disconnect the mini-USB cable from the
front of the instrument. Then, power the F-900 on. Re-insert the SD card or reconnect the charger.
Figure 8: The options on the Main Menu of the F-900.
From the Main Menu, there are four menu options: Measure, Setup, View and File. Use the up and
down arrows to switch between menu options and the right arrow to select. Press the green power
button to power off the F-900.
Note: To force a power off and reset of the F-900 at any point, press and hold the power button
for 10 seconds. This “emergency hard shut-down” feature exists to address hardware or software
problems and should not be used except when needed.

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
Charging the Internal Battery
The F-900 arrives with a wall charger that can be used to recharge the F-900 battery, as well as for
continually powering the unit during long-term monitoring. To charge the F-900:
Connect the mini-USB cable to the front panel of the F-900
Plug the charger into the wall
Check the charge status (on/off) at the “View>Battery” menu
Figure 9: The battery charger setup of the F-900.
The display will flash “powering off” on the top line when you hit the power key. “Power Off” will
flash on the display as the instrument is powered off. For fastest charging of the F-900, use the
highest rated port on the charger and do not connect any other USB devices to the charger.
To use the F-900 in Monitor Mode to continuously monitor fruit storage rooms or other locations,
or to run the instrument for days or weeks at a time, connect the mini-USB cable to the charger
cable and to the connection port on the front panel. Plug the charger into an electricity source.
WARNING: Do not store the F-900 without charged batteries! The internal batteries must
have charge to maintain the accuracy of the sensors, even when the unit is powered off. It is
recommend to keep the instrument connected to the power supply for long term storage.

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
F-900 CO2PPM Sensor and Battery Power
The CO2PPM sensor draws a lot of power; if trying to conserve battery life, the sensor should be
turned off when not being used. The CO2PPM sensor will draw power when turned on, even if the
F-900 is not actively measuring.
Always turn the CO2PPM sensor to “off” for the fastest recharge, either using the mini-USB
cable and computer or with a wall charger.
The CO2PPM sensor ranges from 0-2000 ppm. The CO2PCT sensor is from 0-20% and does
not have the same power draw.
To turn off/on the CO2 PPM sensor:
1. Go to Setup>Sensor>Sensor Selection.
2. When asked “Are you sure you want to continue?” press Enter.
3. Press the down arrow to highlight CO2PPM.
4. Press the right arrow key to highlight On/Off.
5. Press the up/down arrow key to toggle On/Off the sensor.
6. Press Save when the desired setting is highlighted. This will turn off the CO2sensor until
you come back to this menu and turn it back on.
7. If you press Enter, the CO2sensor setting will only be temporarily saved. When the
instrument is turned off and then back on, the CO2sensor will be enabled.
Setup Sensor
C2H4 PPB On
C2H4 PPM On
CO2 PPM Off
CO2 PCT Off
O2 Off

F-900 Instruction Manual 10/30/2015
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA Phone: [phone]
[e-mail] www.felixinstruments.com
Measure Menu: Taking a Measurement
To begin taking measurements, select the Measure Menu by pressing the right arrow when
Measure is highlighted on the Main Menu display. Make sure the IN and OUT ports on the front
panel of the instrument are clear from any obstructions. Create and open a file before starting a
measurement, otherwise the default filename on the SD card is File01.
If sampling ambient air, turn the unit on and leave the front ports free of obstruction. If sampling a
container or pallet, connect the Viton tubing to the “In” port and place the end of the tubing into the
container or pallet to be sampled. If using the F-900RK, place the fruit to be sampled in the fruit
chamber, and connect it to the IN port on the unit. It is up to the specific setup whether the OUT
tubing is connected to the OUT port with Chamber Out filled with potassium permanganate
(KMnO4) and set to “on”. If left disconnected from the OUT port, the fruit chamber is allowed to
replenish with ambient air.
Sensor Stability
The F-900 will begin to warm-up. The F-900 will display the “Sensor Stability”screen after pressing
the RIGHT arrow to get into the Measure Menu. The display will show the File that is open and the
Flow of gas being pumped through the instrument. Below this will be whether the initialization is
automatic or manual. If the initialization is automatic, the F-900 will precede directly to the
measurement (Graph Mode) once the sensors have stabilized. If the initialization is manual,
Monitor Mode will not be triggered until the user presses the right arrow to enter Monitor Mode.
Press the down arrow key to switch between automatic and manual initialization.
Press the right arrow to skip the Sensor Stability screen and proceed to the Graph Mode
display.
If the offset autocorrection feature is enabled, then the unit will run the set zero process
automatically every 24 hours (or at the user defined time interval). The offset autocorrection
utilizes Chamber Out, which should be left full of KMnO4 even if Chamber Out is set to “off” during
normal measurements. For more details on the offset autocorrection, see the Setup>Calibration
menu on page 44.
NOTE: The F-900 ethylene analyzer sensors should be given 24 hours to stabilize after being on an
airplane. Start a measurement and enable the Closed Loop (On). Then, allow the instrument to
measure for 24 hours while connected to a power supply.