Felix Storch F-950 User manual

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
1554 NE 3rd Ave, Camas, WA 98607, USA 2
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DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY
Manufacturer:
CID Bio-Science
1554 NE 3rd Ave
Camas, WA 98607
Declares that the CE-marked Product:
Product Model(s):
Model F-920, F-940, F-950, F-960
FCC Compliance Statement:
This device complies with part 15 of the FCC
Rules. Operation is subject to the following two
conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must accept any
interference received, including interference that
may cause undesired operation.
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
May 25, 2016
Leonard Felix, President

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................6
Features......................................................... 8
Unpacking the F-950.................................... 11
Operating Instructions.................................. 14
Loading the Battery .................................. 14
Basic Operation........................................ 15
Measurement Modes................................ 16
Measure....................................................... 18
Continuous Mode ..................................... 18
Trigger Mode............................................ 20
Taking a Measurement............................. 21
Instrument Protection ............................... 22
Passcode Protection............................. 22
Flow Blocked......................................... 23
Sensor Out of Range ............................ 23
Sensor Exposure...................................... 24
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).... 24
Extreme Conditions of Humidity............ 24
Discontinuous Measurement vs
Continuous Measurement..................... 25
F-950 Menu Map.......................................... 26
Setup Menu.................................................. 27
Setup > Mode........................................... 27
Setup > Set Zero...................................... 28

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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Setup > Calibration................................... 30
On-Device Calibration Instructions........ 31
Setup > O2 Calibration in Air.................... 32
Setup > Date and Time............................. 32
Setup > RH Conversion............................ 33
Setup > GPS............................................ 34
Setup > Language.................................... 34
Setup > Factory Setup.............................. 34
File Menu..................................................... 35
File > Select ............................................. 35
File > Create............................................. 36
File > Delete............................................. 36
File > Review............................................ 36
Transferring Files......................................... 38
Wireless SD Memory Card Operation....... 39
G.A.S. Gas Analysis Software...................... 44
Menu System ........................................... 47
Files...................................................... 48
Measurement Monitor........................... 50
Control Panel........................................ 52
Calibration............................................. 53
Settings................................................. 57
Firmware Update ......................................... 59
Applications ................................................. 62
PolarCept................................................. 62

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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F-950 Three Gas Analyzer Maintenance...... 69
Long Term Storage of the F-950............... 69
Replacing the Oxygen (O₂) Sensor........... 70
Replacing the Potassium Permanganate
Filter (KMnO4)........................................... 73
Calibration Using G.A.S Software............. 75
Continuous Mode Verification ............... 80
Calibration Using DIY Maintenance Kit..... 81
Leak Test Fail Instructions .................... 91
Appendix I: Sampling from a Jar .................. 95
Guide for Purchasing Standardized Gases for
Calibration.................................................... 98
Warranty Information.................................. 100
Warranty Registration Card........................ 102

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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Introduction
Congratulations on the purchase of your new
F-950 Three Gas Analyzer.
The F-950 Three Gas Analyzer measures
three critical gases: ethylene (C2H4), carbon
dioxide (CO2), and oxygen (O2), to maintain
optimum produce quality at every phase.
The F-950 is used to:
Inspect storage and packing
environments
Verify ethylene mitigation efficacy
Optimize ripening storage atmosphere
conditions
Quality assure MAP (Modified
Atmosphere Packaging) for ethylene-
sensitive products
Ethylene affects ripening, aging, and spoilage
in produce. The F-950 measures levels of
ethylene, CO2and O2in the atmosphere, and
can be scaled to many environments, from
cold storage to warehouse to transportation
container.
Simple to operate and weighing less than a
kilogram, the F-950 uses an electrochemical
cell to measure ethylene between 0-200 ppm
in air. It records the date, time, relative
humidity, temperature, and GPS location. The
F-950 is ideal for measuring ethylene
production across a wide range of fruit or floral
types and is especially suitable for managing

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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ethylene emissions from perishable cut
produce products.
The F-950 is ideal for Modified Atmosphere
Packaging (MAP) applications. Most MAP gas
analyzers are only equipped to measure CO2
and/or O2concentrations. Quality assurance
for perishable cut produce demands a more
comprehensive analysis. The F-950 makes it
possible to respond to the change in ripening
gases to ensure longer shelf-life and higher
quality commodities.
We hope you enjoy using your F-950 Three
Gas Analyzer.

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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Features
Portable, lightweight and easy to
operate.
Rapid response time, with data points saved
every second.
Repeatable, precise measurements.
Two versatile modes of operation
Measure in Continuous or Trigger mode
depending on your application.
True sunlight readable transflective
display.
The contrast of the display increases under
brighter sunlight.
Removable, re-chargeable standard
sized batteries.
Included stand-alone battery charger enables
charging one battery set while using another.
Two sets of batteries are included with the
device. Additional button-top 19670 (or
protected 18650) batteries can be purchased
from your preferred battery vendor.
Battery Eliminator accessory which
allows devices to operate on AC power

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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F-950 Specifications
Air Sampling Rate
70 mL/min
Measuring Rate
Automated, one second
intervals to SD in Continuous
Mode
Data Storage
Removable 16 GB SD and
Bluetooth
Display
Backlit visible transflective LCD
Operating
environment
0–50°C (0–90% relative
humidity, non-condensing)
Power Source
Removable rechargeable
lithium-ion battery or the
Battery Eliminator accessory
Dimensions
18 cm x 13.5 cm x 5.5 cm
Weight
0.95 kg
Enclosure
Powder coated aluminum
Warm-up time
< 3 minutes
Sensors
Ethylene (C2H4)
Sensor
Electrochemical
Nominal Range
0–200 ppm
Full Scale Resolution
0.1 ppm
Trigger Mode
Accuracy
±5% relative ±0.15 ppm
absolute
Continuous Mode
Accuracy
±5% relative ±0.2 ppm
absolute
Lower Detection Limit
0.15 ppm
Sampling Time
35 seconds
Zero Interval
Weekly
Calibration Interval
3 months
Lifetime
12 months
Sampling Volume in
Trigger Mode
35 mL

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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Carbon Dioxide
(CO₂) Sensor
Infrared sensor, pyroelectric
detector
Nominal Range
0–100%
Full Scale Resolution
0.01% absolute
Trigger Mode
Accuracy
±0.5% absolute and ±3% of
measured value
Continuous Mode
Accuracy
±0.01% absolute and ±3% of
measured value
Lower Detection Limit
0.01%
Sampling Time
10 seconds
Zero Interval
Weekly
Calibration Interval
12 Months
Lifetime
5 years
Oxygen (O₂) Sensor
Electrochemical
Nominal Range
0–100%
Full Scale Resolution
0.1% absolute
Trigger Mode
Accuracy
±0.3% absolute and ±2% of
measured value
Continuous Mode
Accuracy
±0.1% absolute and ±2% of
measured value
Lower Detection Limit
0.1%
Sampling Time
10 seconds
Zero Interval
Weekly
Calibration Interval
6 months
Lifetime
2 years

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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Unpacking the F-950
The F-950 arrives with a hard-sided carrying
case that includes:
The F-950 Three Gas Analyzer
SD card (within instrument)
USB cord (for firmware update and
data transfer) (11)
Battery charger (12)
Two sets of removeable, rechargeable
standard sized batteries
Sampling probe (4)
Loop back tube (for closed system
measurements) (3)
Four hydrophobic filters (5)
Three sterilized needles (6)
External conditioning tube (8)
Soda lime (9)
Potassium permanganate (10)
Extra internal potassium permanganate
filter (1)
Tubing accessories kit (7)
PolarCept assembly (2)

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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F-950 accessories for measurement including
sampling probe and loop back tube as well as
PolarCept filter.

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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F-950 accessories for calibration including
external conditioning tube, T-junction tubing,
and consumable solids.

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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Operating Instructions
WARNING: Do not store the F-950 without
batteries! Charged batteries must be present in
the instrument to maintain the accuracy of the
sensors, even when the unit is powered off.
If the batteries of the F-950 discharge during
storage, replace with charged batteries and
allow the instrument to stabilize 48 hours
before use. There is a small internal battery to
maintain the bias voltage for the ethylene
electrochemical sensor. This small internal
battery will last for one day without the main
batteries before sensor sensitivity is affected
by losing its bias voltage. The calibration
parameter data is intact with or without
batteries.
Loading the Battery
WARNING: Spring-loaded battery cartridge
The F-950 uses 18650 Li-ion 3.7 V 3100 mAh
rechargeable batteries. The Battery Eliminator
accessory can be used instead of batteries if
desired. For longer lifespan, charge the
batteries at 0.25 A. For a faster charge, charge
at 1 A. The batteries must be removed from
the F-950 to be charged. If the batteries of the
F-950 discharge during storage, replace with
charged batteries. The Li-ion batteries have
little self-discharge and a lifetime of
approximately 3 years.
To remove the batteries, twist the battery
compartment cap, located on the bottom of the

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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case. The cap can be twisted with fingers or a
screw-driver to tighten or loosen it. Take care
when removing batteries, as the cap is spring
loaded. Both batteries should be inserted into
the unit positive (+) side first (towards intake or
top).
Additional button-top 19670 (or protected
18650) batteries can be purchased from your
preferred battery vendor if replacements are
needed.
Basic Operation
To turn the instrument on, press the green
power button. The current version of firmware
the unit is running is displayed in the lower
left-hand corner of the display screen.

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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For information on the latest firmware version,
please visit the F-950 support webpage:
http://www.felixinstruments.com/support/F-950
The battery meter is listed on the lower right-
hand side of the display.
The main menu displays the following options:
Measure, Setup, and File. If the power button
is pressed, the display will prompt for
confirmation before shutting down the F-950.
To scroll between menu items in the list, use
the Up and Down arrows. To select an option
from the menu list, use the right arrow. To exit,
use the left arrow.
Felix Instruments
Measure
Setup
File
Vx.x.x.x
Measurement Modes
Two measurement modes are incorporated
into the F-950.
Continuous mode
Trigger Mode
Continuous mode measures the air entering
through the input of the instrument

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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continuously without stopping. Continuous
mode can be used with or without the
sample port attached to the front of the
instrument. Data is saved to a file every one
second on the F-950.
Trigger mode measures the air entering
through the input of the instrument. The pump
will run, and 30–40 mL of gas sample will be
drawn. The final values will be displayed on
screen and saved to the SD card. The pump
will then turn off until the user initiates a new
measurement. Trigger mode includes a Timer
Interval feature, which can be used to
automatically initiate a new measurement.
Trigger mode can be used with or without the
sample port attached to the front of the
instrument.
To change between modes, Navigate to Setup
> Mode from the main menu.

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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Measure
From the main menu, press the right arrow
when the word ‘Measure’is highlighted to enter
the measurement display screen. All
measurement parameters are saved to the SD
card every one second in continuous mode.
When the SD card is not present, the data will
not be saved. The unit also comes equipped
with Bluetooth technology, designed for
wireless transfer of data (see Transferring
Files, on page 38).
If sampling very high concentrations followed
by very low concentrations, allow the
instrument to purge internal gas for the most
accurate measurements.
Continuous Mode
When in continuous mode, a graph of the
concentration of each gas can be viewed over
time. The default graph shown is the C2H4
concentration in ppm. To view the O2or CO2
graph, simply use the up and down arrows to
scroll through the graphs. The current gas
being graphed is shown on the top of the
screen with the concentration in large font as
shown below.

F-950 Instruction Manual rev. 11/26/2019
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The x-axis of the graph represents time
elapsed. As the measurement progresses the
graph will move to the right. The graph can
display approximately two minutes of
measurement at a time. The y-axis of the
graph displays the range of the concentration
in % for CO2and O2, and the dynamic range is
labeled at the top. The y-axis scale is set by
the highest value shown in the buffer.
The total measurement time is displayed below
the graph. The flowrate (mL/min) is displayed
at the bottom. If Relative Humidity (% RH) and
Temperature (degrees Celsius) are not seen
on the display, go to Setup > RH Conversion
and enter the actual temperature of the
measurement gas (see page 33).

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Trigger Mode
A measurement in trigger mode will initiate a
small volume sample taken over several
seconds until the reading is stable. To begin,
use the up and down arrows to set the time, in
minutes, for the Timer Interval. The Timer
Interval allows the instrument to repeatedly
take measurements without user input. For
example, if the interval is set to 30 minutes the
instrument will take one measurement every
30 minutes. After setting the interval, press the
square start button as prompted to measure.
This will turn on the pump before drawing in
sample gas. After the measurement is
complete, purging will flash in the bottom left
hand corner of the display. Trigger mode will
take longer to stabilize if the concentration is in
a different range from the last sample.