Hal Technology HAL-HPC301 Quick start guide

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HAL-HPC301
Handheld Particle Counter
Operational Manual
7970 Cherry Ave., Suite 303
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 USA
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
[e-mail]
http://haltechnologies.com

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Table of Contents
Version Table .................................................................................4
Disclaimer ......................................................................................5
1. Introduction ...............................................................................8
1.1 Features ........................................................................................................10
1.2 Specifications ................................................................................................10
2. Basic Operation.......................................................................12
2.1 Handheld Unit Overview................................................................................12
2.2 Key Functions................................................................................................12
2.3 Graphical User Interface (GUI) ......................................................................13
2.3.1 Main Screen................................................................................................13
2.3.2 Measure Screen .........................................................................................14
2.3.3 Browse Screen ...........................................................................................16
2.3.4 Settings Screen ..........................................................................................17
2.3.5 Modifying Parameters (Settings) .................................................................19
3. Data Downloader Instructions................................................25
4. Troubleshooting ......................................................................26
5. Warranty...................................................................................28
Contact Information .............................................................................................30
6. Glossary...................................................................................32

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Version Table
Date
Version
Comment
February 10, 2017
1.1
Added Data Downloader instructions
December 20, 2016
1.0
Formal Release
April 15, 2015
0.2
Pre-release updating
April 7, 2015
0.1
Pre-release Version

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Disclaimer
The information in this manual is believed to be accurate, however, Hal Technology
assumes no responsibility for any inaccuracies that may be contained in this manual.
Under no circumstances will Hal Technology be liable for direct, indirect, special,
incidental, or consequential damages resulting from any defect or omission in this
manual, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. In the interest of continued
product development, Hal Technology reserves the right to make improvements or
changes in this manual and the products it describes at any time, without notice or
obligation.
Published in the United States of America
Copyright © 2016 by Hal Technology
All rights reserved. No part of the contents of this manual may be reproduced,
transmitted, stored, or translated into any other language in any form by any means
without the written permission of Hal Technology LLC.
Quality Assurance
•This product has met Hal Technologies product specifications. All the test
instruments and standard materials used for calibration are traceable.
•This certification is for new products only. It is not valid for previously
owned or exhibition units.
Commonly Used Symbols
The following symbols are used throughout this manual:
The action described could lead to harmful damage of the instrument.

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Noting items of interest or instrument features and/or requirements.
Unpacking and Inspection
•Inspect the receiving package and notify the shipper immediately if there appears
to be susceptible damage during shipping.
•Please verify that the enclosed items coincide with the shipping package list.
This Instrument is designed to be the class-1 laser equipment. Removing the cover without authorization may result
in exposing to the laser radiation or high voltage. This Instrument also contains static sensitive components that
may be damaged by improper handling. The warranty is void for any unauthorized opening of the instrument.
Environmental Requirements
To avoid accidents or damage to the instrument, please avoid using the instrument in the
following situations:
•DO NOT expose to combustible or explosive environments.
•DO NOT expose to environments where rust or radioactivity are present.
•DO NOT expose to an environment exceeding the specified limits.
Technical Support and Warranty
Within one year from the date purchased, the manufacturer will provide free technical
support and software upgrades, if applicable. For additional help, please contact
[e-mail]
It is strongly recommended that the instrument should be calibrated semi-annually or

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annually at least. Please contact Hal Technology to schedule your calibration or any
services needed. The HAL-HPC301 can only be serviced at Hal Technology or by a Hal
Technology authorized professional.

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1. Introduction
Figure 1: HAL-HPC301
Figure 1 shows the HAL-HPC301 three-channel handheld particle counter. The HAL-
HPC301 handheld optical particle counter utilizes laser technology for single particle
detection. A sampling flow is directed through a proprietary chamber designed to collect
scattered light and generate electrical pulses proportional to the size of the incident
particles. The HAL-HPC301 is a completely self-contained particle counter, that is, no
other parts are required to start monitoring or making particle count measurements. A
plethora of optional accessories are available to increase measurement confidence and
accuracy. Included software allows users to download the unit’s stored records via USB
connection. Bluetooth enabled wireless printing is also available to minimize cabling
requirements.

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The HAL-HPC301 has three adjustable particle size channels starting at 0.3 microns at
a flow of .1 CFM (2.83 LPM). Particle count data is displayed as Cumulative, Differential
or Concentration mode (Counts/Liter or Counts/Cubic foot, Counts/Cubic Meter). Options
are available to include Mass Concentration and Particulate Matter measurements.
Optional accessories also include a digital temperature, relative humidity, and pressure
probe as well as an isokinetic probe for more accurate air sampling. The HPC301 has
more than enough memory storage, as it is capable of storing over 5000 sample records.
It is in compliance with the international standards (JIS B 9925:1997 and ISO14644-1)
and supports both metric and English systems.

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1.1 Features
•User settable channel sizes (0.3 μm, 0.5 μm, 0.7 μm, 1.0 μm, 2.0 μm, 2.5 μm, 5
μm, 10 μm, and 15 μm)
•User adjustable start delay, sampling time, and sampling interval
•USB interface for data downloading (Software included)
•Audible Count Limit Warning: FED (Standard), ISO (Standard), and user defined.
•Error status indicator: The instrument will automatically monitor the sensor status
and battery charge status
•Over 5000 data points of storage capacity.
•Average of multiple times of measurements
•External digital temperature, relative humidity, and pressure to assure accurate
measurement
•Up to 260 unique location labels
•No less than 6 hours of continuous operation
•Bluetooth® (Wireless) printing capabilities
•Compatible with Window XP/7/8/10 operation systems
1.2 Specifications
•Size Range: 0.3 μm to 25 μm.
•Channel Sizes: All channel sizes configurable by user (Choose from 0.3 μm,
0.5 μm, 0.7 μm, 1.0 μm, 2.0 μm, 2.5 μm, 5 μm, 10 μm, 15 μm, 20 μm)
•Light Source: Laser diode (more than 100,000 hours MTBF)
•Coincidence Loss: <5% @ 70,000 particles/Litre
•Warm-up Time: < 1 minute for most accurate results
•Flow Rate: 2.83 Litre/min (0.1 cfm)
•Counting Efficiency: 50±20%@0.3μm; 100±10%@0.5μm
•Test Standard: JIS-B-9921 (1997), ASTM-F649-01, ASTM-F328-98 (NIST
traceable)
•Sampling Time: 1 sec to 59 minutes and 59 seconds (User adjustable)
•Number of Sampling Count: 1 to 999 (User adjustable)

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•Count Limit Warning: FED STD 209E (Class 1 to 100,000), ISO 14644-1
(Class 3 to 9), and user defined (custom).
•Measurement Mode: Cumulative, Differential, Number Concentration, Mass
Concentration and PM values
•Save Option: Single, Multiple or Average
•Error Indicator: Count limit, loss of laser power, battery discharged
•Interface: USB, Bluetooth
•Power: Rechargeable Lithium ion battery (7.4V/5200mAh); AC adapter 100~
240VAC to 9VDC/1.5A
•Dimension: 93 (W)  180 (H)  48 (D) mm
•Weight: Approximately 900 grams
•Environmental Conditions: Operating: 5~ 45C, <90%RH; Storage: -20 ~
50C, <90%RH
•Standard accessories: an Iso-kinetic probe, an AC charger, a USB cable, a
CD with data download software and user manual
•Optional accessories: Temperature, relative humidity, and pressure probes,
zero count filter, tripod mount, Bluetooth® printer

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2. Basic Operation
2.1 Handheld Unit Overview
Figure 2: Overview of the HPC301
2.2 Key Functions
The units interface is composed of a six key interface:
ENTER
BACK
Each button controls the following features:
•Power button : While the unit is off, press and hold the power button for
approximately 2 seconds to turn on the instrument. While the unit is on, press and
hold the power button for approximately 2 seconds to turn off the instrument. If

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the instrument is not actively sampling it will automatically power off after 5
minutes of inactivity.
•: Start or stop measuring/sampling.
• : Move the cursor to select desired screen or item.
•ENTER: Confirm the current selection or edit a parameter.
•BACK: Back to the previous page or cancel.
The side of the enclosure includes
•USB Interface: Connect the USB interface to a computer for data downloading.
•POWER port: An AC charger plug-in port: 9 VDC @ 1.5 A.
•Charge Status LED: LED flashes during charge cycle and becomes steady after
the charge cycle is finished.
•Ethernet Interface: This feature is not standard for the HPC301 and is a future
option.
2.3 Graphical User Interface (GUI)
2.3.1 Main Screen
When the unit is turned on it will default to the Main Screen as shown in Figure 3. From
this screen the user may select Measure, Browse, or Settings by using the UP and
DOWN keys and confirm the selection using the ENTER key. As indicated in the table
below (items 1-5), it is possible to view the status of the Sound, Alarm, Bluetooth, and
Printing settings as well as the battery charge state at any time. The time and date are
also displayed on the bottom of the screen.

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Figure 3: HPC301 Main Screen
2.3.2 Measure Screen
The Measure screen, shown in Figure 4, will show the channel values and the optional
temperature, relative humidity, and pressure values if the PHT probe is attached to the
unit. From this screen one can navigate to the Settings Screen by pressing the UP key,
the Browse Screen by pressing the DOWN key, or start taking data by pressing the
RUN/STOP key The Measure Screen also shows the status of the Sound, Alarm,
Bluetooth, and Printing settings as well as the battery charge state.
When the system is saving data after a measurement, please do not shut off the unit
while the save icon is displayed. Premature shut off may cause loss of stored data.

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Figure 4: Measure Screen of the HPC301
•Push the RUN/STOP key to begin a measurement. During the sampling process,
you may cancel the measurement by hitting the RUN/STOP key again.
•The Start Delay will count down to zero, at which point the unit will begin sampling.
The unit will collect the number of samples requested at the appropriate Sample
Duration and Sample Interval.
•If either the Sample Duration or Sample Interval is to be set below 5 seconds, the
other must be greater or equal to 5 seconds. For example, if you want a Sample
Duration of 4 seconds or less, the Sample Interval must be at least 5 seconds.
•The instrument will automatically shut off after 5 minutes of inactivity unless
measurements are in progress.
Figure 5 outlines the HPC301 sampling process. The unit begins by counting trough
the start delay. This feature is useful if the unit will be programmed to take data up to 59
minutes and 59 seconds from the current time. If the start delay is set to 00:00,
sampling will begin immediately when the RUN/STOP key is pressed. The unit collects

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data for the Sample Duration and then counts through the Sample Interval. The Sample
Duration and Sample Interval times will be repeated for the requested number of
samples. Figure 5 specifically shows the sampling process when the unit is set to a
non-zero Start Delay and 4 samples are taken.
Figure 5: Measurement Procedure for the HPC301
The total time for an ensemble of measurements can be calculated as:
𝑇𝑖𝑚𝑒 = 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡 𝐷𝑒𝑙𝑎𝑦 + 𝑁𝑜. 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑥 [𝑆𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝐷𝑢𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 + 𝑆𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒 𝐼𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑙]
2.3.3 Browse Screen
Figure 6 shows the Browse Screen of the HPC301. From this screen one can navigate
to the Measure Screen by pressing the UP key, the Settings Screen by pressing the
DOWN key, or start viewing record by pressing the ENTER key. If entered, the record
displayed will be the latest record in memory. Every record will display all the parameters
shown in Figure 6. Note, the time parameters correspond to when the measurement
finished. To get the start time, simply subtract the Sample Duration.
Time Passing
Wait Sample Wait Sample Wait Sample Wait Sample

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Figure 6: Browse Screen
2.3.4 Settings Screen
Figure 7 shows the Settings Screen of the HPC301. From this screen one can navigate
to the Browse Screen by pressing the UP key, the Measure Screen by pressing the
DOWN key, or enter the settings screen by pressing the ENTER key. All the unit’s
parameters are set using this screen. Figure 8 details the various parameters the user
can set.
Figure 7: Settings Screen

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Figure 8 shows the parameters that can be set via the Setting Screen.
Figure 8: The parameters that can be set via the Settings Screen
Once the user has entered the Settings Screen by pressing Enter, scroll through the
various options using the UP and DOWN keys. Enter a sub-menu by pressing ENTER.
Once selected, a parameter will highlight in blue. For example, if the user wishes to edit
the sample duration setting in the Sample Parameters screen they will first press the
ENTER key while Sample Duration is selected. The first portion of the entry will
highlight blue, like so 00:00. Pressing the UP or DOWN key will move between minutes
and seconds (00:00). Pressing the ENTER key will highlight the selected portion in red
and enable editing (00:00). The UP and DOWN keys will now edit the Sample Duration
appropriately. When finished press the BACK key to stop editing (00:00).
Particle Sizes –Modify particle sizes on Channels 1 - 6
Sample Parameters –Modify Start Delay, Interval, Duration, Number of
Samples, Material Density (MC and PM only), Count Mode, and Location
Date & Time –Modify the units Date & Time settings
Preferences –Modify the units color theme and temperature unit
Alarm/Sound Levels –Modify the alarm (FED, ISO, or manual) and the Sound
settings. Turning off the sound does not inhibit the alarm.
Print/Save Options –Modify the Print (On or Off) settings and the Save (On,
Off, or Average) settings.
SETTINGS
Particle Sizes
Sample Parameters
Date & Time
Preferences
Alarm/Sound Levels
Print/Save Options
Bluetooth Settings
Factory Settings Bluetooth Settings –Modify settings for the optional printer.
Factory Settings –Firmware update (reserved), Calibration (protected), Clear
Last Record, and Factory Reset.

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2.3.5 Modifying Parameters (Settings)
Particle Sizes:
This three-channel particle counter allows the user to select three predefined
channel sizes from 0.3 μm, 0.5 μm, 1.0 μm, 2.0 μm, 2.5 μm, 5.0 μm, 10.0 μm, and
15.0 μm. Channel 1 will always be the smallest size, followed by channel 2 and 3. If
the FS209E/ISO alarm is enabled, the channels will be locked to 0.3 μm, 0.5 μm,
and 5.0 μm and cannot be changed until the FS209E/ISO alarm has been disabled.
Sample Parameters:
The sample parameters screen will allow the user to modify the following parameters
over the following ranges:
•Start Delay: 00:00 to 59:59
•Sample Interval: 00:00 to 59:59
•Sample Duration: 00:00 to 59:59
•Number of Samples: 0 to 500
•Material: PSL, Sand, Lead, Carbon, or User Defined
•Count Mode: Cumulative, Differential, Counts per Liter, Counts per Cubic
Foot, Counts per Cubic Meter, Mass Concentration (option) or Particulate
Matter (option)
•Location: A0 to Z9
Start Delay
The start delay is defined as the time before ANY measurements are taken. This
feature is a timer for a sampling process to occur at a later time. The sample
Particle Sizes
Sample Parameters
Date & Time
Preferences
Alarm/Sound Levels
Print/Save Options
Bluetooth Settings
Factory Settings

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delay can be set between 00:00 and 59:59.
Sample Interval
The sample interval is defined as the time between measurements. No data is
collected during the interval. The sample interval can be set between 00:00 and
59:59.
Sample Duration
The sample duration is defined as the time between measurements. No data is
collected during the interval. The sample duration can be set between 00:01 and
59:59.
Number of Samples
The number of samples to be collected. If the Save mode is set to Auto, the unit
will collect and store every sample. If the Save Mode is set to Avg, only the
average across the number of samples will be stored.
•When setting this number, keep in mind the run time of the entire
sampling procedure. Depending upon the battery charge, the user may
wish to plug the unit in to ensure all data is collected.
Material
This parameter only affects Mass Concentration (MC) and Particulate Matter (PM)
measurements. The particle density is used in MC and PM measurements, and
the standard usage is a Polystyrene Latex (PSL) particle. The HPC301 allows
users to choose from a list of predetermined densities. If the particle you are
measuring does not appear in the list, choose the User Defined option. Simply
enter the particle density of the particles to be measured, if known, in units of
g/cm3, i.e., the density of PSL is 1.05 g/cm3.