In-situ Aqua TROLL Maintenance manual

Instruction Sheet
Care and Maintenance of Aqua TROLL®and Level TROLL®
Instruments
User Maintenance
Overview
It is important for users to perform scheduled
maintenance on their instruments to sustain the
accuracy and longevity of the probes and cables. The
frequency of this maintenance depends on the
characteristics of the deployment site, including
humidity levels and the degree of fouling.
Users should be aware of the conditions at their
deployment sites and develop appropriate maintenance
schedules to replace desiccant, clean the instruments,
and send in the instruments for factory calibration.
Users should check instruments often during the first
portion of the deployment to determine the frequency of
maintenance. General maintenance should be
performed as often as possible. Factory service should
be performed at least every 12 months.
Preventing Condensation
Desiccant
Desiccant protects electronics from condensation,
which can cause irreparable damage and loss of data.
Indicating desiccant changes from blue to pink as it
becomes saturated with moisture.
Desiccant stages (from left)
New, nearly expired (replace now), expired
It is extremely important to use a properly-sized
desiccant for your deployment, and to change
desiccant often. Desiccant should be changed before
the entire volume has turned pink, and you should use
enough desiccant to effectively keep cables,
instruments and electrical boards dry until your next
scheduled maintenance. Desiccant life span is
dependent on site conditions.
Desiccant Pack Options
Small Desiccant
The Small Desiccant is a disposable cap that ships with
In-Situ Inc. products. The small desiccant is meant to
protect the instrument and cable only during
shipping, and should not be used for
deployments.
Large Desiccant (PN 0051810 and 0053550)
The Large Desiccant is a replaceable desiccant pack
designed for low-humidity environments or
deployments where maintenance occurs frequently.
The large desiccant is available with a plastic or a
titanium twist-lock connector.
Information subject to change without notice. In-Situ, In-Situ logo, Baro Merge, BaroTROLL, HERMIT, Pocket-Situ, RDO, RuggedCable,
RuggedReader, TROLL, and Win-Situ are trademarks or registered trademarks of In-Situ Inc. © 2012. All rights reserved. 08/2012 | Rev.001 |

Instruction Sheet
Outboard Desiccant (PN 0051380)
The Outboard Desiccant is a replaceable desiccant
pack designed to attach to the vent tube of the stripped-
and-tinned cable.
Extra Large Desiccant (PN 0090420)
The Extra Large Desiccant is a replaceable desiccant
pack designed for high-humidity environments or
deployments where maintenance occurs infrequently.
The extra large desiccant provides six times the drying
capability of the Large Desiccant.
Desiccant Refill Kit (PN 0029140)
The Desiccant Refill Kit supplies desiccant for the Large
Desiccant, Extra Large Desiccant, and the Outboard
Desiccant. It also contains replacement glass wool.
Installing Twist-Lock Desiccant
1. Remove the protective dust cap from the bottom
of the desiccant pack, if applicable.
2. Remove expiring desiccant (if present) from the
RuggedCable®System by grasping the textured
section of the cable connector in one hand and
the desiccant in the other. Twist in opposite
directions to unlock the desiccant from the cable.
3. Attach the new desiccant pack to the twist-lock
connector on the cable.
Using the Desiccant Refill Kit
1. Remove the black nylon vent cap from the top of
the desiccant.
2. Pour out and discard the used desiccant. Check
the glass wool in the bottom of the container and
replace if necessary.
The glass wool prevents the desiccant beads
from falling out the cable end of the desiccant
pack. If the wool glass does this effectively, there
is no need to replace it when refilling the
desiccant.
3. Fill the container with fresh desiccant. Replace
the vent cap. Reattach to cable if removed.
Desiccant Guidelines and Precautions
lThe soft red dust caps protect connectors and
shield new desiccant from moisture prior to use.
Do not remove the dust caps until you
deploy the system. During installation, remove
caps to allow air to reach the cable vent.
lDo not inhale the silica dust when pouring
desiccant from one container to another.
lIndicating desiccant is blue when dry. It gradually
turns pink as it becomes saturated.
Desiccant stages (from left)
New, nearly expired (replace now), expired
lReplace desiccant before the entire volume has
turned pink.
lDesiccant absorbs moisture from the top down.
The black cap indicates the top.
Remember, replace desiccant before it expires to
prevent electronic damage to your instrument.
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Instruction Sheet
Cleaning and Storage
Body and Front End of Probe
Clean the instrument body with water and a soft brush
or plastic scouring pad, or soak overnight in a mild acidic
solution, such as household vinegar. NEVER submerge
the twist-lock connector portion of the instrument.
If the ports on the front end are clogged with silt or mud,
try the following procedures.
lAgitate the instrument vigorously in a bucket of
clean water.
lApply a gentle rinse of water from a wash bottle.
lIn severe cases, remove the nose cone and clean
out the holes with a soft brush or pipe cleaner.
Do not attempt to remove material from the instrument
by tapping the instrument against a surface. To avoid
damage to the pressure sensor diaphragm, do not insert
any object into the sensor opening or attempt to dig out
dirt or other materials. You void the instrument's
warranty by inserting anything into the sensor
opening. If contamination cannot be removed using the
recommendations above, please contact In-Situ Inc. for
cleaning.
A TROLL pressure sensor with the nose cone removed.
Do not insert ANY object into the sensor opening. Doing
so voids the warranty.
Conductivity Cell
Fouling from mineral and biological sources can alter
the Aqua TROLL conductivity sensor's response.
lAlways begin and finish cleaning procedures by
rinsing under running water to remove any loose
material.
lAfter cleaning, always check the calibration before
redeployment. Calibrate the instrument if
necessary.
Acceptable cleaning processes for the Aqua TROLL
are listed below.
Process 1: Light scrubbing with a soft swab and mild
soap such as a dilute solution of dish detergent. Be
careful not to damage the plastic material of the
conductivity cell. Instruments are shipped with
polyurethane foam swabs for this purpose. You can
also use a thin cotton pipe cleaner and clean the cell
with a gentle back-and-forth “flossing” motion.
Process 2: Light scrubbing with a foam swab and an
aggressive soap such as Alconox®detergent can be
used for stubborn deposits.
Process 3: Dilute (10:1) acetic acid, or consumer-
packaged white vinegar, can be used to pre-soften
calcium deposits. Follow this with Process 1 or Process
2, depending on the degree of residual contamination.
The instrument can soak for any length of time in dilute
acetic acid. If this does not completely remove the
material, try Process 4.
Process 4: Dilute phosphoric acid (< 27%), or the
consumer product Lime-A-Way®can be topically
applied with a soft swab to remove iron or calcium
deposits that remain after using Process 3. Do not soak
for more than 10 minutes. Rinse well with clean water.
IMPORTANT: If contamination cannot be
removed using these recommendations,
contact In-Situ Inc. for cleaning.
Twist-Lock Connectors
Keep the pins on all connectors free of dirt and moisture
by using the soft protective dust caps when cable is not
attached.
Storage
Store the instrument in a clean, dry place. Place the
protective red dust cap on the cable end or store with
cable attached to protect the connector pins and O-ring.
Ensure desiccant is the appropriate size and change it
when needed. Store the instrument where it will not roll
off a bench onto a hard surface or sustain other
mechanical shocks. Protect the instrument from
temperature extremes. Store instruments properly:
lLevel TROLL Instruments—store within the
temperature range -40° C to +85° C (-40° F to
+176° F)
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Instruction Sheet
lAqua TROLL Instruments—store within the
temperature range -40° C to +65° C (-40° F to
+149° F)
Power Options
Internal Power - Batteries
Internal batteries are not user-replaceable. The
approximate percentage of the power remaining in an
internal battery is displayed on the Home Screen when
an instrument is connected to Win-Situ®Software.
External Power - External Battery Packs
External battery packs can significantly increase the life
of an instrument, either for long-term deployments or to
preserve an aging instrument.
TROLL Battery Pack (PN 0051450)
The sealed, submersible TROLL Battery Pack (lithium)
supplements internal battery power when an instrument
is used for fast, frequent sampling or during long-term
deployments. When this power source is connected, the
instrument will use the external battery source first and
switch to the internal batteries when external battery
power is depleted. Total battery life depends on the
sampling speed.
TROLL battery pack
TROLL Replaceable Battery Pack (PN
0090000)
The TROLL Replaceable Battery Pack supplements
internal battery power when a Level TROLL or Aqua
TROLL 100 or 200 Instrument is used for frequent, fast
sampling or during long-term deployments. When this
power source is connected, the TROLL instrument will
use the external battery source first and switch to the
internal batteries when external battery power is
depleted. Battery life depends on sampling rate. This
battery pack allows for 1.5 V UM-3 or size AA batteries
(8) that are replaced by the user.
TROLL Replaceable Battery Pack
Estimated Battery Lifetime
TROLL
Battery Pack
Aqua TROLL
100/200
Level TROLL
Family
15 minute
logging rate* 4.1 years 1.1 years
1 hour
logging rate* 4.4 years 1.1 years
*Logging with all sensors. Actual battery lifetime varies based on
site conditions.
TROLL
Replaceable
Battery Pack
Aqua TROLL
100/200
Level TROLL
Family
15 minute
logging rate* 5.75 years 1.6 years
1 hour
logging rate* 7 years 1.7 years
*Logging with all sensors. Actual battery lifetime varies based on
site conditions.
Antifouling Products
TROLL Shield Nose Cone (PN 0081480)
The copper TROLL Shield Nose Cone is designed to
reduce macro- and micro-fouling of the pressure sensor
on Level TROLL and Aqua TROLL Instruments.
Reduced fouling on the sensor improves measurement
accuracy and extends the length of deployments.
For optimum performance, the TROLL Shield Nose
Cone should be replaced every 12 months or sooner if
site conditions are extremely harsh.
TROLL Shield Nose Cone
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Instruction Sheet
TROLL Shield Guard (PN 0085190)
The antifouling TROLL Shield Guard is designed to
reduce the fouling of the conductivity cell on Aqua
TROLL 100 and 200 Instruments. Reduced fouling on
the sensor improves accuracy and extends the length of
instrument deployments.
For optimum performance, the TROLL Shield Guard
should be replaced every 6 months.
TROLL Shield Guard
O-ring Inspection and Replacement
Examine O-rings for wear, dryness, discoloration,
stretching, cracks, nicks, and brittleness. Replace when
any of these conditions are present. Replacing O-rings
on a regular schedule, regardless of O-ring condition, is
the best way to protect against damage.
Perform the following steps to replace an O-ring.
1. Remove and discard the damaged O-ring.
2. Use a clean, dry soft cloth to clean the O-ring
groove to remove dirt or residue.
3. Lubricate the new O-ring using high-vacuum
grease.
a. Wash your hands thoroughly.
b. Apply a small amount of grease to the pad of
your index finger, and rub your index finger
and thumb together to spread the grease
evenly.
c. Inspect the new O-ring and remove any
debris stuck to it.
d. Rub your fingers around the O-ring until there
is a thin layer of grease on the entire O-ring
body.
4. Install the O-ring in the groove and remove any
excess lubricant with a clean cloth.
Do not allow water or lubricant to enter the
connector.
Factory Calibration Services
In-House Factory Calibration
Factory calibration of In-Situ Inc.instruments should be
performed every 12 months, or when the unit data
appears to drift significantly. Factory calibration includes
a thorough cleaning, full functionality check, and
adjustments of the pressure sensor, temperature
sensor, and conductivity sensor (when applicable) over
the entire calibrated temperature range.
To obtain a factory calibration, fill out and return the
online RMA (Return Materials Authorization) form
located at www.in-situ.com/Return_authorization.
Guidelines for Cleaning Returned Equipment
Please help us protect the health and safety of our
employees by cleaning and decontaminating equipment
that has been subjected to any potential biological or
health hazards, and labeling such equipment.
Unfortunately, we cannot service your equipment
without such notification. Please complete and sign the
form in your Operator’s Manual (or a similar statement
certifying that the equipment has been cleaned and
decontaminated) and send it with each returned
instrument.
lWe recommend a cleaning solution, such as
Alconox®, which is a glassware cleaning product
available from In-Situ Inc. (PN 0029810) or
laboratory supply houses.
lClean all cabling. Remove all foreign matter.
lClean cable connector(s) with a clean, dry cloth.
Do not submerge cable connectors.
lClean the probe body—including the nose cone,
cable head, and protective caps. Remove all
foreign matter.
If an instrument is returned to our Service Center for
calibration or repair without a statement that it has been
cleaned and decontaminated, or in the opinion of our
Service Representatives presents a potential health or
biological hazard, we reserve the right to withhold
service until proper certification has been obtained.
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Instruction Sheet
Warranty Conditions
Warranty Information
Visit www.in-situ.com/warranty for the most current
product warranty information.
Warranty Void Conditions
Your In-Situ Inc. instrument has been designed to
withstand harsh field conditions. However, as with any
electronic instrument, it can be permanently damaged if
subject to the following conditions.
lUsed outside of operating specifications
lHandled or cleaned improperly
lMaintained incorrectly, including improper use and
replacement of desiccant
Neglecting any instructions or warnings in your
Operator's Manual or related In-Situ Inc. documentation
may cause damage to your instrument, your warranty to
become void, or both. Please follow all instructions and
warnings to avoid damage to your product.
The presence of the Waste Electrical and Electronic
Equipment (WEEE) marking on the product indicates that the
device is not to be disposed via the municipal waste collection
system of any member state of the European Union.
For products under the requirement of WEEE directive, please
contact your distributor or local In-Situ Inc. office for the proper
decontamination information and take back program, which will
facilitate the proper collection, treatment, recovery, recycling,
and safe disposal of the device
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