INWATER TECHNOLOGIES TGP Tracker User manual
InWater Tracker
Portable TGP Meter User Manual
A-1580 Willow Street
Campbell River, B.C.
Canada
V9W 3M7
A-1580 Willow Street
Campbell River, B.C.
Canada
250-850-0022
info@inwatertech.com
www.inwatertech.com
Office: 250-850-0022
info@inwatertech.com
www.inwatertech.com
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
2
Table of Contents
Table of Contents..........................................................................................................................................2
1. InWater Tracker Overview....................................................................................................................3
1.1. What’s Included............................................................................................................................3
1.2. Getting Started..............................................................................................................................4
1.3. Keypad Functions..........................................................................................................................4
1.4. USB Battery Charging and Data Transfer......................................................................................5
1.5. Home screen.................................................................................................................................5
2. Settings and functions...........................................................................................................................6
2.1. Main menu....................................................................................................................................6
2.2. Numeric entry...............................................................................................................................6
2.3. Calibration.....................................................................................................................................6
2.4. Set Ex Ch........................................................................................................................................7
2.5. Settings Menu...............................................................................................................................7
2.6. Status ............................................................................................................................................8
2.7. Datalogging ...................................................................................................................................9
3. Service and Maintenance....................................................................................................................12
3.1. Normal Periodic Use ...................................................................................................................12
3.2. Continuous Use...........................................................................................................................13
3.3. Check for damaged or broken membrane tube .........................................................................13
3.4. Changing the Membrane Cartridge ............................................................................................13
3.5. Membrane Cartridge Testing......................................................................................................15
3.6. Silastic tubing test (TGP Syringe test) .........................................................................................15
4. Specifications ......................................................................................................................................17
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
3
1. InWater Tracker Overview
The InWater Tracker is a handheld meter with a 2.4” display, push-button interface, and re-chargeable
battery. It can log probe data to internal memory, which can be transferred to a computer via USB.
When connected to an InWater TGP probe, the meter will display real-time total dissolved gas pressure
(TGP) in mmHg and % saturation, barometric pressure (BP) in mmHg, temperature in Celsius (degC) and
ΔP (TGP-BP).
1.1. What’s Included
InWater Tracker Handheld Meter
InWater TGP Probe
USB charging and data cable
TGP Maintenance Kit
(includes a syringe and brush)
Storage Bin
User Manual
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
4
1.2. Getting Started
Connect the probe - Connect the TGP probe to the female M8
connector on the Tracker (left-side connector).
Connect the M8 sealing cap attached to the base of the TGP
probe cable to the USB connector (male m8 connectr) on the
Tracker. The cap is used to protect the USB connector while
while the Tracker is in use.
Power up the meter by holding the power button. The probe
will be automatically detected after a few seconds.
1.3. Keypad Functions
Power
Hold for 2 seconds to power Tracker on or off
Menu
Toggles between main screen and main menu.
Esc
Revert to previous menu or cancel user
selection
Enter
Confirm menu selection or user input. Hold for
2 seconds to capture data point.
Left/right
In home screen, scroll between the home
screen and secondary data screen
In menus, scroll digit places for numeric entry
Up/down
Toggle display parameters, scroll menu items,
scroll numeric entry
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
5
1.4. USB Battery Charging and Data Transfer
Charging
Connect the USB cable to the Tracker and to a USB Port on a
computer or to an AC/DC USB charger (not included) to charge the
device.
Data Transfer
Connect the USB Charging and Data cable to the Tracker and to a
computer’s USB port. Follow the directions in Section 2.7.
1.5. Home screen
The home screen will appear on start-up. The information displayed includes two user selectable
parameters (Figure 1, left). To select which channels are displayed on the home screen, scroll through
options using the Up Arrow for top parameter and the Down Arrow for the bottom parameter. To
switch to the secondary data screen, which shows all channels at once, press the Right or Left Arrow
(Figure 1, right).
Figure 1. The Tracker’s Home screen with a TGP probe (left). All channels viewed at once
(right).
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
6
2. Settings and functions
2.1. Main menu
To access the Main Menu, press the Menu button and use the
Up/Down arrows to move through the menu items (Figure 2). Press
Enter to select.
2.2. Numeric entry
When numeric entry is required, the values are adjusted by selecting
the place value (i.e. 1s, 10s, 100s) and scrolling through the number in
each place. The Left/Right Arrows switch place value, Up/Down
Arrows increase/decrease the value. Enter is pressed to confirm
the entry. Esc is pressed to cancel the entry.
2.3. Calibration
All TGP measurement systems come pre-calibrated from the factory. The TGP probe has sensors for TGP
and Temperature. The Tracker meter itself has an onboard barometric pressure (BP) sensor. The
recommendations for calibration the 3 sensors is as follows:
1) The BP sensor has a long-term stability of +- 0.5 mmHg, so calibration is not necessary.
2) The TGP sensor should periodically be adjusted with a 1-point
calibration. The default and recommended procedure is to use the
BP sensor as the reference for the 1-point calibration as follows:
i. Remove the probe from water, dry off and allow to stabilize for
15 minutes.
ii. Press Menu and then highlight CALIBRATION and press Enter.
Highlight TGP mmHg and press Enter.Highlight 1 Point Cal and
press Enter.
iii. The default calibration value (in mmHg) will be set equal to the
current value from the BP Sensor. Press Enter to complete the
calibration.
3) The temperature sensor is calibrated using the same steps as for the
TGP sensor but using an external temperature source for reference.
A “2 Point Calibration” is generally unnecessary and should not be
undertaken without first consulting InWater Technologies Technical
Support.
Due to inherent limitations common to all TGP probes, the probe must be periodically removed from
in-situ measurement and dried completely prior to calibrating. In most cases this should be done once
Figure 2. The menu screen. Press
Menu or Esc to return to previous
screen.
Figure 3. The Calibration menu
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
7
every 3 weeks. If the probe is used in water with temperatures above 20 degrees C, this should be
done more frequently than every 3 weeks
2.4. Set Ex Ch
Not applicable with the TGP probe.
2.5. Settings Menu
The settings menu has the following options for configuring the Tracker.
Figure 4. The Settings menu
Auto off time
The Tracker can be set to automatically shut down after a set amount of time with no button presses.
This helps to conserve battery in case the Tracker is not in use but has not been shut down by the user.
The Tracker will never automatically shut down if Automatic data logging is enabled.
Backlight Time
The Tracker can be set to turn off the LCD backlight after a set amount of time with no button presses.
While the display is timed out, the Tracker will continue to take readings from the probe and log data (if
Automatic logging is configured). Once any button on the Tracker is pressed, the display will come back
on. Using this feature can help extend the Tracker battery life.
Backlight
The backlight intensity can be adjusted. Higher intensity allows for better visibility, however, it will
reduce the Tracker battery life. Using the lowest intensity will provide the longest battery life. Use
Up/Down Arrows to increase/decrease the backlight Intensity (5-15). The default setting is 10.
Date / Time
Change the date and time using Up/Down Arrows increase/decrease values. To move down one line
press Enter. To move up one line press Esc.
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
8
2.6. Status
The status menu displays the following data for user reference.
SN: The serial number of the Tracker.
Man Date: the date the Tracker was manufactured (YYMMDD).
FW rev: Firmware revision.
BAT mV: Battery voltage (in millivolts).
Probe Stats: Diagnostic information for probe communication
Figure 5: The Status menu
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
9
2.7. Datalogging
The Tracker can log data to its internal memory, either automatically or manually.
To log Manually, from the home screen or secondary data screen, hold the Enter button for 2 seconds.
The Log indicator in the banner will briefly read Captured indicating the data point was successfully
saved to the data log.
To log automatically, the user sets a log interval, and data is atomically logged based upon that interval.
While auto logging is active, manual data points can also still be captured using the method above.
The LOGGER Main menu has the following options.
Auto Log
The Auto Log menu gives the following information:
1) Logger status: ON / OFF
2) Log start: Month Day Hour:Minute of the first record in the data log
3) Log end: Month Day Hour:Minute of the last record in the data log
4) Records: Number of records / Maximum number of records available
Automatic logging can be toggled ON or OFF using the Up Arrow.
Logger Setup
The logger setup menu gives the following configuration options for the logger:
1) Select Log Ch: Select the channels to be logged. Use the Up and Down
buttons to scroll through the list. Use Left or Right buttons to toggle the channel on or off. When
the channel is set to log, an L is displayed to the left of the channel. When logging is disabled for that
channel, the Lis now shown.
2) Rate (s): The rate in seconds at which data points are saved. 10 seconds is the minimum value
Erase Data
When data points are captured to the data log –either manually or automatically –the data is
appended to the log. This means old data will stick around in the log file as new data it added. To erase
all the data in the log and start fresh, use the Erase Data function. Select Erase Data and click Enter. The
Tracker will confirm you want to erase the data. Click Enter and the data in the data log will be
permanently erased.
Data Transfer
The logged data can be transferred to a computer using this function. The computer must be running
TeraTerm to capture the data. Follow the steps below to complete the data transfer.
1) Download and install TeraTerm from our website www.inwatertech.com/product/tracker
2) Turn the Tracker on and connect it to the computer with the USB cable.
3) Run TeraTerm. A prompt will appear to initialize a new connection. Select the Serial option and use
the dropdown menu to select the appropriate COM port: “USB Serial Device”, then click OK.
Figure 6: The Datalogging
menu
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
10
4) Click File > Log… and chose a location and filename for the data file. Use a .csv file extension so the
file will open nicely in Excel.
5) On the Tracker, navigate to the Logger menu, and select Data Transfer.
6) Press Enter to start the data transfer, or Esc to abort.
7) Once Enter is pressed and the data transfer starts, the data will stream in the TeraTerm window.
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
12
3. Service and Maintenance
3.1. Normal Periodic Use
After each measurement session:
1) Remove the probe from the water and rinse it immediately
to prevent residue from drying on the membrane tubing.
2) Slide off the protective tubing shield.
3) Rinse off the membrane tubing with clean fresh water and
gently shake the probe dry.
4) Allow up to 4 hours for the probe to dry out (*more time
might be required in cold damp environments).
5) Store dry at room temperature.
6) If the probe is being used frequently, it may help to have a
spare cartridge to swap in while the other cartridge is
drying out.
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
13
3.2. Continuous Use
In some applications the TGP probe is left continuously
submerged in water. Under such circumstances, eventually
water condenses as small droplets on the internal walls of the
tubing. As these droplets grow in size, they will eventually
coalesce resulting in “cross-bridging”. The pressure detected by
the sensor will produce a difficult-to-define average of the
actual TGP. Cross-bridging can lead to excess water
accumulation inside the tubing.
Excess water in the tubing can damage the pressure transducer
if actual contact is made with the pressure sensitive wafer.
The time taken for such a condition to arise is inversely
proportional to water temperature. i.e: the higher the water temperature, the faster the bridging will
occur.
In summary, the frequency of probe maintenance is site and condition specific.
AS A GUIDELINE, THE PROBE SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE WATER ON A ROUTINE BASIS EVERY
THREE WEEKS FOR CLEANING. (based on water temp of 15Deg C)
3.3. Check for damaged or broken membrane tube
If the membrane tube is compromised in any way, TGP readings will be wrong. A simple way to check
the integrity of the tubing is to observe the TGP readings as the probe is steadily immersed in water. A
fast increase (several mmHg per second) in displayed values indicates a damaged or broken membrane
tube. Replace the cartridge and recalibrate. The recommended method to check for a faulty membrane
cartridge is to use the syringe test as shown on the following page.
•Inspect the tubing for any visible signs of damage. If damaged or broken, replace the
cartridge. Otherwise leave the probe in air until there is no sign of water present in the
tubing.
•Re-calibrate if necessary.
Note: A need for an unusual degree of calibration correction could mean that the pressure sensor has
been damaged by the bulk water
3.4. Changing the Membrane Cartridge
Occasion may arise where the membrane tubing becomes damaged resulting in erroneous readings.
This is typically displayed as a sharp increase in TGP when the probe is in water with values that remain
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
14
high over time. To fix this issue, the membrane cartridge must be replaced. It is crucial that the probe
not remain in water as this can damage the sensor and electronics within. Use the following steps to
change the membrane cartridge:
1) Carefully unscrew the protective guard from the probe body. Slide the membrane cartridge
away from the probe body, being careful not to damage or stress the membrane tubing which
connects to the stainless-steel sensor port in the center of the probe body.
2) Pinch the head of the membrane tube; carefully separate the membrane tubing from the sensor
port and set the now completely detached membrane assembly aside.
3) Install the new membrane cartridge by pressing the tubing over the sensor port until the tubing
is within 1 mm from the base of the sensor port. Slide the membrane cartridge over the
temperature sensor and sensor port.
4) Inspect the tubing where it meets the sensor port to ensure the inner tubing has not collapsed.
5) Screw the protective cover to the probe body, over the membrane cartridge.
InWater Tracker
User Manual –2021
15
3.5. Membrane Cartridge Testing
If the membrane cartridge becomes damaged, clogged, or filled with water, the TGP readings will be
inaccurate. It’s important to routinely inspect the membrane cartridge. There are 3 ways to inspect the
membrane cartridge.
1) Observe the TGP readings as the probe is steadily immersed in water. A fast increase (several
mmHg per second) in displayed values indicates a damaged or broken membrane tube.
2) Visually inspect the membrane cartridge. The membrane cartridge should be clean and free of
kinks or holes.
3) If a hole in the tubing is suspected, the syringe test can be done to identify leaks in the tubing as
follows.
3.6. Silastic tubing test (TGP Syringe test)
1) Remove the membrane cartridge from the TGP probe.
2) Using the included syringe, draw the syringe plunger back half way back.
3) Attach the cartridge tubing to the end of the syringe.
4) Place the cartridge in a container of water and gently apply pressure to the plunger.
5) If resistance is felt in the syringe when pressed and no bubbles appear from the cartridge when
placed underwater, there are no holes in the tubing. This indicates that the unit is good.
If bubbles appear from the cartridge when placed underwater, there are holes in the Silastic
tubing. This indicates that the unit needs to be replaced.
Table of contents
