ISCO 4230 User manual

4230 Bubbler
Flow Meter
The 4230 Bubbler Flow Meter Pocket Guide
is provided as a handy field reference. It is
not intended to replace the instruction
manual, but complements it by providing
condensed instructions. Study the manual
thoroughly before installing or operating the
flow meter.
COPYRIGHT © 1994 by
Teledyne Isco, Inc., 4700 Superior St.,
Lincoln, Nebraska, U.S.A. 68504
Phone: [phone]
Toll Free: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
www.isco.com
Part #60-3233-102
Revision H, May 11, 2006

WARNING
The installation and use of this product may
require you to work in locations where you
could be seriously injured or even killed. Take
whatever precautions are necessary to ensure
your safety before entering the installation.
Never work alone or unsupervised. Install and
operate this product in accordance with all
applicable safety and health regulations, as
well as any appropriate local ordinances.
This product is often installed in confined
spaces. Examples of confined spaces are
manholes, pipelines, digesters, and storage
tanks. These places can be dangerous or fatal
if you are not suitably prepared. The primary
hazards are the presence of poisoned air, the
lack of ventilation, and the possibility of falls.
Other hazards may be present, as well. Work
in such places is governed by OSHA
1910.146, and may require a permit before
entering.
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for
chemical agents supplied or recommended for
use with this product are in the MSDS
Appendix in the back of the instruction
manual. These sheets provide information
about possible hazards from the chemicals.
Additional MSDS, covering various
proprietary agents (name-branded or
trademarked mixtures) that can also be used
with this product, are available from the
manufacturers of those agents.

Table of Contents
iii
Table of Contents
1.
Getting Started
1.1 Becoming Familiar with the 4230 Flow
Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1
1.1.1 Selection of a Power Source . . 1-2
1.1.2 Turning the Flow Meter On . . 1-3
1.1.3 Adjusting the Bubble Rate . . . 1-3
1.2 Checking the Installation . . . . . . . . . 1-4
1.2.1 Bubble Lines in High-Velocity
Streams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-6
1.2.2 Clogging Bubble Lines . . . . . . 1-7
1.3 Options and Capabilities . . . . . . . . . . 1-8
1.3.1 Flow Metering Inserts . . . . . . 1-8
1.3.2 Connection to a Sampler . . . . 1-9
1.3.3 Adjusting Level . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-9
1.3.4 Data Acquisition and Storage
(Flowlink®) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-10
1.3.5 Parameter Sensing with the 4230
Flow Meter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-12
2.
Programming Introduction
2.1 Why Programming Is Necessary . . . . 2-1
2.1.1 Operation of the Keypad and
Display . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-2
2.2 Keypad Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-4
2.3 Programming Procedure . . . . . . . . . . 2-7
2.4 Description of Program Steps . . . . . 2-10
2.4.1 Step 1 - Operating Mode . . . 2-10
2.4.2 Step 2 - Flow Conversion Type . .
2-11
2.4.3 Step 3 - Adjust Level, Parameters
2-15

iv
2.4.4 Step 4 - Reset Totalizer . . . . 2-17
2.4.5 Step 5 - Sampler Pacing . . . . 2-17
2.4.6 Step 6 - Sampler Enable . . . . 2-19
2.4.7 Step 7 - Alarm Dialout Mode 2-20
2.4.8 Step 8 - Printer . . . . . . . . . . . 2-21
2.4.9 Step 9 - Reports/History . . . . 2-22
2.5 Interpreting the Program Screens . 2-22
3.
Programming
3.1 Step 1 - Operating Mode . . . . . . . . . . 3-1
3.2 Step 2 - Flow Conversion . . . . . . . . . 3-36
3.2.1 Flow Metering Inserts . . . . . 3-45
3.2.2 Enter Maximum Head - All
Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-46
3.2.3 Programming the 4-20 mA
Outputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-46
3.3 Step 3 - Port to Adjust . . . . . . . . . . . 3-48
3.4 Step 4 - Reset Totalizer . . . . . . . . . . 3-55
3.5 Step 5 - Sampler Pacing . . . . . . . . . 3-56
3.6 Step 6 - Sampler Enable . . . . . . . . . 3-61
3.7 Step 7 - Alarm Dialout Mode . . . . . . 3-67
3.8 Step 8 - Printer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3-71
3.9 Step 9 - Reports/History . . . . . . . . . 3-75
4.
Maintenance
4.1 Care of the Flow Meter Case . . . . . . . 4-1
4.1.1 Care of the Case Seal . . . . . . . 4-2
4.1.2 Preventing Moisture Damage 4-2
4.2 Changing the Printer Paper and Ribbon
4-3
4.2.1 Installing the New Roll of Paper .
4-4
4.2.2 Ink Ribbon Replacement . . . . 4-6
4.3 Maintenance of the Bubble Line . . . . 4-7
4.3.1 Automatic Air Purge . . . . . . . 4-8
4.4 Maintenance of the Batteries . . . . . . 4-8
4.4.1 Charging the Nickel-Cadmium

Table of Contents
v
Battery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-9
4.4.2 Five Station Battery Charger 4-9
4.4.3 Self-Discharge Characteristic . . .
4-10
4.4.4 Hazards of Overcharging . . . 4-11
4.4.5 Charging from Another Source . .
4-11
4.4.6 Memory Effects Temporary . 4-12
4.4.7 Internal Fuse . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-12
4.4.8 Using the Lead-Acid Battery 4-13
4.4.9 Using Other Types of Batteries . .
4-14
4.4.10 Attaching the Battery . . . . . 4-15
4.5 Regenerating the Desiccators . . . . . 4-16
4.5.1 Regenerating the Internal Case
Desiccant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-16
4.5.2 Regenerating the External
Desiccant Cartridges . . . . . . 4-18

vi

1-1
4230 Bubbler
Flow Meter
Section 1
Getting Started
1.1 Becoming Familiar with the
4230 Flow Meter
The 4230 Flow Meter is a
microprocessor-equipped flow meter capable of
measuring flow rate in a wide variety of open
channels. The 4230 Flow Meter uses the
bubbler method for sensing level. A small air
pump and reservoir provide a source of
pressurized air. A transducer inside the flow
meter senses the air pressure necessary to force
a bubble from the end of a tube submerged in
the flow stream. As the liquid level increases,
the pressure required to release the bubble also
increases.
The flow meter converts the output from the
pressure transducer to a level reading. Built-in
level-to-flow rate tables convert the level to flow
rate. The level and flow rate appear on a
two-line, eighty character liquid crystal display
(LCD). These flow meters are equipped with an
internal printer to provide a continuous printed
record of level, flow rate, and other information

4230 Bubbler Flow Meter
1-2
that may be used for later reference. The Flow
Meters also have memory allocated that you
can set up to store level and other readings. You
must use Flowlink®, Teledyne Isco’s
proprietary data processing and acquisition
software to initialize (set up) and access this
memory.
1.1.1 Selection of a Power Source
Teledyne Isco offers a variety of power sources
to operate the flow meter. For
commercially-powered installations, there is
the AC Power Supply. Also available is a power
supply with a 1.2 Ah (Ampere-hour) standby
battery built in, the Battery-Backed Power
Supply. For applications where there is no AC
power connection available, Teledyne Isco offers
a 4 Ah nickel-cadmium battery
(Nickel-Cadmium Battery), or a 6 Ah
gelled-electrolyte battery (Lead-Acid Battery).
All these power sources mount on top of the
flow meter and are secured with rubber draw
catches. The cable with the two-pin connector
(12 volt) attaches to the +12 VDC connector on
the flow meter.
Battery life expectancy varies from about seven
to fourteen days between recharge cycles,
depending on the settings for the bubble rate
and the setting for the printer chart speed. For
very remote sites where changing the battery is
difficult, Teledyne Isco offers the Solar Panel
Battery Charger, used with the Lead-Acid
Battery. You may also power the 4230 Flow

Section 1 Getting Started
1-3
Meter with a deep-cycle R-V or marine battery.
You must mount these larger batteries
externally, as they are quite large. Teledyne
Isco offers a special connect cable for them.
1.1.2 Turning the Flow Meter On
After you have connected the flow meter to
power, turn the flow meter on with the ON
button located on the keypad. When the flow
meter is turned on, the air pump will run for
awhile, and then stop when the reservoir tank
is pressurized. If it does not stop, locate the
Bubble Rate Adjust Valve on the side of the
flow meter cabinet and turn it clockwise until it
just seats. Do not over-tighten or force the
valve; the needle-and-seat are fragile and can
easily be broken.
1.1.3 Adjusting the Bubble Rate
Locate the Bubble Rate Adjust valve on the
flow meter’s side. If it is locked, use the small
hex wrench supplied with the flow meter to
release the lock. (Refer to the manual for
details.) Attach a bubble line (identical in
diameter and similar in length to the one that
will be used) to the Bubble Line outlet. Place
the free end of the bubble line in a container
(preferably clear) of water. Set the container
beside the flow meter so you can watch the
bubbles coming out of the end. Adjust the valve
until a bubble rate of one bubble per second is
reached. Lock the valve handle with the hex
wrench supplied with the flow meter.

4230 Bubbler Flow Meter
1-4
Note
Teledyne Isco recommends setting the bubble rate in
the shop first, as this is easier with a small container of
clear water placed beside the flow meter. Using a
different length and diameter bubble line than the
installation will result in an inaccurate setting. In any
case, you should still recheck the bubble rate after
installation, particularly if the bubble line will be under
several feet of water in the flow stream.
1.2 Checking the Installation
At the job site it is worthwhile to check the
installation to see that it was made correctly
and to make sure nothing has changed which
could affect the accuracy of the measurements
made by the flow meter. If the flow meter or
bubble line is installed in a sewer or manhole
please read and observe the following warning:
DANGER
YOU CAN BE KILLED working in sewers or
manholes if you do not follow proper safety
procedures. Besides the risk of falling,
poisonous gases in most sewers can
overcome you quickly, without warning.
Safety information is provided in the 4230
Flow Meter Instruction Manual under the
heading of Safety Considerations. Please
read and follow these procedures; the life
you save may be your own.