sparklike GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 User manual

1
GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
GASGLASS HANDHELD V2
INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
GAS FILL ANALYZER FOR
WINDOWS AND DOOR

2GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
Contents
WARNINGS ............................................................. 3
2 Delivered with the Gassglass Handheld...................................4
3 How does it work?.....................................................4
4 How to use Gasglass Handheld.......................................... 5
4.1 Starting up for the first time ..........................................5
4.2 How to use the Gasglass Handheld encoder button ......................5
5 How to charge the battery.............................................. 6
6 Using the Gasglass Handheld LCD Screen........................................... 7
6.1 Start Up............................................................7
6.2 Logging and storing measurements. ...................................7
6.3 How to create a log file ..............................................8
6.4 How to erase the last logged measurement ............................8
6.5 How to turn off the LOG mode ........................................9
6.6 Display contrast .....................................................9
6.7 Gastype, Argon or Krypton ......................................... 10
6.8 Gasglass Handheld only calibrated for Argon. ......................... 10
6.9 Change calibration mode to Krypton ................................. 10
6.10 Change calibration mode back to Argon ...............................11
6.11 Enabling the PC Connection...........................................11
6.12 Setting time and date............................................... 12
6.13 Sensor test ........................................................ 12
6.14 Information display.................................................. 12
7 Things to consider when taking a measurement ...........................13
7.1 High voltage....................................................... 13
7.2 Light ............................................................. 13
7.3 In brief, factors to consider when measuring ........................... 14
8 How to perform a measurement .........................................14
8.1 Restrictions ....................................................... 16
9 Troubleshooting the Gasglass Handheld ..................................17
9.1 Errors when measuring ............................................. 17
10 How to connect to a PC ................................................18
11 How to install the Gasglass Handheld PC software (Win XP) ................19
11.1 Installing the USB <-> Serial Converter................................. 19
12 Installing the PC software .............................................24
13 How to find and set the right COM port from the PC. ...................... 28
14 How to use the Gasglass Handheld PC software ..........................30
15 Troubleshooting the PC software. ......................................34
16 Registering as a Gasglass user ......................................... 35
18 Checking the calibration .............................................. 37
18.1 Calibration check with pre-filled IG units ..............................37
18.2 Checking the calibration with premixed gas. ..........................39
19 Appendix A: Gasglass Argon Calibration ................................ 40
19.1 Accuracy of the device: .............................................40
20 Appendix B: Gasglass Krypton Calibration ................................41
20.1 Krypton Accuray Limits ............................................. 41
22 Appendix C: Technical specifications....................................42
23 Appendix D: Assurance of conformity ...................................43

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GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
WARNINGS!
•The instrument uses high voltage. The instrument should NEVER be
used near computers nor other sensitive electronic devices.
•Persons with heart conditions or who use pacemakers should not use
this instrument.
•The high voltage discharge should never be directed at humans or at
animals either directly or through a conductive material such as wires or
metal structures.
•The Gasglass Handheld device is designed to measure ONLY inert
gas combinations such as Argon, Krypton combined with natural Air
(78% Nitrogen, 20,9% Oxygen, 0,9% Argon + <1% other natural Air
components) located within insulating glass units.
•The Gasglass Handheld should NEVER be used to measure any
flammable substances nor be used in any flammable environment. Also
make sure the insu lating glass unit does not contain any flammable
substances. (As an example of such substances, Isopropanol, Alcohol,
Acentone, Xylen, Thinner.
•The instrument should never be used in wet or in humid conditions.
•Never use the instrument while standing on unsteady surfaces.
•The instrument is a precision measuring instrument and should be
handled accordingly. HANDLE WITH CARE!
•Make sure that the front optics of the device is not scratched nor
contaminated with dirt.
•Do not clean the front optics. Contact manufacturer before interfering
with the front optics in any way. The calibrations might be void in case
of interfering.
•The device is not water proof. Do not clean nor let the device come in
contact with liquids of any form. The outer shell of the device might be
cleaned with a slightly moist tissue (not optics). Do not use any kind of
cleaning substances other than those suggested by the manufacturer.
•Always turn off the power when instrument is not in use.
•Keep fingers and other body parts clear of the high voltage area
when in use. Do not keep the device connected to your PC nor other
electronic devices while performing measurements
•Do not allow the battery to discharge completely before recharging
•Do not open the Gasglass Handheld casing. In such case calibration is
void and no safety guarantee can be granted
•Do not penetrate the casing with any metallic object nor other objects
•Do not use any other battery charger than the charger provided by the
manufacturer.
•Do not charge the battery by any other means than with the charger
provided.
•Do not use any other power source for the Gasglass Handheld than the
battery provided.

4GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
1. Gasglass Handheld Device
2. Neck strap
3. CD with software and
instructions
4. Calibration data and fast
instructions
5. Battery
6. USB Cable
7. Battery charger and power cord
8. Carry case
9. Protective cap
3 How does it work?
A high voltage spark (1) is ignited
inside the IG unit (A). This high
voltage spark causes the argon
atom to emit light to a spectrometer
(2), which measures the light. A
microprocessor (3) interprets the
information of the spectrometer and
calculates an argon percent, which it
outputs to a display (4).
2 Delivered with the Gassglass Handheld
(1)
A
(2)
(3)
(4)

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GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
1. Open the battery hatch 2. Insert the battery
3. Connect the battery
cable to the socket
4. Power the device on us-
ing the ON/Off switch
4 How to use Gasglass Handheld
4.1 Starting up for the first time
5. Device settings will be
displayed on the screen.
6. The device is now ready
for use.
4.2 How to use the Gasglass Handheld encoder button
Press down to:
1. Enter MENU
2. Confirm a selection
Turn to:
1. Scroll in the MENU
2. Name a log file
Note!
Read all
warnings before
the device is taken
in use.

6GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
5 How to charge the battery
The Gasglass Handheld uses a Li-ion battery as main power supply. The battery can
only be charged when connected to the Gasglass Handheld. The Gasglass Hand-
held is also provided with a integrated back up battery that enables the Gasglass
Handheld to contain all data stored and maintaining a current time and date even if
the main battery runs out. The Gasglass Handheld battery is designed so that it will
be possible to perform measurements for approximately 8 hours before the battery
runs out. This is naturally depending on the frequency of use. The charging time for
an empty battery is approximately 2 hours.
1. Connect the provided charger to
the Gasglass handheld.
2. A red light on the charger
module will light when the battery is
being charged. See picture
3. The light will turn green when the
battery is fully charged.
4. Charging time is approximately
2h hours.
5. CHARGING ... Will be displayed
when the battery is charged.
NOTE!
Use ONLY the battery charger provided by the manufacturer.
If any other charger is used, it may cause the battery to
EXPLODE.
NOTE!
The charging level must be less than 16.2V (can bee seen on
the screen) for the charger to start the charging process.
NOTE!
Li-ion batteries has a much shorter life cycle than expected for
the device itself and it might be that the user has to replace
the battery after some time.

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GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
6 Using the Gasglass Handheld LCD Screen
6.1 Start Up
1. When the device is
initially powered on, the
Gasglass Handheld will run
a short, self-diagnosis.
2. Once the self-diagnosis
has been completed, the
display will show the de-
vice information screen.
3. The information screen
shows:
• Revision of the software
• Last calibration date
• Current time
• Battery charge status
4. Device is now ready to
use
5. When the button is
pressed for the first time
after start up, the measure-
ment result will show.
6. The current time and
battery charge status can
be seen on the screen.
7. The LCD display will also
indicate if the measure-
ment has not been re-
corded to the log memory.
(See, “How to create a log
file”)
6.2 Logging and storing measurements.
The Gasglass Handheld has the ability to log (store) approximately
1900 measurements.
Logging the data enables:
a. To store each measurement set as a separate log file
b.To store a number of different log files containing several measurements.
(One log file can contain several measurements)
c. To measure along the day, review and edit the data at a later stage
d.To name individual log files (only numbers can be used)
Start Up

8GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
1. From the main menu,
scroll by turning the en-
coder button to the LOG
ON/OFF menu
2. Pressing down on the
encoder button will make
the selection and the
display will show the
DATALOGGING menu.
3. When a new log is cre-
ated, the DATALOGGING
menu will automatically
advance the log file num-
ber by one.
4. Turning the encoder
button will increase or
decrease the log number.
Press down on the encoder
button to confirm a selec-
tion.
5. “LOGGING,” followed
by the log number, will be
displayed under a reading
when the logging feature is
enabled.
6.3 How to create a log file
NOTE! There can be several log files with the same name.
6.4 How to erase the last logged measurement
When the log mode is on and a measurement has been taken but the operator feels
that the measurement was an error measurement, it is possible to erase this mea-
surement. This is done to prevent faulty log files on the PC.
1. The measurement is not
satisfactory.
2. Press and hold the encoder
button for at least 2 seconds.
3. The log value will be deleted
permanently.

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GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
6.5 How to turn off the LOG mode
1. From the main menu,
scroll by turning the en-
coder button to the LOG
ON/OFF menu.
2. Pressing down on the
encoder button will make
the selection and the dis-
play will show, “DATALOG-
GING OFF”.
NOTE! When the Gasglass Handheld is connected to the PC and the log
files have been retrieved, the log memory will be deleted from the Gasglass
Handheld device. Using the Gasglass Handheld software is the only way to
completely empty the memory. This should be done periodically to prevent the
memory from exceeding it’s maximum storage capacity.
1. From the main menu
scroll, by turning the
encoder button, to the
DISPLAY MODE menu.
2. Select this by pressing
the encoder button once.
3. Turn the encoder button
to adjust the contrast of
the screen to desired level.
4. Press down the encoder
to confirm choice and exit
display mode.
6.6 Display contrast
4. With datalogging
turned off, “NOT LOGGED”
will be displayed after
every measurement.
5. To create a new log file
with a new name, repeat
the procedure explained
in 11.

10 GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
6.7 Gastype, Argon or Krypton
The Gasglass Handheld can be calibrated for both Argon and Krypton. The calibra-
tion is done by the manufacturer and the user has therefore to inform the manufac-
turer about this when ordering a device. The device comes standard with a Argon
calibration.
6.8 Gasglass Handheld only calibrated for Argon.
1. From the main menu
scroll, by turning the
encoder button to the
GASTYPE menu
2. Select by pressing the
encoder button once.
3. A screen will display that
only an Argon calibration is
installed.
4. The display will return to
main menu.
6.9 Change calibration mode to Krypton
1. From the main menu
scroll, by turning the
encoder button to the
GASTYPE menu
2. Select by pressing the
encoder button once.
3. A screen will display that
the calibration has been
changed to krypton.
4. When measuring the
measurement header will
be Kr:
Kr 94,2%
indicating that the mea-
surement is in Krypton
mode.

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GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
6.11 Enabling the PC Connection.
Before the Gasglass Handheld log data can be downloaded to a PC, the communi-
cation port has to be opened. This must be performed before enabling the connec-
tion from the PC.
To set up PC for communication, see chapter 9.
6.10 Change calibration mode back to Argon
1. From the main menu
scroll, by turning the
encoder button to the
GASTYPE menu
2. Select by pressing the
encoder button once.
3. A screen will display that
the calibration has been
changed to Argon.
4. When measuring the
measurement header will
be Ar:
Ar 94,2%
indicating that the mea-
surement is in Argon mode.
1. From the main menu
scroll by turning the en-
coder button to the
PC-CONNECT menu
2. Pressing down on the
encoder button will make
the selection and the dis-
play will show, “PC-CON-
NECTION ENABLED”.
3. A screen will display
that the PC communication
is enabled.
4. The Gasglass Handheld
is open for communication
with the PC.

12 GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
6.12 Setting time and date
6.14 Information display.
6.13 Sensor test
The device date and time can be set by entering the menu, selecting setup menu
and ’Set time and date’. Turn encoder button to set year and press it to move on. In
a similar way, set month, day, hours, minutes and seconds.
When contacting Sparklike service, you may be asked to record the sensor informa-
tion to check the sensor functionality on site. This is done as follows: Enter the setup
menu and select ’SENSOR TEST’. After the device shows text ’MEASURE NOW’,
perform a single measurement on 80% Argon or above recommended window.
Check that the spark hits directly through the window. Record all the numbers on
the screen and send them to Sparklike service.
You can retrieve the device serial number and calibration information through
SETUP->INFO.

13
GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
7 Things to consider when taking a
measurement
To be able to use the instrument in the best way
there are some factors influencing the measure-
ment that should be considered. The Gasglass
Handheld requires two main things; LIGHT (Optics)
and HIGH VOLTAGE (Electricity).
If either or both of these factors are disturbed, the
measurement might be affected.
WARNING !!!!!HIGH VOLTAGE!!!!! WARNING
7.1 High voltage
The measurement is made using a high voltage spark. The voltage is approx.
50 000 V but the current is very small. Coming into contact with the spark will sting
a little but not harm a normal healthy person even though the instrument MAY NOT
to be used by a person with a pacemaker or who is in poor physical health. Nor
should the spark ever be pointed at any sensitive areas (eyes etc.).
When measuring, the hand unit will create a spark that passes through Glass 1 and
ignites inside the air space. Glass is an electrically insulating material, as is air. This
means that the spark needs to be strong enough to jump the air gap. In addition to
the other electrically insulated materials, such as laminated glass, plastic films, etc.
on either side of Glass 1, this makes it even harder to ignite inside the IG.
WARNING !!!!!HIGH VOLTAGE!!!!! WARNING
If there is a metallic coating on Glass 1, it will be impossible for the spark to get
through as the metallic film will cause the spark to stay on the surface. Argon gas is
a better conductor for the spark than air. This means that the spark actually ignites
easier when the fill level is higher. The other thing that helps the spark “jump” is a
metallic coating on Glass2, which grounds the spark.
NOTE! NO SPARK DETECTED. Check that spark hits through the window.
7.2 Light
The measurement is dependent on a stable light signal. The light can not be
measured if the total light level is too weak or too strong. The total light intensity
increases with the background light level as well as with increasing argon percent
when measured. If the background light is too strong, e.g. measuring against the sun
or a bright lamp, the argon light will “drown” in the sunlight. If the argon concentra-
tion is very low, the signal light is very low causing the spectrometer not to see the
light.

14 GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
7.3 In brief, factors to consider when measuring
8 How to perform a
measurement
As described above there are different fac-
tors that may affect the measurement result.
Sparklike has done extensive research on
how to obtain the best possible results when
measuring with the Gasglass.
The following procedures are recommended
when measuring with the Gasglass.
Measure close to the spacer
As the spacer bar of an IG unit is often metallic or contains metal, the spacer bar
will help the spark to ignite. It is therefore suggested that the measurement is made
close to the spacer. The centre of the Gasglass Handheld should be approx. 5cm
(2”) from the inner side of the spacer (Approx. 10mm from the side of the front
piece). There is no difference at which height of the IG it is measured.
Factors affecting the
optics:
- Coloured glass
- Tinted glass (minimal effect)
- Strong background light (Against the
sun or other source)
- Dirt on glass (minimal effect)
- Dirt on the front optical fibre
- Damaged front optical fibre or
electrode
Factors affecting the
spark:
- Thick glass (over 6 mm)
- Plastic films on Glass 1 (Laminated
glass, coatings, etc.)
- Metallic films on Glass 1
- Metallic components in Glass 1
- Low Argon fill (Less than 80%)
- Wide spacer (over 20mm)
- Electrode is not in contact with the
glass surface
- Gasglass is not evenly pressed against
the glass.
- Non-metallic spacers
Correct conditions:
- Stable dark background light
- Hand unit NOT moved during
measurement
Factors making it
easier for the Spark to
“jump“:
- High argon fills
- Thin glass (6mm or less)
- Thin air space (20mm or less)
- Metallic or other conductor on
surface 3, such as low-e coating
- Metallic spacer bar

15
GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
Measure several times: “Because you can”
When measuring the spark will ignite inside the air space ionizing
the gases, leaving the gases ionized for a short period of time.
This means that the second measurement will ignite easier and
producing a better result. Measuring more than three times on one
place may cause the Low-E coating to burn changing the readout
of the Gasglass. For repetitive measurements, move the hand unit
slightly after two or three measurements.
Keep the IG upright
Due to the earth’s magnetic field and the ionization of
the gasses, the spark will try to “travel up” during the
measurement. This causes the spark to act more errati-
cally than if the IG would be laying flat down. In this way
the Low-E is protected better from burning so it is sug-
gested to measure the IG standing up.
Do not move the hand
unit during ONE single
measurement
During one measurement cycle two individual mea-
surements are being made; one background measure-
ment and one with the spark on. If the hand unit is
being moved during the measurement cycle, the back-
ground is altered and the results may not be accurate.
Keep the hand unit flush to
the IG unit
If there is space between the spark electrode and the
surface of the glass, a big part of the spark burst will
occur outside of the IG unit. This means that the instru-
ment is not measuring the spark inside the window
but a mix of the inside gas and normal air causing the
readings to be too low. The user can easily hear when
the hand unit is flush to the IG.
Non Low-E IG units
As the LoW-E coating is metallic, this will act as a ground for the spark. This grounding is
being used when the instrument is calibrated. If the window has no Low-E coating, there
is no ground to where the spark will ignite producing more erratic readings. These win-
dows should be measured with either a finger on the back of the IG or some other metallic
ground for the spark.
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16 GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
8.1 Restrictions
Following is a list of different IG types that can be
measured and types that can not or are difficult
to measure. There are several conditions that will
affect the restricitons. Most of the restricitons are
bound to the possibility for the spark to break
trough and come in contact with the center gas
that is to be measured. Any metallic coating (on
the side of measurement) will prevent the spark
from reaching the gas. A thick glass or a thick
lamination will also restrict the spark from going
trough the element. As Argon and Krypton are
good conductors, a high fill level (>80%) will make
the prosess easier. Consult your local distributor or
Sparklike for any special types.
Most of the restrictions are caused by the Glass 1
Surface 1 Glass1 Surface 2 Spacer Surface 3 Glass 2 Surface 4
Following is a list of different IG types that can be measured.
a. IG with glass 1 = clear and surface 3 = LowE
Clear Clear Max. Clear Max. 24mm LowE N/A N/A
6 mm.
b. IG with glass 1 = Clear and surface 3 = Clear
Clear Clear Max. Clear Max. 24mm Clear Clear Max Clear
6mm 6mm
c. IG with glass 1 = Toughened and surface 3 = LowE
Clear Tgh Max Clear Max 24mm LowE N/A N/A
6mm
d. IG with glass 1 = Toughened and surface 3 = Clear
Clear Tgh Max Clear Max 24mm Clear Clear Clear
6mm Max 6mm
Following is a list of different IG types that are difficult or can not to measure.
e. IG with glass 1 = Tinted
As there are a lot of variations of tinted glass including solar control and different colorizations of the glass there can not be one true rule
for this. If the tint includes a metal component it will prevent the spark from breaking trough glass 1 and it will therefore prevent
the measurement. As the Gasglass Handheld measures light wavelengths, a coloured glass might also have an effect. Please contact your
distributor for these. Otherwise rules applies as for point a.
f. IG with glass 1 = Laminated
As the lamination will act as an insulator it will therefore more efficiently prevent the spark from breaking trough glass 1. Therefore there
might be difficulties measuring thick laminations. As the Argon and Krypton gas will act as conductor they will therefore make the process
easier. In an IG unit where the Argon/Krypton concentration exceeds (>) 85% gas the following general limits can be set.
Clear 4+1+4 Clear Max. 20mm LowE N/A N/A
Laminated
g. IG with glass 1 = Frosted
Same restrictions as for a. and b. depending on LowE coating
h. Triple glazing
Due to different compositions of a triple glazing unit there are several that can not be measured as the spark will not reach the insulating gas.
As one guideline can be mentioned that if Surface 3 or 4 has an LowE coating and there are no one of the restrictions mentioned earlier,
the unit can be measured, otherwise contact your distributor.
Side of
measure ->

17
GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
9 Troubleshooting the Gasglass Handheld
9.1 Errors when measuring
There are a number of factors that can affect the measurement. When these factors
occur an error message or warning message will be shown on the screen. In addition
to error/warning message, a scrolling text indicates more precise error message and
possible action to resolve the issue.
The measurement accuracy is not specified in the error/warning situations.
The most common messages are:
LOW CONCENTRATION DETECTED. The measured concentration is below 40%.
The measured window may have low concentration, no fill or the spark may be mea-
suring air. (Air has 0.9% argon in addition to 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen.)
WEAK SPARK SIGNAL. The detector cannot see the spark well enough to make a
measurement. Check that the spark hits through the window. Try measuring from a
slightly different position.
BAD SPARK. Gas percentage cannot be calculated from the spectrum measured.
Typically this error message is given when the spark ignites outside the window.
OVEREXPOSURE. The sensor receives too much light during the measurement.
Check that there are no bright lights behind the window being measured.
WEAK SIGNAL. The sensor does not receive enough signal. Try measuring again. If
the problem persists, there may be an electronics fault that requires service.
NO SPARK DETECTED. The sensor does not receive enough light from the spark.
Check that spark hits through the window. If the spark hits to the side spacer, try
measuring from a slightly different location so that the spark travels through the
window. Check also that the sensor ‘eye’ in the front piece is clean of dust and dirt.
UNKNOWN WARNING / UNKNOWN ERROR. An unknown error occurred in the
measurement, try repeating the measurement. If the problem persists contact your
reprentative.
If the Gasglass Handheld shows a warning message, the presented measurement
result is only for informational purposes and result should not be trusted.

18 GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
10 How to connect to a PC
Provided with the Gasglass Handheld is a PC software that can be found on the
product CD. Please make sure that all needed software and drivers are installed
before attempting to connect the Gasglass Handheld to the PC.
1. Connect the provided USB cable
to the USB socket in the Gasglass
Handheld
2. Connect the provided USB cable
to the PC
3. Start up the Gasglass Handheld
4. Enable the PC connection from
the Gasglass Handheld.
See: Enabling the PC Connection
(6.11)
5. Start the PC software
6. Press the “read datalogs”
See: How to use the Gasglass Handheld PC
software (10)

19
GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
11 How to install the Gasglass Handheld PC
software (Win XP)
To be able to use the PC software some additional software needs to be installed.
Please follow these instructions in the order that are explained below.
11.1 Installing the USB <-> Serial Converter.
For the Gasglass Handheld to be able to communicate with a PC it’s needed to cre-
ate a virtual serial port (COM) from one of the PCs USB ports. With the provided CD
there is software that does this.
Please note that the pictures for these instructions are for windows XP and if an-
other version of windows is used, the lay-out may be different.
A. Insert the Provided CD into the PC
B. Connect the Gasglass Handheld via the provided USB cable
to one of the PCs USB sockets.
C. Turn on the Gasglass Handheld
D. A information box in the bottom of the screen will appear.
E. The install wizard software will start up automatically.
Do not allow windows to search for the drivers.
Tag: No, not this time.

20 GASGLASS HANDHELD V2 — INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL
F. This wizard for installing USB < - > Serial Converter opens up.
Tag; Install the software automatically. NOTE! Insert the CD at this stage.
G. When the installation wizard has found the drivers it was looking for
it will start the installation (this might take a few minutes)