Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 User manual

Thermo Scientific Orion
AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter
User Guide

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Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide I
Table of Content
Introduction....................................................1
GeneralInformation........................................1
AQ3010MeterOverview....................................1
Unpacking the Meter and Accessories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Display ................................................4
KeysandFunctions.........................................5
BatteryInstallation.........................................6
TurbidityCalibration ............................................7
CalibrationOverview.......................................7
Indexing.................................................7
CalibrationStandards.......................................7
Preparing and Filling the Calibration Standard Vials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
CalibrationCheck..........................................9
Refilling the Calibration Standard Vials with Fresh Standard. . . . . . . . . 10
CalibrationProcedure......................................11
RestoringFactoryCalibration................................13
TurbidityMeasurement.........................................15
GeneralInformation.......................................15
Turbidity Measurement Procedure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
PreparationofSampleVial.................................16
MeasurementProcedure...................................17
Single-Shot or Continuous Measurement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
RoutineMaintenance ..........................................21
Vials – Handling, Cleaning and Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
CustomerServices.............................................23
Troubleshooting Guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Assistance ...............................................24
Warranty................................................24
NoticeofCompliance......................................25
WEEECompliance........................................25
DeclarationofConformity..................................26
OrderingInformation......................................27
Specifications.............................................28
Chapter 1
Chapter 5
Chapter 4
Chapter 3
Chapter 2

II Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
TurbidityTheory ...............................................29
Definition...............................................29
WhyIsItImportant.......................................29
MeasurementPrinciple.....................................29
Nephelometric Turbidity Units (NTU) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
IndexingaVial...........................................30
Guide to Good Measurement Technique . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Maintain Sample Vials in Good Condition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
MatchSampleVials........................................31
Degassing...............................................32
TimelinessofSample.......................................32
Other Important Sampling Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
CalibrationTechniques.....................................33
DilutionTechniques.......................................34
Appendix 2
Appendix 1

Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide 1
Chapter 1 Introduction
This user guide contains information on the preparation, operation
and maintenance of the Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast® AQ3010
turbidity meter. This user guide provides both a step by step guide to
help you operate the waterproof AQ3010 turbidity meter and serves as a
handy reference guide.
Follow the basic instructions contained in this user guide during the
operation, care and maintenance of the meter. The safety protections
provided by this equipment may be impaired if it is used in a manner not
described in this user guide. It is recommended that all operators should
read this user guide prior to working with this meter.
The manufacturer will not accept any responsibility for damage or
malfunction to the meter caused by improper use of the instrument.
The information presented in this user guide is subject to change without
notice as improvements are made, and does not represent a commitment
on the part of the manufacturer.
Note: The manufacturer reserves the right to make improvements in
design, construction and appearance of products without notice.
Thank you for selecting the waterproof portable AQ3010 turbidity
meter. The AQ3010 meter allows you to measure turbidity of an aqueous
sample in the field. This instrument operates on the nephelometric
principle of turbidity measurement and is designed to meet the criteria
specified in ISO 7027 and DIN 27027 standards. See the Measurement
Principle section.
General
Information
AQ3010 Meter
Overview

2Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
The list below indicates the items that you should find in your AQ3010
turbidity meter shipment.
Item Quantity
AQ3010 portable turbidity meter with 4 AAA batteries 1
User guide 1
Instrument carrying case 1
Light shield cover 1
Calibration set with 0.02, 20.0,100 and 800 NTU standards 1
Empty calibration vials 4
Empty sample vials 3
Silicone oil 1
Lint free cloth 1
Vial cleaning brush 1
Remove the AQ3010 turbidity meter from the carrying case. Carefully
inspect all items to ensure that no visible damage has occurred during
shipment. If the items you received do not match your order, please
contact your dealer immediately.
Warning: Extra care should be taken when unpacking, opening and
handling the calibration standards and sample vials. Surface scratches
or finger smudges on the vial surface may cause measurement errors.
Handle these items by their caps only.
The batteries provided with the meter package are to be installed prior to
use. Refer to the Battery Installation section.
Figure 1 shows the meter. The three main components of the instrument
are the sample well, the display and the keypad. The following sections
describe the functionality of the display and the keypad. The proper use
of the instrument and the sample well are discussed in later sections.
Unpacking
the Meter and
Accessories

3
Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
Figure 1
AQ3010 Turbidity
Meter Components
Sample Well
Alignment Mark
Liquid Crystal Display
Keypad
Sample Vial

4Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
All the LCD segments and annunciators that can appear on the display
are shown in Figure 2. The display is used for reporting the turbidity
reading and to provide guidance for the operation of the instrument.
In addition, the display has several other annunciators that are used to
communicate error messages and provide user guidance.
Display
Figure 2
Customized LCD with
All Annunciators
CAL 13 CAL 24
mg/l
NTU
ppm
%pH
TAvg
14-segment Liquid Crystal Display
Battery Indicator
Calibration
Standards
Units of
Measurement

5
Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
Figure 3
Keypad
read
enter
cal
Turbidity MeterChlorine Colorimeter
read
enter
zero
mode
Keys and
Functions
The keypad has five keys: ON/OFF, CAL, ▲, ▼and READ/ENTER.
Key Functions
CAL
READ
ENTER
Powers on and off the meter. The meter automatically
shuts off 20 minutes after last key press to conserve the
battery life.
CAL
READ
ENTER
Initiates the calibration mode of the meter. When pressed,
the meter is set to accept the first calibration standard.
It is also used to exit the calibration mode if the user does
not want to follow the complete calibration procedure.
CAL
READ
ENTER
When in measurement mode, the READ/ENTER key is used
to perform a measurement.
Single-shot measurements: When the key is pressed and
released immediately (a quick key stroke of less than 0.3
seconds), the display will blink [-Rd-] ten times and display
the measured value.
Continuous measurements: If the READ/ENTER key is
pressed and held, the instrument will perform a continuous
measurement during which the display is updated every
2 seconds. This can be used for indexing vials. (This
function is not available in calibration mode). After
the READ/ENTER key is released, the instrument will
automatically perform a single-shot measurement.
CAL
READ
ENTER
CAL
READ
ENTER
Active only during calibration mode. These scroll keys are
used to select the next calibration point.
Note: After the successful calibration of one point, the
meter automatically selects the next calibration point, or
automatically exits the calibration mode after the fourth
calibration point.

6Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
Four AAA batteries are included in the carrying case.
Note: Use caution when loosening the screws, as some of the screws may
be tightly seated.
1. Use a Phillips screwdriver to loosen the four screws holding the
battery cover. See Figure 4. These captive screws will remain
attached to the battery cover.
2. Remove the battery cover.
3. Insert the batteries. Follow the diagram inside the cover for
correct polarity.
4. Replace the battery cover in its original position and tighten the four
screws removed earlier to secure the battery cover to the meter.
5. The meter is now ready for use.
Note: Dispose of used batteries in accordance with your local regulations.
Battery
Installation
Figure 4
Battery Installation

Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide 7
Chapter 2 Turbidity Calibration
The AQ3010 turbidity meter was calibrated and tested prior to leaving
the factory. The meter kit includes a set of prepared primary standards
that can be used to verify the meter calibration daily and to recalibrate the
meter, if required. Before measuring samples for the first time, verify the
meter calibration with the prepared primary standards.
The SDVB primary standards in the meter kit are in plastic bottles for
improved precision and shelf life. Four vials are included and labeled for
each standard level.
The instrument includes a light shield cover to keep stray light from
changing the calibration and sample measurement readings. In many
environments, the light shield is not required. The vial cap keeps stray
light from entering the sample well, saving you many steps and reducing
analysis time.
Due to the high quality of the glass vials provided, indexing is not
required. You only need to align the mark on the vial with the mark
on the meter. However, in order to achieve a better precision of the
measurement, you can proceed with indexing of the vials. See the
Indexing a Vial section for more information.
We recommend that you use the following materials during calibration to
achieve the precision stated in this user guide:
• CAL 1: 800 NTU calibration standard
• CAL 2: 100 NTU calibration standard
• CAL 3: 20.0 NTU calibration standard
• CAL 4: 0.02 NTU calibration standard
It is well known that diluted Formazin is unstable. If you choose to use
Formazin to calibrate the instrument, ensure that you are using a fresh
stock suspension of Formazin to achieve the precision quoted for the
instrument. It is very difficult to accurately pipet Formazin for low level
NTU standards, due to the non-homogeneous nature of Formazin and
because these standards have very limited stability at low levels. Be sure
to use good laboratory technique and accurate Class A pipets and refer
to ASTM Method 6855-03 for low level standard vial preparation when
using Formazin.
Calibration
Overview
Indexing
Calibration
Standards

8Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
The four bottles of calibration standards supplied with your meter are
more stable than Formazin, do not need to be shaken and have a shelf life
of 12 months. If you use the supplied calibration standards to calibrate
the instrument, review the expiration date (indicated on the bottle label)
to ensure that the standards have not expired.
Note: It is important that the calibration standards are not violently
shaken or agitated because air entrapment in the fluid introduces an error
factor during calibration which subsequently will lead to an inaccurate
measurement. Also, do not store in freezing temperatures which
causes irreversible shrinkage of the standards’ particles thus resulting to
inaccurate calibration and measurement.
Before using the meter for the first time, rinse the inside of the vial with a
small amount of the same NTU standard that will be used to fill that vial.
1. Gently pour about 5 mL of the standard into the vial.
2. Cap and swirl the vial so the inside of the vial is fully rinsed with
the standard.
3. Pour the standard out of the vial.
4. Repeat steps 1 through 3.
5. Gently pour the standard into the vial up to the mark on the vial and
cap the vial.
6. Repeat this rinse and filling procedure for the other three vials.
Note: The vial rinsing is most critical for precision with the lower
NTU standards.
It is recommended to use the prepared calibration standard vials daily as
check standards prior to the measurement of samples.
Preparing and
Filling the
Calibration
Standard
Vials

9
Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
1. Place the AQ3010 turbidity meter on a flat and level surface.
2. Insert the CAL 1 standard (800 NTU) into the sample well, aligning
the mark on the vial with the alignment mark on the meter.
See Figure 11.
3. Press down the vial until it slides fully into the instrument.
4. Cover the vial using the light shield cover, if necessary. For many
environments this is not required. The vial cap seals the sample well.
5. Press the ON/OFF key to turn on the meter. The meter goes to
measurement mode after the self test power-up sequence.
6. Press the READ/ENTER key.
7. The meter will display the results. Record the reading.
8. Repeat the calibration check for CAL 2, CAL 3 and CAL 4
calibration standards.
9. If the displayed results are within 10% of the nominal NTU value of
the standard or the precision criteria required by your method, the
calibration check passed and the meter is now ready for measurement.
Note: If a standard no longer reads within 10% of the nominal NTU
value for the standard, the standard has most likely degraded. The
lower level NTU standards will be less stable when stored in glass than
the higher NTU standards. The lower level standards may need to be
replaced periodically, especially if the value falls outside of the tolerance
range. See the Refilling the Calibration Standard Vials with Fresh
Standard section.
“-Rd-” flashes about
10 times
CAL STD
100
NTU
Place standard
vial into the
sample well
NTU
READ
ENTER
Measurement Mode
Press key and
release immediately
100
Calibration
Check
Figure 5
Calibration Check
Sequence

10 Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
1. Pour the old standard out of the vial.
2. Wash the vial with laboratory glassware detergent and water. Rinse
the vial with turbidity-free water to remove all laboratory detergent
from the vial.
3. Rinse the vial with about 5 mL of the standard from the plastic bottle
with the matching NTU value.
4. Cap and swirl the vial so the inside of the vial is fully rinsed with the
fresh standard.
5. Pour the standard out of the vial.
6. Pour the fresh standard into the vial up to the mark on the vial and
cap the vial.
7. Perform the procedure in the Calibration Check section with the vial
containing the fresh standard.
If the fresh standard does not read with the 10% range of the nominal
value, or to the tolerance of your method, follow the steps in the
Calibration Procedure section.
Refilling the
Calibration
Standard
Vials with
Fresh
Standard

11
Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
Note: Before switching on the AQ3010 turbidity meter, a sample vial
must be placed in the sample well. You can use any of the calibration
standards for this purpose. If a sample vial is not placed in the sample
well, the turbidity meter will display the Err 8 error message. To clear the
error message, power off the meter., insert a sample vial into the sample
well and power on the meter.
1. Place the AQ3010 turbidity meter on a flat and level surface.
2. Press the ON/OFF key to turn on the meter. The meter goes to
measurement mode after the self test power-up sequence.
3. Select the calibration function of the instrument by pressing the
CAL key once. The “CAL” annunciator will blink momentarily and
the meter will prompt for the first calibration standard by displaying
“CAL 1 800 NTU”.
4. Insert the CAL 1 standard (800 NTU) into the sample well, aligning
the mark on the vial with the alignment mark on the meter.
See Figure 11.
5. Press down the vial until it slides fully into the instrument.
6. Cover the vial using the light shield cover, if necessary. For many
environments this is not required. The vial cap seals the sample well.
7. Press the READ/ENTER key.
8. The “CAL 1 800 NTU” annunciator will blink for about 12 seconds
while the instrument performs the calibration of CAL 1 point.
When the instrument has completed calibration for this point, it will
prompt you to insert the next calibration standard into the sample
well by displaying “CAL 2 100 NTU”.
9. Repeat steps 4 through 8 for the CAL 2, CAL 3 and CAL 4
calibration standards.
10. After you successfully calibrate the CAL 4 standard (0.02 NTU), the
meter will display “STbY”.
11. The meter is now ready for measurement.
Figure 6 shows the complete calibration sequence.
Calibration
Procedure

12 Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
• To exit the calibration mode, press the CAL key at the end of any
step. The meter accepts only the values calibrated prior to exiting.
• You can skip a calibration point by pressing the ▲or ▼key and move
on to the next calibration point.
• After a successful calibration of one point, the meter automatically
selects the next calibration point. The meter automatically exits
calibration mode after the fourth calibration point.
• If an error occurs during calibration, the display shows an error
message. The meter aborts the calibration and returns to the
measurement mode without saving the last calibration value.
• For an error list, refer to the Troubleshooting Guide section.
Calibration
Notes
Figure 6
Calibration
Sequence
CAL 1
800 NTU
NTU
CAL 1
NTU
NTU
CAL 3
CAL 3
NTU
CAL 2
NTU
CAL 2
R E AD
ENTER
NTU
CAL 1
CAL
Plac e th e CAL 1
standard in to the
sam p le w ell
Plac e th e CAL 3
standard in to the
sam p le w ell
Fla sh es a bo ut 5 t im es
Flas he s a bo ut 10 tim es
F l a sh e s a b o u t 1 0 t im e s
Flas he s a bout 10 ti m es
Flas h es a bout 10 t im es
CAL 4
CAL 3
20.0 NTU
0.02 NTU
NTU
NTU
CAL 4
CAL 4
R E AD
ENTER
R E AD
ENTER
P la ce th e C A L 2
standard into the
sample w ell
Plac e th e CAL 4
standard in to the
sam p le w ell
Measurement Mode
CAL 2
100 NTU
R E AD
E N TE R
Measurement Mode
Calibration saved

13
Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
Restoring
Factory
Calibration
The AQ3010 turbidity meter allows you to reset the meter back to the
factory default calibration values. This feature is extremely useful when
there are errors in calibration or when you have new calibration standards.
1. With the meter switched off, press and hold the ▲key.
2. Switch on the meter by pressing the ON/OFF key. Release the ▲key
when “URST” (User-Reset) appears on the display.
3. The display will show “URST” for about 2 seconds and then “No”.
4. Use the ▲or ▼key to scroll between “YES” or “No”.
• YES = Restore the meter back to factory calibration values
• No = Retain the last calibrated values
5. Press the READ/ENTER key to confirm your selection. The meter
performs the reset if “YES” is selected.
6. The display will flash “-Rd-” about ten times and the meter will go to
the measurement mode.
Figure 7 shows the sequence for restoring factory calibration values.

14 Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
Figure 7
Restoring Factory
Calibration
READ
ENTER
READ
ENTER
“-R d -” f las hes a b out 1 0 tim e s
S ele ct Y E S a n d
to restore factory
calib ration
th en
press
key
R E AD /EN TE R
Se lect No
to retain las t
calibration v alues
w ithou t re trie vin g
fa ctory ca lib ratio n
and the n
press
key
RE AD /E NTE R
Instrument Off
Measurement Mode
Press & hold key a nd
sw itc h o n the m e te r u sin g
ke yON /OF F
Rele ase key w h en y ou
see ‘U RS T’ in the display
Press or ke y to
select orYE S No

Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide 15
Chapter 3 Turbidity Measurement
The AQ3010 waterproof turbidity meter allows you to measure the
turbidity of a grab sample. The turbidity is reported in Nephelometric
Turbidity Units (NTU). Readings above 1000 NTU are outside the
range of this instrument.
Note: Before switching on the AQ3010 turbidity meter, a sample vial
must be placed in the sample well. You can use any of the calibration
standards for this purpose.
The instrument includes a light shield cover to keep stray light from
changing the calibration and sample measurement readings. In many
environments, the light shield is not required. The vial cap keeps stray
light from entering the sample well, saving you many steps and reducing
analysis time.
When the ON/OFF key is pressed to switch on the meter, it goes through
the power-up sequence as shown in Figure 8.
General
Information
Figure 8
Power-up Sequence
CAL 13 C AL 24
mg/l
NTU
ppm
%pH
TAvg
NTU
"-Rd-” flashes about 10
times indicating tha t the
meter goes to
m easu reme nt m ode.
A reading is valid only if y ou have p laced a
vial or a ny of the calibration standards
pro vid ed into th e sam ple we ll.Othe rwis e
the re ading has no meaning or an error
mes sage "Err 8" appears.
Instrument Off
P lace a sa m ple vial or a ny o f th e
calibra tion standards provided into
th e sam p le w ell of the m et er, b efo re
switch on.
X.x
“X .X” is software revision
number
Place light shield cap over vial.

16 Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
An accurate turbidity measurement depends on good measurement
techniques. Factors such as clean sample vials, positioning of vial in the
sample well, covering the vial with the light shield cover (if needed),
meter calibration, handling of meter and others have to be taken into
consideration. Refer to the Vials – Handling, Cleaning and Care and
Appendix 2 Guide to Good Measurement Technique sections for more
information.
1. Obtain a clean and dry sample vial. See Figure 9. Take care to
handle the sample vial by the top cap.
2. Rinse the vial with approximately 10 mL of the sample water, capping
the vial with the black screw cap and gently inverting it several times.
Discard the used sample and repeat the rinsing procedure two times.
4. Fill the rinsed vial with the remaining portion (approximately 10 mL)
of the grab sample up to the mark indicated in the vial. Cap the vial
with the supplied black screw cap.
5. Wipe the vial with the soft, lint-free cloth supplied. Ensure that the
outside of the vial is dry, clean and free from smudges.
6. Apply a thin film of silicone oil (supplied) on the sample vial. See
Figure 10.
7. Wipe the vial with a soft cloth to obtain an even distribution over
the entire vial surface. The purpose of oiling the vial is to fill small
scratches and to mask the imperfection in the glass. Do not apply
large quantity of oil as this may collect dirt and dust.
8. The sample vial is now ready to be inserted into the sample well of
the meter for measurement.
Turbidity
Measurement
Procedure
Preparation of
Sample Vial
Figure 9
Sample Vial
Figure 10
Applying the Silicon Oil