Labco SCIENTIFIC PH60S-Z Smart Spear ph Tester Kit User Manual

Labco SCIENTIFIC PH60S-Z Smart Spear ph Tester Kit

Product Information

Specifications

• Product Name: PH60S-Z SMART SERIES SPEAR pH TESTER KIT (pH/Temp./ORP)
• Manufacturer: Apera Instruments
• Contact: sales@labcoscientific.com.au | 1800 052 226
• Version: 1.1

Product Usage Instructions

Introduction
Thank you for choosing the Apera Instruments PH60S-Z Smart pH Tester. This manual will guide you on how to properly use and maintain the product.

What’s in the Kit
Refer to the kit contents list to ensure you have received all the necessary components.

Keypad Functions
Detailed information on how to navigate and utilize the functions available on both the tester and the ZenTest Mobile App.

Battery Installation
Properly install batteries with the correct orientation to avoid damage to the tester. Follow the instructions provided in the manual.

Preparation Before Use
Rinse the probe in pure water and follow the recommended steps before using the pH tester for accurate results.

pH Calibration

1. Power on the meter and rinse the probe in water.
2. Prepare pH 7.00 and pH 4.00 buffer solutions for calibration.
3. Enter calibration mode and calibrate using the buffer solutions as instructed.
4. Complete both 1st and 2nd point calibrations for accurate pH measurements.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Q: How do I connect the pH tester to my smartphone?
  A: Download the ZenTest App from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, turn on Bluetooth on your phone, and follow the instructions to connect to your tester.

• Q: What should I do if the pH readings are unstable?
  A: Ensure proper calibration of the tester using the recommended buffer solutions. If issues persist, refer to the troubleshooting guide in the manual.

ATTENTION

• Never use the product when it’s freezing cold. Let it warm to room temperature before using.

INTRODUCTION

Dear Customer,
Thank you for choosing Apera Instruments PH60S-Z Smart pH Tester. Please carefully read this manual in order to properly use and maintain the product.

1. Search “zentest smart” in Apple App Store or Google Play App Store to download the latest App for your tester. Turn on the Bluetooth of your phone, go to ZenTest™ App, tap on the upper right corner, then select your tester to connect.
2. For video tutorials on how to get the most out of ZenTest™, please go to support.aperainst.com.
3. This product is designed with a two-way control on both the tester and ZenTest™ App. Please refer to the functions available on each platform in the following table. This manual shows you how to operate the tester without connecting to a smartphone.
   Table 1: Functions on 60-Z Tester and ZenTest® Mobile App. FUNCTIONS| 60-Z TESTER| ZENTEST MOBILE APP
   ---|---|---
   DISPLAY| LED display| Basic Mode: digital display + calibration info| Swipe to switch among various modes
   Dial Mode: digital display + dial display
   Graph Mode: digital display + graph display
   Table Mode: digital display + real time measurement and history display
   CALIBRATION| Press buttons to operate| Operate on smartphone following graphic guides
   SELF- DIAGNOSIS| Er1 – Er6 icons| Detailed problem analysis and solutions
   PARAMETER SETUP| Press buttons to set up (except for P7 and P11)| All parameters can be set up in Settings.
   ALARM| The screen turns red when alarm triggered; cannot be setup| Alarm display and alarm values can be setup for pH and ORP
   DATALOGGER| N/A| Manual or Auto. Datalogger; notes can be added to saved data
   DATA OUTPUT| N/A| Share data via Email

WHAT’S IN THE KIT

KEYPAD FUNCTIONS

• Short Press: < 2 seconds
• Long Press: > 2 seconds

BATTERY INSTALLATION

Please install batteries according to the following steps. *Please note the correct direction of battery installation:
The Positive Side (“+”) OF EVERY SINGLE Battery MUST FACE UP. (WRONG INSTALLATION OF BATTERIES WILL CAUSE DAMAGE TO THE TESTER& BATTERY LEAK !)

PREPARATION BEFORE USE

1. Pull out the battery insulation slip, and take off the probe cap.
2. Rinse off the probe in pure water (preferably distilled or deionized water. RO water or tap water is the alternative) , then shake off excess water (see graph on the right).
3. Perform at least a 2-point calibration. For pH calibration tutorial, refer to Section 6.
4. When you are not using the tester, always store the spear probe in the 3M KCL soaking solution. Never let it dry out. Replace the soaking solution if it gets contaminated.

pH CALIBRATION

1. Short press to power on the meter; rinse the probe in pure water. Shake off excess water.
2. Pour pH 7.00 and pH 4.00 buffer solution in the corresponding calibration vials (to about half volume of the vials).
3. Long press to enter calibration mode (screen turns green);- 6 –
4. Insert the probe into pH 7.00 buffer solution, make a quick stir, and hold still. When the reading is stabilized ( stays on screen), short press to start 1st point calibration. After calibration is completed, the tester will return to measurement mode. Icon will appear at the bottom left of the screen, indicating a successful 1st point pH calibration.
5. To calibrate 2nd point, use 4.00 pH buffer and repeat Step 6.3 to 6.4 (Do NOT turn off the tester after you finish pH 7 calibration). will display next to , indicating a successful 2-point pH calibration (low and middle points).
6. If necessary (target pH>8.00), calibrate 3rd point using 10.01 standard pH buffer and repeat Step 6.3 to 6.4, will show up next to and , indicating a successful 3-point calibration (high, low, and middle points).
7. Notes about Calibration
8. The 1st point calibration must be 7.00 pH. Perform the 2nd and 3rd point calibrations (4.00, 10.01, 1.68, or 12.45) immediately after the 1st point calibration is finished. Do NOT turn off the meter before you calibrate 2nd or 3rd point. Otherwise, you will need to restart the calibration process with 7.00 pH first.
9. The pH 4.00 and 7.00 buffer solutions poured into the calibration vials can be used for up to 10 times as long as they are not contaminated, and the bottles are capped when not in use. pH 10.01 can only be used for up to 5 times as it will lose its accuracy much faster. After that, replace the buffer solutions in the calibration vials with new ones to keep the accuracy. Keeping the freshness and cleanliness of calibration buffers is essential for accurate pH measurement.
10. The tester can perform 1 to 3 points of automatic calibration and can recognize 5 types of pH standard solutions. For details, please refer to the following table:
11. For the self-diagnosis information, please refer to the table below:

PH MEASUREMENT

1. PH60S-Z Spear pH tester is designed for direct spear test of solid samplings such as cheese, fruit, sushi rice, meat, dough. It also works well in general water solutions.

2. When performing spear tests in solid samples, pay attention to insert probe evenly, and be careful to prevent probe from damage. If the medium is too hard, please bore a small hole with a clean knife before inserting the spear probe.

   • For food pH measurement (e.g. sushi, cheese, meat, fruit, etc.), it should always be a sampling test. That means test samples should no longer be edible.

3. How to take pH measurements
   Short press to power on the tester. Rinse the probe in pure water, shake off excess water. Insert the probe in your sample solution or solid sample, and hold still. Record the reading when it is stabilized( stays on screen).

4. Pure Water pH Measurement
   When testing pure water like tap water, drinking water, RO water and distilled water, it will take longer for the readings to get fully stabilized (typically 1-5 minutes). Please be patient. If still not working, add Apera 3M KCL (AI1107) to your pure water at the ratio of 1:1000 (e.g. 1 ml KCL to 1000 ml water) to accelerate stabilization while minimizing pH change. If the accuracy is not meeting your requirement, please contact us at info@aperainst.com to find the specialized meter designed for pure water pH test.

ORP MEASUREMENT

1. ORP stands for Oxidation-Reduction Potential, measured in mV. It’s also called redox. ORP is a measure of the cleanliness of water & its ability to break down contaminants. A separate ORP probe (ORP60-DA) needs to be installed to be able to measure ORP.
2. Power on the PC60-Z tester, unscrew the original probe, and install the ORP60-DA probe, then the tester will automatically switch to ORP measurement mode (Refer to Section 14 for how to replace a probe).
3. Rinse the probe in pure water and shake off excess water. Dip the probe in sample solution, make a quick stir and hold still. Record the ORP reading after it’s fully stabilized stays on screen.

PROBE CLEANING

1. The tester is only as accurate as the probe is clean. Always thoroughly rinse off the probe before and after each measurement with pure water in a container or with a wash bottle.
2. For tough contaminants, detach the sensor shield, soak the probe in Apera probe cleaning solution (AI1166) or detergent water for 30 minutes. Then use a soft brush to remove the contaminants. Afterwards, soak the probe in 3M KCL soaking solution for at least 1 hour. Rinse it off, then re-calibrate the tester before using again.

PROBE STORAGE

1. Always store the spear probe in the 3M KCL soaking solution when not in use. Never let it dry out. Replace the soaking solution if it gets contaminated.
2. NEVER store the probe in pure water like tap, RO, distilled, or deionized water as they could damage the pH probe. If this happens, immediately soak the pH probe Apera 3M KCL soaking solution overnight, then re-calibrate it before using. Pure water is only for rinsing the probe.

PARAMETER SETTINGS

Table of Settings

SYMBOL| PARAMETER SETTING CONTENTS| CONTENT| FACTORY DEFAULT
---|---|---|---
P1| Temperature Unit| ˚C – ˚F| ˚F
P2| Set Automatic Lock| 5 – 20 seconds – Off| Off
P3| Automatic Backlight Off| 1 – 8 minutes – Off| 1
P4| Automatic Power Off| 10 – 20 minutes – Off| 10
P5| pH Buffer Series Selection| USA – NIST| USA
P6| pH Resolution| 0.1 – 0.01| 0.01
P7| pH Calibration Reminder| H – Hours D-Days (Setup in ZenTest App)| /
P8| pH Back to Factory Default| No – Yes| No

Parameter Settings

1. When the meter is turned off, long press to enter parameter setting → short press to switch P01-P02… →P14. Short Press , parameter flashes → short press to adjust parameter → Short press to confirm → short press to exit parameter setting and go back to measurement mode.
2. Auto-Hold (P02) – You can set the auto-hold time from 5 to 20 seconds. For example, if 10 seconds is set, when the reading is stable for more than 10 seconds, the reading will be automatically locked, and the HOLD icon will be displayed. Short press again to cancel the lock. When the setting is “Off” , the auto-hold function is turned off, the reading can only be manually locked. Short press to lock or unlock readings while measuring.
3. Auto. Backlight (P03) – You can set the automatic backlight time for 1 to 8 minutes. For example, if 3 minutes is set, the backlight will turn off automatically after 3 minutes; when the “Off” is set, the auto. backlight function will be turned off, and short press to manually turn the backlight on or off.
4. Auto. Power off (P04) – The auto. power off time can be set to 10 to 20 minutes. For example, if 15 minutes is set, the meter will automatically shut down after 15 minutes if no operation; when “Off” is set, the auto. power off function will be turned off. Long press to manually shut down the meter.
5. pH Calibration Reminder (P07) – set X hours (H) Or X days (D) in ZenTest mobile app – settings – Parameter – pH – Calibration Reminder. On the meter, you can only check the values that’s been set up on ZenTest App. For example, if 3 days is set up, the Er6 icon (see Figure-4) will appear in the lower right corner of the LCD screen in 3 days to remind you to perform calibration, also in the ZenTest App there will be a pop-up reminder. After calibration is finished or the reminder setting is cancelled in the ZenTest App, the Er6 icon will disappear.
6. pH Back to Factory Default (P08) – Select “Yes” to recover instrument calibration to theoretical value. This function can be used when instrument does not work well in calibration or measurement. Calibrate and measure again after setting the instrument back to factory default.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

0 – 50˚C (32 to 122˚F)

ORP (MV)| Range| -1,000 mV to 1,000 mV
Accuracy| ±0.2% F.S
TEMPERATURE| Range| 0 to 50˚C (32 to 122˚F)
Accuracy| ±0.5˚C

ICONS AND FUNCTIONS

TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

before pressing
Incorrect standard solution| Reboot tester, calibrate pH 7 first, then pH 4. For details refer to Section 5.2 (a)
Poor quality standard solutions| Replace with fresh and clean standard calibration solutions made by legitimate scientific instrument manufacturers.
Contaminated probe| Use a soft brush to clean the probe with Apera probe cleaning solution or detergent water.
Aged probe| Replace the probe
Dried-out probe| Soak the probe in the 3M KCL soaking solution for at least 30 minutes
Probe is not fully submerged in the solution| Make sure the probe is fully immersed in the solution at least 1 inch deep.
Air bubbles around the sensor| Make a quick stir in the solution to remove air bubbles.
READING IS ALWAYS SOWLY CHANGING, WON’T STABILISE| Contaminated probe| Use a soft brush to clean the probe with Apera probe cleaning solution or detergent water.
Clogged junction| Use a soft brush to clean the probe with Apera probe cleaning solution or detergent water, then soak it in Apera 3M KCL soaking solution overnight.
Aged probe| Replace the probe
Testing pH of low iconic strength solutions like tap water, drinking water, RO water| Be patient, wait for 1-5 minutes to reach a fully stabilized reading. If still not stabilizing, add 1ml of Apera 3M KCL solution to 1000ml of test solution (or 1 teaspoon to 1 gallon).
DISPLAY SIMILAR READINGS IN ANY SOLUTIONS OR ALWAYS DISPLAY 7.0 PH| Broken probe| If you don’t find any visible damage of the probe, contact us for warranty fulfilment; if there is visible damage, replace the probe
---|---|---
Instrument probe| Contact us for warranty fulfilment
READING KEEPS JUMPING| Probe is not fully submerged in the solution| Make sure the probe is fully immersed in the solution at least 1 inch deep.
Air bubbles around the sensor| Make a quick stir in the solution to remove air bubbles.
Probe is not properly connected or the pin connector is broken| Check the probe’s connector, make sure it’s not broken and is correctly connected. Align the probe and instrument correctly before plugging in. Never force it. Ensure that the probe connector is not exposed in the air too long.
CALIBRATION IS SUCCESSFUL, BUT READING IS NOT ACCURATE| Aged probe| Replace the probe
Air bubbles around the sensor| Make a quick stir in the solution to remove air bubbles.
Clogged junction| Clean the probe with cleaning solution, then soak it in 3M KCL soaking solution overnight
Comparison with other testers, test strips or drop tests| To compare with other testers, make sure to perform a 2-point calibration for all testers in the same standards, then test a 3rd point. Whichever gives more accurate reading in the 3rd point standard is the more accurate one. Test strips or drop tests’ accuracy is not comparable to pH meters’.
Poor quality standard solutions| Replace with fresh and clean standard calibration solutions made by legitimate scientific instrument manufacturers.
The probe is not suitable for your application.| Contact us to find the most appropriate product for your specific application.

PROBE REPLACEMENT

pH probes don’t last forever. Every probe will eventually age and fail even if you don’t use it that often. The typical service life of Apera probes is 12-24 months depending on the frequency of usage and how well you keep it clean and properly stored. We recommend replacing your probe every 1 to 2 years to ensure the best performance.

To replace the probe: 1) take off the probe cap; 2) screw off the probe ring 3) unplug the probe; 4) plug in the new replacement probe (pay attention to the probe’s position); 5) screw on the probe ring tightly. Soak the probe in 3M KCL for 5-15 minutes. Then perform calibration before testing.

The replacement probes that are compatible with PH60S-Z:

• PH60S-DE (Spear pH probe for solids/semi-solids pH testing), PH60-DE (Regular pH glass bulb probe), PH60F-DE (Flat pH probe for surface pH testing), ORP60-DA (ORP Probe).

WARRANTY

We warrant this instrument to be free from defects in material and workmanship and agree to repair or replace free of charge, at option of APERA INSTRUMENTS, LLC, any malfunctioned or damaged product attributable to the responsibility of APERA INSTRUMENTS, LLC for TWO YEARS (SIX MONTHS for the probe) from the delivery.

This limited warranty does NOT cover any damages due to: Accidental damage, transportation, storage, improper use, failure to follow the product instructions or to perform any preventive maintenance, unauthorized repair or modifications, normal wear and tear, or other external causes or actions beyond our reasonable control.
To get the fastest warranty fulfilment, go to support.aperainst.com and click “New Support Ticket” on the upper right corner. Type your email in the requester field, “Warranty” in the Subject field, and then input the following information in the description field:

• Your full name
• Product model that needs warranty fulfilment
• Serial number of the product (can be found on the back sticker of the tester body)
• What problem or issue you had experienced with the product
• Attach a photo of your proof of purchase
• Attach a photo of the problematic product

Then click Submit. One of our customer care specialists will help you fulfil the warranty within one business day.

Printed technical specifications are subject to change without notification
Labco® is a registered trademark.
See the full product range online.
1800 052 226
sales@labcoscientific.com.au
labcoscientific.com.au

References

• Home Page
• Support : Apera Instruments

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