APERA PH60S Premium Spear pH Pocket Tester Kit User Manual

APERA PH60S Premium Spear pH Pocket Tester Kit

Thank you for purchasing Apera Instruments PH60S Premium Spear pH Tester. Please read this manual before use in order to properly use and maintain the product.
For video tutorials, please go to support.aperainst.de

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

What’s in the Kit

Keypad Functions

Short press: < 2 seconds
Long press: > 2 seconds

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1. Short press to turn on the tester and long press to turn off the tester.
2. When turned off, long press to enter parameter setting.
3. In measurement mode, short press to turn on backlight.
4. In calibration mode, short press to cancel calibration.

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1. In measurement mode, short press to switch between pH and mV.
2. In settings, short press to change parameters (Unidirectional).

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1. Long press to enter calibration mode;
2. In calibration mode, short press to confirm calibration;
3. When reading is locked, short press to unlock.

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 tutorial, refer to Section 4.
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

• How to Calibrate
• Short press to power on.
• Pour pH buffer solutions in the correspondent calibration vials to about half volume.
• Rinse the probe in pure water; Shake off excess water. Dip the probe in the pH 7.00 buffer solution first, and make a quick stir in the solution, then hold still.
• Long press to enter calibration mode, screen will turn green (Short press if you decide to quit calibration and return to measurement mode).
• Wait for the reading to stabilize (when stays on the screen), then short press to start the 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 1-point calibration (middle point).
• To calibrate 2nd point, use 4.00 pH buffer and repeat Step 4.1.3 to 4.1.5 (Do NOT turn off the tester after you finish pH 7 calibration). will display next to , indicating a successful 2-point calibration (low and middle points).
• If necessary (target pH>8.00), calibrate 3rd point using 10.01 standard pH buffer and repeat
  Step 4.1.3 to 4.1.5, will show up next to and , indicating a successful 3-point
  calibration (high, low, and middle points).

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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:

2-pt

| Option A| 1st pt: 7.00 pH 2nd pt: 4.00 pH or

1.68 pH

| Option A| 1st pt: 6.86 pH 2nd pt: 4.01 pH or 1.68 pH| | Range < 7.00 pH
Option B| 1st pt: 7.00 pH 2nd pt: 10.01 pH or 12.45 pH| Option B| 1st pt: 6.86 pH 2nd pt: 9.18 pH or 12.45 pH| | Range > 7.00 pH
3-pt| 1st pt: 7.00 pH
2nd pt: 4.00 or 1.68 pH
3rd pt: 10.01 or 12.45 pH| 1st pt: 6.86 pH
2nd pt: 4.01 or 1.68 pH
3rd pt: 9.18 or 12.45 pH| | Range: 0 to 14.00 pH

pH Measurement

• PH60S Spear pH tester is designed for direct spear test of solid and semi-solid samplings such as cheese, fruit, sushi rice, meat, dough. It also works well in general water solutions.
• 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.
• How to take pH measurements
• Short press to power on the tester. Rinse the probe in pure water, shake off excess water. Dip the probe in your sample solution or solid samplings, then hold still. Record the reading after it is fully stabilized ( appears and stays on the screen).
• Pure Water pH Measurement
• When testing pure water like tap water, drinking water, RO water or 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 Aprea 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.de to find the specialized meter designed for pure water pH test.

Probe Cleaning

• 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.
• For tough contaminants, detach the sensor shield, soak the probe in Aprea 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

• 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.
• NEVER store the probe in pure water like tap, RO, distilled, or deionized water as they could damage the pH probe. Pure water is only for rinsing the probe.

Parameter Setting 8

Setup Menu

Parameter Setup

When turned off, long press to enter parameter settings → Short press to switch P1-P2- P3…P7 → Short press to select parameter (selected parameter starts flickering) → Short press  to change parameter → Short press to confirm the change → Long press to go back to measurement mode.

Parameter Setting Instruction

• Select standard pH buffer solution (P1):
• There are two options of standard buffer solutions: USA series and NIST series. Factory default is USA series, for details see section 4.2.
• Alarm Function (P2&P3)

Examples:

• Alarm triggered when measurement ≤ 3.20 pH:
  Preset lowest value (P2) = 3.20 pH, highest value (P3) = 14.00 pH, when measured value ≤ 3.20 pH (stable displays on screen); screen turns red.

• Alarm triggered when measurement ≥ 8.60 pH:
  Preset highest value (P3) = 8.60 pH, lowest value (P2) = 0.00 pH, when measured value ≥ 8.60 pH (stable displays on screen); screen turns red.

• Alarm triggered when measurement ≤ 3.20 pH or ≥ 8.60 pH
  Preset lowest value (P2) = 3.20 pH, highest value (P3) = 8.60 pH, when measured value is lower than 3.20 pH or higher than 8.60 pH (stable displays on screen), screen turns red.

Automatic Lock (P4) Select “On” to activate auto lock function. When reading is stable for more than 10 seconds, the tester will lock the value automatically, and HOLD icon will display on LCD. Short press key  again to cancel the lock.

• Backlight (P5) “Off”-turn off backlight, “On”-always turn on backlight, “1”- backlight will last for 1 minute.
• Temperature Unit (P6) Select between C˚ and F˚.
• Factory default setting (P7)
  Select “Yes” to recover instrument calibration to the theoretical value (pH value in zero potential is 7.00pH, slope is 100%), parameter setting return to initial value. This function can be used when instrument does not work properly in calibration or measurement. Calibrate and measure again after recovering the instrument to factory default status.

ORP Measurement
ORP stands for Oxidation-Reduction Potential. ORP is a measure of the cleanliness of the water & its ability to break down contaminants. An ORP probe is needed to test ORP (sold separately, SKU:
AI1207). After powering on the tester, press to enter ORP mode (mV). Rinse the probe in pure
water and dry it. Dip the probe in your sample solution, make a quick stir, and hold still. Record the reading after it is fully stabilized.

Technical Specifications

pH

| Measuring Range| -2.00 – 16.00 pH
---|---|---
Resolution| 0.01 pH
Accuracy| ±0.01 pH ±1 digit
Calibration Points| 1 – 3 points
Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC)| 0 – 50˚C (32 – 122˚F)

Other Specifications

Screen| 3-color LCD screen,
Blue: Measurement; Green: Calibration; Red: Alarm
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Reading Lock| HOLD
Low-Voltage Warning|  flashing, reminder of battery replacement needed
Auto. Power-Off| In 8 minutes without operation
Waterproof Rating| IP67
Power| DC3V, AAA alkaline batteries×4
Battery Life| Operation up to 2000 hours
Dimension & Weight| Tester: 40×40×178mm/133g; Case: 255×210×50mm/700g;

Probe Replacement

• Every pH probe gradually loses its sensitivity and will eventually fail. A typical service life of a pH probe is 1-2 years depending on many factors such as frequency of use, nature of test samples, and how well it is maintained, etc. Aprea Instruments recommends replacing the pH probe every 1 to 2 years to guarantee the optimal performance.

• To replace a 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 compatible with PH60S:

  • AI1205 PH60S-E (Spear pH probe for soft-solids pH testing)
  • AI1203 PH60F-E (Flat pH probe for surface pH testing)
  • AI1201 PH60-E (Regular pH glass bulb probe for general water solutions)
  • AI1207 ORP60-E (ORP probe)

Notes

1. Avoid testing in very high (>113°F) or very low (<41°F) temperature solutions as it will cause greater measurement error and potential damage to the probe. Test your samples and perform calibration close to room temperature as much as possible.
2. Never use your finger to touch the glass membrane or use other material to rub it. Doing so could generate static electricity and cause measurement errors. Never test oily liquids.
3. Make sure the battery cap is completely closed with the red O-ring. Otherwise, the waterproof rating could be compromised.

Battery Installation

Please install batteries according to the following steps. *Please note direction of batteries:
All POSITIVE SIDES (“+”) FACING UP. (Wrong installation of batteries will cause damage to the tester and potential hazards)

1. Pull the tester’s cap up
2. Slide the battery cap along to the direction of arrow
3. Open the battery cap
4. Insert the batteries (ALL POSITIVE SIDES FACING UP) (see graph)
5. Close the battery cap
6. Slide and lock the battery cap along to the direction of arrow
7. Fit the tester’s cap while making sure to push all the way down. The tester’s waterproof design may be compromised if the cap is not fitted correctly.

Troubleshooting Guide

before pressing .
Incorrect standard solutions (showing )| Reboot tester, calibrate pH 7 first, then pH 4. For details refer to Section 4.2 (a).
Poor quality standard solutions (showing  )| Replace with fresh and clean standard calibration solutions made by legitimate scientific instrument manufacturers.
Contaminated probe (showing  )| Use a soft brush to clean the probe with Aprea probe cleaning solution or detergent water.
Aged probe (showing  )| Replace the probe.
Dried-out probe

(showing  )

| **** Soak the probe in Aprea 3M KCL solution for at least 30 minutes.
Probe is not fully submerged

(showing  )

| Make sure the probe is fully immersed in the solution at least 1 inch.
Air bubbles around the sensor shield

(showing  )

| Make a quick stir in the solution to remove air bubbles.
Reading is always slowly changing, won’t stabilize| 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 pure water pH like tap/drinking/RO/distilled water| Be patient, wait for 1-5 minutes to reach a fully stabilized reading. If still not stabilizing, add Apera 3M KCL solution to test water at 1:1000 ratio.
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 fulfillment; If there is visible damage, replace the probe.

Instrument defect| Contact us for warranty fulfillment.
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.
Air bubbles around the sensor shield| 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 to air too long.

Calibration is successful, but reading is not accurate| Aged probe| Replace the probe.
Air bubbles around the sensor shield| Make a quick stir in the solution to remove air bubbles.
Clogged junction| Clean the probe with probe cleaning solution, then soak it in 3M KCL soaking solution overnight.
**** Comparison with other testers, test strips, or drop tests| To compare accuracy with other testers, make sure to perform calibration for all testers in the same standard, then test another standard. Whichever gives more accurate reading is the more accurate one. Test strips or drop tests’ accuracy in 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.

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 (Europe) GmbH, any malfunctioned or damaged product attributable to responsibility of APERA INSTRUMENTS (Europe) GmbH for a period of 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.

APERA INSTRUMENTS (Europe) GmbH
Wilhelm-Muthmann-Straße 18
42329 Wuppertal, Germany
Contact: info@aperainst.de
Website: www.aperainst.de
Tel. +49 202 51988998

References

• Apera Instruments

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