APERA INSTRUMENTS Premium Series PH60 pH Tester User Manual
- June 3, 2024
- APERA INSTRUMENTS
Table of Contents
- Premium Series PH60 pH Tester
- What’s in the Kit
- Keypad Functions
- Preparation Before Use
- pH Calibration
- pH Measurement
- Probe Cleaning
- Probe Storage
- Parameter Setting
- ORP Measurement
- Technical Specifications
- Other Specifications
- Probe Replacement
- Battery Installation
- Troubleshooting Guide
- Warranty
- References
- Read User Manual Online (PDF format)
- Download This Manual (PDF format)
INSTRUMENTS
Fluid Precision since 1991
Premium Series PH60 pH Tester
User Manual APERA INSTRUMENTS (Europe) GmbH
Premium Series PH60 pH Tester
Thank you for purchasing Apera Instruments PH60 Premium 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
- Water droplets are added during production to maintain the moisture of the probe. This is normal practice and should not be attributed to used product.
- Never use the product when it’s freezing cold. Let it warm to room temperature before using.
- There is a sensor shield on top of the pH sensor, protecting the glass bulb sensor from accidental damage. You can detach the sensor shield when rinsing and cleaning the sensor as shown in the graph below. Put back the sensor shield after cleaning.
What’s in the Kit
Keypad Functions
Short press: < 2 seconds
Long press: > 2 seconds
| 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.
---|---
| 1. In measurement mode, short press to switch betweepH and mV.
2. In settings, short press to change parameters (Unidirectional).
| 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
3.1 Pull out the battery insulation slip, and take off the probe cap.
3.2 Rinse off the probe in pure water (preferably distilled or deionized
water, alternatively RO water or tap water), then shake off excess water.
3.3 Perform at least a 2-point calibration at pH 7.00 and pH 4.00. For
tutorial, refer to Section 4.
3.4 If the tester hasn’t been used for a long time (over 1 month), please soak
the probe in the 3M KCL soaking solution for at least 30 minutes, then
calibrate it before test.
pH Calibration
4.1 How to Calibrate:
4.1.1 Short press to power on.
4.1.2 Pour pH buffer solutions in the correspondent calibration vials to about
half volume.
4.1.3 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. 4.1.4 Long press to enter calibration mode, screen will turn green
(Short press if you decide to quit calibration and return to measurement
mode).
4.1.5 Wait for the reading to stabilize (when stays on the screen), then short
press to start the 1 st 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). 4.1.6
To calibrate 2 nd point, use 4.00 pH buffer and repeat Step
4.1.3 to , indicating a successful 2-point calibration (low and middle
points).
4.1.7 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).
4.2 Notes about Calibration
a) The 1 st point calibration must be 7.00 pH. Perform the 2 nd rd and 3point
calibrations (4.00, 10.01, 1.68, or 12.45) immediately after the 1 st point
calibration is finished. Do NOT turn off the meter before you calibrate 2 nd
rd or 3 point. Otherwise, you will need to restart the calibration process
with 7.00 pH first.
b) 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 hen 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 eep the accuracy. Keeping
the freshness and cleanliness of calibration buffers is essential for accurate
pH measurement.
c) 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:
Calibration| USA Series| NIST Series| Indication icon|
Recommended
---|---|---|---|---
1-pt| 7.00 pH| 6.86 pH| | Accuracy requirement
?. 0.1 pH
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
5.1 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 and make a quick stir,
then hold still. Record the reading after it is stabilized ( appears and stays
on the screen). 5.2 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.de to find the specialized
meter designed for pure water pH test.
Probe Cleaning
6.1 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.
6.2 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. Rinseit off, then re-calibrate the
tester before using again.
Probe Storage
7.1 Under regular usage (daily or weekly use), make sure the probe cap is wet,
and tightly close the cap with the O-ring.
7.2 For long-term storage (you are not going to use the product for a while),
add 3M KCL soaking solution to the Fill line in the probe cap and store the
probe in it. Close on the probe cap tightly with the O-ring.
7.3 If you find white crystals inside or outside the probe cap, it is
perfectly normal. It is the 3M KCL soaking solution that crystalizes over time
by its nature. Just rinse them off and add in new soaking solution. This
chemical is not poisonous nor dangerous, and the probe’s performance will not
be affected at all.
7.4 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
8.1 Setup Menu
Symbol | Contents | Parameter | Factory Default |
---|---|---|---|
P1 | Select pH buffer solution | USA — NIST | USA |
P2 | Low value measurement alarm setting | 0 to 14.00 pH | 0 |
P3 | High value measurement alarm setting | 0 to 14.00 pH | 14.00 |
P4 | Select automatic lock | Off — On | Off |
P5 | Select backlight | Off — 1 — On | 1 |
P6 | Select temperature unit | °C — °F | °F |
P7 | Restore to factory default | No — Yes | No |
8.2 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.
8.3 Parameter Setting Instruction
8.3.1 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 clause 4.2.
8.3.2 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.
8.3.3 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.
8.3.4 Backlight (P5) “Off”-turn off backlight, “On”-always turn on backlight,
“1”- backlight will last for 1 minute.
8.3.5 Temperature Unit (P6) Select between C˚ and F˚.
8.3.6 Factory default setting (P7) Select “Yes” to recover instrument
calibration to the theoretical value (pH value in zero potential is 7.00 pH,
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 distilled 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) | |
ORP (mV) | Measuring Range | ±1000 mV |
Resolution | 1 mV | |
Accuracy | ±0.2 % F.S | |
Temp. | Measuring Range | 0 — 50 °C (32 — 122 °F) |
Resolution | 0.1 °C | |
Accuracy | ±0.5 °C |
Other Specifications
Screen| 3-color LCD screen,
Blue: Measurement; Green: Calibration; Red: Alarm
---|---
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
12.1 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. Apera Instruments recommends replacing the pH probe every 1
to 2 years to guarantee the optimal performance.
12.2 To replace a probe: 1) Take off the probe cap; 2) Screw off theprobe
ring; 3) Unplug the probe; 4) Plug in the new replacemenprobe (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.
12.3 The replacement probes compatible with PH60:
- AI1201 PH60-E (Regular pH glass bulb probe for general water solutions)
- AI3711-E PH60-DE (Double-junction pH glass bulb probe for complex solutions)
- AI1205 PH60S-E (Spear pH probe for soft-solids pH testing)
- AI1203 PH60F-E (Flat pH probe for surface pH testing)
- AI1207 ORP60-E (ORP probe)
Notes
a) Avoid testing in very high (> 113 °F/ 45°C) or very low (< 41 °F/ 5°C)
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.
b) 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.
c) 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.
d) 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)
- Pull the tester’s cap up
- Slide the battery cap along to the direction of arrow
- Open the battery cap
- Insert the batteries (ALL POSITIVE SIDES FACING UP) (see graph)
- Close the battery cap
- Slide and lock the battery cap along to the direction of arrow
- Fit the tester’s cap while making sure to push all the way down. The tester’swaterproof design may be compromised if the cap is not fitted correctly.
Troubleshooting Guide
Trouble | Reason | How to fix |
---|---|---|
Cannot calibrate | Pressing too soon ,.c)(showing | Wait for to stay on screen |
before pressing
Incorrect standard solution (showing F| Reboot tester, calibrate pH 7 first,
then pH 4. For details refer to Section 4.2 (a).
Poor quality standard solutions (showings | 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 Apera
probe cleaning solution or detergent water.
Aged probe (showing | Replace the probe.
Dried-out probe (showing | Soak the probe in Apera 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