Thermo Scientific Orion AQUAfast AQ3010 Turbidity Meter User Guide
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Chapter 4
Routine Maintenance
The supplied carrying case is optimal for protecting the instrument . If
you do not plan on leaving the instrument in the supplied carrying case,
when it not in use ensure that the instrument has been turned off and
that a clean sample vial fitted with a black cap has been placed in the
sample well . This will ensure that a minimal amount of dust and debris
will be able to settle on the optics of the instrument . Keep the light shield
cover with the meter .
Proper measurement of the turbidity of a sample requires the use of a
vial that is free of marks, smudges, scratches and any bacterial growth .
Therefore, sample vials must be handled with absolute care to avoid
contamination or damage, which might change the optical characteristics
of the glass . Scratches, fingerprints and water droplets on the sample
vial or inside the sample well can cause stray light interference leading to
inaccurate readings .
Cleaning the vial is accomplished by washing the interior and exterior of
the vial in a detergent solution . Once cleaned, the vial should be rinsed
thoroughly eight to ten times with clean distilled or deionized water to
eliminate the possibility of detergent buildup and streaking .
Vials can also be acid washed periodically and coated with a special
silicone oil to fill small scratches and mask the imperfections in the glass .
Since the silicone oil required for this application should have the same
refractive characteristics as glass, it is recommended that only the Thermo
Scientific Orion AQUAfast® silicone oil, Cat . No . AC3SIL, be used .
Care should be taken not to apply excessive oil that could attract dirt or
contaminate the sample well of the meter . Once the oil has been applied
to the vial, the excess oil should be removed with a lint-free cloth . The
result should be a sample vial surface with a dry appearance, but with all
imperfections filled with oil .
Vials –
Handling,
Cleaning
and Care