Special Care of Rubber Armor Jacket
If your Palm Abbe is equipped with the optional Rubber Armor Jacket, you
must take special care to ensure that any excess sample fluid does not leak
down and become trapped between the jacket and instrument body. If this
happens, pull the instrument from the Rubber Armor and wipe off the fluid
before storing. This precaution is especially significant if the Palm Abbe is
stored in the rugged waterproof storage case, since subsequent draining
fluid will remain trapped in the case. This is even more important if you are
testing hazardous or corrosive fluids that could damage the Palm Abbe or
leak onto people or other equipment over time.
Warranty & Service
The warranty for your MISCO Product is included with the original product
packaging. You must register your product warranty, within ten days of
purchase, by mail or online at
www.misco.com/warranty
. Additional copies
of the warranty and terms of sale are available from this web page as well.
To obtain service for your MISCO product, you must download an RMA
form from
www.misco.com/rma
and then return the product
(shipping prepaid), together with the RMA form, to:
MISCO
6275 Cochran Road, Solon, Ohio 44139 (USA)
Attention: Service Department
Refractive index is very temperature dependent. It is well known
that substantially all materials expand when heated (become
less dense) and contract when cooled (become more dense).
The speed of light in a liquid increases as temperature
increases, and the refractive index, therefore, decreases.
Although this thermal effect is small for solids, the change is
substantial for liquids. Automatic-temperature-compensation
ensures that concentration readings of aqueous (water-based)
solutions will be accurate with respect to the sample’s
temperature.
Unless otherwise noted, the Palm Abbe refractometer is temperature
compensated for aqueous (water-based) sucrose solutions. The
temperature coefficient of most aqueous solutions is generally close
to that of sucrose; however, the temperature coefficient of oils,
hydrocarbons, and other non-aqueous solutions is generally larger.
Non-aqueous samples should be read at an ambient temperature as
close to 20°C (68°F) as possible for the best precision. Certain Palm
Abbe scales are programmed with temperature compensation specific
to an individual unit of measure. This will be noted on the specification
card accompanying the instrument.
Actually, the temperature of the sample has little bearing on the
accuracy of the reading. The sample volume is relatively small
compared to the thermal mass of the refractometer so, in most cases,
the sample almost immediately assumes the temperature of the
instrument. For the most accurate possible results, the instrument,
the ambient temperature, and the fluid should be in equilibrium within
the instrument’s temperature range.
Auto Temp. Compensation
Temp. Compensation
The most common source of error is trying to take readings with the cover
open. If this is not the case, and you suspect the instrument is
malfunctioning or giving an erroneous reading, try zero setting it and take
a reading of water to check the zero set. If the instrument readings are
still suspicious, replace the battery and repeat the above procedure.
If the instrument “locks up” and will not read or shut off, clear the instrument
by removing the batteries. If unit fails to display “
MISCO / Palm Abbe II
”
when starting, check battery insertion and polarity. If the unit still will not
start, check battery charge and/or replace batteries. If batteries are good
and instrument still will not start, call MISCO Technical Support at
(440)349-1500.
Error Codes:
Care & Maintenance
Keep Measuring Surface Clean! It is extremely important to thoroughly clean
the measuring surface after each use with a wet, soft, clean cloth or paper
towel. This will prevent cross contamination between samples and provide
accurate subsequent readings. Keep the measuring surface clean and free
of residue at all times. The instrument body may be cleaned with a soft, clean
cloth or paper towel, dampened with a mild liquid dish soap and water. The
use of solvents or petroleum-based cleaners is not recommended.
Important Precautions!
·
DO NOT SUBMERGE INSTRUMENT IN LIQUIDS.
·
DO NOT hold instrument under running water.
·
DO NOT leave instrument in direct sunlight or in a vehicle on a sunny day.
·
DO NOT subject instrument to temperatures above 50°C (122°F) or less than –10°C (14°F).
·
DO NOT attempt to repair, modify, or disassemble any portion of the instrument.
·
DO NOT let liquid fall from instrument onto clothing or other surfaces after taking readings.
·
DO NOT drop or subject instrument to strong shocks or vibration.
·
DO NOT use a metal device to transfer samples to the measuring surface.
·
DO NOT use an instrument unless you have personal knowledge of its calibration.
·
DO NOT attempt to recharge the batteries that came with the instrument.
·
DO NOT press the buttons with anything other than a finger.
When storing the instrument for long periods of time, it
is advisable to remove the batteries. Use only AAA
batteries. Pay close attention to battery polarity
when inserting batteries. Reversing the polarity
can cause instrument damage.
Troubleshooting
Call MISCO for
NIST Traceable
Certified Calibration
440.349.1500
TIP:
Be Sure to
Complete RMA
Form Before
Sending Units
Back for Repair.
To make both Brix and refractive index units more meaningful, they must
somehow be correlated to the concentration of the solution you are testing.
This is accomplished by creating a chart of solution concentrations relative
to the scale. A separate chart must be made for each type of solution being
tested. Occasionally,
the manufacturer of the solution will provide a
reference chart relating the solution’s concentration to Brix or refractive
index. If such a chart is not available, it is quite easy to construct one
following the instructions below:
Step 1
·
Mix (preferably by weight) a number of known solutions which bracket
the actual concentration to be used. For example, if a 10% solution is
most often used, carefully mix 5%, 10%, and 15% solutions.
Step 2
·
Zero set the instrument.
·
Take a Brix reading for each prepared sample with the Palm Abbe and
the sample at or near room temperature (20°C / 68°F).
·
Record the results and plot them on graph paper. Remember to add a
point at 0.0 Brix for water.
Step 3
·
Draw a straight line between the plotted points along a
path that best represents the center of the data. Do
not be concerned if some of the points fall slightly
off the line. The concentration for future
measurements of the same fluid can be
determined by matching the Brix value
against the corresponding concentration
on your graph.
A separate graph must
be constructed for each type of fluid
used.
Charting Solution
Concentrations
If you are measuring sucrose solutions, you may read percent sucrose directly
on the Brix scale; otherwise, the readings must be converted into solution
concentrations to be useful to the user. The Brix scale originated in the food
industry and is primarily a unit of measure corresponding to the percent of
sugar in a sugar and water solution. The actual Brix value represents the
number of grams of cane sugar in a 100 gram cane sugar solution (percent
sugar wt./wt.). This direct reading relationship holds true ONLY for sucrose
solutions.
Refractive index units (nD) represent a physical property of a substance but
are not particularly helpful without a table to reference them.
TIP:
Holding the
<MENU> Button
for 5 Seconds
Will Display
Serial Number.
Water = 0 Brix
5% = 7.5 Brix
10% = 15 Brix
15% = 22.5 Brix
0.0
5.0
10.0
15.0
20.0
25.
0
5
10
15
20
25
Product Concentration
% By Weight
BRIX Reading
Press and release <GO> to take a second
reading. Remember to clean and dry
the measuring surface when
finished.
The reading will take approximately five
seconds and the result will be displayed on
the screen.
TIP:
Holding <GO>
for 5 Seconds
Will Turn
Instrument Off.
Taking Readings
Follow the steps below to accurately measure a fluid sample:
1.
Inspect the measuring surface to make sure
it is clean and dry. Place a few drops of the
sample to be tested on the measuring
surface.
2.
Close the sample cover and allow some time
for the temperature to equalize. A good rule
of thumb is to wait at least 30 seconds for
every 20°F (10°C) difference in temperature
between the fluid and the instrument. You will
have to allow more time for fluids above 50
°C and for thick viscous fluids.
4.
Press <GO> to automatically trigger a
reading. The display will indicate the default
scale name on the first line of the display and
* READING *
on the second line.
5.
3.
A single press and release of <GO> will turn
the instrument on. If your instrument has more
than one scale, you can press <MENU> to
select a different scale.
6.
Sample was not detected on prism.
Cover must be closed before taking reading.
Temperature out of range too high (+) or low (-).
Concentration out of range too high (+) or low (-).
no sample
detected
Close cover
press [go]
out of range
temp +
Sample out
of range +
Time to change the batteries.
WARNING!
LOW BATTERY
Copyright © 2014 MISCO
All Rights Reserved
