PHOTOVOLT TECHNICAL NOTE
Aquatest 10 Base Unit
(NOTE: FOR REFERENCE ONLY, THE Aquatest 10 has been replaced by the AQ2010 model)

1. Unpacking the Aquatest 10 and Assembling the Titration Vessel

1.1 Ensure that all parts listed in the MANUAL for the titration vessel are in the shipment. Refer to FIGURE 6 of the AQUATEST 10 MANUAL. (All references to Figures and Text will be from this MANUAL).

1.2 Lightly grease all the ground-glass joints and assemble according to FIGURE 6. If you have the AQUATEST 10 VAPORIZER there will be an additional opening in the vessel. This accepts the gas delivery tube with the vaporizer or a glass stopper if not using the vaporizer.

1.3 Drop the magnetic spin bar in the vessel and place the vessel in its holder.

1.4 Position the detector (sensing electrode) in the hole to keep the platinum tips farthest away from the spin bar. Rotate so that the tips are parallel to the vessel wall. Always ensure that the pins are well separated.

1.5 Position the drying tube (filled with silica gel desiccant) into one of the openings.

1.6 Place the cathode solution cell (generator) into the largest opening. Observe that the cathode (inside platinum gauze) is flat on the top of the frit and that the anode (bottom platinum gauze) is flat against the bottom of the frit.

1.7 Insert a septum into the two-piece TEFLON plug (if one is not already there) and screw the two pieces together. Lightly grease the bottom of the plug and insert it into the angled opening on the side of the vessel. The needle of the sampling syringe is inserted through this fitting. The septum is soft enough to close after a needle has been inserted for many injections, but should be replaced routinely.

2. Adding Reagents to the Titration Vessel

2.1 Pour about 150 cm3 of anode (vessel) solution into the vessel using a small plastic funnel.

2.2 Snap off the top of the cathode (generator) solution ampoule and using the same funnel pour the solution into the cathode solution cell. Invert opened ampoule in funnel and tap lightly to encourage flow.

2.3 While standing in front of the AQUATEST 10 connect the cathode solution cell to the BNC connection on the left-hand fitting and the detector BNC connection to the right-hand fitting on the AQUATEST 10 case.

3. Power up

3.1 Plug in the power cord to an appropriate outlet. Adjust the stirrer speed control (FIGURE 4) on the lower left hand side of the case to its lowest setting.

3.2 Switch on the AQUATEST 10 with the power switch (FIGURE 4) on the lower right hand side of the case.

3.3 Now, slowly raise the stirrer speed control so that the stir bar rotates at the fastest possible speed without "tumbling". Adjust this speed cautiously so that the detector pins are not hit by the bar. Turning off the stir speed control before turning off the AQUATEST 10 is good practice to prevent the above. Proceed to 4 and 5 until DRY, RDY or ADD SAMPLE appears.

4. Setting Date and Time

4.1 Press OPTION. When SET CLOCK appears, press ENTER if the date is correct. If not, enter the correct date by pressing the (>) key to under-line the numbers to be changed. Change the numbers by "keying" the correct number from the key pad. Change the date in the same way. The time is on a 24 hour clock. 2:28:38 is 2 p.m. 28 min, 38 sec. The AQUATEST prints this as: 14:28:38. Press ENTER after selection.

5. Printer paper Installation

5.1 While the vessel is equilibrating, prepare the printer, which is located on the right front of the case under the removable cover. Remove the cover. Cut end of the printer paper so that you have a sharp point and gently "coax" this end into the slot behind the "saw-toothed" edge of the paper cutter while holding down the print feed button. (Paper feed is from the bottom of the roll.) This may require a bit of patience. When paper is feeding smoothly, slide the roller into the roll of paper and drop into slots in the printer compartment. (If cutting does not allow for easy insertion, clip off the sharp point to a blunt end and try again).

6. Titration

6.1 When you turned on the AQUATEST the display read AQUATEST 10 VERSION 1.4 (as of October 1995 - later versions will have differing numbers). The letters STBY (STANDBY) now appear. Press the STANDBY key and the numbers will rapidly change to EXAMPLE: 0.12 * RDY 35.1mg or 0.10 * DRY 42.6mg or 0.08 * ADD SAMPLE When any of the above appear, one can press START and inject a sample. The titration will proceed automatically until you hear an audible signal (three "beeps") at the end of the titration.

6.2 Depending on the FILE settings, a number of "prompts" will appear on the screen, which you will fill in before the final result appears. These range from a full report, as in FIGURE 13, to a minimum amount of information as contained in FIGURE 10.

7. Setting The File Program After each selection, press ENTER.

7.1 File Number User's choice. When this file is called up in the future, all the following information will be contained under this number. (There are eight files)

7.2 Delay Time is entered in minutes and seconds. The titration will not start until this time has elapsed, but the water will be accumulated in the cell.

7.3 Min Titr Minimum titration - the titration will proceed for only the time entered, regardless of the status of the sensing electrode.

7.4 Titr Stop The titration will stop at the time set, even if all the water has not been titrated.

7.5 End Point Variable - 0.1, 0.2 or 0.3 good starting points. See MANUAL Section 8.6.

7.6 Print Form See MANUAL Section 8.1.1. Simplest format would be 1.

7.7 Print Intv This will not appear unless you have selected PRINT FORM 4. See Section 8.7.4, especially the NOTE.

7.8 Calc Form See MANUAL Section 8.8.

7.9 Units Selection can be micrograms, part/million or percent.

8. Sample Titration

8.1 If you have followed all the above you should be able to inject 2 microliters of water from a 5 microliter syringe and obtain 2000 micrograms ± 100 micrograms. Follow the PHOTOVOLT TECHNICAL NOTE ON VERIFICATION OF ACCURACY.

8.2 If the titration for water is successful, you should be able to use the PHOTOVOLT WATER STANDARD and get the stated water content. A 1000 microliter syringe (1 mL) can be used and injections of 100 or 200 microliters are satisfactory.

1999-02-01
Revised 1999-03-26
2000-06-28