Aqua Lab PRE Quick Start Manual

Quick Start Guide

AquaLab Pre Water Activity Meter

Congratulations on your new PRE Water Activity Meter.
This guide will help you begin gathering data in just a
few short steps.

The Setup

1

Customer support: [e-mail] / 509-332-5601 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Pacific)

Let instrument warm up for
15 minutes.

3

Wash hands and continue
reading this guide during
instrument warm up.

4

Plug in instrument with black
power cord. Turn on by flipping
the rocker switch on the back of
the instrument.

2

Place on level surface,
in a stable environment*

*Optimal Temperature 25˚C

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15 MIN

2

What’s Included?

Operator’s
Manual

Instrument instructions
and care.

AquaLink 4

Soware to save, export, and graph
your data. Registration key inside cover
if purchased with the instrument.

Serial Cable

Connect your PRE directly to
your computer.

Power Cord

Standards

Trial Package

Lids

Trial Package

Cups

Trial Package

Verification
Standards*

If you don’t have two boxes
go to store.aqualab.com to
purchase.

Periodically purchase at
https://store.aqualab.com

*

Sample Cups

500 per case.

*

(optional)

(optional)

Cleaning Kit

1 year supply

*

3

Important!

Primary Standard

While the instrument warms up, choose a verification
standard from the trial bag of vials included with your
instrument or in a box purchased separately. Choose one
that is close to the water activity of the sample you are
measuring. If you need help deciding which standard
should be your primary standard please call AquaLab
Customer Support at 509-332-5601.

Note: The trial bag contains two of each of the six types of standards we offer.
You will need to order more standards for your range of product(s) if you haven’t
already.

Twist off the cap of the vial you have chosen as your primary
standard and pour the contents into a sample cup.

Aer the instrument has warmed up for 15 minutes, place a
sample cup into the sample drawer. Close drawer carefully
to avoid spillage.

Then turn drawer knob from OPEN/LOAD to READ
to start measurement.

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The bag of lids is to cover samples to prevent
moisture loss or gain-if you do not immediately
test samples. Do not place a sample cup with a
lid into the chamber.

Important!

Daily Verification- Step One

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Predictive Reading

A predictive reading shows on the screen aer about
40 seconds. Reading is complete when your instrument

‘beeps’ and the LED blinks. Instrument then displays the

sample’s final water activity reading and temperature.

Final Primary Standard Reading

Take two readings. The water activity readings should be

within +/- 0.01 water activity of the given value for the
verification standard. If you are using the 0.760 standard
as your primary standard, it should measure between 0.75
and 0.77*. If your primary standard measures in spec,
move on and determine your second verification standard.
If not, clean the instrument and retry the standard. Dispose
of sample cup.

*Accuracy of the AquaLab Pre is ±0.01 water activity.

Note: If you are using an instrument with a volatiles block because of volatiles
in your products, your instrument is in spec if it measures between 0.745 and

0.775. The volatiles sensor for the Pre measures to ±0.015 water activity.

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Determine Second Standard

Daily Verification- Step Two

Need Vials? Go to https://store.aqualab.com

If your primary verification
standard read within
+/- 0.01 of the given value
for that standard, identify
the range of water activity
you plan to test and whether
it is above or below your
primary standard.

Choose a second verification
standard that borders the range
of water activity you plan to
test. For example, if you plan to
test for water activity readings
ranging between 0.71 and

0.62 you should use the 0.760
as your primary standard and
the 0.500 as your secondary
standard.

Conduct a two-point
performance verification daily.
If you need guidance on which
two standards to use, please
contact us:

Email: [e-mail]
Phone: [phone]

1 2 3

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Locate a vial of the Secondary Verification Standard you chose from
the bag of standards or in a separate box you’ve purchased.

Twist off the vial cap and pour the contents into a new sample cup.

Take a reading of the second standard by placing the sample cup
into the chamber, closing the drawer, and moving the knob to the
le (Read). Take two readings.

Dew Point Mode: If you are using the dew point block that comes standard with the
Pre and the value of the second verification is within +/-0.01, it is safe to start testing
your product(s).

Capacitance Mode: If you are using a volatiles-capacitance block in your Pre and
the value of the second verification is within +/-0.015, it is safe to start testing your
product(s).

Standard not measuring within spec: If the instrument doesn’t measure within
specifications, clean the chamber and retry. Contact AquaLab Customer Support at
[e-mail] or 509-332-5601 if you need any assistance.

Ready! Sample Test

Product- Step 3

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Place a sample of your product in a new sample cup.

Cover the bottom of the sample cup as much as possible.

If your product is larger than the cup, it will be necessary
to make the product smaller to fit the sample cup.

Ensure the rim and outside of the sample cup are clean.

If you don’t immediately test the sample, cover it with
a lid to avoid moisture loss or gain.

Ensure sample temperature is within 4 ˚C of the instrument
temperature.

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Do not overfill the sample cup
(no more than half full)

Warning!

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The final reading will be displayed aer the instrument

‘beeps’ and the light flashes. The temperature displayed

is the sample temperature. Use a new cup for each
sample.

Avoid tipping or moving the instrument with a
sample in the chamber. This may contaminate
the sensors.

Important!

9

AquaLab offers an Annual Calibration Service
which includes:

• Factory calibration.

• Firmware update.

• Thorough cleaning.

• Extended warranty.

• New Cleaning Kit including all supplies needed
for the coming year.

• Current calibration certificate to keep on file for
auditing purposes.

Maintenance

Customer Support: 509-332-5601 or email: [e-mail]

10

Screen Options

This menu allows you to view the temperature
difference between your sample and the
instrument when the drawer knob is in the
OPEN/LOAD position.

Temperature Equilibration Screen

System Configuration

This menu allows you to make
minor system changes. From
this menu, you can change
the audible alarm aer each
sample or enter the linear offset
adjustment menu.

Continuous Normal Mode

See Section 5 in your Operator’s
Manual.

Select Language

English, German, French,
Spanish, Italian, Swedish,
Danish, Norwegian, Czech,
Portuguese, Japanese, Polish,
or Finnish.

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Water activity readings are too high!

Sample temperature greater than 4 degrees Celsius above AquaLab
sensor causes error.

Water activity readings are too low!

Sample water activity below about 0.03 displays aw < last stable value.

Samples taking too long!

See Section 8 for samples taking longer than five minutes for final aw
reading.

Mirror contamination warning!

See Section 11 for “Mirror Contamination Warning” and cleaning
instructions.

Additional Help? [e-mail] / 509-332-5601 7am-5pm (Pacific)

Common Error Messages

Troubleshooting

!

12

AquaLink 4

Make Your Data Meaningful

With AquaLink you can:

• Graph your data to analyze and investigate trends.

• Export it to Excel and other programs.

• Back up your data to a safe location.

Some additional benefits are:

• No need to write your readings down and struggle with
transcription errors.

• Complete details of each reading are saved including
temperature, date, time, and user.

• Easily share your data and make more informed
decisions quickly.

Data Management Soware

Free 30 Day Trial of AquaLink soware
included with your AquaLab instrument.
Includes Serial Cable to connect your
instrument to your computer.

Learn more about using water activity for your specific application.

Get everyone on your team certified for this instrument.

Explore several free courses from Microbial Growth to Moisture Sorption Isotherms.

www.aqualab.com/university

Water Activity Education

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Series 4

Water Activity Meter.

4TE

Water Activity Meter.
Temperature Control
(Between 15-50˚C).

Standard Vials

Performance Verification Standards
Boxes of 50 single use vials.

Sample Cups

Fits all AquaLab instruments.
Contains 500 cups per case.

AquaLink 4

Data Management Soware.
Backup, graph, and share
your data.

4TEV

Water Activity Meter.
Temperature Control
(Between 15-50˚C).
Volatiles Sensor.

DUO

Moisture Analyzer.
Water Activity.
Moisture Content.

VSA

Vapor Sorption Analyzer.
Dynamic & Static Moisture
Sorption Isotherm generation.

Complete moisture analysis with these AquaLab products:

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Need supplies? Go to https://store.aqualab.com

Water Activity Analysis

USA AquaLab Sales 509-332-2756
USA AquaLab Customer Support 509-332-5601
Service outside USA, contact your local distributor

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2365 NE Hopkins Court, Pullman, WA 99163

14539

PRINTED IN USA

1.19.2017