Bluelab EC Pen User Manual

Care and use guide

Guía de uso y cuidados

Notice d’utilisation et d’entretien

Gebruikershandleiding

Bedienungs- und Pegeanleitung

www.getbluelab.com

1.0 To operate

Turn pen on

Press power button.
The last measurement is recalled for 3 seconds.

To turn pen off

Press and hold the power button until OFF is
displayed.

NOTE: The pen will automatically turn off after
4 minutes to conserve battery power.

Measure EC

Place probe in solution and wait for reading to
stabilize.

To hold a reading

If you want to “hold” the reading on the screen,
short press the power button. To exit the hold
function press the power button again.

To change units

Hold down the units button for 3 seconds until the
conductivity and temperature units start flashing.
Short press units button again to cycle between
unit combinations. To exit this mode don’t press
anything for 3 seconds.

NOTE: You can change units while in hold mode
by holding down the units button.

Rinse conductivity probe

To reduce the build-up of nutrient salts, rinse
under running water after each use.

The probe needs to be cleaned once every two
weeks to ensure accurate readings. To clean the
probe follow the cleaning instructions in
section 2.0.

Features

Backlit LCD display Calibration optional
Hold reading function Fully waterproof
Fully guaranteed for 1 year Auto off function
Low battery warning Automatic Temperature Compensation (ATC)
Successful calibration indicator Selectable units for conductivity and temperature

English

1

Quick guide

2

Low battery
warning

Appears when
batteries are low.

Power button / hold

Short press to turn on.
Short press to hold reading.
Long press to turn off.

Calibrate button

See calibration section.

Units button

Hold until units ash then short press to

change units.
Screen will change back when no buttons.

have been pressed for 3 seconds.

Shroud

Attention:

The conductivity probe must be
cleaned regularly to remove built up
nutrient salts to ensure an accurate
reading (See cleaning instructions).

“The instrument is
only as accurate as
the probe is clean.”

Tick to indicate
successful
calibration

3

1 second alternating displays

4

5

2

4.0 Calibration

Calibration of conductivity is not required for this unit as it is factory calibrated.
However; if you wish to calibrate the unit follow the instructions below.

YOU MUST CLEAN THE PROBE BEFORE CALIBRATING.

See section 2.0.

Rinse probe in fresh water and place it in a known
standard solution. See chart below for the correct
solution.

Wait for reading to stabilize.

Hold down the cal button for 3 seconds until CAL
appears.

Release button and CAL P should be displayed. If Err is
displayed check the probe is clean and that the calibration
solution is fresh and uncontaminated.

A tick will appear on the screen to indicate that the calibration
was successful. The tick will disappear after 30 days. To reset
back to factory default remove/replace battery.

NOTE: If you need to test or calibrate in a 1500 ppm
solution, you MUST set the pen to EC, then multiply your
result by 540. If calibrating, multiply 2.8 by 540
(2.8 x 540 = 1512).

This unit DOES NOT measure in the 540 ppm scale.

1

EC ppm 500

(TDS)

ppm 700

(EC x 700)

Solution value

2.77 1385 1940

Displayed value

2.8 1390 1940

5.0 Error messages

The following error messages appear for the following reasons.

2.0 Cleaning and maintenance

Cleaning the EC pen probe periodically ensures accurate readings. The probe is
cleaned using the Bluelab Conductivity Probe Cleaner, or “Jif” a trade name for a liquid
scourer cream used in home bathrooms and kitchens. Similar products are called
“Liquid Vim”, “Soft Scrub”, “Cif cream”, or “Viss”. Never use scented varieties as they
contain oils that contaminate the probe. Follow the steps below to clean the probe.

Remove shroud

Hold the body and pull the shroud off. Holding your
hand around the shroud for a few seconds will help
with removal.

Clean probe face

Place one or two drops of probe cleaner onto the probe
face and rub with your finger or Bluelab Chamois firmly
and vigorously, to clean the probe face.

If a heavy build up occurs around the temperature sensor
clean with a soft toothbrush to remove contamination.

Rinse probe

Rinse off all traces of cleaner under running water using
the same finger or other side of Bluelab Chamois.

Check that the water forms a film on the probe face with
no “beads” of water. If beading is present repeat the
cleaning process.

Replace shroud and test in a known solution to
ensure the unit has been adequately cleaned.

3.0 Battery replacement

The EC pen is powered with 1 x AAA alkaline battery. Do not use rechargeable
batteries. A low battery warning is indicated by a battery symbol appearing on the
screen. Only remove the battery cap when the batteries require changing. Battery
life is expected to be 350 hours. Follow these steps to replace the battery.

Remove old battery

Undo battery cap fasteners. Remove battery cap and tip out
the old battery.

Check for corrosion

Flat batteries may leak and cause corrosion. Check battery
contacts and the battery for any sign of corrosion. Battery
contacts should be cleaned first if corrosion is found before
proceeding to step 3.

Fit new battery

Insert the new batteries positive (+) end down into the body.

Ensure waterproof battery cap seal is clean

Waterproof seal will fail if any dirt is around the seal and
body where the cap seals.

Replace battery cap

Tighten fasteners on battery cap until there is no space
left between the cap and body. This ensures the unit
remains 100% waterproof.

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

5

Waterproof seal

Pull

2

3

4

Temperature
under range

Temperature
over range

1385
ppm

Hold for 3

seconds

Temperature
error

Hardware
error

EC over range

3