Temperature Calibrator
TC65M/TC15M
User’s manual
TC65M/TC15M User’s manual
Thank you
for purchasing a IKM Instrutek temperature calibrator. The products are manufactured by IKM
Instrutek AS in accordance with our high quality standards in design, choice of components and
workmanship in order to achieve maximum customer satisfaction.
The TC65M/15M is designed and manufactured by:
IKM Instrutek AS
Elveveien 28, 3262 Larvik, Norway
Tel.: + 47 33 16 57 00
Fax.: + 47 33 16 57 10
Web.: www.IKM.com
E-mail: IKMinstrutek@IKM.no
IKM Instrutek AS reserves the right to make improvments or alterations to our products
without incurring any responsibility to make the same improvments or alterations to products
previously sold.
IKM Instrutek AS
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwise without the prior permission of IKM Instrutek AS.
All efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of this handbook. We at IKM Instrutek are
always striving to improve our products and handbooks, therefore we would greatly appreciate
being informed of any errors found in our product or in its manual. The above notwithstaning,
IKM Instrutek can assume no responsibility for any errors in this handbook or of their
consequenses.
2
Contents
1. Getting started FAST! .................................................................................................... Page 4
2. Safety .............................................................................................................................. Page 5
3. Why calibrate? ............................................................................................................... Page 6
4. How often do I calibrate? ............................................................................................. Page 7
5. How to use the TC65M/TC15M calibrator ................................................................... Page 7
6. Maintenance .................................................................................................................. Page 9
7. Specifikations ................................................................................................................. Page 9
8. Trouble shooting ........................................................................................................... Page 10
9. Warranty ........................................................................................................................ Page 10
10. Appendix ...................................................................................................................... Page 10
The unit is certified by DNV-GL. Please contact us if a copy of the approval is required.
3
TC65M/TC15M User’s manual
Getting started FAST!
Don’t start a fire!! Read the safety chapter for your own and your environments safety.
Read the chapter “Introduction to calibration” if you do not have the full and whole
understanding of the use of dry well calibrator as the TC65M/TC15M.
1. Make sure the supply voltage is in accordance with the description on the label.
2. Make sure the calibrator well and the probe you want to calibrate is clean.
3. Place the probe in an appropriate hole in the well*.
4. Turn on the calibrator.
5. The display on the calibrator controller will show the actual well temperature and the set
point will show 25°C. Default is shown as °C. See chapter 5. for switching the display to
show °F.
6. Press the up and down buttons multiple times on the controller in order to set the desired
calibration temperature (set point). The display will automatically switch to show the set
point when the up/down buttons are pressed. When pressing and holding one of these
buttons the display will start to count up or down. If the buttons are held continuously, the
counting speed will increase. The set point will not be active before you move to the next
step.
7. After setting the set point, the display will return back to show actual well temperature 3
seconds after the last depressing of the set buttons. You can now switch between set point
and well temperature by pressing the set button once. This will not affect the set point or
anything else in the process.
8. Let the temperature reach and stabilize at the set point. Check both the calibrator and
calibration object to determine if the temperature is stabile.
9. When both the calibrator and calibration object is stabile, note both readings.
10. Set the next calibration point with the up/down buttons and repeat point 5 to 8.
11. When all desired calibration points are completed, set the set point to 25°C and let the well
temperature decrease to a temperature below 50°C before you store the calibrator.
12. File the calibration data.
* If your probe has another diameter than those supplied, use an insert adapter, drilled to the
correct diameter. A more thorough description of the above points is found in the chapter
“How to use the TC65M/TC15M calibrator”.
4
Safety
Incorrect use of dry well calibrators like the TC65M/TC15M can be hazardous. Severe burns or
fire may very easy be the result of incorrect use. Therefore always see to that the assigned
operators got the required skills to operate the calibrator. Local fire and safety instructions may
apply to the use of instruments like the TC65M/TC15M.
The well in the calibrator can reach up to 650°C. This temperature will certainly cause burns and
fire if something gets into the well. Ensure that the workspace around and above the TC65M/
TC15M is free from loose materials that can catch fire. There should be nothing but the roof
above the calibrator (or at least 1m of clearance to a non flammable material).
The greatest risk is if the probe or insert adapter is removed from the well when the calibrator
still is hot. NEVER REMOVE HOT PROBES OR INSERTS FROM THE WELL. Allow time to cool down
the probe and insert before removing and storing.
Never remove the cover of the calibrator unless you are a qualified service technician.
High voltages and temperatures will be exposed.
Always ensure that the air inlet in the bottom of the TC65M/TC15M is free and not clogged by
dust. Ensure that the fan is running. If not, do not use the TC65M/TC15M as it will overheat and
create a potential danger. Send the TC65M/TC15M for repair. Ensure that the TC65M/TC15M
and especially the well, is clean and free for dust before use.
Some dry block calibrator users insist on using oil in the well to ensure better thermal contact.
If your unit has been filled with oil, thoroughly clean the well for all traces of oil. Fumes from
heated oil can be dangerous. Health damages, fire and explosion may be the result. Oil remains
can also create a carbon buildup in the well (at high temperatures) that is nearly impossible to
remove.
WARNING!
If a wet object is inserted into a heated well, the TC65M/TC15M may explode! The well can act
as a launching tube for the probe and insert if undesired liquids or materials gets into the well.
Never leave a powered calibrator. Always work with the calibrator on a sturdy workspace.
In addition to the listed safety concerns, always add a good portion of common sense to catch
up unpredictable safety risks.
5
TC65M/TC15M User’s manual
Why calibrate?
The definition of the term “calibration” is:
To determine the difference between the object being calibrated with a known reference and
knowing the uncertainty in the process.
Adjusting the calibrated object in order to remove the error is of secondary importance as long
as the error is either within acceptable limits or the error is used to calculate the real value.
Calibration is an important part of any quality insurance routines. When a calibration routine is
created, all aspects are taken into consideration by qualified personal so when an operator is
making calibrations later, the process is done the same way every time and ensuring that the
results are comparable and reliable.
By documenting the process and results, you are making the whole process traceable. This way
a lot of human errors can be eliminated, giving the responsible operator piece of mind if
something goes wrong.
Good quality is to achieve the accuracy you need and not far beyond. If your demand is to keep
the temperature in you process within e.g. 300 to 310°C, define your accuracy needs to 305
+/-5°C. Your calibration process should now ensure that your temperature instrument is within
these limits and not necessarily the peak performance of the specifications of the instrument.
A good rule of thumb is to double the accuracy demand for your calibration compared to the
process accuracy demand. This leaves the accuracy demand for you calibration in the
neighborhood of +/-2,5°C.
The whole chain of elements involved in the calibration process creates errors in the final
reading. In this matters errors are expressed as uncertainty. Take the following elements into
account when considering the total uncertainty:
• Temperature drift in the calibrator
• Temperature drift in the calibrated instrument
• Temperature gradients in the calibrator well
• Differences in gradients caused by variance in probe mass (calibration object)
• Inaccuracy in the calibrator
• Inaccuracy in the calibration object
• Variance in thermal contact between the probe being calibrated and the calibrator well
• Reading error (if analog scale on the calibrating object)
Remember all these elements are NOT added to calculate final uncertainty. In real life there is
not likely that all uncertainty elements will be at the maximum and in the same direction
simultaneously! Therefore another way of calculation is used. The formula is simple, but this is
as far as we will go in this manual. There is a lot of written material covering this issue on the
market.
6
How often do I calibrate?
Depending on the importance of the accuracy in the process and the use (or abuse) of the
measuring equipment, the calibration intervals will vary. The calibrating should take place in
intervals no longer than what you can handle if the process becomes out of specified limits.
If a calibration suddenly reveals a large deviation compared to the previous calibration, you can
trace back and identify the time span where errors may have occurred and take actions
thereafter. The shorter the calibration interval, the shorter time span with possible errors.
A normal interval for calibrating a thermometer in a process should be about 1-3 months.
If there is very important to ensure the consistency of the accuracy, make simplified calibrations
between scheduled calibrations with less calibration points (maybe only one) and simplified
documentation.
How to use the TC65M/TC15M calibrator
We assume that you know the basic operation of the calibrator as described in the “Get started
fast” chapter. Here we are taking the points a bit further step for step.
1. Make sure the calibrator well and the probe you want to calibrate is clean.
This is important in order to remove unnecessary uncertainty in the process created by carbon
build up (above 500°C) and excessive pollution. Also polluted well and probe can create
poisonous gases.
If calibrating an electronic instrument, also make sure the contacts between the probe and
display unit is clean. Dirty contacts create resistance that affects the reading.
2. Place the probe in an appropriate hole in the well.
Use a hole in well that is 0,2 to 0,6mm larger than the probe you are calibrating. If no
appropriate hole exists,
use an insert adapter placed in the largest hole. Insert adapters are available with several
dimensions. There is also important that the probe reaches the bottom of the well. If not the
reading will be very inaccurate.
3. Turn on the calibrator.
Self-explanatory.
4. The display on the calibrator controller will show the actual temperature in the well.
The default temperature when powering up will be the set point 25°C. The display can be
changed between °C and °F by pressing both set buttons when power is switched on. The
selection will be stored when turning on the unit next time. The L1 indicator will show the
chosen unit. The switch test indicator will be indicated by L3. When a stable temperature is
reached, the L2 indicator point will stop flashing and light continuously.
7
TC65M/TC15M User’s manual
There will always be a difference in the actual well temperature and the display reading.
This is due to temperature gradients in the well. This difference is largest during temperature
increase and decent. The TC65M/TC15M internal reference sensor is located, close to the
bottom of the well so the correct calibration depth is 1 to 2 cm from the bottom of the well.
TC65M/TC15M is calibrated with a 6mm SPRT reference probe placed at the bottom of the
insert with 6,5mm hole.
Also take into consideration the load the calibration object will employ to the well. A large and
heavy probe will extract more heat from the well and change the gradient lines differently
compared with a small and light probe.
5. Press the up and down buttons on the controller in order to set the desired calibration
temperature (setpoint). The display will automatically switch to show the set point when the
up/down buttons are pressed.
When pressing and holding one of these buttons the display will start to count up or down.
If the buttons are held continuously, the counting speed will increase. The setpoint will not be
active before you move to the next step.
6. After setting the set point, the display will return back to show actual well temperature 3
seconds after the last depressing of the set buttons.
You can now switch between set point and well temperature by pressing the set button once.
This will not affect the set point or anything else in the process.
7. Let the temperature reach and stabilize at the setpoint. Check both the calibrator and
calibration object to determine if the temperature is stabile.
During temperature rise and decent there will be a large difference in the well temperature
displayed and the actual well temperature. There will also be a large difference in the actual
well temperature and the temperature displayed on the calibration object. Therefore the
temperature has to equalize. Also allow 5 to 10 minutes for the process to stabilize after
reaching the desired setpoint before making readings.
8. When both the calibrator and calibration object is stabile, note both readings.
When the process is stabile as described in the previous point, note the reading of both the
calibrator and the calibrating object. Make calculations for each point that will give you the
factor for calculating a more accurate value than the reading of the calibrated object. Refer to
the provided example for a calibration certificate with report.
9. Set the next calibration point with the up/down buttons and repeat point 5 to 8.
To give the best repeatability we suggest always starting with the lowest calibration point and
work your way upward. Select calibration points that are relevant i.e. If your target area in the
process is 130 to 200°C, logical calibration points would be 100, 175 and 250°C. A simplified
process would be only 150°C that may be used as a control calibration between scheduled
calibrations.
10. When all desired calibration points are finished, set the setpoint to 25°C and let the well
temperature fall to below 50°C before you store the calibrator.
If you remove the calibrated probe from a very hot well, it will be prone to damage (if Pt type)
and it may be dangerously hot to touch.
8
The heating element will automatically be switched off in case set temperature of 400°C or
more has been in stable state for approximately 75 minutes. The display will in this case show
“E40” and a new set point must be selected before continuing.
11. Test of thermostats.
The TC65M/TC15M have a built-in test functions for thermostats. Connect the alligator clips to
thecalibrators input function. Please pay attention to the fact that thermostats react slowly to
temperature changes.
Maintenance
To ensure acceptable dependability we recomend annual calibration of the TC65M/TC15M
calibrator. Also make sure the calibrator is stored and handled such a way that it is likely not to
suffer from abuse. Keep the calibrator clean and dry at all times. Polluted well will decrease
accuracy. Clean the holes with a small wire brush or sand paper on a piece of wire. Remove dust
from the well and internals with compressed air. This is important in order to avoid fire.
Also regularly compare the latest calibration with earlier in order to monitor if there is a trend
going in a certain direction. If a trend is accelerated or radically altered, there may be wise to
keep a closer eye at the calibrator and maybe calibrate it more often or have it examined. This
also applies to your calibration objects.
TC65M/TC15M is a dry well calibrator. Do not use oil in the well holes.
There are no user serviceable parts inside the calibrator. However, there is a 10A or 15A main
fuse inside that may brake due to internal failure. A qualified service person should be able to
determine if the fuse can be replaced wit no other actions or if the calibrator needs repair.
Technical information
TC65M TC15M
Temperature range 30 to 650°C -40* to 150°C
Resolution (display) 0,1°C 0,1°C
Accuracy ±1,5°C ±0,3°C
Stability ±0,1°C ±0,05°C
Axial gradients (Euramet/cg-13/v.2.0) ±3°C TBD
Heating time to max 14 min. 50 min.
Cooling time to min 40 min. 20 min.
Thermostat test Yes Yes
USB Yes Yes
Well depth 155 mm 110 mm
Well diameter 26 mm 19 mm
Power supply 230 VAC, 50 Hz 90-240 VAC, 60/50 Hz
110 VAC, 60 Hz
Power consumpsion 1600 Watt 180 Watt
Operating temp. 0 to 40°C 0 to 40°C
Dimension 117 x 300 x 245 mm 117 x 300 x 245 mm
Weight Approx. 5,5 kgs Approx. 5,5 kgs
* Relative to ambient.
9
TC65M/TC15M User’s manual
Trouble shooting
Unstability may occur if the mains supply voltage varies. This is sometimes the case if the
stability seems to be erratic for no reason.
Warranty
IKM Instrutek AS standard warranty conditions.
Appendix
The calibration certificate template may be used in most cases for your calibration objects.
Make copies of the page and fill in your own calibration results.
This is an explanation to the suggested points in the template: (most are self explanatory and
are not further described).
The “Certificat number” shall be a unique notification for the certificate making it possible to
separate certificates even if they cover the same calibration object. Note this number on a small
sticker on the calibration object making it possible to trace the calibration.
• In the first table note the data about the object you are calibrating.
• “Calibration conditions” notes the temperature in the room during calibration. This may in
extreme cases inflict the results.
• The “Statement” in the template states that the calibrator has a traceable calibration. In
order to use this statement, make sure your calibrator really do have a valid traceable
calibration. Better yet, also a written instruction describing how to maintain the calibrator.
• In the column “Standard used” note the serial number for your TC65M/TC15M unit. Also
note the number at the certificate for the latest calibration of your TC65M/TC15M calibrator
and the name of the company or organization that performed the calibration. This way you
will maintain the traceability all the way from your calibration object to the international
standard on top of the reference chain. Remember to update this number when your
TC65M/TC15M has been calibrated.
• In the “Measuring report” table there is a column “TC65M/TC15M correction” that may be
filled in if you have a calibration certificate for your TC65M/TC15M stating measuring errors.
By calculating the “TC65M/TC15M real value” you will achieve better accuracy.
• The “Measuring report” will at the last column state the error for the calibration object. This
error should be considered if it is within acceptable limits and can be ignored, or if the value
must be used to calculate a more accurate value.
• At the bottom of the certificate the operator performing the calibration putting he`s or her
sign. The person responsible for the correctness of the process and calculations are also
signing the sertificate.
10
Certificate of Calibration
Certificate number: ...................................
Unit under test:
Serial number:
Calibration result:
Department: Passed: Failed:
Calibration Date:
Calibration due date:
Calibration conditions: Temperature: .................................................
Statement:
The instrument described above has been calibrated using the below described standard that is
calibrated with traceability to international standards. This calibration certificate is issued with
a measuring report, and shall only be fully reproduced.
Standard used:
Instrument: Model: Serial No: Cert No: Traceability:
Temp.
TC65M/TC15M
calibrator
Measuring report:
TC65M/TC15M
reading:
TC65M/TC15M
correction:
TC65M/TC15M
real value:
Test object
reading:
Test object
deviation:
Remarks:
• “Test object deviation” is calculated by subtracting “TC65M/TC15M real value” from “Test
object reading”.
• The value “Test object deviation” tells how much the reading of the test object is off. A positive figure tells how much the reading is above the actual value. A negative figure tells how
much below
Calibration performed by: Certified by:
......................................................................... .........................................................................
11
Temperature Calibrator User’s manual TC65M/TC15M PS00080C
IKM Instrutek AS
Elveveien 28
3262 Larvik, Norway
T: +47 33 16 57 00
F: +47 33 16 57 01
E: marineservice.ikminstrutek@IKM.no
www.IKM.com
Distributed by:
Loading...