YSI APPENDIX User Manual

Quick Start Guide to Drinking Water Studies Appendix F

APPENDIX F

QUICK START GUIDE TO DRINKING WATER MONITORING

Introduction: This Quick Start guide is designed to allow users who are already familiar with the basic use
of YSI 6-series sondes for surface or groundwater applications to get up and running quickly in drinking
water applications. Users who have not previously used 6-series sondes should carefully read the 6-series
sonde manual supplied with the drinking water sondes prior to beginning any studies and only use this
Quick Start guide after a thorough understanding of the use of the YSI multiparameter instruments has been
gained.

Description of YSI Drinking Water (DW) Sondes: The 6920DW and 600DW-B drinking water sondes
have many identical features to other YSI 6-series instruments as detailed below:

• They interface to computers, the YSI 650 display/logger, the YSI 6500 process monitor, and data

collection platforms.

• They utilize the same cables.

• The calibration of all sensors

• Discrete Sampling and Unattended Sampling studies are set up in the same way.

However, there are some key differences from the standard YSI 6-series sondes:

• The sonde contains a new circuit board which will allow the measurement of free chlorine

of dissolved oxygen. At the present time, dissolved oxygen cannot be measured with DW sondes.

• The new free chlorine probe is very similar in appearance to the Rapid Pulse dissolved oxygen

probe and is designed to fit in the “DO” port of the sonde. The free chlorine sensor will probably
be ordered as an accessory with each DW sonde.

• The DW systems are designed for use in flow cell applications and the appropriate flow cell

should have been ordered with your DW sonde. The sonde can be used in drinking water tanks
without the flow cell, but the flow dependence of the free chlorine sensor may result in a
significant compromise in accuracy under these conditions.

• The free chlorine probe

determined from a DPD analysis.

• The membrane of the free chlorine sensor is a different material (polyvinylidene fluoride) from

that used with YSI dissolved oxygen sensors (Teflon or polyethylene) and must be installed using
special tools.

• The electrolyte used with the free chlorine sensor is different from that used with YSI dissolved

oxygen sensors. Dissolved oxygen electrolyte should not be used with the free chlorine sensor.

other than free chlorine is carried out in the same way.

instead

must be calibrated in situ versus a known chlorine value – usually

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Quick Start Guide to Drinking Water Studies Appendix F

Setting up DW Sondes For Drinking Water Studies:

• After unpacking the instrument and the flow cell, install all sensors EXCEPT free chlorine as

described in Section 2.3 of the 6-series drinking water manual. Leave the port plug installed in
the “DO” port of the sonde. The chlorine probe will be installed in this port at a later time.

• Access the Advanced|Setup menu of the sonde and make certain that the “Sample and Hold”

feature is INACTIVE.

• Calibrate all sensors EXCEPT free chlorine according to standard procedures described in Section

2.5 of the 6-series drinking water sonde manual. Use the calibration vessel supplied with the
sonde to hold the calibration reagents.

CAUTION: Make certain that the free chlorine sensor is not present in the sonde
bulkhead when calibrating other sensors.

• Install the membrane for the free chlorine probe as described in Attachment 1 of this document

and in Section 2.3 of the DW sonde manual. Proceed IMMEDI ATELY to the next step to avoid
the drying out of the free chlorine membrane and electrodes or store the probe in a beaker of tap
water (not distilled or deionized) until proceeding to the next step.

• Now you MUST activate the sensor according to the following instructions:

• Prepare a solution of free chlorine by diluting commercial bleach by a factor of 200. For

example, add 1 mL of commercial bleach to 200 mL of water (purified or tap).

• Place the sensor end of the probe in the bleach solution and leave for approximately 60

seconds.

• After 60 seconds in the bleach solution, remove the sensor and rinse with purified water.

CAUTION: Use of more concentrated bleach solutions and/or exposure times
longer than
period and, in extreme cases, may cause damage to the sensor.

• Remove the port plug from the “DO” port in the sonde bulkhead and install the free chlorine probe

according to the instructions in Section 2.3 of the manual. Be careful not to touch or damage the
membrane.

CAUTION: The sensor should either be installed in the sonde bulkhead and immersed
in water in the flow cell (see below) within 5 minutes after the activation process or the
probe itself should be placed in a beaker of tap water. It is important that the probe
does not dry out after activation

• Following the instructions in the flow cell kit supplied with your DW sonde, install th e flow cell

on to the sonde. Be sure the proper O-ring is in place on the sonde above the threads of the probe
compartment.

• Attach a piece of tubing between your drinking water source and the bottom connector of the flow

cell and another piece of tubing between the top connector of the flow cell and your drain. Open
the water valve to allow a flow of 500-1000 mL per minute(minimum 500 mL/min). See picture
below for a typical laboratory setup.

60 seconds will cause a significant increase in the sensor break-in

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Quick Start Guide to Drinking Water Studies Appendix F

CAUTION: Make certain that both inlet and outlet holes are held securely in place at
the flow cell fittings and at the inlet tap and drain. Failure to take these precautions
can result in flooding and subsequent damage to your facility.

• Break in the free chlorine sensor by following the instructions below.

• Interface to the sonde with a PC, YSI 650 Display/Logger, or 6500 Process Monitor as

described in the manual.

• For PC interface, select Run|Discrete Sample from the main menu and begin a study at a 4

second sample interval with data displayed on the PC monitor.

• For 650 interface, select Sonde Run from the main menu and readings will automatically

appear on the 650 display. Be sure that the “Shut off time” in the 650 System Setup menu is
set to a value of zero so that the 650 maintains interface for the break-in period.

• For a 6500 interface, plug in the 6500 and readings will automatically appear of the 6500

display.

• Observe the displayed readings for at least 2 hours and make sure that they are relatively

stable for a period of 1 hour.
continuously overnight to assure stability prior to calibration.

• Calibrate the sensor according to the instructions below depending on your sonde interface device.

• Collect an effluent sample from the drain line of the flow cell.

• Immediately determine the free chlorine content of the sample in mg/L using a DPD-

based test kit such as the YSI 9100 or the Hach Pocket Colorimeter

DW Sonde

Flowcell

Flowcell Inlet

Flowcell Outlet

Water Tap Drain

If possible, it is prudent to simply leave the sensor running

TM

II.

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