PASCO CI-6499 Drop Counter - Manual (Page 4)

Drop Counter 012-08549A
4
Note: Before collecting data, please read the “Sensor Usage Tips”
on page 2 of this manual.
1. Open DataStudio and double click “Create Experiment.”
Note: When using the Drop Counter with DataStudio, DataStudio
must be in automatic sampling mode (the default mode). The Drop
Counter does not operate in manual sampling mode. To set
DataStudio to automatic sampling, open the Sampling Options
dialog (under Experiment>Set Sampling Options) and deselect all
options checked in the Manual Sampling tab.
2. Calibrate the Drop Counter.
3. In DataStudio, create a display of Drop Count and a display of
pH vs. fluid volume.
4. Click the Start button to prepare the Drop Counter
for data collection.
Calibration Procedure
Note: DataStudio provides an indirect calibration
procedure for calibrating the fluid volume per drop.
1. Follow the apparatus setup instructions under
“Drop Counter Setup.”
2. Fill the buret/syringe with deionized water. Place a
waste beaker under the Drop Counter to catch any
liquid from the buret.
3. Flush bubbles out of the area below the stopcocks by
opening the stopcock valves completely (handles
parallel for the syringe) or tapping below the
stopcock. When the bubbles disappear, close the
stopcock and refill the syringe/buret.
4. If using the syringe: The top stopcock regulates flow
and the bottom stopcock turns the flow on or off.
With the bottom stopcock completely open, adjust
the top stopcock so that the flow rate is 2-4 drops/
second. To stop the flow, turn off the bottom
stopcock (on/off valve).
If using a buret: Adjust the flow rate to 3-4 drops/
second. Important: Open the valve slowly to avoid
rapid fluid bursts, which will affect your reading.
(Please read “Drop Rate and Drop Size” on page 2.)
5. If you have not set up the experiment, follow the
“Experiment Setup with DataStudio Software” on
page 3 of this manual.
6. From the Data list, drag the Drop Count icon to a
Digits display.
7. Follow the directions under “Calibration Tips” to
collect drops and measure fluid volume.
8. The Digits display shows the number of drops
collected during the volume determination procedure.
Divide the actual volume measured by the number of
drops to find the volume per drop.
9. In the Setup window, double click on the Drop
Counter icon. Click the Constant tab. Enter the
volume per drop and click the OK button.
Calibration Tips
To calibrate the Drop Counter with DataStudio, you need to
measure the dropped fluid volume (from a syringe or buret)
and enter the volume per drop in the Constant tab of the Drop
Counter window.
-If using a 2-stopcock syringe, measure the fluid volume:
a) Take the mass of an empty, light cup. Record the mass to
0.01 precision. b) Start DataStudio and allow the drops to fall
into a cup. c) At some point, stop the flow of drops and take the
cup with fluid back and weigh it again to the same precision.
d) Use the difference in mass to calculate the volume difference.
If you liquid comes close to the density of water, which is 1 g/
mL, you can convert from grams to mL volume.
-If using a glass buret, record the volume change:
a) Take the volume before and after the calibration (using the
buret scale or a graduated cylinder).
b) Subtract the difference (mL) to determine the
actual volume.
Collecting Data with the Drop Counter