Ion Science MiniPID - Manual (Page 22)

MINIPID 3PIN MANUAL Ion Science Ltd
Page 22 of 27
Unrivalled Detection. www.ionscience.com
Maintenance
The electronics in the MiniPID sensor are designed to be maintenance-free and not accessible. Periodic
sensor maintenance is required for the Mini Pellet and the lamp.
When does my MiniPID require maintenance?
Your MiniPID lamp will need cleaning from time to time. How often depends
on the environment you are measuring. If you are measuring indoor air
quality where the VOC concentrations are low and there are few particulates,
then a monthly or even less frequent calibration may be adequate. However,
if you are measuring high VOC concentrations and particulates are present in
high concentration then check calibration frequently and when the PID has
lost sensitivity or error state shows, change the pellet as explained below.
Signs when the PID needs attention:
• If the baseline climbs after you zero the PID, then the pellet needs
replacing.
• If the PID becomes sensitive to humidity, then the pellet needs replacing.
• If the baseline shifts/unstable when PID moves, then pellet needs replacing.
• If sensitivity has dropped too much (note the change required when checking calibration), then the lamp
needs cleaning.
When do I clean the MiniPID lamp?
Cleaning of the MiniPID lamp is recommended as a first action when presented with an MiniPID that needs
cleaning. Use the procedure described below. It is recommended that a cell is recalibrated after cleaning a
lamp, especially if the cell has been used for a few months since the sensor was last used.
When do I replace the MiniPID electrode pellet?
The MiniPID pellet can last the lifetime of the MiniPID if used in clean environments, or may only last a
month if used in heavily contaminated sites. The pellet is a disposable item, so always hold a spare pellet if
you are working in a dirty environment. If the cell shows signs of contamination after the lamp window has
been cleaned, or is known to have been subjected to severe contamination, then it should be replaced.
Instructions for replacing the pellet are below. It is recommended that the MiniPID is recalibrated after
replacing the pellet.
When do I replace the MiniPID lamp?
An MiniPID will last a long time, typically a few thousand hours. Lamps are warranted for 12 months;
replacement bulbs are available and are not expensive to replace. The sensitivity of the MiniPID is
approximately in direct proportion to the lamp light intensity, so as a bulb fails, the response to a particular,
low gas concentration becomes more noisy.
Validity of lamp warranty is compromised if lamp cleaning maintenance is not followed and lamp has obvious
fouling/contamination.
Removing Mini Pellet and Lamp
Caution: Always use the Pellet removal tool. Any other tools (for example screwdrivers) may
damage your MiniPID body and will invalidate your warranty.
1. Gently remove the sensor from equipment.
2. Place the MiniPID, pellet side down, onto a clean surface.
3. Locate pellet removal tool into the side slots of the MiniPID and squeeze together until pellet and lamp
are released.
4. Lift carefully the MiniPID body away from the pellet and lamp.
5. Occasionally the lamp may be temporarily lodged in the cell and will need to be freed carefully with
tweezers.
6. Occasionally the small spring behind the lamp will come out when the lamp is removed from the sensor.
Simply replace it in to the sensor house.