WT-20

Conductivity TDS Meter

Users Manual
Mode demploi
Bedienungshandbuch
Manual dUso
Manual de uso
WT-20

English
Conductivity TDS Meter

Users Manual

July 2009, Rev.1

2009 Amprobe Test Tools.
All rights reserved. Printed in China
Limited Warranty and Limitation of Liability
Your Amprobe product will be free from defects in material
and workmanship for 1 year from the date of purchase. This
warranty does not cover fuses, disposable batteries or damage
from accident, neglect, misuse, alteration, contamination, or
abnormal conditions of operation or handling. Resellers are not
authorized to extend any other warranty on Amprobes behalf.
To obtain service during the warranty period, return the product
with proof of purchase to an authorized Amprobe Test Tools
Service Center or to an Amprobe dealer or distributor. See Repair
Section for details. THIS WARRANTY IS YOUR ONLY REMEDY.
ALL OTHER WARRANTIES - WHETHER EXPRESS, IMPLIED OR
STAUTORY - INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF FITNESS FOR
A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR MERCHANTABILITY, ARE HEREBY
DISCLAIMED. MANUFACTURER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY
SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES
OR LOSSES, ARISING FROM ANY CAUSE OR THEORY. Since some
states or countries do not allow the exclusion or limitation of an
implied warranty or of incidental or consequential damages, this
limitation of liability may not apply to you.

Repair
All test tools returned for warranty or non-warranty repair or
for calibration should be accompanied by the following: your
name, companys name, address, telephone number, and proof of
purchase. Additionally, please include a brief description of the
problem or the service requested and include the test leads with
the meter. Non-warranty repair or replacement charges should be
remitted in the form of a check, a money order, credit card with
expiration date, or a purchase order made payable to Amprobe
Test Tools.

In-Warranty Repairs and Replacement All Countries

Please read the warranty statement and check your battery before
requesting repair. During the warranty period any defective test
tool can be returned to your Amprobe Test Tools distributor
for an exchange for the same or like product. Please check the
Where to Buy section on www.amprobe.com for a list of
distributors near you. Additionally, in the United States and
Canada In-Warranty repair and replacement units can also be sent
to a Amprobe Test Tools Service Center (see address below).
Non-Warranty Repairs and Replacement US and Canada
Non-warranty repairs in the United States and Canada should be
sent to a Amprobe Test Tools Service Center. Call Amprobe Test
Tools or inquire at your point of purchase for current repair and
replacement rates.

In USA In Canada
Amprobe Test Tools Amprobe Test Tools
Everett, WA 98203 Mississauga, ON L4Z 1X9
Tel: 877-AMPROBE (267-7623) Tel: 905-890-7600

Non-Warranty Repairs and Replacement Europe

European non-warranty units can be replaced by your Amprobe
Test Tools distributor for a nominalv charge. Please check the
Where to Buy section on www.amprobe.com for a list of
distributors near you.
European Correspondence Address*

Amprobe Test Tools Europe

In den Engematten 14
79286 Glottertal, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0) 7684 8009 - 0
*(Correspondence only no repair or replacement available from
this address. European customers please contact your distributor.)
WT-20 Conductivity TDS Meter

10
1 9
11

2 8

1) Battery Cover
3 2) Lcd Display
3) Power / Set Key
4 4) Hld / Cal / Down Key
5 5) Mode / Up Key
6) Electrode Cover
7) Conductivity Reading
(unit: uS or mS ) or TDS
Reading (unit: ppt or
ppm)
8) Display temperature in
either degree Celsius or
degree Fahrenheit
9) Calibration Mode
Indicator
6
10) Freeze Display
11) Low Battery Indicator

POWER / SET - Power on/off, Enter setting mode

(push 2 sec), Enter while in setting mode.
MODE / q Key - Conductivity/TDS mode switch,
Roll up while in setting mode
HLD / CAL /p Key - Freeze display, Calibration
function, Roll down while in setting mode
CONTENTS
SYMBOLS........................................................................... 2
UNPACKING AND INSPECTION ........................................ 2
INTRODUCTION................................................................. 3
Features......................................................................... 3
OPERATION........................................................................ 3
Auto Power Off ............................................................ 4
Setup . ........................................................................... 5
Calibration Mode ......................................................... 7
Conductivity Calibration . ............................................ 7
TDS Calibration ............................................................ 9
SPECIFICATION ................................................................. 10
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR............................................ 11
Battery Replacement ................................................... 12
TROUBLE SHOOTING ....................................................... 13
Appendix A .................................................................. 15
Appendix B ................................................................... 15
Appendix C ................................................................... 16

1
SYMBOLS
Caution! Refer to the explanation in this Manual

Conforms to relevant Australian standards

Complies with European Directives

Do not dispose of this clamp meter as unsorted
= municipal waste. Contact a qualified recycler for
disposal.

WARNING and PRECAUTIONS

Do not make the air bubble adhere on the
electrode. That may cause inaccurate reading.
Do not operate the meter in flammable liquid.

Unpacking and Inspection

Your shipping carton should include:

1 WT-20 meter
4 LR44 battery
1 Manual
If any of the items are damaged or missing, return
the complete package to the place of purchase for an
exchange.

2
INTRODUCTION
Congratulations on your purchase of WT-20 Conductivity
TDS meter. A convenient instrument to measure water
conductivity, TDS and temperature.
Features
IP65 Waterproof housing.
Dual display with ATC (C / F switchable)
Data hold to freeze display.
Low battery indicator.
Auto power off.
One touch only for calibration.

Operation
1. Remove the electrode cover to expose the
electrode out.
2. Press POWER to power on. LCD will display
parameters (ex: tnr, tCo, tds, rAn) in turns and
then enter normal display.
3. The meter is default in auto-ranging status. Press
MODE key more than 2 seconds can manually
select the range when the meter is in normal
measurement mode.
4. Set the temperature coefficient to the right value.
WT-20 is factory set to 2.1% per C. if needed, see
P1.3 to set the temperature coefficient.
5. Select the normalization temperature. WT-20 is
factory set to 25 C. See P1.2 to change it to 20 C.
6. Rinse the probe with deionized or distilled water
before use to remove any impurities adhering
to the electrode. Soak the probe more than 30
minutes to clear up the lazy effect of probe if the
meter is stored for a long time.

3
 7. Dip the probe into the sample container. Make
sure no air bubbles trapped in the slot of the
probe. To remove air bubbles, give the probe
a gentle stir. Making sure the electrode tip is
submerged when you stir it.
8. Stir the probe gently in the sample to create a
homogenous sample. Allow a few seconds to reach
temp. equilibrium. Wait about 15 minutes can get
a stable reading.
9. The unit of conductivity will flash on the LCD to
indicate the meter is in measurement mode. When
the reading is stable, the unit will stop flashing.
(Fig1)
10. Press HLD to freeze display. Hold will appear
on the LCD. (Fig.2) Press HLD again to release.
11. TDS Measurement:
In measurement mode, press MODE to switch
to DS mode. The unit of conductivity are uS or mS.
The unit of TDS are ppm or ppt.
Set the TDS conversion factor to right value. The
factory default is 0.50 To change the TDS factors,
refer Appendix A.
12. Turn off the meter by pressing POWER key.

Auto Power Off

This meter will shut off automatically 20 minutes of
inactivity. To disable the auto power off, pressing SET
+ HLD keys simultaneously while turning on the meter
until a n appeared on the screen and then release keys
to return to normal mode.(Fig.3)

4
Setup
The advanced setup mode lets you customize your meter.
4 types parameter are available.
P1.0: temperature parameter setting (t)
P1.1: Change temperature unit (tUt)
P1.2: Normalization temp.(tnr)
P1.3: Temp. Coefficient (tCo)
P2.0: TDS factor setting
P2.1: Setting TDS factor (tds)
P3.0: Reset meter (rSt)
P3.1: Reset
P4.0: Review Calibration Info. (CAL)
P4.1: Review range 1 calibration information
P4.2: Review range 2 calibration information

P1.1: Change temperature unit (tUt):

1. When in measurement mode, press SET more
than 2 sec to enter setup mode. Press qor p
to select P1.0, press SET to enter or press SET
for more than 2 seconds to quit.
2. Press p to select C or F.
3. Press SET to confirm or press SET more than 2
sec to return to P1.0 without saving.

P1.2: Normalization temp.(tnr):

After saving temp. unit, the meter will automatically
enter normalization temp. adjustment. Press p to
change the temperature to 20C or 25C. Press SET
to confirm and or press SET more than 2 sec to
return to P1.0 without saving.

5
P1.3: Temp. Coefficient (tCo)
In temp. coefficient adjustment, press qor p to
change the temperature coefficient from 0.0 to 4.0.
Press SET to confirm or press SET more than 2
sec to return to P1.0 without confirming.

P2.1: Setting TDS factor(tds):

In P2.0, press SET to enter P2.1. The factor will
flash on LCD. Press qor p to change factor
from 0.40 to 1.00. Press SET to confirm or press
SET more than 2 seconds to return to P2. 0
without saving.

P3.1: Reset
After executing, all parameters will be reset to factor
default. The previous calibration information will be
cleared as well.
In P3.0, press SET to enter P3.1. Press pto select
Y or N. Press SET to confirm or press SET more
than 2 seconds to return without confirming.

P4.1: Range 1 calibration info:

In P4.0, press SET to enter P4.1 and review the
last calibration concentration. If the meter is not
yet calibrated, --- will display on the LCD. The
calibration information will be override after
recalibration.

P4.2: Range 2 calibration info:

In P4.1, press p to enter P4.2 and review the
last calibration concentration. If range 2 is not yet
calibrated, --- will display on LCD. In P4.1 or P4.2,
press SET to return to P4.0.

6
Calibration Mode (CAL)
Selecting a calibration standard
For best results, select a conductivity or TDS standard
near the sample value you are measuring. Alternatively,
use a calibration solution value which is approximate 2/3
of the full scale of the measurement range you plan to
use. For example, in the 0 to 1999 uS range, use 1413 uS
solution for calibration.
DO NOT reuse the calibration solution. Contaminants in
the solution will affect the calibration and the accuracy

When to do the calibration?

Calibration is necessary and should be done regularly.
If measure the mid-ranges, calibrate the meter at least
once a month. Soak the probe for 15 mins before
calibration or measurement can saturate the probe
surface and minimize drift.
If measure the extreme temperatures or special
concentration (<100uS or >2mS), calibrate the meter at
least once a week to get specified accuracy

Conductivity calibration
1. Dip the probe into demineralized or distilled
water for about 30 minutes to rinse the probe.
2. Select the conductivity standard for calibration.
3. Pour enough solution into two separate clean
containers.
4. Power on the meter. Select the mode as
conductivity measurement mode.
5. Rinse the probe into one of above containers.
Gently stir the probe.

7
 6. Dip the rinsed probe into the second container.
Tap probe on the bottom of container to remove
air bubbles. Wait about 15 mins to make the probe
stabilize to the solution temperature.
7. Press CAL more than 2 seconds to begin
calibration. The conductivity value of solution will
blink on LCD.
8. Press p and q to change the value in
order to match the value to the standard
solution(solution must be referred to
normalization temp. 20oC if P1.2 is adjusted as
20 oC). You can adjust the conductivity reading
for +30%. However, if the measured value and
standard value differs by more than 30%, it is
suggested to clean probe or replace meter.
9. When the CAL stop flashing, you can
pressSET less than 1 second to confirm and
return to conductivity measurement mode. If
CAL always blinks, check if the calibration
solution is stable enough and if the step 8 input
value is correct or not.
10. Repeat 1~9 for other ranges if needed.
11. To exit conductivity calibration mode without
confirming, press SET in step 9 more than 2
seconds.

8
TDS Calibration
Option1: Using TDS standards
1. Insert the probe into demineralized or distilled
water for about 30 minutes to rinse the probe
2. Select the TDS standard for calibration. The
factory default setting of the TDS conversion
factor is 0.50. You can improve the calibration
accuracy by setting the TDS factor before starting
the calibration. Please refer Appendix A for more
information of TDS conversion factor.
3. Pour enough solution into two separate & clean
containers.
4. Turn on the meter. Press MODE to select TDS
mode.
5. Rinse the probe into one of the containers. Gently
stir the probe.
6. Dip the rinsed probe into the second container.
Tap the probe on the bottom of container to
remove air bubbles. Let the probe stabilize to the
solution temperature.
7. Press CAL more than 2 seconds to begin the
calibration. The TDS value will blink on the LCD.
8. Press the q to adjust the value to match the
value to the standard solution.
9. When CAL stop flashing, press SET to confirm
and return to TDS normal mode.
10. Repeat 1~9 for other ranges if needed.

Option2: Using Conversion Factors

TDS values are related to conductivity. You can calibrate
the meter by using conductivity standards as described
above and then program the meter with a given
conversion factor. Please refer to setting P2.1

9
SPECIFICATION
Range : 0~1999uS/0~1999ppm
or 0~19.99mS/0~19.99ppt
Resolution : 1uS/ppm or 0.01mS/ppt
Accuracy : 1% Full Scale1digit
TDS factor : 0.40~1.00
Calibration Standard : (0.2~1) * Full Scale
Range
ATC : 0~50C
Temperature Accuracy : 0.5C
Temp. Coefficient : 0~4.0% per degree C
Normalization Temp. : 20 or 25C
Operation temp. : 0~50C
Power Requirements : 4pcs1.5V(Type: A76 or LR44)

- EMC: Conforms to EN61326-1.

This product complies with requirements of the
following European Community Directives: 89/ 336/
EEC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) and 73/ 23/ EEC
(Low Voltage) as amended by 93/ 68/ EEC (CE Marking).
However, electrical noise or intense electromagnetic
fields in the vicinity of the equipment may disturb the
measurement circuit. Measuring instruments will also
respond to unwanted signals that may be present within
the measurement circuit. Users should exercise care
and take appropriate precautions to avoid misleading
results when making measurements in the presence of
electronic interference.

10
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR
If there appears to be a malfunction during the
operation of the meter, the following steps should be
performed in order to isolate the cause of the problem.
1. Check the battery. Replace the battery
immediately when the symbol appears on the
LCD.
2. Review the operating instructions for possible
mistakes in operating procedure.
Except for the replacement of the battery, repair of the
meter should be performed only by a Factory Authorized
Service Center or by other qualified instrument service
personnel. The front panel and case can be cleaned with
a mild solution of detergent and water. Apply sparingly
with a soft cloth and allow to dry completely before
using. Do not use aromatic hydrocarbons or chlorinated
solvents for cleaning.
Make sure the electrode is clean! Between
measurements, rinse the electrode with deionised water.
If the eletrode has been exposed to a solvent immiscible
with water, clean it with a solvent miscible with water
e.g. ethanol or acetone and rinse carefully with water.
Store the electrode carefully! Before storing, rinse it
carefully in deionized water and store DRY.

11
BATTERY REPLACEMENT
1. Turn off the meter and loose the battery cover in
counter-clockwise direction.
2. Replace the old batteries with four new LR44
button cells.
3. Put back the battery cover and turn it tightly. the
Red LED Low Battery indicator illuminates. The
batteries should be replaced as quickly as possible.

12
TROUBLE SHOOTING
Power On But No Display
Make sure you press power key more than 100 mS.
Check the battery conditions and replace if
necessary
Move batteries away for one minute and then
re-install.
Display Disappear
Check whether the low battery icon is appeared
before the display is off. If yes, replace with new
batteries
Air Bubbles Adhere On Electrode
Stir the electrode completely and better to dip
the electrode into solution at oblique angle. After
soaking the electrode for 15~30 minutes, inspect
the electrode carefully to make sure no bubbles
adhere.
If air bubbles still exist, tap the bottom of the
container gently and stir the electrode to remove
the air bubbles. If above method are not working,
remove the electrode out of solution and blow at
the electrode to remove the air bubbles
Error Code
Parameter: Conductivity
- - - Meter is in manual range 1 however the
measured value is higher than 1999uS.
Press p more than 2 seconds to change
the range to range 2 or to auto ranging.

13
E03 Conductivity value is over the range limit
(19.99mS) or meter is damaged.
Put the meter in standard solution. If E03
still appears, send back for repair.
E04 Caused by temp. reading error
Refer to error code of temp. After solving
the error of temp, E04 will disappear.

Parameter: TDS
- - - Meter is in manual range 1 however the
measured value is higher than 1999*TDS factor
ppm
Press p more than 2 seconds to change
the range to range 2 or to auto ranging.
E04 Caused by temp. or conductivity error
Refer to error code of temp. After solving
the error of temp. & conductivity, E04 will
disappear.

Parameter: Temperature
E01 Temperature circuit is damaged
Send back for repair
E02 Temp value is lower than range limit (0C) or
temp. circuit is damaged
Put the meter in room temp. for 5 mins. If
E02 still appears, send back for repair.
E03 Temp value is higher than range limit (50C)
or temperature circuit is damaged
Put the meter in room temp. for 5 mins. If
E02 still appears, send back for repair

14
Appendix A:
Conductivity to TDS Conversion Factors
Conductivity TDS KCL TDS (NaCL) TDS (442)
at 25 C ppm Factor ppm Factor ppm Factor
23S 11.6 0.5043 10.7 0.4652 14.74 0.6409
84S 40.38 0.4807 38.04 0.4529 50.5 0.6012
447S 225.6 0.5047 215.5 0.4822 300 0.6712
1413S 744.7 0.527 702.1 0.4969 1000 0.7078
1500S 757.1 0.5047 737.1 0.4914 1050 0.7
2070S 1045 0.5048 1041 0.5029 1500 0.7246
2764S 1382 0.5 1414.8 0.5119 2062.7 0.7463
8974S 5101 0.5685 4487 0.5 7608 0.8478
12,880S 7447 0.5782 7230 0.5613 11,367 0.8825
15,000S 8759 0.5839 8532 0.5688 13,455 0.897
80mS 52,168 0.6521 48,384 0.6048 79,688 0.9961

442: 40% sodium sulfate, 40% sodium bicarbonate and

20% sodium chloride

Appendix B: Calculating TDS Conversion Factors

The meter can be calibrated using TDS calibration
standard solutions. The calibration standard only needs
to give the TDS value at a standard temperature such as
25C. To determine the Conductivity-to-TDS conversion
factor use the following formula:
Factor = Actual TDS Actual Conductivity @ 25C

Definitions
Actual TDS: Value from the solution bottle label or as a
standard you make using high purity water and precisely
weighed salts.

15
Actual Conductivity: Value measured using a properly
calibration Conductivity/TDS/Temperature meter.
Both the actual TDS and the actual conductivity values
must be in the same magnitude of units. For example, if
the TDS value in is ppm, the conductivity value must be
in S; if the TDS value is in ppt, the conductivity value
must be in mS.
Check this number by multiplying the conductivity
reading by the factor in the above formula and the
result is the TDS in ppm.

Appendix C: Temperature Effect

Conductivity measurements are temperature dependent,
if the temperature increases, conductivity increases.
For example the conductivity measured in a 0.01M KCl
solution at 20C is 1.273 mS/cm whereas, at 25C, it is
1.409 mS/cm.
The concept of reference temperature (Normalization
temperature) was introduced to allow the comparison of
conductivity results obtained at different temperature.
The reference temperature is usually 20C or 25C. The
conductivity meter measures the actual conductivity
and temperature and then converts it to the reference
temperature using a temperature correction function
and displays the conductivity at the reference
temperature.
It is mandatory to always associate the temperature
together with a conductivity result. If no temperature
correction is applied, the conductivity is the value taken
at measurement temperature.
The WT-20 use linear temperature correction.

16
Linear temperature correction:
In moderately and highly conductive solutions,
temperature correction can be based on a linear
equation involving a temperature coefficient (q). The
coefficient is usually expressed as a conductivity variation
in % / C.

Linear temperature correction is used, e.g. for saline

solutions, acids and leaching solutions.

100
kTref kT
100 + q - (T-Tref)
Where:
k Tref = Conductivity at Tref
k T = Conductivity at T
Tref = Reference temperature
T = Sample temperature
q = Temperature coefficient
Note: the correction is accurate only within a limited
temperature range around T1 and T2. The greater the
difference between T and Tref, the higher the risk of
error.

Calculating Temperature Coefficients (q)

By measuring the conductivity of a sample at
temperature T1 close to Tref and another temperature
T2, you can calculate the temperature coefficient by
using the following equation:

(kT - kT) 100

q
(T2-T1) kT1

17
T2 should be selected as a typical sample temperature
and should be approximately 10C different from T1.
The temperature coefficients of the following
electrolytes generally fall into the ranges shown below:

Acids: 1.0 - 1.6% / C

Bases: 1.8 - 2.2% / C
Salts: 2.2 - 3.0% / C
Drinking water: 2.0% / C
Ultrapure water: 5.2% / C

Average temperature coefficients of standard electrolyte

solutions expressed as %/C of the conductivity value at
25C
Temp. Saturated
KCl 1 M KCl 0.1 M KCl 0.01 M
range C NaCl
15-25 1.725 1.863 1.882 1.981
1.730 1.937
15-25-35 1.906 2.041
(15 - 27C) (15 - 34C)
1.762 1.997
25-35 1.978 2.101
(25 - 27C) (25 - 34C)

Figer 1. Figer 2. Figer 3.

18