HTV M Manual

Formaldemeter ¢£¤¥¦ Operation Manual v2.18/v1.
46
PPM Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦

3 Parameter IAQ Monitor with built–in
Memory
Operation Manual
www.ppm-technology.com
PPM Technology Ltd • Cibyn Ind Estate • Caernarfon • Gwynedd • LL55 2BD • Wales • UK
Telephone: 44 (0) 1286 676999 Fax: 44 (0) 1286 671811 E-mail: [email protected]
Registered in Wales: 3743347 VAT Number: GB 713 750 842 ISO 9001 2000 Registered Firm
Formaldemeter ¢£¤¥¦ Operation Manual v2.18/v1.46
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1 INTRODUCTION..................................................... 3
1.1 INITIAL RECEIPT OF YOUR KIT 4
1.2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION 4
1.3 INSTRUMENT FEATURES 6
2 TECHNICAL INFORMATION........................................ 8
2.1 PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION 8
2.2 INTERFERENTS 8
2.3 ACCURACY AND PRECISION 9
2.4 DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY 9
3 USING THE ¢£¤¥¦ AS A HANDHELD DEVICE................10
3.1 TAKING A SAMPLE 10
3.2 SENSOR RECOVERY PERIOD 10
3.3 CALIBRATION AND THE CALIBRATION STANDARD 11
4 ADDITIONAL FEATURES..........................................13
4.2 CONVERSION TO MG/M3 13
4.1 TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY SENSOR 13
4.3 ALARM SOUNDER 15
4.4 SAMPLING MODE 15
4.5 LIMIT SELECTION 16
4.6 NON–FRAM DATA RETRIEVAL 17
4.7 CLEARING THE NON–FRAM MEMORY 17
4.8 FRAM MEMORY FULL 18
5 USING THE ¢£¤¥¦ AS A CONTINUOUS MONITOR.......... 19
5.2 STARTING A SCHEDULE 19
5.1 SWITCHING THE ¢£¤¥¦ FROM A HANDHELD DEVICE 19
5.3 ENDING A SCHEDULE 20
5.4 SHORT BETWEEN SAMPLES 20
5.5 HOW TO USE DATA MODE 21
6 TROUBLESHOOTING.............................................. 25
6.1 CHECK THE SAMPLING SYSTEM 25
6.2 CHECKING THE CALIBRATION GAIN 26
6.3 PERFORMING AN INSTRUMENT RE–SET 27
6.4 CALIBRATION 27
6.4.1 CALIBRATION CHECK PROCEDURE 27
6.4.2 CALIBRATION ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE 28
7 MAINTENANCE.................................................... 30
7.1 CLEANING THE INSTRUMENT 30
7.2 STORAGE 30
7.3 INSTRUMENT BATTERY 30
7.4 BATTERY REPLACEMENT 30
1
8 ACCESSORIES AND CONSUMABLES........................... 31

8.1 SPC–3 SOFTWARE 31
8.2 WALL MOUNT 31
8.3 CALIBRATION STANDARD AND PHENOL FILTERS 31
8.4 DATA CABLES AND POWER SUPPLY 31
9 WARRANTY........................................................ 32
APPENDICES:
A DETAILED CALIBRATION TABLE................................33
B INTERFERENCE TABLE........................................... 34
C CONFIGURATION MENU LAYOUT.............................. 35
D OPERATIONAL SETTINGS MENU.............................. 36
E SUMMARY OF NIOSH REPORT............................... 37
2
1 INTRODUCTION
The PPM Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is a precise 3 parameter indoor air
quality monitor suitable for monitoring low level concentrations of
hazardous formaldehyde vapours under extremes of temperature and
humidity, in parts per million (ppm) and mg/m3. Fast and easy to use,
pressing a single button gives an immediate indication of
concentration levels.
The ¢£¤¥¦ has a built in non–volatile memory and real time clock. It
can be used as a manual hand held device or a continuous data logger
capable of over 7 days (optional) continuous monitoring and thus has
the option of being mains or battery powered.
The SPC–3 programme can be used on a PC to monitor and
automate the instrument continuously using the USB interface on the
Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦. Or, the supplied Download Software can be used
to retrieve samples from the non–volatile memory and to manage the
instrument settings.
Please read these instructions carefully and familiarise yourself with
the instrument before use. The operating manual will provide you with
all the necessary information for the correct use of your
Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦.
Please note that PPM Technology Limited shall not be liable for
errors that may appear herein or for incidental or consequential
damages in connection with or arising from the use of this material.
3
1.1 INITIAL RECEIPT OF YOUR FORMALDEMETER™ ¢£¤¥¦ KIT

Your PPM Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ kit has been packaged carefully and
includes all the components necessary for full operation. Immediately
upon receipt, please examine the kit contents carefully to ensure that
you have received the following items in good condition.
KIT CONTENTS
The Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ kit contains:
• Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ instrument with Stand
• Formaldehyde Calibration Standard and Material Safety Data
Sheet (MSDS)
• USB cable and Download Software CD
• DC Mains adaptor with Universal Input Plugs
• Vial of phenol filters (10)
• Thermometer
• PPM Technology pen
• Certificate of Calibration
• Quick set–up Guide
DAMAGE
Inspect all items carefully for damaged or missing items, these
ought to be reported to your dealer. Any damage should immediately
be reported to the carrier.
1.2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Unlike other formaldehyde monitoring devices such as colour stain
tubes and badges, the Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is capable of measuring
many samples consecutively without the need for inconvenient ancillary
equipment. Being ultra compact and battery operated, the instrument
is truly field portable. It can also be mains powered suitable for
continuous monitoring. It can be connected directly to a manager PC
for automation via the USB interface.
The Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is extremely simple to use and provides
immediate, semi-quantitative readings of atmospheric formaldehyde
concentration displayed on a digital read-out, in both ppm and mg/m3.
The Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is designed to measure the concentration
of formaldehyde in snatch (discrete) samples of air and should be
employed primarily as a screening device.
4
IMPORTANT POINTS
It is important that you are aware of the following points when using
the instrument:
• The Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is temperature compensated to
operate most accurately in the range 10 – 30°C and
25 – 85%RH.
• The results obtained with the PPM Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ are
instantaneous spot readings. A single reading is not necessarily
representative of long–term personal exposure. A series of
readings taken at short intervals is preferable to infrequent
tests.
• Smoking in the environment to be analysed should be avoided
as tobacco smoke contains aldehydes, a potential interferent.
• Care must be taken to ensure that fluid or dust is not drawn
into the instrument. This could permanently damage the
sensor.
• The Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ has been designed to be sufficiently
robust for everyday field use. However, should the unit sustain a
severe physical shock, the operation and calibration of the
instrument should be checked using the supplied formaldehyde
Calibration Standard.
5
1.3 INSTRUMENT FEATURES
Instrument Diagram
• SAMPLING PORT
The brass sampling port is the inlet through which the sample
is drawn into the sensor.
• KEYPAD
Four buttons operate the instrument; some of which have
multiple functions. The button switches are located beneath the
membrane and are operated by pressing firmly where
indicated.
• USB PORT
The USB interface allows direct connection to PC to be used
with Download Software or SPC–3.
• DC POWER PORT
The DC Power Port gives the option of the instrument to be
externally powered.
• DISPLAY
The liquid crystal display (LCD) shows the formaldehyde
concentration of the sample in 0.01ppm increments.
6
The display also shows messages during certain operations.

DISPLAY KEY:
Sensor Recovering ----

Sensor Ready 0.00
Instrument Sampling run
Taking a Calibration Sample CAL
Set Calibration Level SEt
Replace Battery bAt
Instrument Not Calibrated SEt CAL
Instrument Memory is Full FULL
Instrument Schedule Running Schd
• BATTERY COMPARTMENT
The battery compartment is located beneath a cover at the
bottom rear of the instrument. To gain access to the battery,
simply remove the cover by unscrewing the two screws. A flat
battery is indicated by the display flashing: "bAt ". See Section
7.4 for further details on battery replacement.
7
2 TECHNICAL INFORMATION
2.1 PRINCIPLE OF OPERATION
ELECTROCHEMICAL FORMALDEHYDE SENSOR
The PPM Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ uses proven electrochemical
sensing technology for determining the concentration of formaldehyde
in air samples. The instrument contains an electrochemical
formaldehyde sensor comprising two noble metal electrodes and a
suitable electrolyte.
When air is drawn into the sensor by means of the internal sampling
system, a small voltage is generated which is directly proportional in
magnitude to the concentration of formaldehyde in the sample.
This voltage is produced as a result of the electro–oxidation of
formaldehyde at one of the catalytically active electrodes.
The signal is fed to a precision electronic amplifier and then to a
signal processor before being output on the instrument’s display, when
calibrated, as formaldehyde concentration in ppm (parts–per–million
by volume).
All the electronic systems are based on modern integrated circuitry
employing the latest surface mount technology to ensure that the
Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is an exceptionally robust and reliable
instrument.
2.2 INTERFERENTS
A short list of common chemicals that can cause interference is
included in Appendix B.
ALCOHOLS AND ALDEHYDES
As is found with other portable detection equipment using
electrochemical sensors, the meter is not totally specific to
formaldehyde alone, being susceptible to a degree of interference from
a small range of other chemicals. Other aldehydes and alcohols such
as methanol and ethanol in the atmosphere can cause
cross–interference effects.
PHENOL AND RESORCINOL
The presence of phenol in the air can give a reading on the
Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦. When monitoring formaldehyde in situations
where phenolic resins are also present, one of the supplied Phenol
Filters should be fitted onto the sampling port of the instrument (see
Appendix B and Section 8.3).
8
SENSOR BACKGROUND READING

Due to the high sensitivity of the sensor a background reading can
often be produced even when sampling in an atmosphere considered to
be free of interference. Background interference can be reduced using
the new features on the Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦, please contact PPM
Technology Ltd. for details.
HUMIDITY EXTREMES
As the sensor is very sensitive, it is possible that extremes of
humidity (generally, anything outside 40–60%RH) may cause a
background reading on Formaldemeter instruments. The
Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is specially designed to reduce this effect.
2.3 ACCURACY AND PRECISION

The Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ has a measuring range of 0–10ppm
(equivalent to 0–12.3mg/m3 at 25°C, see Section 4.2) with a precision
of 2%. The accuracy over this range is ±10%, given an accurate
calibration (see Section 6.4) at 2.000ppm.
Measurements are displayed to a 0.010ppm resolution (reduced to
0.1ppm in Limit 4 — see Section 4.5) but are saved to FRAM memory
with a 0.001ppm resolution.
The instrument meets the NIOSH criteria for an acceptable method
for measuring 0.300ppm formaldehyde over a 25–70%RH range, a full
report on this is available from PPM Technology Ltd.
2.4 DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

A declaration of conformity to the relevant safety and emission
regulations should have been included with your kit.
Within the E.U., the instrument and accessories conform to the RoHS
Directive concerning hazardous substances (2011/65/EU), contact
PPM Technology Ltd. for more details.
Also, within the U.K., PPM Technology Ltd. is registered with a WEEE
Compliance Scheme and the instrument and it's accessories should be
returned to PPM Technology Ltd. for disposal at the end of it's life as
outlined by the WEEE Directive (2002/96/EEC) for a member of EEE
Category 9. Elsewhere in the E.U. please contact your distributor for
further details — note that the instrument is marked with the "crossed
out wheelie–bin" symbol and should not be disposed in the normal
household waste stream.
9
3 USING THE FORMALDEMETER™ AS A

HANDHELD DEVICE
¢£¤¥¦
Upon receipt of your ¢£¤¥¦, it is set to function as a handheld device.

3.1 TAKING A SAMPLE
POWER ON
Press the % power button once. The display will show "----"
followed by " 0.00". This indicates that the instrument is ready to take
a sample.
POWER OFF
Switch the instrument off by pressing and holding down the %
power button for 3 seconds until display shows " oFF" then release. A
click is heard, your instrument is now off.
SAMPLING
Turn instrument on, hold the instrument in the atmosphere to be
sampled. Press and release the $ sample button. The display will
show "run ". The internal pump should be heard running for a short
period as it samples the air.
The display will next switch between the " -.--" and " 0.00" screens
for 10 seconds before showing a flashing "----" as the sample is
analysed. After 50 seconds, the display will show a non–flashing value,
which is held until the instrument is switched off. This indicates the
formaldehyde concentration in parts–per–million (ppm).
By holding down the < button the instrument will show the reading
in mg/m3 alternating with "ALt=".
By holding down the > button, the display will show the time taken
to reach the displayed concentration in seconds.
ALTERNATIVE SETTINGS
The two durations listed above (10 and 50 seconds), may vary
depending on the specifications of the supplier or customer. These
values are the default set by the instruments manufacturer. For further
details please contact your local distributor.
3.2 SENSOR RECOVERY PERIOD

Between samples, the instrument should be left switched off for a
few minutes to allow the sensor to clear of any residual formaldehyde.
As a general rule, the higher the reading obtained, the longer it takes
for the sensor to clear.
10
If the instrument is switched on before the sensor has cleared, the

the display will flash "----" and no sample can be taken. The cell is
clear and ready to sample only when the display shows " 0.00" for
three seconds without interruption.
If the instrument does not clear after approximately 5 minutes, then
refer to troubleshooting section of the manual.
3.3 CALIBRATION AND THE CALIBRATION STANDARD
Sensor sensitivity will change very gradually with time so periodic
recalibration will be required. It is advisable to check calibration
regularly to ensure that the instrument is functioning correctly.
A quick calibration check can be carried out by drawing a
formaldehyde sample of known concentration from a Calibration
Standard into the instrument’s sensor and noting whether the displayed
reading agrees with the expected concentration value.
The PPM Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is supplied with a formaldehyde
Calibration Standard and a thermometer for calibrating the instrument.
It is recommended that calibration check or adjustment be carried out
at the approximate operational temperature.
Refer to Section 6.4 for more details on how to check and adjust the
instrument calibration.
THE FORMALDEMETER CALIBRATION STANDARD
The PPM Formaldehyde Calibration Standard consists of formaldehyde
absorbed on a substrate in a glass tube from which a head–space
vapour sample can be drawn. Each Calibration Standard is carefully
manufactured to a high tolerance and is supplied with a Material Safety
Data Sheet (MSDS) and advice on safe disposal.
EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE
The concentration of formaldehyde vapour generated in the
Calibration Standard varies with temperature, the instrument has a built
in thermometer and a temperature/concentration table is supplied
with each Calibration Standard for this reason.
Due to the effect of body temperature, handle the Calibration
Standard only by the yellow end caps, to ensure temperature
equilibrium.
TEMPERATURE EQUILIBRIUM
The calibration standard should always be allowed to stabilise within
the recommended temperature range of 15–29°C for at least 1 hour
before use.
11
CALIBRATION STANDARD EXPIRY

Each Calibration Standard may be used for a maximum of 6 months
(as indicated by the expiry date given on each Calibration Standard), or
a maximum of 100 samples. New Calibration Standards can be ordered
from PPM Technology Ltd. or through your local distributor, see
Section 8.3.
Correct way to sample from a Calibration Standard.
12
4 ADDITIONAL FEATURES
4.1 TEMPERATURE & HUMIDITY SENSOR
1 Hold down the $ button and press the % button once.
2 The Instrument will briefly display "HEAt". Release the $
button.
3 The instrument will then show the temperature reading (in °C),
followed by " °C".
4 The instrument will then display the humidity (in % Rh),
followed by "{}rH".
5 The instrument will cycle through these four screens until it is
either switched off manually, or it will switch itself off after 30
seconds.
The Sensor used for the temperature and humidity readings is
accurate to within ±3.0%Rh for humidity, and ±0.4°C for temperature,
within the operational limits for the instrument. To ensure the accuracy
of the instrument the temperature & humidity sensor is replaced with
the instruments annual service.
4.2 CONVERSION TO MG/M3
The ¢£¤¥¦ converts each sample from the normal

parts–per–million (ppm) units to the alternative
milligrammes–per–cubic–meter (mg/m3) (see Sections 3.1 and 4.1).
The equation used to convert the concentration is as follows:
Where
C is the concentration in ppm.
T is the temperature in K.
P is the atmospheric pressure in kPa (101.325kPa at Sea Level).
M is the molar mass of the gas in g/mol (30.01g/mol for HCHO).
R is the Ideal Gas Constant (8.3144621 JK-1mol-1).
Note that mg/m3 is equivalent to µg/l but mg/m3 is the preferred
unit when discussing gasses.
DYNAMIC CONVERSION
By default the instrument will use the temperature sensor to convert
each sample to mg/m3 and will assume that the remaining variables
are fixed and as indicated above. The measured temperature is
13
converted from °C to Kelvin by adding 273.15K to the reading.

Because the conversion depends on temperature the same reading in
ppm may well give different mg/m3 results because the temperature
has changed.
FIXED CONVERSION AT STANDARD CONDITIONS
In some circumstances it may be advantageous to convert a reading
to mg/m3 using some accepted Standard Conditions (such as IUPAC,
ISMC or NIST) rather than those under which the sample was taken.
This can be done by changing the instrument to use a fixed conversion
factor.
To do this, the equation used is replaced by:
Where
C is the concentration in ppm.
c• is a constant conversion factor.
The value of c• can be calculated from the desired Standard Condition
parameters to be used by the instrument to convert the sample into
mg/m3. A short table of common Standard Conditions and the
equivalent value of c• follows:
Temperature Pressure c• Body
0ºC 100.000 kPa 677 IUPAC (STP)
0ºC 101.325 kPa 686 ISO 10780, NIST, IUPAC
15ºC 101.325 kPa 650 ISO 13443, EEA, EGIA
20ºC 101.325 kPa 639 NIST, EPA
25ºC 101.325 kPa 628 GOST 2939–63, EPA
25ºC 100.000 kPa 620 SATP
20ºC 100.000 kPa 630 CAGI
15ºC 100.000 kPa 641 SPE
20ºC 101.3 kPa 638 ISO 5011

Values of c• for some common Standard Conditions
14
To use Fixed Conversion and set a new factor on the instrument press
and hold the <, > and $ buttons whilst pressing % to enter the
Operational Settings menu. The instrument display will flash "OPEr",
release the buttons.
Note that changing other settings in this menu can be harmful and
could prevent your instrument from working, if you accidentally change
a setting then turn the instrument off immediately by holding down
the % button. Do not press the $ button as this will save your
changes. If you did press $ then turn the instrument off and contact
your dealer for instructions on how to revert to the correct settings.
Once you are in the Operational Settings menu press the $ button to
step through the items 'till you reach the "Std..." entry. Use the <
button to use Fixed Conversion ("StdY") and press $ to enter a new
factor. The display will show, for example, "c.686" where 686 is the
current c• value. Use the < or > buttons to change this to the required
value for c•. Once set, press $ to save the new settings and then press
and hold the % button to turn the instrument off. The Fixed Conversion
factor will now be used to convert from ppm to mg/m3.
4.3 ALARM SOUNDER

Each Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is fitted with an internal sounder to
alert the user when a sample exceeds some predefined level. The
"ALr " group of settings in the Configuration Menu enable and
configure this feature (see Section 5.1 and Appendix C). When the
alarm is enabled, by changing the "ALrn" setting to "ALrY", a new
sub–menu is enabled to allow further configuration:
• "ALrS" : The threshold, in ppm, above (or below) which the
alarm is triggered.
• "ALrd" : The duration of the alarm condition, in seconds.
• "ALrG" or "ALrL" : The logic applied between the threshold and
the reading. "ALrG" triggers the alarm if the reading is greater
than the threshold (reading > threshold). "ALrL" triggers the
alarm if the reading is less than the threshold
(reading < threshold).
4.4 SAMPLING MODE

There are three sampling modes available, which can be selected
from the Configuration Menu (see Section 5.1 and Appendix C):
• Peak Mode ("S=P ") — the maximum sensor output is used to
give the reading.
15
• Time Mode ("S=t ") — the sensor value at the calibration

time–to–peak is used to give the reading.
• Area Mode ("S=A ") — the sensor output is integrated between
two given times, usually 10 and 60 seconds.
Most of the time Area Mode is the best choice and is the default
setting, the various Area Gate settings allow the instrument to change
between the three sampling modes when certain sampling conditions
are met. For further details contact PPM Technology Ltd.
4.5 LIMIT SELECTION

This setting governs the amount of activity permitted in the sensor
when taking a new sample. In essence it controls how long the
instrument takes to clear before another sample can be taken. The
default limit for the Formaldemeter™ is "Lt=1", which means that the
fuel cell must be very stable before the instrument allows the user to
take another sample. The settings are available in the Configuration
Menu (see Section 5.1 and Appendix C):
• "Lt=1" — The normal Formaldemeter™ setting (up to 2ppm).
• "Lt=2" — The normal Glutaraldemeter® setting (not for use on
the Formaldemeter™).
• "Lt=3" — The medium concentration Formaldemeter™ setting.
If the Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is used regularly in atmospheres
where the concentration of formaldehyde is often over 2ppm or
in excess of 5ppm, it is advised to use this setting. This will
allow the instrument to sample at more frequent and regular
intervals. Please note that when using this Limit, the readings
at very low concentration are less accurate, due to the fact that
some residual formaldehyde from the previous sample may still
be present in the sensor.
• "Lt=4" — The high concentration Formaldemeter™ setting. If
the Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is used regularly in atmospheres
where the concentration of formaldehyde is in excess of
10ppm. Please contact the manufacturers regarding this Limit
as it's use may require additional changes to both instrument
settings and possibly hardware
Note that to change the Limit setting the instrument must first be
Re–Set (see Section 6.3) and then calibrated with the new settings
(see Section 6.4).
-•-
16
4.6 NON–FRAM DATA RETRIEVAL

As with the older ¢£¤ model, the ¢£¤¥¦ has sufficient memory capacity
to log the last 10 samples as well as the FRAM memory. This function
enables the user to view the last 10 manual samples on the
instrument. Use the Download Software provided to retrieve the FRAM
data.
ACCESSING THE DATA
1 Hold down the $ button and press the % button: The
instrument will display "HEAt". Release both buttons.
2 The instrument will then toggle between the temperature
(" °C") and humidity ("{}rH") displays.
3 Once the instrument is in this mode press both the < and the
> buttons at the same time. The display will show "dAtA".
Release the buttons.
4 The display will then alternate between two screens showing
previous sample results. For example:
run0 0.08
The first screen indicates which previous sample is being displayed,
from "run0" (most recent), to "run9" (the oldest). The second screen
shows the reading. Use the < or > buttons to change which reading is
being shown.
When the $ button is pressed the instrument will display the
reading in mg/m3, as shown below:
ALt0 0.56
Press the % button when done to turn the instrument off.
4.7 CLEARING THE NON–FRAM MEMORY
While viewing the data, hold down both < and > buttons at the
same time, until the display has run through all the following screens:
CLr3 CLr2 CLr1 CLr0 []

The non–FRAM memory will now be clear.
17
4.8 FRAM MEMORY FULL

Since the ¢£¤¥¦ has a built in FRAM memory every sample taken
either manually or continuously will be recorded. After many samples
have been taken (minimum 2000) the FRAM memory will eventually
become full and the instrument will start to overwrite older readings
with new readings so as to continue sampling.
This is also true for remote samples, such as those taken by the
SPC–3 Software, when the Remote FRAM Save setting is enabled. The
default instrument will have Remote FRAM Save disabled and it is only
required and enabled in a small number of specialised situations but
can be changed in the Operational Settings menu (see Appendix D) or
by using the Download Software.
To prevent older readings being overwritten when the FRAM memory
is full, the Stop On Full setting can be enabled either with the Download
Software or manually from the Configuration Menu. When Stop On Full is
enabled the instrument display will show "FULL" when the FRAM
memory reaches it's capacity and will prevent any further manual or
continuous samples from being taken. The instrument will continue to
show "FULL" and prevent non–remote sampling until the FRAM
memory is cleared using the Download Software included with your
¢£¤¥¦ kit.
To change the current setting enter the Configuration Menu (as

described in Section 5.1 and Appendix C) and go to the "SoF…" entry
in the menu.
Pressing the > button will disable Stop On Full mode ("SoFn"), this
is the default state.
Pressing the < button will enable Stop On Full mode ("SoFY").
Press the $ button to save your choice and then press and hold the
% button to exit the menu and turn the instrument off.
18
5 USING THE FORMALDEMETER AS A

CONTINUOUS MONITOR
¢£¤¥¦
The built in memory and real time clock enables the instrument to
log all three parameters at corresponding times, allowing improved
monitoring and analysis opportunities. It is possible to view direct
real–time readings on your own PC by using the SPC–3 software,
available from PPM Technology Ltd.
REAL TIME CLOCK
The Real Time Clock is an internal clock that can only be set up and
viewed via a USB link and using the Download Software. The clock
cannot be displayed on the instrument screen, it is used internally.
SCHEDULE MODE
In order for continuous monitoring to take place a Schedule must be
set up. A schedule allows the user to control every aspect of the
monitoring e.g. set start time, how often you want to sample, for how
long and on which days.
A schedule can only be set up via a PC using the provided Download
Software and USB cable to transfer the information to the instrument.
However, once schedule has been programmed into the instrument, it
can be started at any time without using a PC.
5.1 SWITCHING THE FORMALDEMETER ¢£¤¥¦ FROM A

HANDHELD DEVICE TO A CONTINUOUS MONITOR.
Press down both the $ and < buttons whilst you turn the
instrument on with the % button. The screen will display "ConF": You
can now release the buttons. This is the Configuration menu, you can
move through the items in the menu with the $ button.
One of the first items in the menu is "Sch…" and, when in handheld
mode, will be "Schn" (Schedule No). To enable the schedule, set by the
Download Software, use the < button to change this setting to "SchY"
(Schedule Yes). Press the $ button to enter your changes and move on
to the next menu item.
Once you've changed the setting, press and hold the % button to exit
the menu and turn the instrument off. The schedule has now been
activated and the ¢£¤¥¦ can be used as a continuous monitor.
5.2 STARTING A SCHEDULE
Switching the ¢£¤¥¦ on again, after activating a schedule (as
described previously), will start the schedule but the instrument will
19
behave as normal until a schedule begins. Please note that if the active
schedule is not due to start within the instrument's five minute Auto
Off period then the instrument will turn off before the schedule begins
to run and no samples will be collected. To alter this behaviour it's
necessary to use the Download Software to disable the Auto Off setting.
The Auto Off setting is inhibited when a schedule is active and running
but will revert to the previous setting when the schedule stops running.
When a schedule is running the instrument will attempt to sample
according to the settings uploaded from the Download Software and
the display will toggle between "Schd" and the last sample result (or,
while the first result in a schedule is being analysed, "Schd" and
" . . . ").
Once a schedule is running, all buttons on the ¢£¤¥¦ are disabled
apart from the % button and the instrument will stay turned on.
The instrument can be scheduled to sample at intervals between
once a minute and once an hour. It is also possible to enable a special
mode where samples are taken as often as possible (i.e. as soon as the
previous sample has cleared, the next one is taken). The schedule can
be constrained to start at a specific time of day and to last for a
specific duration or to only run on certain days of the week.
If no schedule has been uploaded to the instrument since purchase
then a default schedule will run. The default schedule is set to sample
continuously for as long as the instrument is turned on, at intervals of
2 minutes.
5.3 ENDING A SCHEDULE

To stop a running schedule turn the instrument off (using the %
button). To return to handheld mode and prevent the schedule from
running, follow the procedure from Section 5.1 but select "Schn"
instead of "SchY".
5.4 SHORT BETWEEN SAMPLES

When the instrument is running a schedule the Short Between
Samples setting ("SbS..." in the Configuration menu, see Appendix C)
will allow the instrument to place a temporary short across the sensor
after each sample. This is to help the sensor recover in time for the
next sample. The short is removed when the next sample is due and, if
the sensor has cleared sufficiently, a sample will be taken.
If the sensor has not cleared then the short will be replaced for a
20
while before the sensor is tested again and so on until either a sample
can be taken or there is insufficient time to take a sample before the
next sample interval is due: Samples that could not be taken because
the sensor had not settled will be marked as such by the Download
Software.
To enable this feature use "SbSY". To disable this feature use "SbSn".
The feature is only available for samples taken as part of a schedule
and where the sample interval exceeds 5 minutes. The feature may also
be unavailable on certain instruments, contact the manufacturer for
more details.
5.5 HOW TO USE DATA MODE
NOTE: READ AND UNDERSTAND THIS SECTION IF YOU DO NOT INTEND TO
USE THE SUPPLIED DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE WITH YOUR KIT. IF YOU
DO INTEND TO USE THE DOWNLOAD SOFTWARE THEN YOU MAY
IGNORE THIS SECTION BUT SHOULD READ THE SEPARATE MANUAL
WITH THE SOFTWARE INSTEAD.
To download saved readings from the ¢£¤¥¦ without using the
supplied Download Software you will need a spare USB port; the
appropriate USB drivers installed on your machine (installers for
Microsoft® Windows® are supplied on the CD in your kit) and a USB
cable connected between your machine and your ¢£¤¥¦ (one is supplied
in your kit). It is also advisable to power your ¢£¤¥¦ from a mains
adaptor to prevent data loss due to battery failure during the transfer.
In addition to the above you will need a piece of software, known as
a “Terminal Emulator” or “Serial Capture”, to receive the downloaded
data – there are many available applications such as RealTerm, PuTTY,
Hyper Terminal, ProComm, WinComm & Minicom. Older versions of the
Windows® operating system came with HyperTerminal already installed
but on more recent releases you will need to install your own software.
ENABLE DATA MODE
By default the ¢£¤¥¦ will be set up to use the Download Software only.
In order to use other software to retrieve the data Data Mode will need
to be enabled. This only needs to be done once and is persistent, if
you need to use the Download Software at a later date you will need to
revert to the original settings and disable Data Mode first.
1 Press and hold the <, > and $ buttons while pressing % to
enter the Operational Settings menu. The instrument will flash
"OPEr", release the buttons.
2 Press the $ button to move through the menu items until the
"dAt..." item is selected.
21
3 To enable Data Mode, press < to choose "dAtY". To disable

Data Mode press, > to choose "dAtn".
4 Press the $ button to confirm the new setting, as this is the
last entry in the menu the instrument will turn off (otherwise
press the % button).
CONNECTION SETTINGS
When you connect the instrument to your machine with a USB cable
it will appear as a new serial port, if the correct drivers are loaded on
your machine. Connect to the instrument with your software at 9600
baud with 8 data bits and 1 stop bit and no parity (often indicated as
"9600,8N1") and no handshaking (or, sometimes called "flow control").
You will also need to know the name of the new serial port, this will be
"COM…" followed by a number on Microsoft® Windows® operating
systems; "/dev/tty.usbserial…" followed by a number on Apple® OS X®
and "/dev/ttyUSB…" followed by a number on GNU/Linux® operating
systems: refer to your operating system manuals on how to determine
this correctly.
DOWNLOADING DATA
Once connected, make sure that the instrument is turned on and is
behaving correctly. If not then turn off immediately and disconnect the
USB cable before seeking more help. Also, note that it's not
recommended to be sampling or running a schedule whilst
downloading data from the instrument. To start the download you
need to send a single "X" to the instrument (capital X, decimal ASCII
character 88) — the instrument should then immediately start sending
the entire contents of the FRAM memory to your software, depending
on the capacity this can take up to 10 minutes. You can cancel an
active download by sending any other character, apart from "X", to the
instrument.
If your software has a logging or capture function then you can use
this to save the data to a CSV file for safe keeping or for use in your
own reports. For example, you can use a spreadsheet package such as
LibreOffice® "Calc" or Microsoft® Excel® to open the CSV file and
generate charts from the data.
EXAMPLE
As an example, here's how to set up and use the PuTTY software to
download data from the instrument — this is no way an endorsement
of any particular software over another by PPM Technology Ltd. or their
agents and distributors. You can download and use PuTTY for free,
please refer to the PuTTY website for more details:
http://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/
22
Using the PuTTY software with

the instrument connected and
turned on, select
Connection » Serial in the side bar.
Enter the correct port in the first
box and the correct configuration
underneath it.
Next select the root Terminal
entry in the side bar and ensure
that the "Implicit CR in every LF" and
"Implicit LF in every CR" check boxes
are selected.
Next select Session » Logging in
the side bar and select the
"Printable output" radio button and
enter a location for the filename,
ensuring to use the ".csv" extension.
In the root Session entry in the
side bar select the "Serial" radio
button and confirm that the correct
port and baud rate is shown before
clicking on "Open" at the foot of the
window.
If you get an error or the black
terminal screen does not appear
then refer to the PuTTY
documentation; check your
settings; check your connection
and try again. Once the terminal
screen appears make sure that it's
focused and type a capital X on the
keyboard. Data from the
instrument should appear in the
window and you will be asked to
confirm that you wish to log the
data, if not or if the data appears
to be garbled then close the
window and check your settings
and connection again.
Once the data has stopped
(depending on the amount of data
23
and the memory capacity of your

instrument this can take up to 10
minutes) you can close the black
terminal window and inspect the
data which should have been saved
to the location selected earlier.
The downloaded data, briefly,
comprises of the following
columns:
A Sample Date (returned as
"YYYY–MM–DD");
B Sample Time (returned as
"HH:MM:SS");
C Sample Limit (see Section 5.5.4);
D Peak Reading (in ppm);
E Time Reading (in ppm);
F Area Reading (in ppm);
G Time–To–Peak (in seconds);
H Temperature (in °C);
I Humidity (in %Rh) and
J Sample Status Flags.
Refer to the separate Download Software manual for more details.
Example instrument download output in PuTTY.
24
6 TROUBLESHOOTING
The most common problem is when the display flashes "----"
constantly and the instrument will not sample, even after being left
turned off for several hours. The three main reasons for this problem
are:
1 The instrument has been accidentally calibrated when no
calibration standard was present.
2 The calibration standard used for calibration has expired.
3 The instrument has been damaged and will need to be
repaired.
To determine which of the reasons applies to your case follow the
procedures shown below (note that quoted values are for tests
performed at 25°C).
6.1 CHECK THE SAMPLING SYSTEM
1 Make sure that the instrument has been turned off for about 5
minutes.
2 Press and hold the > button whilst pressing the % button to
turn the instrument on. The display will show "tESt", release
all the buttons.
3 A four digit value will appear on the display ("0.123", for
example). Give the instrument a few seconds to stabilise.
5 Note the initial value and the approximate rate of change over a
minute: If either the initial value or the rate of change exceeds
0.300 then it is likely that your sensor has been damaged —
contact your service centre or PPM Technology Ltd. for further
details. If the values indicated are less than 0.300 then
continue with the procedure.
6 With the sample nozzle inserted into a valid Calibration
Standard, take a sample (see Section 3.4 for instructions on
handling the Calibration Standard).
7 The display should be set to "0.000" as the pump starts to run
and then rise up to a maximum as the sample is drawn in.
8 Press and hold the > button to display the test peak time
value. Make a note of this value ("t 5.6", for example). If this
value is less than 5.0 seconds there may be a problem with the
sampling system or your sensor — contact your service centre
or PPM Technology Ltd. for further details. Otherwise, continue
with the procedure.
25
9 Press and hold the < button to display the test peak value.
Make a note of this value ("5.678", for example). If this value is
less than 5.000 then there may be a problem with the sampling
system or your sensor — contact your service centre or PPM
Technology Ltd. for further details. Otherwise, continue with the
procedure.
10 Turn the instrument off by holding down the % button.
Leave the instrument off for at least five minutes before repeating
this part of the troubleshooting test. These steps rule out damage to
your instrument or sensor, check the instrument calibration gain next.
6.2 CHECKING THE CALIBRATION GAIN
The calibration gain is used to convert the sensor output into the
ppm value shown on the screen when sampling, it is calculated by the
instrument when it's being calibrated (see Section 3.4.5). If the
calibration is incorrect (by calibrating without a Calibration Standard or
with an expired Calibration Standard, for example) then the instrument
will calculate a value for the calibration gain which is too high and will
cause problems with sampling. To check the calibration gain proceed
as follows:
1 Press and hold the < button whilst pressing the % button to
turn the instrument on. "GAIN" should appear on the display,
release the buttons.
2 A four digit value will alternate with a two digit exponent value
on the display (the exponent will be prefixed with "…E: ").
Make a note of the exponent value ("1E:18", for example).
3 The instrument will power down after a few seconds. Or you
may hold down the % button.
If the exponent value was between 15 and 13 then you may have
used an expired Calibration Standard — check your Calibration Standard
expiry date and acquire a new one if needed. When you are ready,
carry out a Re–Set (see Section 6.3) followed by a new calibration
attempt (see Section 3.4).
If the exponent value was less than 13 then you may have
accidentally calibrated without a calibration standard being present.
Acquire a Calibration Standard; carry out a Re–Set (see Section 6.3)
followed by a fresh calibration attempt (see Section 3.4).
If the exponent value was normal then some other fault is causing
the instrument to not settle, contact your service centre or PPM
Technology Ltd. to arrange for inspection of your faulty instrument.
26
6.3 PERFORMING AN INSTRUMENT RE–SET

Make sure that you have a valid Calibration Standard to hand before
performing this procedure as your current calibration will be deleted,
and there is no way of "undoing" the Re–Set procedure once it has
been performed.
1 Make sure that the instrument is turned off.
2 Press and hold both < and > buttons whilst turning the
instrument on with the % button. "rSEt" will appear on the
display. Release all the buttons.
3 When "-No-" appears on the display press the < button to
change it to " YES". To complete the Re–Set press the $
button.
4 "rSEt" will appear on the display as the instrument clears the
calibration to a safe, default value.
5 " SEt" and then " CAL" will now appear on the display followed
by the normal " 0.00" display. This will occur each time until
the instrument is calibrated correctly (see Section 3.4).
If, after a Re–Set, you are still experiencing problems then contact
your service centre or PPM Technology Ltd. to arrange an inspection of
your instrument.
6.4 CALIBRATION
Please read this section thoroughly before attempting to check or
adjust calibration. Users are strongly advised to familiarise themselves
with the instrument before attempting to adjust the calibration and
should follow the instructions carefully.
6.4.1 CALIBRATION CHECK PROCEDURE
Place the instrument and Calibration Standard together in a place
where the temperature is stable for at least one hour before
commencing the calibration check to allow thermal equilibration.
Before carrying out a calibration check, the sensor must be clear of
formaldehyde vapour from any previous samples. An accurate
temperature measurement is also required as this is vital for the
calibration check procedure. You can use the built in temperature
sensor on the instrument (as described in Section 4.1); the provided
thermometer from your kit or any other thermometer for this.
PROCEDURE
1 Place the Calibration Standard and the instrument on a flat work
27
surface. Handle the Calibration Standard as little as possible to

avoid heating the tube, holding it by the yellow caps. Remove
both end plugs.
2 Switch the instrument on by pressing the % button once. Wait
for the LCD to show a steady " 0.00" display.
3 Insert the nozzle into the sampling end of the tube. Ensure a
good seal around the instrument nozzle by pushing the
Calibration Standard tube firmly against the instrument when
taking a sample.
4 Press the $ button and wait until the internal sampling pump
stops before removing the Standard from the instrument.
Replace the end plugs in the Calibration Standard securely.
5 The display will flash between "----" and
" 0.00" for 10 seconds.
6 The display will then show a flashing " -.--" as the sample is
analysed. After 60 seconds, the display will show a non-flashing
value, which is held until the instrument is switched off. This
indicates the formaldehyde concentration in ppm.
7 Refer to the Temperature/Concentration look–up table on the
Calibration Standard: If the reading is within 5% of the value
shown in the table, then no re–calibration is required. A detailed
look–up table is also included in Appendix A of this manual.
8 If re–calibration is required, follow the calibration adjustment
procedure that follows.
Leave the instrument switched off for approximately 5 minutes to
recover before commencing another calibration check, adjustment or
taking a sample.
6.4.2 CALIBRATION ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURE
Please read this section thoroughly before attempting to check or
adjust calibration. Users are strongly advised to familiarise themselves
with the instrument before attempting to adjust the calibration and
should follow the instructions carefully.
Under normal operating conditions, instrument calibration should
require only minimal periodic adjustment. To see whether a full
recalibration is required, perform a calibration check first (see
Section 6.4.1).
Place the instrument and Calibration Standard together in a place
where the temperature is stable for at least one hour before
commencing the calibration adjustment to allow thermal equilibration.
28
Before carrying out a calibration adjustment, the sensor must be

clear of formaldehyde vapour from any previous samples. An accurate
temperature measurement is also required as this is vital for the
calibration check procedure. You can use the built in temperature
sensor on the instrument (as described in Section 4.1); the provided
thermometer from your kit or any other thermometer for this.
PROCEDURE
1 Place the Calibration Standard and the instrument on a flat work
surface. Handle the Calibration Standard as little as possible to
avoid heating the tube, holding it by the yellow caps. Remove
both end plugs.
2 Switch the instrument on by pressing the % button once. Wait
for the LCD to show a steady " 0.00" display.
3 Insert the nozzle into the sampling end of the tube. Ensure a
good seal around the instrument nozzle by pushing the
Calibration Standard tube firmly against the instrument when
taking a sample.
4 Simultaneously depress both < and > buttons. The pump will
be heard drawing a vapour sample and the screen will briefly
show "CAL ". Release the two buttons. When the pump stops,
remove the Calibration Standard and replace both yellow end
plugs.
6 The display will show an increasing, flashing value for
60 seconds, followed by "SEt " and then the default value of
"1.750".
7 Refer to the Temperature/Concentration look–up table on the
Calibration Standard to find the calibration value. For example, at
22°C the calibration value is 2.30ppm. A look-up table is also
included in Appendix A of this manual.
8 Now use the < or> buttons to adjust the value on the display
to the required concentration. Press the $ button to store this
calibration value.
9 The display will show "CAL " followed by " End". The
instrument will then switch off automatically.
The instrument has now been re–calibrated. Leave the instrument
switched off for approximately 5 minutes to recover before
commencing another Calibration Adjustment; a Calibration Check or
taking a new sample. It's recommended that you run through the
Calibration Check procedure again after performing a Calibration
Adjustment to confirm that the new calibration is correct.
29
7 MAINTENANCE
With the exception of the battery, your Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ has no
user–serviceable components. It is important that no attempt is made
to open the instrument other than to replace the battery. Any evidence
of tampering with the instrument will invalidate the warranty.
If you find that your instrument requires service or repair, please
return it to PPM Technology Ltd. or an authorised service centre.
7.1 CLEANING THE INSTRUMENT
On no account should the Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ be immersed in

liquid. Any fluid entering the instrument will destroy the sensor and the
electronic circuitry.
If the instrument’s enclosure requires cleaning, it should be wiped
with a damp cloth. Never use abrasive or solvent based cleaning
agents.
7.2 STORAGE
When not in use, your Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ should be stored in the
supplied carrying case in a clean, dry environment and away from
extremes of temperature.
7.3 INSTRUMENT BATTERY

When the instrument battery voltage becomes too low for reliable
measurements to be taken, the battery needs replacing. When this is
about to occur the instrument display will flash the "bAt " warning
message.
7.4 BATTERY REPLACEMENT

The instrument requires a 9V PP3 type alkaline battery. To replace
the battery, simply remove the battery compartment cover at the
bottom of the instrument by unscrewing the two screws at the rear and
place the battery in the compartment. Be sure to observe the indicated
polarity on the instrument and the battery.
Take care when disposing of spent batteries and observe any
warnings shown on the battery packaging and any local regulations
(such as 2006/66/EC in the EU). If battery recycling facilities are
available in your area then please make use of them.
30
8 ACCESSORIES AND CONSUMABLES

A wide range of accessories and consumables are available for your
new instrument, some of which are detailed here and are available
from your distributor. Modifications, bespoke design, advice and spare
parts are also available directly from the manufacturer.
8.1 SPC–3 SOFTWARE

Software for Microsoft® Windows® operating systems that enables
the user to view and record real–time readings from the instrument on
their PC. Contact PPM Technology Ltd. for more details.
8.2 WALL MOUNT
Wall mounting bracket for semi–permanent continuous monitoring
installations. Contact PPM Technology Ltd. for more details.
8.3 CALIBRATION STANDARD AND PHENOL FILTERS
Formaldehyde Calibration Standards can be obtained from either your
distributor or directly from PPM Technology Ltd. using the order
number 514–001. You may also be interested in setting up an annual
standing order for Calibration Standards so that a valid one is always
available: A fresh Calibration Standard will be dispatched automatically
when your current one approaches it's expiry date.
Packs of 100 Phenol Filters (order number 510–001); Replacement
thermometers (order number 520–002) and Spare PPM Technology Ltd.
pens (order number 510–002) can also be obtained from the same
source.
8.4 DATA CABLES AND POWER SUPPLY
The instrument data cable is a standard A–to–miniB USB cable;
replacements can be obtained from PPM Technology Ltd. using the
order number 520–015 (users with the older "RS232" version should
use the order number 520–005 instead). If you need a new copy of the
Download Software the latest version and documentation is available as
a free download from the PPM Technology Ltd. website, those wishing
to order a physical CD of the software should use order number
520–008.
Replacement 12v/600mA power supplies with international plug
heads for the instrument are available (order number 520–006) and
should be replaced as soon as any damage is noted to the original.
Care should be taken when sourcing a replacement that the polarity
marked on the instrument is observed.
31
9 WARRANTY
The Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is warranted to be free of defects in
materials and workmanship under proper and normal use and service
for a period of one year from the date of purchase (invoice or receipt
date). This warranty is limited to repair or replacement (at our option)
of any part that proves defective in material or workmanship under
normal use and service, provided the product is returned to PPM
Technology Limited, shipment charges prepaid.
Damage due to defacement, misuse, tampering, lack of prescribed
maintenance or use in violation of the instructions furnished by PPM
Technology Limited is not covered. This warranty is in lieu of all other
warranties, express or implied, including but not limited to
merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. In no event shall we
be liable for any incidental or consequential damages of any nature.
PPM Technology Limited reserves the right to make changes at any
time to this document and to the design, construction, appearance and
specifications of its products without notice. No part of this document
may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of
PPM Technology Limited.
32
A DETAILED CALIBRATION TABLE

A detailed Calibration Adjustment table for the formaldehyde
Calibration Standards with ±5% Calibration Check values shown.
Temperature Target Concentration / ppm
°C (°F) –5% +5%
15.0 (59.0) 1.258 1.324 1.390
15.5 (59.9) 1.308 1.377 1.446
16.0 (60.8) 1.361 1.433 1.504
16.5 (61.7) 1.416 1.490 1.565
17.0 (62.6) 1.473 1.550 1.628
17.5 (63.5) 1.532 1.613 1.693
18.0 (64.4) 1.594 1.678 1.761
18.5 (65.3) 1.658 1.745 1.832
19.0 (66.2) 1.724 1.815 1.906
19.5 (67.1) 1.794 1.888 1.983
20.0 (68.0) 1.866 1.964 2.062
20.5 (68.9) 1.941 2.043 2.145
21.0 (69.8) 2.019 2.126 2.232
21.5 (70.7) 2.101 2.211 2.322
22.0 (71.6) 2.185 2.300 2.415
22.5 (72.5) 2.273 2.393 2.512
23.0 (73.4) 2.364 2.489 2.613
23.5 (74.3) 2.460 2.589 2.718
24.0 (75.2) 2.559 2.693 2.828
24.5 (76.1) 2.661 2.802 2.942
25.0 (77.0) 2.769 2.914 3.060
25.5 (77.9) 2.880 3.032 3.183
26.0 (78.8) 2.996 3.154 3.311
26.5 (79.7) 3.116 3.280 3.444
27.0 (80.6) 3.242 3.412 3.583
27.5 (81.5) 3.372 3.550 3.727
28.0 (82.4) 3.508 3.693 3.877
28.5 (83.3) 3.649 3.841 4.033
29.0 (84.2) 3.796 3.996 4.195
29.5 (85.1) 3.949 4.156 4.364
33
B INTERFERENCE TABLE
The results shown are from research carried out under controlled
conditions in an incubator set at 25°C. A wide range of suspected
interfering gases have been tested including NH3, CO, CO2, NO2,
acetone and isobutylene. The table only shows those which caused
interference below LEL levels.
Concentration Removal of Interfering
Gas Required to Give a Response Gas Using a Phenol
1ppm Reading Filter
Acetaldehyde 12 Linear 60%

Ethanol 24 Linear 45%
Formic Acid 26 Linear 100%

Formaldehyde 1 Linear 15%
Glutaraldehyde 7 Linear 70%

Methanol 60 Linear 30%
Phenol 7 Linear 100%
Resorcinol 250 Linear 100%
Phenol Filters are extremely efficient at removing phenol and other

alcohols and aldehydes from the air. These filters can be fitted over
the sampling port of the instrument prior to taking a sample. It's
recommended that the filter be disposed of after ten samples as they
can become saturated and less efficient: do not store used and unused
filters together to avoid cross contamination.
Important information:
• Never calibrate the instrument using interference gases.
• Ozone causes formaldehyde to be broken down into CO2, H2O
and oxygen causing measured levels to be reduced.
• Phenol Filters also reduce the formaldehyde concentration by
15% and should only be used in conditions where interferences
are present or suspected.
• The interference ratio and filter efficiency quoted in the table
are derived from several readings across many sensors. Actual
results may vary from instrument to instrument.
34
C CONFIGURATION MENU LAYOUT
To navigate the
menu use the $
ConF button to move to the
Press and hold next item and < or
$, < and % > to edit a value.
buttons. Press % to exit.
Default values are
Schn shown or highlighted;
Sections 5.1 & 5.3 dashed arrows
if ALrY chosen
indicate that
intermediate entries
may be shown
SoFn ALrS 0.10
Section 5.4 Alarm Threshold
if S=A chosen
SbSY ALrd 10
Section 5.5.1 Alarm Duration L10.0
H60.0
ALrn ALrG IN=N
Section 5.5.2 Alarm Logic Area Mode Settings
S=P S=t S=A GtNY

Section 5.5.3
GtNt 5.0
GtNP
Lt=1 Lt=2 Lt=3 Lt=4 A2tY
Section 5.5.4 Area Gate Settings
[]
End of Menu
35
D OPERATIONAL SETTINGS MENU

OPEr SP:dt SP:At
Press and hold SP=t 0.0 1.7
$, <, > and %
buttons. Sample Pump Settings
To navigate the FC:dt FC:At

menu use the $
button to move to the FC=n - 0.2 2.0
next item and < or Sample Flow Control Valve Settings
> to edit a value.
Press % to exit.
Default values are
shown or highlighted.
SO:t0
Sample point
Settings above this
dashed line can only
be changed after a
Re–Set and before NorL
Calibration Normal display
OFSt
.000
Sample Offset
rFSn
Remote FRAM Save
dAtn
[] Data Mode
End of Menu
36
E SUMMARY OF NIOSH REPORT

The Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ is an improved version of the
Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤. NIOSH has carried out studies upon the
Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤ and another leading direct-reading formaldehyde
monitor and compared the two instruments with the fully evaluated
NIOSH Method 2016, Issue 2 (2003) for Formaldehyde in Air. The null
hypothesis for the study was that the mean formaldehyde
concentration for the direct–reading instrument would be equal to the
mean concentration measured by NIOSH Method 2016.
Before use in the experiment, the Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤ was
calibrated using a Formaldehyde Calibration Standard.
NIOSH Method 2016 PPM Technology Ltd.

Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤
Analytical Technique HPLC, UV Detection Electrochemical
Range 0.23—37 µg/sample 0—10 ppm

Accuracy ±19% Within NIOSH criteria
Ozone, Ketones & Other Phenol, Resorcinol,

Interferents Alcohols, Aldehydes,
aldehydes
Humidity at >60%
Flow Rate 0.030—1.5 L/min 0.353 L/min
Sample Period 60 min 60 sec

Comparison of the NIOSH and PPM Formaldehyde Methods.
Mean* ΔMean* Min* Mean

N Median* |Min–Max|* Squared
(SD) (SD) Max*
Error
0.37 — 0.026 —
NIOSH 47 0.22 1.5
(0.35) [vs.NIOSH] 1.5 [vs.NIOSH]
2016
0.341 0.030 0.032
PPM 47 0.246 1.188 0.019
(0.240) (0.140) 1.220
¢£¤
Summary of statistics from the NIOSH and PPM Formaldehyde Methods.

*Units are in ppm.
37
• The PPM Technology Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤ calibrated with the

Calibration Standard passed the comparison with the NIOSH
Method 2016, Issue 2 (2003).
• The 1–hour integrated sample collected with the PPM
Technology Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤ had no statistically significant
differences from those obtained by the NIOSH Method 2016.
• A 1–hour integrated sample collected with the PPM Technology
Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤ instrument is useful as a screening tool and
precludes the need for timely and expensive laboratory analysis
if low concentrations are measured.
The full NIOSH Method 2016, Issue 2 can be found on the
NIOSH/CDC website (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2003-
154/pdfs/2016.pdf) and a full copy of the report can be obtained from
PPM Technology Ltd. on request.
38

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Formaldemeter ¢£¤¥¦ Operation Manual v2.18/v1.

PPM Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦

8 ACCESSORIES AND CONSUMABLES........................... 31

1.1 INITIAL RECEIPT OF YOUR FORMALDEMETER™ ¢£¤¥¦ KIT

1.2 GENERAL DESCRIPTION

1.3 INSTRUMENT FEATURES

The display also shows messages during certain operations.

Sensor Recovering ----

SENSOR BACKGROUND READING

2.3 ACCURACY AND PRECISION

2.4 DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

3 USING THE FORMALDEMETER™ AS A

Upon receipt of your ¢£¤¥¦, it is set to function as a handheld device.

3.2 SENSOR RECOVERY PERIOD

If the instrument is switched on before the sensor has cleared, the

CALIBRATION STANDARD EXPIRY

Correct way to sample from a Calibration Standard.

The ¢£¤¥¦ converts each sample from the normal

converted from °C to Kelvin by adding 273.15K to the reading.

Temperature Pressure c• Body

0ºC 100.000 kPa 677 IUPAC (STP)

0ºC 101.325 kPa 686 ISO 10780, NIST, IUPAC

15ºC 101.325 kPa 650 ISO 13443, EEA, EGIA

20ºC 101.325 kPa 639 NIST, EPA

25ºC 101.325 kPa 628 GOST 2939–63, EPA

25ºC 100.000 kPa 620 SATP

20ºC 100.000 kPa 630 CAGI

15ºC 100.000 kPa 641 SPE

20ºC 101.3 kPa 638 ISO 5011

4.3 ALARM SOUNDER

4.4 SAMPLING MODE

• Time Mode ("S=t ") — the sensor value at the calibration

4.5 LIMIT SELECTION

4.6 NON–FRAM DATA RETRIEVAL

CLr3 CLr2 CLr1 CLr0 []

4.8 FRAM MEMORY FULL

To change the current setting enter the Configuration Menu (as

5 USING THE FORMALDEMETER AS A

5.1 SWITCHING THE FORMALDEMETER ¢£¤¥¦ FROM A

5.3 ENDING A SCHEDULE

5.4 SHORT BETWEEN SAMPLES

3 To enable Data Mode, press < to choose "dAtY". To disable

Using the PuTTY software with

and the memory capacity of your

Example instrument download output in PuTTY.

6.3 PERFORMING AN INSTRUMENT RE–SET

surface. Handle the Calibration Standard as little as possible to

Before carrying out a calibration adjustment, the sensor must be

7.1 CLEANING THE INSTRUMENT

On no account should the Formaldemeter™ ¢£¤¥¦ be immersed in

7.3 INSTRUMENT BATTERY

7.4 BATTERY REPLACEMENT

8 ACCESSORIES AND CONSUMABLES

8.1 SPC–3 SOFTWARE

A DETAILED CALIBRATION TABLE

Acetaldehyde 12 Linear 60%

Formic Acid 26 Linear 100%