Air Quality Monitoring | Water Quality Monitoring

It’s that time of year again…freezing temperatures, snow, ice, and time to store the equipment in a temperature controlled area. Avoid storing or transporting monitoring equipment in cold and freezing conditions. Its just equipment right….Well, waiting for equipment to warm up may lead to time lost in the field and not letting it warm up may lead to improper operation and calibration.

Here are some of the potential consequences to storing your instruments in cold or near freezing environments and tips to avoid potential field issues. Just like people, the instrument will function much better if allowed to warm up and be put to bed in a nice warm environment.

Water Quality Instruments

• Stabilization of temperature will take longer as the instrument is moved form warm to cold environments. Save yourself time by storing your solutions and instruments in a controlled environment if possible. Stabilization of your instruments readings during calibration will occur more readily if the sensors are warm and solutions are at a constant temperature.
• Turbidity vials will break if frozen. Empty sample vials and/or store solutions indoors.
• Before storing water quality instruments, put a moist sponge in the sensor storage container. Do not add water or storage solution, as it could freeze around the sensors. pH probe bulbs will break if ice forms around them.
• Some submersible pumps use water for lubrication. Frozen water in the pump will damage it.
• Batteries do not last as long, and/or may not charge properly when they are cold.

Air Quality Instruments

• Electro-chemical gas sensors take longer to warm up when they are cold.
• Condensation can build inside F.I.Ds, causing the flame to extinguish. The dramatic temperature difference after ignition will cause water droplets to form in the detector chamber.
• Liquid crystal displays (LCDs) become sluggish and difficult to read when frozen.
• Batteries do not last as long, and/or may not charge properly when they are cold.

Please call your local Pine office with any questions or concerns.