PASCO CI-6525 High-Accuracy Temperature Sensor - Manual (Page 2)

®
H i g h - A c c u r a c y T e m p e r a t u r e S e n s o r U s i n g t h e p r o b e in M i ld C h e m ic a l S o lu t io n s
2
Using the probe in Mild
Chemical Solutions
The RTD Temperature Sensor is designed for measuring the
temperature of liquids, such as water and mild chemical solu-
tions. The RTD probe has been tested for several minutes in
the following chemicals without damage:
• Carefully rinse off any chemicals after each use.
Protecting the Probe with the optional Teflon
Sensor Cover
A package of ten Teflon Sensor Covers is available from
PASCO scientific (part number CI-6549). See the PASCO cat-
alog for more information.
Use the optional Teflon FEP sensor cover when placing the
RTD probe in strong chemical solutions that may damage the
probe.
Calibrating the Sensor
The sensor is designed to produce 0 Volts at 0 °C and 10 milli-
Volts (0.010 V) per degree C. The sensor is very accurate and
generally does not need to be calibrated.
However, you can calibrate the sensor using a thermometer
and a two-point calibration process. To calibrate the sensor,
you will need an accurate thermometer, ice water, and hot,
boiling water.
Calibration with DataStudio
1. Connect the Temperature Sensor to an analog channel on
the ScienceWorkshop interface.
2. Start the DataStudio program. Select “Setup” from the
DataStudio toolbar. The interface and sensor should
appear in the setup window.
3. Select “Calibrate Sensors…” from the Experiment Setup
toolbar. Be sure that “2 point (Adjust Slope and Offset)”
is selected under “Calibration Type”.
4. Calibration Point #1: Place the probe of the High-Accu-
racy Temperature Sensor in the ice water. Also put the
thermometer in the ice water. The monitor screen will
show the voltage value produced by the sensor. When the
thermometer reading is almost zero, enter the reading in
the “Standard Value” box for Calibration Point 1, then
click the “Read From Sensor” button for Calibration
Point 1.
5. Calibration Point #2: Place the sensor and thermometer in
boiling water. The monitor screen will show the new volt-
age produced by the sensor. When the thermometer read-
ing reaches a peak, enter the reading in the “Standard
Value” box for Calibration Point 2, then click the “Read
From Sensor” button for Calibration Point 2. Cilck “OK”
at the bottom of the calibration screen and close the
Experiment Setup window.
6. You can save your calibration as a DataStudio document
by selecting “Save As…” from the File menu.
Note: By default, the calibration is set for degrees C. To cali-
brate in other units, click on the Measurement tab and select the
desired unit from the drop-down list. Then click on the Calibra-
tion tab and select the same unit from the drop-down list near the
top of the screen.
acetone sodium hydroxide (lye)
household bleach ethylene glycol butyl ether
isopropyl alcohol ethylene glycol (antifreeze)
naphtha sulfuric acid (battery acid)
vinegar glacial acetic acid
paradichlorobenzene water