New PH probe - is it bad already?

[class clown]

Gang - this afternoon, I received what was supposedly a new PH probe for my Milwaukee controller..

I took it out of the box and it had what looks like some major salt creep coming out of the cap. I was expecting the end cap to be filled with liquid, instead was totally dry inside and had this major salt creep looking stuff.. This isn't normal right? or is it? am I freaking out over nothing?

I put it in the salt water to test the PH and it reads 8.1. My existing one reads 8.3. obviously there is some difference in which count is accurate, but I just don't feel right about the end cap being dried up like that. I have reason to be concerned right?

I bought it from on e-bay -- I got it from an e-bay store called Aquatic-store with a 99.2% satisfaction rating that has sold over 2000 products

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7718751426

Here are some pictures of what I'm talking about.

Thoughts?

 

[taekwondodo]

Did you buy any calibration fluid? Normally, probes are kept wet. The solution they are kept in is very low in pH (sometimes they use the pH 4.0 calibration soluiton).

Without calibrating the unit, and then double-checking the calibration over time, it will be hard to tell if the probe is bad. Most likely, it is OK...

 

[class clown]

dohh.. nope- dont' have any calibration solution. doesn't mean I can't get some though.. I'll make a call to my chemist friend and see if she has any.

I know you can get calibration fluids in different PHs.. i.e 4.0, 7.1, 10 (I don't know, maybe I'm making those numbers up).. does it matter what solution I use to calibrate this with?

 

[taekwondodo]

dohh.. nope- dont' have any calibration solution. doesn't mean I can't get some though.. I'll make a call to my chemist friend and see if she has any.

I know you can get calibration fluids in different PHs.. i.e 4.0, 7.1, 10 (I don't know, maybe I'm making those numbers up).. does it matter what solution I use to calibrate this with?

for SW, get the 7 and the 10.

 

[LakeEd]

I know you can get calibration fluids in different PHs.. i.e 4.0, 7.1, 10 (I don't know, maybe I'm making those numbers up).. does it matter what solution I use to calibrate this with?

When you calibrate your pH probe, the 7.0 is the center setpoint.. then either the 4.0 or the 10.0 adjusts the "window", and both adjustments effect one another. Either technically works just fine, as you are either looking at the upper end of that window, or the lower. Most people will choose the 7.0 and 10.0 solutions for calibrating their probes, as we are most interested in a reading between those solutions.

 

[Boomer]

Clown

It may be OK. It may be that the end cap was just not tight. The solution is KCl, a potassium chloride salt. So, it can create salt creep, which is what you see. Sometimes a 0.1 M KCl is used, which is the same as the pH 4 buffer for calibration.

 

[class clown]

cool - thanks guys.. I've got my chemist friend coming over and dropping me off some freebee samples of 7.0 and 10.0 calibration solution. we'll go from there.

Now, here's what bums me out.. why did I buy another probe to begin with if I could probably just have recalibrated my existing one? I don't have an answer for that, besides the milwaukee rep told me it was probably time to get a new one. I guess I should have checked to see if my old one was bad..

hind sight 20-20.. so here are a few other questions.

1) lets say I succesfully recalibrated my old one, and wanted to continue using it and keep my new on in storage until my old one totally copped out.. Could I just get some KCL, put it in the end cap, and reseal it up?

2) how do you know when your old one is dead? is there an easy/safe way to tell without destroying it?

 

[taekwondodo]

1) Store it with some 4.0 solution in the cap and put it on the probe.
2) It either won't calibrate, or won't hold calibration worth a darn.

 

[class clown]

Thanks again..

I wrote the seller on e-bay.. here is the reply I received. I guess it was a freak out over nothing. Lesson learned. Hopefully someone else can learn from this too.

"This is a normal ocurance it is a solution the manufacturer puts on it. Feel free to contact milwaukee tech support and they can verify this statement as well.
Thanks
If I can be of any further assistance please let me know
www.sciencetoystore.com
www.water-testers.com"


P.S - my chemistry friend is bringing me some freebee samples of 4, 7, and 10 calibration solution and some professional KCl electode storing solution tonight. I should be all set... I guess I also learned it pays to have friends in good places (he he)

 

[mattseattle]

and not freak out!

 

[Herefishyfishy]

and not freak out!

At least not freak out over nothing:lol:

 

[class clown]

Oh man.. you guys are rough.. way to kick a guy when he's down ya know.. (JK) :lol: :lol: :lol:

What can I say though, I was able to calibrate my old one last night (which was .2 above what it should have been) and put this new one in some professional storage solution for holding. I'll pull my old one out of the water next week to confirm it's holding the calibration. When it looses it, I'll swap 'em out. Until then, i guess I just have an extra probe for later.

Someone learn from my mistakes please it'll make the ridicule all worth it.

 

[LakeEd]

I try to re-calibrate my probes at least monthly. One probe is now almost two years old, and still holds very close calibration for me.

 

[hooked82]

I tried calibrating mine and its way off so I think I need a new one. Anybody know if only Aquadyne probes will work on my Octopus 3000?