Top tips to keep your quality sensors working

Analysing the characteristics of your water quality is essential for anyone with a trade effluent consent agreement. Once you’ve installed the equipment, it’s important to keep those sensors well maintained, to ensure the information they’re providing is accurate and can be relied on. Here are our top tips for keeping your equipment in tip top condition.

Install in the right location
Don’t simply install the sensors in the easiest location, install them in the best location where they will get the most accurate and useful results.

Schedule regular maintenance
Some water characteristics will be more punishing on the sensor than others, so it may be difficult to set one maintenance schedule for all. We recommend looking back at past issues such as fouling and measurement variations and using the record of these as a guide for creating a forward planning schedule.

Thorough checks
Check the functions and the readings of the control unit and the sensor to make sure they’re working at their best. Abnormal readings may not be a result of an error with the equipment, it is more likely to be a change in the external environment, so be sure to check water levels, reagents and for any obstructions.

Replacing parts
Follow the manufacturer guidelines and replace parts accordingly. This could include things such as seals, tubes and breathers. Each sensor will also have a different life span.

Clean the sensor
Sensors can be suffer from the build-up of organic matter, sediment or become obstructed or damaged especially when used in aggressive waste water. The accuracy of a sensor can be impaired, if it is not cleaned regularly.

Calibrate
Make sure the analyser is properly calibrated in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines to keep the data accurate. The ORAKEL System is the first of its kind in the world to offer automatic In Situ sensor verification as an option. The ORAKEL Control Unit is able to reduce maintenance by automatically checking it’s sensor operation at user defined time intervals.

Review
Check the procedure you are following at least annually to ensure you are getting the best results from your equipment. Make use of the data you observer and adjust the process if appropriate.