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F10 Multi-Gas Analyzer

User Manual

Table of contents

1. Sales package content ...................................................................... 42.Technical specifications ..................................................................... 43. Safety Considerations ..................................................................... 54.Setup ..................................................................................................... 5

Operational environment ............................................................... 5Product assembly .............................................................................. 6Front view .......................................................................................... 7Rear view ............................................................................................ 8Data connections .............................................................................. 8Gas connections .............................................................................. 8

5. Operation ........................................................................................... 9Connecting and disconnecting gas ................................................ 9Starting up the analyzer ................................................................... 9Shutting down the analyzer ............................................................ 10Philosophy of operation .................................................................. 10Setup menu ....................................................................................... 10Measure page ..................................................................................... 18Measurement task creation ............................................................ 18Measurement .................................................................................... 23Calibrate menu .................................................................................. 25Calibration task ................................................................................. 25Pre-calibration file download ......................................................... 27Calibration set-up ............................................................................ 27Calibration with gas ......................................................................... 29Backup of the current calibration library .................................... 33Restore of the previous calibration library ................................. 33Calibration history ........................................................................... 33File Manager ....................................................................................... 33Help ..................................................................................................... 34Recovery from a power cut ........................................................... 34

6. Connecting external devices .......................................................... 357. Service ................................................................................................. 35

Replacing gas filters ......................................................................... 35Replacing the fuse ............................................................................ 36Warning and failure messages ....................................................... 36Contacting Gasera Ltd. for service ............................................... 39Shipping the module for service .................................................. 39

Copyright © 2011 Gasera Ltd

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed by any means without prior written authorization of Gasera Ltd.

Version 2.6

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1. Sales package content

Gasera F10 Multi-Gas Analyzer Mains cable 2 pcs 25 mm particle filters inside the filter holders Fuse, T 1A 250V (EU version) Fuse, T 2A 250V (US version) User Manual

2. Technical specifications

1. Materials in contact with gas: Viton (FPM, fluoro elastomer rubber) NBR (nitrile rubber) BaF2 window Gold (cantilever and PA cell) Glass(BK7) (beamsplitter) Nickel (gas exchange unit block, tube connectors) PTFE (tubes, particle filters)

2. Total internal gas volume: 30 ml

3. Weight: 12,5 kg

4. Dimensions: 48,4 cm W x 13,9 cm H x 40,5 cm D (19,1 in W x 5,5 in H x 16,0 in D)

5. Pressure sensor: Patented ultra-sensitive optical microphone based on a MEMS cantilever sensor coupled with a laser interferometer to measure microscopic movement of the cantilever sensor.

6. Operational temperature range: 0 °C – +45 °C

7. Operational humidity range: Below 90% (non-condensing).

8. Operational pressure range: Outside pressure: ATM Sample gas pressure inside the photoacoustic gas cell: 0.3 bar – 0.99 bar (absolute values)

9. Electrical connections: Input voltage: 100 - 240Vac, 50 - 60 Hz Input power: 100W max.

10. Safety standards: EN61010-1 (2001), IEC 61010-1 (2001), CAN/CSA-C22.2 No. 61010-1 (2004) and UL 61010-1 (2004 incl. rev. 2005)

5F10 Multi-Gas Analyzer - User Manual

3. Safety Considerations

The Gasera F10 Multi-Gas Analyzer complies with EN 61010-1; Safety requirements for electri-cal equipment for measurement, control, and laboratory use. To ensure safe operation, follow the instructions below.

EXPLOSION HAZARD! To avoid the possibility of an explosion, monitoring of flammable gases in explosive concentrations must never be attempted.

Do not operate the instrument in a potentially explosive environment

When monitoring gases that are potentially flammable or toxic, place the instrument in a well-ventilated area and use appropriate gas tubing to carry out the sampled gas to the open air or to a filtration/extraction unit.

The instrument contains a laser product. An open instrument should not be used under voltage.

If the function or the operating safety of the instrument has been deteriorated, the instrument must be made inoperative and secured against unintended operation

If the instrument gives a failure notification that indicates that correct function of the instrument may be deteriorated, consult your local Gasera representative. Under no circumstance should repair be attempted by a person who is not qualified in the service of electronic instrumentation.

Any adjustment, maintenance or repair of the instrument other than guided in section Product assembly and in section 7 Service, must be carried out only by trained service personnel.

Before using the instrument, verify that the available mains voltage meets the instrument technical specifications, and that the correct fuse is installed.

Turn off all electrical equipment before connecting/disconnecting to the instrument. Failure to do so can damage the equipment.

The instrument is equipped with an overpressure protection valve to prevent the detector from damage caused by excess gas pressure. Do not, however, allow the incoming gas pressure to exceed 2.0 bar.

4. Setup

Operational environment

The F10 Multi-Gas Analyzer includes a highly sensitive pressure sensor for detecting small pressure pulses inside the closed sample cell which are generated by the absorption of infrared light in the sample gas. In order to achieve an optimal signal-to-noise ratio the amount of vibrational noise should be minimized.

The device is intended to be used under laboratory, light industry, or clean industry conditions. It will not tolerate direct contact with water, high amounts of dust or heavy vibration.

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Product assembly

The device will be assembled either in a 19” standard instrument rack or on a solid surface capable of supporting the device in a horizontal position with the maximum inclination of ten degrees in any direction. When assembled in the rack the handles must be removed and the device must be mounted in the rack with screws. Both in the rack and on the table, a sufficient space in the back of the device must be secured for the gas tubes and for the mains cable. In the rack assembly it’s also recommended that any instruments producing lots of heat will not be installed directly underneath the device, or if it’s necessary, an empty space of half a unit will be provided in between the instru-ments. The instrument mains power switch is located in the back and therefore it’s recommended also to arrange easy access to the switch.

Before the assembly the transportation support shown in the figure below must be opened. In order to open the transportation support pull the locking knob and rotate the lever counterclockwise 90° until the knob will lock the lever again.

THE TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT MUST BE USED DURING THE TRANSPORT

BEFORE USE THE TRANSPORTATION SUPPORT MUST BE OPENED

THE DEVICE IS EqUIPPED WITH A MECHANICAL VIBRATION ISOLATION SySTEM. TILT-ING OF THE UNIT WILL REDUCE THE EFFICIENCy OF THE VIBRATION DAMPING RE-SULTING IN AN INCREASED MEASUREMENT RESPONSE TIME.

In order to close the transportation support pull the locking knob and rotate the lever clockwise 90° until the knob will lock the lever.


There’s a risk of condensation inside the instrument if the device is transferred from an air-condi-tioned space to a hot and moist air. The moist will disappear from the system during the warm-up period. For more effi cient removal of the condensed water let the unit warm up properly and then purge the unit for several minutes with nitrogen through the sample 1 in gas connector.

Front view

There are eight buttons, a display and a USB-connector in the front panel. The symbols of the buttons correspond to the functions that they carry in different pages of the user interface. The meanings of the symbols are as follows.

Move/scroll up

Move/scroll down

Move left

Move right/next scene/open legend

Cancel/step backwards

Return

Enter/select

Help

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Data connections

USB CLIENT For computer connections there is a standard USB 1.1 type B connector (4) in the rear panel.

USB HOST For external USB devices there is a standard USB 1.1 type A female connector (12) in the front

panel.

ETHERNET There is an RJ-45 connector (2) in the rear panel. The device can be connected to Ethernet with

a standard RJ-45 CAT5 cable.

RS-232 There is a RS-232 serial bus connection (6) in the real panel for external devices.

RS-485 There is a RS-485 serial bus connection (7) in the real panel for external devices.

CF There is a slot for the external Compact Flash Type I module (3) in the rear panel. Please con-

tact the manufacturer for a list of supported CF devices.

Gas connections

The connectors for gas are located in the rear panel. There are two connectors for incoming gas (11) and one connector for exhaust gas (10). All fittings are for a tube of 6 mm OD / 4 mm ID. It is recommended that stainless steel or PTFE (or a similar Teflon® related plastic) tubing will be used for incoming gas in order to prevent the adsorbtion of gas in the gas line.

There is also a connector for the measurement unit purging (8). This purging can be used, if inert (e.g. nitrogen) gas is required in between the IR source and photoacoustic cell. Normally this purging option is not needed. Contact Gasera for further information of this feature.

Rear view

712 6 5 14 3 2891011

USB host (front) Sample outSample in PurgeTransportation lock RS-485 RS-232 Reset USB client CF Ethernet Mains power


The sales package includes the particle filters (Acrodisc® AP-4225A ) for both incoming gas lines. The filters are located inside the filter holders. The gas filters are needed in preventing dust and other small particles entering the instrument.

5. Operation

Connecting and disconnecting gas

Connect the two gas tubes into the sample 1 in and sample 2 in gas connectors either by pressing the bare end of the tube a few millimeters inside the connector (snap-in fittings), by locking the tube inside the fitting with the collar (push-on fittings) or by inserting the tube against the shoulder inside the fitting, tightening the nut until the tube will not turn by hand and then tightening the nut one and a quarter turns further while holding the fitting body steady (Swagelok fittings).

Connect the exhaust gas line into sample out gas connector correspondingly. If the exhaust gas line is not connected the device will discharge the incoming gases into the ambient air next to the analyzer.When removing the gas tube from the gas connector, press the collar firmly towards the connector and pull out the tube (snap-in fittings) or unlock the collar with a twist and then pull out the tube (push-on fittings). Do not twist or bend the body of the gas connectors.

To ensure the reliability of the results, the incoming sample gas pressure should not exceed 1050 mbar in calibration and during the measurement.

Starting up the analyzer

Connect the mains cable. Turn on the analyzer by pressing the mains power switch (1) in the rear panel into position — . The device will start the four-step self test routine seen below.

When the self test is complete the device will automatically open the Measure menu. If there’s an error in the self test the device will give the user a failure notification.

The analyzer warm-up procedure takes from few minutes to a quarter of an hour depend-ing on the initial temperature of the device. The different functions of the user interface can be accessed during the warm-up period, however measurement and calibration tasks can not be started before the internal tem-perature of the device shown in the upper right corner of the display reaches + 50 ° C. When the unit is ready the temperature read-ing turns green.

NEVER USE THE DEVICE WITHOUT GAS FILTERS IN THE INCOMING GAS LINES

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Shutting down the analyzer

The analyzer can be turned off by pressing the mains power switch into position O.

Philosophy of operation

The menu for the main functions is located on top of the display. The main menu can be accessed by pressing the button . Buttons are used for moving from one function to the other. The func-tions can be activated by pressing . When any of the main functions are activated the green cursor appears on top the column on the left. The cursor can be moved up and down with buttons .Selection of the highlighted function is done by pressing . When the function is selected, the cursor moves one step right to the next column providing further functions. Cancelling the selection or moving backwards in columns is done by pressing .

If the selected function requires the user to input data, a new window with fields for cor-responding information will open. A typical view of the window is shown left.

Moving up and down in the window is done with buttons and the selection of the highlighted function is done by pressing . When completed the user has to confirm the given data by selecting ok on the bottom of the page and pressing . Selecting cancel will return the user to the previous window with-out saving the given data.

Setup menuWhen starting up the device for the first time the user must activate the Setup menu by pressing and selecting Setup.If the setup parameters have already been given the user is able to proceed to creating a measurement task or to start measuring.

In the Setup menu the user is able to define the fixed parameters for the device. In System config the user is able to set both the normal-ization temperature and the length of the ex-ternal tube of the incoming sample gas.


NORM. TEMP.

Absolute units of mg/m3 and Tdew are tem-perature dependent. When displaying the gas concentration in mg/m3 or the humidity in Tdew the analysis result will be automatically corrected to a reference temperature which is called the normalization temperature.

Normalization temperature can be selected from the pre-set values of 0, 20°C and 25°C. The default is 20°C. To change the tempera-ture, select Norm. temp and activate the field Normalization temp. Set the unit with buttons

. Confirm and proceed by selecting ok. Press to return to the Setup menu.

TUBE LENGTH

The parameter Tube length has an impact on the efficiency of the gas exchange procedure in an automatic exchange mode. Based on the length of the sample gas tube the device ad-justs the duration of the sample gas and purge gas exchange events. The initial event, corre-sponding to the tube length of zero, takes ap-proximately six seconds. Tube length of zero is applicable when there’s no gas tube attached to the device. Each addition of one meter in tube length increases the gas exchange time with approximately one second.

The tube length can be set from 0 to 100 m. In order to set the length, select Tube length and activate the field Tube length. The function Insert tube length will be activated in the upper right corner of the display. The default length is 1 m. Set the length by using buttons for selecting the value and but-tons for moving the cursor left and right. When the length is set, confirm and proceed further by selecting ok. Return to the Setup menu.

LONGER GAS ExCHANGE EVENTS MAy OCCUR IN LOWER AMBIENT PRESSURE

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UNITS

The user can select the unit for length, pres-sure, temperature, concentration and humid-ity. Select Units and move the cursor up and down in the table with buttons . To change the unit, activate the highlighted field, then set the unit with buttons and con-firm. When the table is completed, confirm and proceed by selecting ok.

In the Device config the user is able to set the units that will be used when to present the measurement results, adjust the date and time settings of the device, activate the screen saver function, set the communication param-eters for an external network and serial in-terface, make a selection of optical filters and gases, and activate the key-lock function.

CLOCK

The Clock function will open a time-setting window. Select Clock and move the cursor up and down in the window to set the date, time and time format. All these settings can be changed by moving the cursor over the modified field using buttons , activat-ing the field, changing the value with buttons

and confirming the setting. When the date, time and time format are set proceed by selecting close. The device updates the clock automatically.


DISPLAy

The function Display will open a window for controlling the screen saver. Select Display and activate the field Screen saver. To change the status of the screen saver press and confirm. When the status is set, confirm and proceed by selecting ok.

When in operation the screen saver will ac-tivate in ten minutes if the keys are not used. The default setting for the screen saver is Off.

NETWORK

The user can set the device IP-address for communication with external networks. The function Network will open up a window for automatic and manual network configuration.

By default the device will use DHCP. The IP-address can be given manually by activating the Use DHCP field and changing the value to No with buttons . When the selection is confirmed, user has access to the IP addr., Subnet and Default GW fields. In order to change the address, activate the correspond-ing address field and the Insert address func-tion will appear in the upper right corner of the display. Use buttons and to set the address. When the address has been given confirm it. When all the network con-figurations have been set confirm them and proceed further by selecting ok.

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INTERFACE

The user can access to the real-time measurement results via RS-232 and RS-485 data outputs.

The RS-232 and RS-485 functions will open a Serial port window in which the user can set the data transfer parameters including Output type, Baud rate, number of Data bits, Parity, number of Stop bits, Flow control (only RS-232), and analog output Scaling (only RS-485). Select RS-232 or RS-485 and move the cursor up and down in the table with buttons

. To change the parameter, activate the highlighted field, then set the parameter with buttons and confirm. When the table is completed, confirm and proceed by selecting ok.

There are four options for the RS-485 and RS-232 parameter: No – There is no output from either serial port, Automatic – ASCII format output data is sent each time when new measurement results are ready, On demand – ASCII format output data is sent only when it is requested by an external data

logging device. The request command consists of 4 bytes where the most significant byte is “1”. The command could be declared e.g. as, ByTE rs232_tx[] = {1,0, 0, 0};

Analog out (Only RS-485) – Serial data is sent to an external device, analog interface module, which is connected to the RS-485 connection. In this mode the serial port parameters should not be changed.

When Analog out is selected for the RS-485 output, the user can scale the analog output range cor-responding to the measurement range. Setting the scaling field to Set will open the table Analog out limits. Set the concentrations that correspond minimum (4 mA or 0 V) and maximum (20 mA or 10 V) output signals for each gas in the list by selecting the highlighted field and inserting the minimum or maximum concentration with buttons and in the upper right corner of the display. The analog output has 14-bit DA converter, e.g., if minimum conc. is set to 0 ppm and maximum conc. to 16 383 ppm, the resolution of the analog output is 1 ppm.


When the range has been given, confirm the table and proceed by selecting ok.

Analog output requires an external Analog Interface Module that provides the current or voltage output. The correspondence of the gas order number and the output port of the Analog Interface Module are shown in the table below.

Table 1. Output ports of the Analog Interface

Gas# Voltage output Current output

1 A1 A10

2 A2 A9

3 A3 A8

4 A4 A7

5 B1 B10

6 B2 B9

7 B3 B8

8 B4 B7

The cabling instructions for other devices can be found in chapter 6. Connecting external devices.

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GASES

The details of the gases that the device has been configured to measure can be examined in the Gases table.

Gas can be reselected or removed from the table by moving the cursor over the gas, acti-vating the field and selecting either a new gas from the list or the text Remove gas with but-tons Confirm the selection and accept the table by selecting ok.

When the gas is removed from the table it will not be measured in any of the measure-ment tasks programmed in the device.

OPTICAL FILTERS

The user can examine the parameters of the optical filters that have been installed in the device by opening the table Filters. The table can be closed by selecting Cancel.

Normally the channel integration time (ex-plained in chapter Measurement task creation and chapter Calibration CIT) is equal for all the filters. However, it is possible to increase the integration period for certain filters in order to achieve lower detection limits for certain gases without significantly increasing the measurement response time. The value in the column CIT multiplier is the multiplica-tion factor for the corresponding filter. Setting the value to 2 will double the channel integration time defined for the measurement task for that particular filter. The CIT multipliers influence all the measurements.

In some cases the user can also reselect the filters for certain gases among the optical filters that have been installed. However it is recommended that factory settings of filters will not be altered without consulting the manufacturer.

KEyLOCK

The purpose of the key lock is to eliminate accidental interruptions by users during the long moni-toring events.


RUN SELF-TEST

The function Run self-test will engage the four-step self test routine described above. Select Run self-test.

VIEW CONFIG

The function View config will open the con-figuration summary window in which all the current parameters of the system and the device are displayed.

The settings given in the Setup page will be automatically saved. When the setup is com-plete, move on change to the next menu by pressing and select the desired menu.

The function Keylock will open a window for controlling the key lock. Select Keylock and ac-tivate the field Keylock. By default the key lock is Off. To change the status of the key lock press and confirm. When the key lock is On, give the four-digit pass code by activat-ing the field Passcode, then type in the code using the arrow keys and confirm the entry. When the status is set, select ok to confirm and proceed.

When in operation, the key lock will activate in five minutes if the keys are not used. The default setting for the key lock is Off.

THE KEy LOCK WILL RESET ITSELF, INCLUDING THE PASSCODE, WHEN

THE ANALyzER IS TURNED OFF

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Measure page

In the Measure menu the user is able to create new measurement tasks, edit previously given tasks and start measurements

Measurement task creation

Select Create task.

The Create task window will open.

NAMING THE MEASUREMENT TASK

Select Taskname and the function Insert task-name will be activated in the upper right cor-ner of the display. The default name of the measurement task is the date of the event added with two digit running serial number. To modify the name, use buttons for selecting the characters and buttons for moving the cursor to the left and right. The maximum length of the name is 16 characters. Confirm the name with .

SELECTING THE GAS ExCHANGE PROCEDURE

Once the measurement task has been set, the gas exchange procedure will be identified. The function Gas exchange will activate the table of parameters on the right side of the display. Select Gas exchange and move the cursor up and down in the table to define the parameters for gas sampling.

By default the device is set to Automatic. In this mode the device utilizes a pre-programmed gas ex-change routine.


When Automatic is set to No the user can set Num. of cycles, the number of cosecutive pumping events in one exchange cycle, to be from one to twenty and Flush time, the dura-tion of a single pumping event, to be from one to ten seconds.When Automatic is set to No and Pre-sampling is set to Yes the user can set Bypass time, the duration of the flushing period of the sample in gas line prior to opening the gas cell for the gas sample, to be from 1 to 100 seconds.

To change the parameter, activate the high-lighted field, set the parameter with buttons

and confirm. When all the parameters have been determined, confirm the table and select ok to proceed.

In Gas exchange the gas will always enter the device through the sample 1 in gas connector and exit the device through the sample out gas connector.

SELECTING THE PURIFyING PROCEDURE

When the gas exchange procedure has been configured, define the purifying procedure. The function Purge mode will activate the table of parameters for sampling the purge gas dur-ing the measurement task on the right side of the display. Select Purge mode and move the cursor up and down in the table to define the parameters.

By default all the parameters are No. In that mode the gas in the gas cell is replaced with a new sample during each pumping sequence. When any of the parameters Automatic, Flush purge or Tube purge is set to Yes, the device will flush the gas cell and/or the internal gas lines with purge gas after each measurement prior to a new sampling.

When Automatic is set to Yes the device utilizes a pre-programmed purifying routine.

THE PRE-SAMPLING ByPASS TIME OF ONE SECOND CORRESPONDS TO THE LENGTH OF ONE METER OF THE RECOMMENDED INCOMING GAS LINE

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When Automatic is set to No and Flush purge is set to Yes, the user can set the Num. of cycles, the number of consecutive pumping events in one purifying cycle, to be from one to ten events and the Flush time, the duration of a single pumping event, to be from one to ten seconds. In that mode the gas sample in the gas cell and internal gas lines will be replaced with purge gas.

When Automatic and Flush purge are both set to No and Tube purge is set to Yes, the user can set the Tube flush time, the duration of a single pumping event, to be from one to ten seconds. In that mode only the internal gas lines will be purified leaving the gas cell sealed during the operation.

In order to change the parameters activate the highlighted field, set the parameter using buttons and confirm. When all the parameters have been inserted, confirm the table and proceed by

selecting ok.

In the Purge mode the gas will always enter the device through the sample 2 in gas connector and exit the device from sample out gas connector. The sample gas exchange cycle will always follow the purifying cycle.

DEFINING THE MONITORING PERIOD

When the purifying mode has been set define the monitoring period. The function Monitor-ing period will open the table Mon. period on the right side of the display.

Select Monitoring period and move the cursor up and down in the table to define the param-eters for monitoring.

By default Continuous is set to Yes. In that mode the device cycles the measurement task and continues to monitor until the user stops the measurement.

When Continuous is set to No, the user can define the length of the monitoring period by entering the number of days, hours and minutes in the field Period length. The maximum length of the period is one year.

When the Task delay is set to something other than zero the device adds a waiting period between the measurement tasks. The period is defined in hours, minutes and seconds. The maximum task delay is 24 hours. The default Task delay is zero.

When the Start delay is set to something other than zero the device will delay the start of the moni-toring period. The delay in defined in hours, minutes and seconds. The maximum start delay is 24 hours. By default there is no delay.

To change the parameters, activate the highlighted field and the time insert window will open in the upper right corner of the display. Use buttons for selecting numbers, and buttons for mov-


ing the cursor left and right to set the time. When the parameter is set, you must confirm it. When all the configurations for the monitoring period are set, confirm the table and proceed by selecting ok.

SETTING THE CHANNEL INTEGRATION TIME (CIT)

Response time, the period of time from the start of the gas exchange event to the display of the measurement results is mainly consisting of the gas exchange time and the channel integration time. By default the gas exchange routine takes less than twenty seconds when the analyte gas is located close to the instrument and additional purification is not needed. Thus the channel integration time, the period of time of detect-ing the signal of individual optical filter, has a greater impact on the response time in multi-gas application. The table below gives an ex-ample of the impact of the channel integration time on response time with different measure-ment tasks. The values are indicative and may vary depending on the ambient conditions, the selectivity requirements for analyte gases and the overall setup of the measurement system.

Table 2. Examples of response time

To set the channel integration time, select Channel integration time and the function Insert CIT will be activated in the upper right corner of the display. The default integration time is one second. Use buttons for selecting numbers and buttons for moving the cursor left and right to set the time. The maximum channel integration time is 999 seconds. Confirm the parameter with .

The longer the channel integration time, the better the sensitivity is. When changing the integration time the theoretical lower detection limit can be calculated by dividing the given detection limit by the square root of the factor of change. Therefore a four times longer integration period results in detection limits that are two times lower. The given device detection limits are based on the integra-tion time of five seconds.

CIT (sec.) Gas exchange procedure No. of gases Response time (sec.)

1 Automatic/default 1 + water 20




LONGER CHANNEL INTEGRATION TIME PROVIDES GREATER PRECISION

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SELECTING THE ANALySIS MODE

After setting the sample integration time, select the mode for the analysis. The function Analysis mode allows the user to choose between normal and differential measurement. Select Analysis mode and use buttons to set the mode. Confirm the parameter.

The default mode is normal. In the differential mode the device takes two consecutive sam-ples, analyzes them both and displays the dif-ference of the two samples. The first sample is taken through the sample 1 in gas connector and the second sample through the sample 2 in gas connector. In certain applications air is used as the carrier gas. In certain applications air is used as the carrier gas. This function gives the user the possibility to measure a reference sample of air in each measurement thus cancelling the effect of the carrier gas in the results.

SETTING THE ALARM LEVELS FOR GASES

The user can set concentration limit for each gas that activate the alarm. Select Alarms and move the cursor up and down the table to access the different gases. Select a gas and use buttons to select alarm mode. The four modes of alarm are Output, Visual, Sound, and All. Confirm the mode.

In the Output mode the device sends an alarm-signal to the external instrument con-nected to the device’s Data connections. For detailed information on connecting an exter-nal instrument and/or transferring data please contact Gasera’s service department. In the Visual mode the device displays an alarm notification on screen. In Sound mode the device gives an audible notification and when All is selected the device will activate all the previous actions. Once you’ve chosen the mode you can set the concentration limits by using buttons to access the Caution and Warning fields. To change the parameters activate the highlighted field. The function Insert limit will be activated in the upper right corner of the display. Use buttons for selecting numbers and buttons for moving the cursor left and right. The mini-mum value for alarm limit is 1 ppm. After you have determined the concentration you must confirm. When all alarm limits have been set, confirm the table and proceed by selecting ok.

The caution and warning signals are different in all the modes. Longer beeps of the buzzer and warning-window with red header are associated with Warning. By default no alarms have been set.


CONFIRMING THE MEASUREMENT TASK

When all the parameters are set, confirm the task and proceed by selecting ok. Selecting cancel will close the Create task window with-out saving the given task.

Measurement

When the measurement task is created it will appear on the left side of the Measure menu. Maximum number of tasks displayed is five. When more than five tasks are programmed arrows will appear in the column indicating that the user can scroll down.

Selecting a task will open a column for running, editing and deleting the task.

RUNNING THE MEASUREMENT TASK

Select Run to start the measurement. The de-vice will open a configuration window similar to the function View config in Setup menu. All the parameters of the current measurement task will be displayed. Check and confirm the Config report. The device will start the mea-surement routine and open the window for measurement results. The time in which the results will be displayed on the screen de-pends on the parameters given for the task and may vary from few seconds to several minutes. The blue bar in the bottom of the display will show the progress of the mea-surement.

The numerical display below is the default view for measurement results. Gas concentration will be presented in four digits and with an automatic scaling in the measurement range. In case of a single measurement the results are displayed until the user presses button . In case of a continuous or periodical measurement the display will be updated along with each new sample.

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Pressing button will change the display mode from the numerical display to the trend view. Pressing again will open the Config re-port. Pressing for a third time will bring the numerical display back.

In the trend view the concentrations of all gases that are being measured will be dis-played graphically as a function of the mea-surement event. Therefore each new sample will alter the scale of the trend. The user is able to select a gas in the legend on the right side of the trend by moving the cursor with buttons . Confirming the highlighted gas will either remove it from the display or bring it back to the trend depending on the previ-ous state. If the gas with the highest concen-tration is removed from the display the trend rescales itself based on the concentrations of the remaining gases.

The active measurement can be either halted or terminated with . When paused, the device will finalize the current measurement event and then wait for new orders. When terminated, the device will save the measurement results and return to Measure menu.

EDITING TASK

The user can modify the measurement task prior to the measurement by selecting Edit.

The device will open the Edit task window which is similar to the Create task window. When the modified task is confirmed, the user returns to the previous view.


DELETING TASK

The user can erase a measurement task from the Measure menu by selecting Delete. When confirmed the highlighted task will be erased.

Calibrate menu

The instrument calibration is performed by measuring the signal levels obtained from all optical filters for each gas. Zero-gas (e.g. nitrogen) and water vapour are always measured in the calibration procedure and compensated from the span-calibration data. A modelled non-linear response curve is loaded as a factory pre-calibration, and therefore only single-point calibration is required for obtain-ing linear range of over five orders of magnitude.

In the calibrate menu the user can set the calibration parameters, download the pre-calibration files, start the calibration routine, transfer the previously created calibration libraries into a mass memory or a linked de-vice, download calibration libraries from a mass memory or a linked device and examine the calibration history.

Calibration task

To define the calibration parameters, select Calibration task and the Edit calibration task window will open.

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THE CALIBRATION CIT DEFINES THE DEFAULT INTEGRATION TIME FOR THE COMING MEASUREMENT TASKS. THE BEST PERFORMANCE WILL BE ACHIEVED WHEN BOTH THE MEASUREMENT AND THE CALIBRATION ARE DONE WITH EqUAL INTEGRATION TIMES.

THE REMAINS OF ANy ADDITIONAL GAS IN THE GAS CELL WILL DETERIORATE THE CALIBRATION LIBRARy. THEREFORE PROPER FLUSHING OF THE GAS CELL IN THE BEGINNING OF BACKGROUND AND SPAN CALIBRATION IS RECOMMENDED.

CHANNEL INTEGRATION TIME (CIT)

To set the channel integration time for cali-bration, select Channel integration time and the function Insert CIT will be activated in the upper right corner of the display. The default integration time is five seconds. Use buttons

to select numbers and buttons to move the cursor left and right to set the time. The maximum channel integration time is 999 seconds. Confirm the parameter with

.

GAS ExCHANGE PARAMETERS

The function Gas exchange will activate the table of parameters on the right side of the display. Select Gas exchange and move the cursor up and down in the table to define the parameters for gas sampling in calibration.

First cycle defines the number of consecutive pumping events in the first gas exchange cycle of back-ground or span calibration. By default the value is 40. Other cycles defines the number of consecutive pumping events in the following gas exchange cycles. By default the value is 20. Exchange period defines the duration of a single pumping event. By default the value is one second. To change the parameter, activate the highlighted field, set the parameter with buttons and confirm. When the parameters have been determined, confirm the table and select ok to proceed.


Pre-calibration file download

Before the first calibration event or if the de-vice will be used to measure gas that is not included in the initial setup configuration a pre-calibration file must be downloaded into the device memory.

To input the file connect a standard USB memory stick to the USB host port in the front panel of the device and select the func-tion Pre-cal files. The device file manager win-dow will open showing the pre-calibration files in the memory stick directory \Gasera\CalibData. Copy the pre-calibration files one by one to the device memory. The detailed instructions for copying are given in chapter 5 File manager.

Pre-calibration files can be removed from the device memory. However it’s not necessarily to erase unused pre-calibration files. If you choose to remove the file change the active location to device memory by selecting [SD Card]. Highlight the file in the list and delete it. Instructions for deleting a file can be found in chapter 5 File manager.

The file manager can also be used to copy pre-calibration files from the device memory to a memory stick and to erase pre-calibration files in the memory stick respectively.

Calibration set-up

The general equipment required for calibration includes certified gas cylinders of all the calibration gases, a flow meter, three pieces of stainless steel or PTFE (or similar Teflon® related plastic) tubes with the recommended length of one meter, and a “T”-shape gas connector.

NUMBER OF MEASUREMENTS

The function Number of measurements will activate the field on the right side of the dis-play. Select Number of measurements to define the amount of consecutive gas samples which measurement results will be used to calcu-late the calibration data in the background or span calibration. By default the value is 10.

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Connect the open end of the first gas tube in the flow meter. Connect the second gas tube in the pressure regulator of the calibration gas cylinder. Please make sure that the gas cylinder is firmly placed and secured to prevent falling. Place the F10 on a steady, vibration free table and connect the third gas tube in the particle filter attached to the sample 1 in gas connector.

It is recommended that the gas from both the flow meter and the sample out connector of F10 will be vented into the fume hood or a controlled environment. This is especially important if the calibra-tion gas is hazardous.

USING THE FLOW METER

The flow meter can be utilized in controlling the gas flow during the calibration. It is important that throughout the calibration process the gas pressure in the output of the regulator exceeds the ambi-ent pressure supporting a gas flow of 1.2 liters per minute or more.

USING THE WATER BATH

When calibrating water vapour as well as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or nitrous oxide, clean wet gas shall be used. A moist calibration gas can be produced with the water bath system shown in the figure below. To ensure the measurement accuracy, monitor the temperature of the water during the calibration with a precision temperature meter and precisely calculate the corresponding con-centration. Only use pure, distilled water that is free from the dissolved gases.

GAS CONNECTIONS

Connect all tubes in the “T”-shape connector according to the figure below.

0,9

0,7

0,5

0,3

0,1

CALIBRATION GAS CyLINDER F10 GAS ANALyzER

TEFLON TUBETEFLON TUBE

TEFLON TUBE

“T” - SHAPE CONNECTOR

GAS FLOW

FLOW METERPRESSURE REGULATOR


Use of certified gases with the accuracy of ± 2 % or better is preferred. The recommended concen-tration of the calibration gas is 100-1000 times the lower detection limit for that gas.

Calibration with gas

Prior to calibration let the F10 warm up for 60 minutes. Ensure that a steady gas flow with a minimum of 1.2 liters per minute is available throughout the whole calibration process for all the gases.

CALIBRATION START

Start gas calibration by selecting the func-tion Start. The device will show the gases that can be calibrated. In case the intended gas is missing from the list cancel the action and download the corresponding pre-calibration file. When confirmed the Calibration window will appear.

In case the device will be calibrated for the first time, the calibration must be started with a background (zero-point) calibration. the calibration must be started with a back-ground (zero-point) calibration. The recom-mended classification of the zero-point cali-bration gas is 5.6 or better. Normally scientific nitrogen (N2) will be used in the calibration. In case the background gas is other than nitrogen, please contact the manufacturer for further information.

FROM CALIBRATION GAS CyLINDER WATER VAPOUR TO FLOW METER

“T” - SHAPE CONNECTOR

TO F10

WATER AT A CONSTANT TEMPERATURE EMPTy FLASK TO ACT AS A SAFETy VALVE

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The rest of the gases can be calibrated in the order of convenience. However it is recommended that the user will follow the calibration routine provided by the device.

The calibration library is a combination of several individual gas calibration data files. Therefore it is possible to calibrate the device one gas at a time and update the calibration library occasionally. However, to secure the accuracy with all the gases it is recommended to calibrate all the gases at once including the background.

BACKGROUND CALIBRATION

Select N2 calibration with buttons and

confirm the selection. Connect the Nitrogen sample in the sample 1 in gas connector. Start the calibration with . The device will start flushing the measurement cell with nitrogen. After each flushing period the signal value of the most significant channel will be displayed on the screen.

It’s likely that, when previously used, there is moisture and remains of the previously mea-sured sample gas in the photoacoustic gas cell. To ensure the removal of all the remains proper flushing of several hours is recom-mended.

If the sample gases have cross interference with water special attention has to be paid to the removal of water. The figure below illustrates the removal of water from the measurement system during the background calibration. The moisture is ejected in steps and therefore it’s important to continue flushing until the stabile phase has been achieved. Based on the experience the satisfactory back-ground calibration requires approximately 200 consecutive flushing periods before the calibration measurement can be started.

Water signal trend during the background calibration

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When the signal is stabile start the calibra-tion measurement with . After each mea-surement the signal values of the three most significant channels will be displayed on the screen. The calibration can be accepted when the sampling criteria defined in the Calibra-tion task has been fulfilled.

When the calibration is completed the device will ask the user to confirm the use of the new calibration data.

SINGLE GAS SPAN CALIBRATION

Select the gas with buttons and confirm the selection. Follow the gas calibration pro-cedure by inserting the calibration gas con-centration and by connecting the calibration gas sample in the sample 1 in gas connector according to the instructions on the display. The concentration is inserted similarly to set-ting the Alarm levels instructed on page 22. Confirm the concentration with .

The device will start the span calibration. Af-ter each calibration measurement the signal values of the three most significant channels will be displayed on the screen. The trend view of all the channels can be accessed by pressing button . Pressing again will open the Calibration summary window. The previous view can be returned by pressing for a third time.

In the trend view the signals of all channels that are being measured will be displayed graphically as a function of the measurement event. Therefore each new sample will alter the scale of the trend. The user is able to se-lect a channel in the legend on the right side of the trend by moving the cursor with but-tons . Confirming the highlighted chan-nel will either remove it from the display or

bring it back to the trend depending on the previous state. If the channel with the highest signal is removed from the display the trend rescales itself based on the signals of the remaining channels.

32

The calibration can be accepted when the sampling criteria defined in the Calibration task has been fulfilled. Acceptance of the cali-bration should be based on the information of the signal values and standard deviations of the filters on the screen. Typically the devia-tion of less than one percent indicates that the calibration results are stabile and can be used. For more detailed information of the signal levels for different gases and filters please contact the local distributor. When the calibration is accepted the device will ask the user to confirm the use of the new calibra-tion data.

The user can either halt or cancel the calibration by pressing during the event. When paused, the device will finalize the current calibration measurement and then wait for new orders. The user can exit the calibration routine be pressing in the Calibration window.

HUMIDITy CALIBRATION (H2O)

Humidity calibration is a special case of single gas calibration and will follow the span calibration pro-cedure described above. For the calibration, H2O gas can be produced by moisturizing nitrogen with the water bath system described in the previous chapter. The recommended steady temperature of the water is 12°C corresponding to the water concentration of 1.2 %.

SPAN CALIBRATION OF CO, CO2 AND N2O

In the span calibration of CO, CO2, N2O the calibration gas shall be moisturized. In the photoacoustic phenomenon the energy that the gas absorbs may be unintentionally transferred to another gas be-fore being released, thus delaying the photoacoustic signal and creating an error in the measurement result. The phenomenon is called relaxation and it affects the measurement of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide when the gas is mixed with high concentration of nitrogen. The relaxation can be prevented by adding water to the sample gas. Water molecules will speed up the energy release of the nitrogen molecules and therefore prevent the delay and cancel the error in the measurement result. Due to the large amount of nitrogen in the air the relaxation always occurs when monitoring ambient air. Since air also contains an adequate amount of water the measurement results are not affected. If the climate is very dry or the composition of the sample gas in general is favorable to the relaxation the results of CO, CO2 and N2O may be compromised.

The relaxation occurs in certain spectral range and therefore affects only certain optical filters. In F10 the range is from 2000 cm-1 to 2400 cm-1 and the threshold of the water concentration is 8000 ppm. To prevent relaxation from affecting the calibration the CO, CO2 and N2O gases must be moisturized similarly to the nitrogen in the humidity calibration above or the optical filters band must be selected outside the spectral range above.

The analyzer is factory calibrated. It is suggested that the first recalibration will be done at the latest twelve (12) months after the start of use.


Backup of the current calibration library

Connect a USB memory stick to the USB host port in the front panel of the device. Select Copy library. When confirmed the calibration data will be copied in the memory stick directory \Gasera\CalibData. A notification will appear when backup is ready.

Restore of the previous calibration library

Connect a USB memory stick to the USB host port in the front panel of the device. Select Download lib.. When confirmed the calibration data will be copied from the memory stick directory \Gasera\CalibData. A notification will appear when the restore is ready.

Calibration history

Select Show history. The device will show all the previous calibration events.

File Manager

Each measurement event will be stored in the device memory as a tabular data of comma-separated values. In the File manager menu the user is able to manage the measurement data files and device log-files. Select the file by moving the cursor with buttons . Press button to open the legend on the right side of the file. Scroll up and down in the legend to select the function. The legend can be closed with .

A USB memory stick that is connected to the USB host port in the front panel of the device will be shown in the File manager as [USB HD]. When selecting [USB HD] with the right arrow the user can operate the files in the memory stick in the same way as any files in the device memory. Select [SD Card] with the right arrow to return back to the device memory.

IT IS UP TO THE USER TO DECIDE WHETHER THE NEW CALIBRATION WILL BE AP-PROVED OR NOT. UNExPECTED SIGNAL LEVELS OR LARGE DEVIATIONS OF THE FILTER SIGNALS MAy INDICATE LEAKS IN THE SySTEM OR PROBLEMS WITH THE CALIBRATION GAS. IN SUCH CASES IT IS ALWAyS RECOMMENDED TO CHECK THE CONDITION OF THE CALIBRATION GAS CyLINDER AND THE GAS LINE BEFORE PROCEEDING FURTHER.

34

OPEN

Select Open to show the content of the highlighted file. If you open the measurement data file, the trend view will appear. The use of trends is explained on page 24. Opening the log file shows the events recorded in the log.

COPy

The function Copy is available only if the USB memory stick is connected. Select Copy to copy the highlighted file from the device memory to the memory stick directory \Gasera\Results. In case the directory does not exist the operating system will create it. If the file already exists it will be overwritten. If the active location is in the memory stick. The file will be copied from the stick to the device memory.

COPy ALL

The function Copy All is available only if the USB memory stick is connected. Select Copy All to copy all the measurement data files from the device memory to the memory stick.

DELETE

The function Delete will erase the highlighted file. Select Delete and confirm the action. The file will be permanently removed.

Help

Pressing at any time during the operation will open a help window that provides useful information on the current functions and activities.

Recovery from a power cut

In case of an accidental power cut the current measurement will be saved in the instrument memory. During the recovery the discon-tinued measurement will be recalled and a corresponding message will be displayed. The measurement data will be stored in two sepa-rate files with the indicator of the incident.


6. Connecting external devices

The user can connect to the device memory with MS ActiveSync (version 3.8/4.5 for Windows 2000 and xP users) and with Windows Mobile Device Center (WMDC 6.1 for Windows Vista users). In order to connect the device must be connected to computer as a USB client with the rear panel USB connector (5). The connection provides the user an access to the measurement data files and device log-files also during an active monitoring period.

The user can also access to the real-time measurement results via RS-232 and RS-485 data outputs. The adjustment of the parameters for the serial connection has been explained in chapter 5.5 Setup menu. The external RS-232 cable shall have the wires 2 and 3 crossed and wire 5 straight through. When RS-485 data output is used the corresponding RS-485 cable shall have the wires 4 and 8 crossed and wires 5 and 9 crossed. The code of the data is ASCII with the format <time string> <gas name string> <gas concentration float>\n\r. Also an analog output device can be attached to the RS-485 port (5.5).

For further information please contact Gasera’s service department.

More information on the ActiveSync can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/activesync/default.mspx

More information of the Mobile Device Center can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/help/synchronize/device-center-download.mspx

7. Service

Replacing particle filters

The particle filters must be replaced regularly depending on the application. To replace the filter, disconnect the gas tube from the sample in connector and open the filter holder by rotating it counterclockwise.

Remove the cover of the filter holder, the filter disc and the O-ring 1. Replace the filter disc with an original Gasera spare part. Assemble the new filter disc and O-ring 1 and close the filter holder by rotating the cover clockwise. It is rec-ommended that also the O-rings will be replaced regularly in the occasion of par-ticle filter exchange. The material of O-rings is FPM rubber and the dimensions are 24 mm x 2 mm (O-ring 1) and 32 mm x 2 mm (O-ring 2).

Particle filter holder

36

Replacing the fuse

The fuse is located inside the mains connector (1) in the rear panel. The fuse ratings are presented in the type label above the mains connector. To change the fuse, pull out the fuse holder in the middle of the connector, replace the fuse in the holder and firmly push the holder into the connector until it clicks on the bottom.

IT IS RECOMMENDED ALWAyS TO CHANGE THE GAS FILTERS BEFORE CALIBRATION

USE ONLy A FUSE WITH CORRECT RATINGS. ALWAyS TURN OFF THE INSTRUMENT AND REMOVE THE MAINS CABLE FROM THE MAINS CONNECTOR BEFORE OPENING THE FUSE HOLDER.

Warning and failure messages

In case of an unexpected ambient phenomenon or a technical problem the F10 will display a mes-sage describing the device status.

WARNING MESSAGES

The warning message indicates that the device has been exposed to a temporary event which may affect the performance. The events with the corresponding warning messages and the expected user actions are:

Block of the incoming gas lineThere is a block in the incoming gas lines. Please check the condition of the lines and replace the particle filters.

The pressure of the incoming gas is too highThe pressure of the incoming gas is too high. The measurement has been stopped to protect the instrument. Please check that the pressure of the incoming gas is below 1200 mbar.

The device internal temperature is stabilizingThe measurement unit is warming up. The measurement results may be inaccurate.

The device time setting may be wrongThe time information has been lost.The clock reading might be incorrect.

The device is experiencing significant ambient vibration The device has experienced vibration which may affect the measurement results


FAILURE MESSAGES

The failure message indicates that the device is experiencing a technical problem and needs to shut down. The problems with the corresponding failure messages and the expected user actions are:

Communication error of the internal DSP unitThe signal processing unit is not available. Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Communication error of the internal filter exchange moduleThe optical filters module is not available. Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Functional failure of the internal filter exchange moduleThe optical filters wheel is not operating correctly. There may be an obstacle preventing the wheel from rotating. Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Initialization error of the internal filter exchange moduleThe initial position of the optical filters wheel is missing. Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Communication error of the internal gas exchange moduleThe gas exchange module is not available. Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Functional failure of the internal gas exchange moduleThe gas exchange module is not operating correctly. This could indicate a malfunction of the pump or valve.Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Communication error of the internal pressure sensorThe device is unable to detect the pressure of the sample gas. Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Functional failure of the internal pressure sensorInternal pressure of the device is incorrect. Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

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Communication error of the internal IR-source moduleThe infrared source is not available. Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Functional failure of the internal IR-source module, high voltageOperating voltage of the infrared source is too high. The operation has been stopped to avoid dam-age to the source.Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Functional failure of the internal IR-source module, low voltageOperating voltage of the infrared source is too low.Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Communication error of the internal clockTime information is not available.Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Functional failure of the measuring interferometerThe photoacoustic signal delay is incorrect.Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Communication error of the thermostat of the internal gas exchange moduleThe thermostat of the gas exchange module is not available.Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Functional failure of the thermostat of the internal gas exchange moduleThe temperature information of the thermostat of the gas exchange module is incorrect.Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Communication error of the thermostat of the photoacoustic gas cellThe thermostat of the photoacoustic gas cell is not available.Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.

Functional failure of the thermostat of the photoacoustic gas cellThe temperature information of the thermostat of the photoacoustic gas cell is incorrect.Please restart the instrument and try again. If the problem reoccurs contact the local Gasera distributor.


Contacting Gasera Ltd. for service

Please contact Gasera’s service department via e-mail for authorization and instructions prior to shipping any items for repair.

Service e-mail address: [email protected]

Shipping the module for service

Package the return carefully in order to avoid any damage during transit and send it to the address below:

Shipping address for service:Gasera Ltd. Tykistökatu 4, 20520 Turku, Finland

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