That was one of the questions that a customer shared after our recent webinars on pH measurement technology. Here’s a short answer, as shared by Jorgi Day, Sr Analytical Product Specialist for Honeywell, our featured speaker.
You cannot mix and match analyzers and pH probes from different manufacturers if the sensor is…
- ISFET (non-glass)
- Dual high impedance
- pFaudler (specialized sensors for highly corrosive applications in steel chemical process reactors)
- Sensors with internal preamps, or
- Sensors that digitally couple with the analyzer instrument
You can USUALLY mix and match with a glass measuring electrode and a KCl-based reference electrode — as long as you match the temperature compensator.
Be aware that not all manufacturers’ instruments take all types of temperature compensators. And keep in mind that if you do mix and match, and something goes wrong, the two manufacturers may point the finger at each other’s devices — mostly because it’s difficult to troubleshoot devices they’re not totally familiar with, and equally difficult to determine where the problem really exists: in the sensor, in the analyzer, or in the connection between the two.
As with everything, the short answer means “It depends.” Talk to your instrumentation provider about the specifics of your application and the brands you want to use.
If you want to check out the two webinars Jorgi presented, they’re available in full from the Training Center at Lesman.com
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