You may have seen people near lakes or rivers, and they have all sorts of technology equipment to test the water. They are mostly conducting tests to determine if the water has any known contaminants that could endanger a person’s health. You will never know what dangerous contaminants are in exposed waters.
One tool they usually use is ph metres that they use to calculate hydrogen-ion activity in solution. Apart from looking for contaminants, they use a pH metre to determine if the water has any acidic or alkaline properties, which are also dangerous for some living things. If you are new to buying one, keep in mind the factors to consider to get the right pH metre.
Accuracy
When it comes to ph metres, you need to ensure that it can provide optimal accuracy because even a tiny error can cause other significant problems to arise. You might need a pH metre to conduct research or quality assurance, so the numbers must be precise down to the last decimal.
You should know that the metre accuracy typically ranges from ±0.1 pH to ±0.001 pH. An example is when you need the pH metre for research environments or quality control, you will need to get one with an accuracy of ±0.01 pH. But if you are conducting tests in laboratories, you will need a pH metre with an accuracy of ±0.10 pH to ensure it suits your needs.
Durability
Besides the pH metre’s accuracy, you also need to consider if it is durable enough to make it last long with you. Durability is essential for almost any kind of tool or equipment because it saves the user from buying the same one and wasting their budget. If you are on a tight budget, you should look for a long-lasting and durable pH metre. Once you have a durable pH metre, you should have no problems even after using it many times, as long as you take care and maintain it after every use. Generally, a well-maintained pH metre can last with you for up to 2 years.
Battery Lifespan
In some cases, tests are conducted outside of the laboratory, so you need to have a battery-powered pH metre. You can find many battery-powered ph metres since most use them for outdoor applications. When looking for a pH metre, you need to consider its battery lifespan because you might take longer than usual to conduct tests in the field.
It would be best if you also looked for ph metres with rechargeable batteries because you can quickly charge them even when you are out in the open with a portable charger. An excellent pH metre would usually last for 500 hours of operations, which is more than enough to conduct numerous tests until you can replace them with a newer one.
Looking for the right pH metre is no longer a problem since you have several tips to keep in mind. Most of the ph metres you can find in the market are portable, primarily if they are commonly used for outdoor applications. You should go for ones that come in compact sizes to keep them faster and easier once you are done using them. And lastly, it would be best to look for ones with a price range in the middle to ensure you get the best one.