Has anyone that pre-ordered seen their ION Director yet?

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Dr. Jim

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The REFERENCE reservoirs should be set to the size of the bottles.

For the SAMPLE (i.e. the one that goes in the tank) there is a check box to turn off level monitoring and you will want to do that.

Do you have a KHD? I'm not sure that GHL has made videos for the Ion D yet, but the videos for the KHD setup are very good and it runs through exactly how to calibrate/set up the pumps etc. If you aren't familiar with the KHD then those videos might be useful as the KHD setup looks quite similar.
Yes, I have the KH Director. Part of my problem is that I sometimes have a hard time remembering what I did 2 years ago! :rolleyes:

With the Ion Director, I believe I initially set the volumes too low (at 120 ml and 20 ml warning) because I'm using 100 ml bottles. (I think those low volumes are not acceptable?)
 

Dr. Jim

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But...... They are certainly a lot more simple and cheaper than dealing with said IOND.
Nothing these days needs to be this complicated. About now I'm kinda glad they cancelled mine.
I have the P4, two Mitras LX7's and two light bars.
What I don't have is the time and patience to deal with how GHL makes things so frustrating to set up and update everything.
Don't let my struggles deter you. I'm an "old-timer" that struggles with computer technology. But, eventually even I "get it" ..... so if I can figure it out, anybody can! :) Once everything is up and running, I love GHL and will never regret making the choice to go with it!
 

FishyFishFish

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Yes, I have the KH Director. Part of my problem is that I sometimes have a hard time remembering what I did 2 years ago! :rolleyes:

With the Ion Director, I believe I initially set the volumes too low (at 120 ml and 20 ml warning) because I'm using 100 ml bottles. (I think those low volumes are not acceptable?)

Do you not have space for bigger bottles?

The manual states that the IOND will not start a test unless there is 30ml of each reference liquid available. In normal mode it uses 9ml per test and in high precision mode it uses 13ml per test.

That means with a 100ml bottle you will only get 7 tests in normal mode, or 5 tests in high precision mode, before you would have to refill the bottles.
 

Dr. Jim

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Do you not have space for bigger bottles?

The manual states that the IOND will not start a test unless there is 30ml of each reference liquid available. In normal mode it uses 9ml per test and in high precision mode it uses 13ml per test.

That means with a 100ml bottle you will only get 7 tests in normal mode, or 5 tests in high precision mode, before you would have to refill the bottles.
I could get slightly larger bottles, but I may run it every 5-7 days so refilling the bottles once a month isn't a problem.

But with that being said, I need to learn if it is OK to let the probe sit unused for that length of time. (I believe with the KH Director you are not supposed to let the probe sit "unused" for more than 4 days).
 

RobMcC

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I wanted the IOND because I really thought that I wanted to do away with my Hanna testers.....
They are far from perfect. They are all off by a certain margin but I know by how much each one is off by. The Alk tester went through some serious reagent problems a while back
But...... They are certainly a lot more simple and cheaper than dealing with said IOND.
Nothing these days needs to be this complicated. About now I'm kinda glad they cancelled mine.
I have the P4, two Mitras LX7's and two light bars.
What I don't have is the time and patience to deal with how GHL makes things so frustrating to set up and update everything.
Two year wait and two weeks of frustration to get it to work.
Kinda takes the fun out of it.
I’m confused by this post. So you don’t have one, but the non-existent piece of equipment is somehow off from your Hanna testers (which themselves have precision and accuracy issues, like all tests). For what it’s worth, I have two IOD. I posted a comparison test to between them and to various test kits (Hanna and salifert mainly) in my thread. Go check it out. They values are pretty similar. Nitrate is one that is always different l, but less so than the manual kits I have. ( have three nitrate test kits and they all give very different results to each other).

I get it. They took way too long bringing this thing out and the communication didn’t even reach the heights of abysmal. I’d also be annoyed if after waiting two years my preorder was cancelled, but give it a rest: The units released are great. The precision and accuracy is very impressive. I just tested mine against two independent standards after two months use. Both are within the same percent difference between each other and with the standard.
 

Scdell

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Don't let my struggles deter you. I'm an "old-timer" that struggles with computer technology. But, eventually even I "get it" ..... so if I can figure it out, anybody can! :) Once everything is up and running, I love GHL and will never regret making the choice to go with it!
Well...I'm not technology challenged. I actually build my own computers.
But GHL software frustrates the heck out of me.
I don't care for GHL's support system and the whole release of the IOND has left me with almost complete disdain for GHL as a company.
Now..... Before people start arguing the part with me I'll say this:
it is my right and my choice to spend my $ with who I want and who I feel deserves my $.
A company that is thankful and supports their customers I'll buy from.
 

FishyFishFish

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Well...I'm not technology challenged. I actually build my own computers.
But GHL software frustrates the heck out of me.
I don't care for GHL's support system and the whole release of the IOND has left me with almost complete disdain for GHL as a company.
Now..... Before people start arguing the part with me I'll say this:
it is my right and my choice to spend my $ with who I want and who I feel deserves my $.
A company that is thankful and supports their customers I'll buy from.

2F37F17A-A75B-4F89-8E09-D1425A7F86BC.gif
 

Dr. Jim

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NEW PROBLEM: After "Preparing the Measurement Cell" and waiting 12 hours, I started my first measurement and got this: "ERROR: Last measurement invalid due to bad sensor performance." This sounds pretty serious.

I'm confident that the probe is seated properly and that the sensor plug is pushed in all the way. (I was a little concerned about the fit of this plug; it seemed like it didn't insert as easily as I would have suspected although I don't think I overly forced it.

Perhaps unrelated to the sensor, but the first time I ran it, pump #1 brought sample water to the Director and stopped just as it reached it. I only watched it for a few minutes after that but didn't see any water go into the unit which I thought was odd.

After the measurement, the Sample water did not pump backwards back to the sump like the KH Director does. Is that normal? So when I ran it a second time, the sequence started with the sample tube already filled. Same message on second run.

The Sensor Performance bar shows a RED bar extending about 1/5 of the way across the "rectangular bar."
 

FishyFishFish

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I don’t have a IOND so take this for what it’s worth, but looking at the manual this looks like one area where the IOND differs from the KHD. From what I can gather, the sample water pump flushes the sample tube by taking water in through the inlet on the front of the IOND, and then pushes it out the outlet on the back of the unit.

Are you getting fluid pumped out of the back of the unit? If not, then it could be that the sensor is dry (hence the poor sensor performance error).

I assume you have entered the ‘sample tube volume’ into the software?
 

Dr. Jim

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I don’t have a IOND so take this for what it’s worth, but looking at the manual this looks like one area where the IOND differs from the KHD. From what I can gather, the sample water pump flushes the sample tube by taking water in through the inlet on the front of the IOND, and then pushes it out the outlet on the back of the unit.

Are you getting fluid pumped out of the back of the unit? If not, then it could be that the sensor is dry (hence the poor sensor performance error).

I assume you have entered the ‘sample tube volume’ into the software?
Yes, I entered the sample tube volume.

I thought about it being dry, too, especially after the first run. But on the second run, water was in the tube to start and the feed pump turned on so water had to be pumped in. I did not look at the return tube from the rear, however. I sensed something was wrong right from the beginning of the second run because of the red "Sensor Performance bar" that was still present after the first run.

It seems that water should be emptied, or flushed all the way through, at the beginning of a "run" (to get the old water out of the sample tube). Not sure if this is happening.

I'll submit a ticket if I don't get this figured out by Monday.

Thanks for helping.
 

Dr. Jim

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Something New: I decided to "Empty the Measurement Cell Completely". To do this, the 3 intake tubes need to be removed so it sucks in air. After removing them, I clicked "OK" and then the 3 pumps starting pumping water/reagents! Something is definitely out of whack!

Before performing this, I pulled out the sensor plug to inspect the pins (and they were all fine). I still wonder about the plug (pin) connections because the plug doesn't insert as easily as I would expect. And, once seated all the way, I can wiggle it a little which doesn't seem right, but it seems to be "in" all the way. If I had to guess, I would say the problem isn't the pins/socket connection, though.

Has anybody heard of anyone getting a "bad" sensor?
 

Dr. Jim

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Latest Finding: I examined the probe with a magnifying glass and saw what I thought might be a glob of vaseline on the the sensor so I further examined it under my operating microscope (where I can see detail exceptionally well). The only visible thing that can be seen (other than the black housing) is what looks like a tiny clear plastic hollow cylinder that apparently accepts the water sample deeper into the sensor (which can't be seen) . Inside this cylinder was a fiber, or 'cotton-looking' plug. I'm not sure if this is supposed to be a filter or if it shouldn't be there. I suspect the latter but I decided not to mess with this until I hear from GHL.

Is anybody familiar with the probe and, in particular, know if this 'cotton-like plug' should be there? (It was dry, with no vaseline on it).

Thank you.
 

Lasse

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the 3 intake tubes need to be removed so it sucks in air.
Have you switch the in and outlet? The left side of the pump head should be the intake side and when you empty measure cells completely - it is the intake that should be free for air coming in.


When I prime the three pumps - I do like this. I start with calibration B - prime till I see reagent coming out from the waste pipe. I do it the prime manually. When priming reagent A - I will first see liquid (old calibration B) coming out - after that air and finally comes calibration A out in the waste. After this - I prime the sample pump. Because there is some air that can be trapped in the filter i run pump for rather many minutes in order to be sure that there will come no air into the sample chamber. Last step - run preparing measure cells. If it first time - I wait at least 12 hours - otherwise I start a manual test.

Please do not do anything more before you have talk to @Vinny@GHLUSA and get guidance from him

Edit - I did a mistake with inlet and outlet.

Sincerely Lasse
 
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Dr. Jim

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Have you switch the in and outlet? No

When I prime the three pumps - I do like this. I start with calibration B - prime till I see reagent coming out from the waste pipe. I do it the prime manually. When priming reagent A - I will first see liquid (old calibration B) coming out - after that air and finally comes calibration A out in the waste. After this - I prime the sample pump. Because there is some air that can be trapped in the filter i run pump for rather many minutes in order to be sure that there will come no air into the sample chamber. Last step - run preparing measure cells. If it first time - I wait at least 12 hours - otherwise I start a manual test.

Sincerely Lasse
My understanding for priming is to just be sure the entire tube (before and after the pump) is filled with fluid (and no air bubbles). I then attach it to the Ion Director. It seems that you are priming it while attached to the Ion Director, right??

Anyway....I submitted a ticket and will wait to hear from Vinny.

Thank you (and Everyone) for helping me work through this.

Jim
 

FishyFishFish

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The method from the manual is:

Prime the lines without them connected to the IOND.

Once everything is up and running and ready to go, clicking ‘prepare measurement cell’ will prime all of the IOND internal lines.

And you definitely have the lines connected as per this picture?

F657ED06-695B-4D8A-97CB-215CB47A4C00.jpeg
 

Dr. Jim

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The method from the manual is:

Prime the lines without them connected to the IOND.

Once everything is up and running and ready to go, clicking ‘prepare measurement cell’ will prime all of the IOND internal lines.

And you definitely have the lines connected as per this picture?

F657ED06-695B-4D8A-97CB-215CB47A4C00.jpeg
Yes. That part is easy. :D Except not much happened when I clicked "Prepare measurement cell". I'll wait for Vinny to get back to me. Probably have to send it back.
Thank you!
 

Dr. Jim

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Discovered (at least) part of my problem: Initially, I primed all 3 tubes and attached the two reference tubes. I emptied the sample tube to measure the volume BUT did not refill it. (I was thinking it should be similar to the KH Director where the sample tube starts "empty.") This was obviously a careless....OK, stupid..... mistake on my part and resulted in the error message and the "red bar." Right now I am "Preparing the Measurement cell" a second time (with the sample tube properly primed, but I'm concerned it may not work because the bar is still "red." I tried to reboot the unit by unplugging the power and PABs but after plugging in again, the bar is still red.

So far, with the "Preparing the Measurement cell," pump 1 ran for a couple of seconds and pump 3 ran for about 6 or 7 seconds. I'm not sure what is supposed to happen from here but will wait the 12 hours and see if the red bar goes away.
 

Scdell

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And here's my point....
Two years waiting for the IOND.
People getting it and having issues setting it up.
But where is GHL's support?
Sitting at the ticket system waiting for tickets while people help on here doing GHL's support for them.
If this is what you all are satisfied with and willing to put up with?
God bless and good luck. Y'all getting what you deserve.
 
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