A Preview - The In-Situ Aqua TROLL 600 Multi-Meter
A Preview - The In-Situ Aqua TROLL 600 Multi-Meter
"It doesn't matter if the glass is half full or half empty
if you think you can make a better glass." - Unknown
If you've been reading my newsletters over the years you'll know periodically we review various environmental equipment for environmental sampling. We've reviewed most of the popular water quality multi-meters on the market. Back in 2014 we reviewed In-Situ's SmarTroll. I concluded at the time that, although it did not meet everything I could wish for in a meter, it was a very good meter and at the time my favorite meter. You can review that article here.
Things have changed, and I now have a 
new favorite meter. It's the Aqua TROLL 600 meter, also made by In-Situ. Last month we took advantage of In-Situ's "try before you buy" demo program. They told us this would be an "early demo" because although the multi-meter itself was complete in its final form, the software application was still being built and tested. So we would be using an early version of the software. We gave the meter a workout. We used the meter at five different sites for five days straight.
new favorite meter. It's the Aqua TROLL 600 meter, also made by In-Situ. Last month we took advantage of In-Situ's "try before you buy" demo program. They told us this would be an "early demo" because although the multi-meter itself was complete in its final form, the software application was still being built and tested. So we would be using an early version of the software. We gave the meter a workout. We used the meter at five different sites for five days straight.
Here's what I think about the meter. One of the most common things overlooked when purchasing a meter is the cost of battery consumption. The Aqua TROLL 600 was still registering at nearly full charge after five days of continuous use. Impressive! One of the other things I liked about the meter was the small volume of the flow-through cell (just barely over 100cc). For those that are not aware of the importance of flow-through cell size, you can read more about that in a past article here. Another excellent feature for the Aqua TROLL 600 was the lack of cabling between the sonde and the display. The unit connects to a smart device via Bluetooth technology. The Bluetooth transmitter is located in the top of the sonde unit. Having the display separate and unconnected to the sonde eliminates clutter while still allowing the user to be mobile and able to monitor the readings. This means you could get inside the vehicle during inclement weather and still do your job properly.
Because of advancements in sensor technology, In-Situ indicates daily calibration isn't necessary, which for the user means more reliability and cost savings in terms of time spent and calibration fluid consumed. During our demo we conducted daily calibration because that is the current industry standard and it's also what our clients currently expect. This traditional industry calibration frequency is based on old sensors that historically had significant drift and other fouling issues. These newer sensors seem to be more consistent and have longer reading stability. I think as the industry becomes more confident in sensor reliability these standard calibration frequency practices will likely be adjusted to reflect manufacture reliability testing and recommendations.
We found the Aqua TROLL 600
calibration instructions to be straightforward. Calibration was quick and guided by the software which was simple to use. We did a full calibration every day although the meter gave no indication that it needed it.
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| The In-Situ Aqua TROLL® 600 Multiparameter Sonde |
As mentioned earlier, the version of the software we were using was not the final version, but even in its preliminary form, the software was intuitive and responsive (I'll write more about this aspect once the final version of the software is released). One thing I liked about the software was the ability to sort the readings in the same order as the paper forms we were using to record the data. The meter will electronically record your data and has the ability to email your data to whomever you choose in both an Excel file and as a PDF. The final version of the software will calculate your stability parameters automatically in a nice color-coded fashion and give you an audible alarm once stability has been achieved in all parameters.
Currently the industry seems to be stuck on paper. Most meters these days, including the Aqua TROLL 600, allow the user to either download the data to a desktop or, in this case, email the information via Wi-Fi connection. Even with this ability most firms, not all, are still manually recording the stability readings on paper. The younger generation tends to be more comfortable with conveying data electronically. It's the people that have been around a while who have grown up in the environmental industry using field books and paper to document daily events and data, they are the ones who seem less comfortable using strictly electronic record keeping. Many of our clients still insist on recording data on forms that were created 20 years ago. Old habits die hard. As electronic recording becomes more standard and people feel more comfortable with its reliability, there will be an inevitable shift. The shift will also be motivated by the cost savings and direct usability, upload ability and convertibility of electronic data. We are looking forward to the ability to upload stability data and groundwater elevation data directly to our SampleServe.com web software right from the mobile device.
The Aqua TROLL 600 meter is not the cheapest meter on the market right now in terms of initial purchase price. However, the daily operational costs on this meter seem to be significantly less than other meters. Most multi-meters we currently have require a full set of batteries every other day; batteries are not cheap. The time to do a calibration on this meter was minimal and the documentation of the calibration was done within the software itself. Calibration takes time, and time is
money. The faster an employee can calibrate and document, the less it costs me. The small calibration cup means I use less calibration fluid, and calibration fluid isn't cheap either. The small flow-through cell size also means stability readings are able to be recorded more frequently, cutting down on overall sampling time without cutting quality. The life expectancy of these sensors is also expected to be significantly longer than other meters we've used in the past. The longer the meter can be reliably used, the lower the long-term operational costs. Finally, the ability to quickly transfer the data electronically means less time spent on data entry.
money. The faster an employee can calibrate and document, the less it costs me. The small calibration cup means I use less calibration fluid, and calibration fluid isn't cheap either. The small flow-through cell size also means stability readings are able to be recorded more frequently, cutting down on overall sampling time without cutting quality. The life expectancy of these sensors is also expected to be significantly longer than other meters we've used in the past. The longer the meter can be reliably used, the lower the long-term operational costs. Finally, the ability to quickly transfer the data electronically means less time spent on data entry.
As stated, the Aqua TROLL 600 is my new favorite groundwater quality meter and, when considering all the costs associated with operating a meter, I suggest it will be the cheapest meter I'll own long-term as well.
If you're in the market for a new multi-meter, I would suggest taking advantage of In-Situ's free "try before you buy" demo. In-Situ also has a rental program if you're looking for a more extended demo.
I'm not affiliated with In-Situ or the Aqua TROLL 600 in any way other than as a customer. I'm simply offering you my experience, perspective and opinion.
- Russell Schindler
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