EC, or electrical conductivity of water, is its ability to conduct electric current. Salts or other chemicals dissolved in water can decompose into positively and negatively charged ions. Since such free water ions conduct electricity, the electrical conductivity of water depends on the ion concentration. Salinity and Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) are used to calculate the EC, which helps to indicate the purity of the water. The cleaner the water, the lower the conductivity. In a practical example, distilled water is almost an insulator, while seawater is a very efficient conductor.
The main positively charged ions that affect the conductivity of water are sodium, calcium, potassium and magnesium. The dominant negatively charged ions are chloride, sulfate, carbonate and bicarbonate. Nitrates and phosphates make a minor contribution to conductivity, but are of great biological importance. The natural effects on EC in water are rain, geology and evaporation. Human impacts include road salinity, cesspool/landfill leachate, impermeable gauge runoff, and agricultural runoff.
Renkeer EC test equipment
Renkeer manufactures EC water testing equipment suitable for portable or stationary applications. The Renkeer AP-2000 and Renkeer AP-5000 are extremely portable and ideal for testing multiple sites quickly and easily. It is also suitable for stationary short-term or medium-term monitoring, such as unmanned groundwater monitoring of boreholes. The Renkeer AP-7000 is specially designed for long-term use with its innovative self-cleaning feature.
Renkeer water conductivity sensors can be used to monitor the electrical conductivity of water. Keep the Renkeer AP-7000 in place to measure EC and other parameters over time. Data is collected from Renkeer or telemetry devices that allow remote data retrieval. In addition, real-time measurements can be easily performed using portable devices such as the AP-2000.
Renkeer combines DO and EC meters. It has a screw cap on the side and four stainless steel water EC sensor contacts for easy identification. EC is measured with four stainless steel contacts near the electrode. EC can be measured in the range of 0-200 mS/cm or 0-200,000 uS/cm and is accurate to +/- 1 uS/cm for +/- 1% or better of the reading.
Why use Renkeer EC meter for water test?
An EC meter makes it easy to test and monitor water conductivity. The EC Water Conductivity Tester can be used to measure water directly on site. A probe placed in a sample of water applies a voltage to the electrodes. The voltage drop measures the resistance of the water and converts it to conductivity. Conductivity is the reciprocal of resistance and is measured as the amount of conductivity over a given distance. Although the basic unit is mho/cm or 1 Siemen, it does not occur in natural numbers. EC counters use millimole and micrometer units. 1,000,000 millimhos/cm (mS) and 100,000 micromhos/cm(uS) each equal 1 mho/cm.
The water conductivity of seawater is about 5mS, and the EC value of tap water is 50-800uS. Depending on the source, freshwater streams may belong to the range of 100-2000uS and distilled water has an EC value of 0.5-0.5-3 US EC according to temperature. The term “non-conductive” is used when the values are corrected to reflect the temperature of the water sample. Renkeer water conductivity meters also measure temperature and therefore report a specific conductivity value.
A water conductivity tester can be used to understand the overall conductivity range of a given body of water. This can be used as a basis for regular monitoring and if there is a significant change in conductivity it can be an indication that emissions or other pollutants have entered the water. Conductivity varies with water sources such as groundwater, agricultural runoff, municipal wastewater, and precipitation. Changes in the electrical conductivity of water may indicate groundwater or sewer leaks.
Water EC has a decisive effect on aquatic organisms. Each species has a typical range it can tolerate. Commercial testing of the conductivity of water is particularly useful for fishing. Water conductivity meters can be used to test the output of water treatment plants, as salinity and other substances also affect the quality of irrigation and drinking water.
A water conductivity meter is just one feature of Renkeer multi-parameter water quality monitoring system. All parameter measurements can be used together to accurately monitor water quality without the need for multiple probes. The EC Water Quality Tester is suitable for use with surface water, groundwater and wastewater.
