APERA INSTRUMENTS / TN480 / AI486
Choose infrared by method.
Keep the results in context.
TN480 combines an infrared LED optical method with selectable TruRead and a Windows reporting workflow. Its 860 ± 30 nm source is the central distinction from the white-light TN420 and TN500, not a cosmetic change of model number.
Choose TN480 when your required procedure calls for the manufacturer-stated ISO 7027 / DIN EN 27027 infrared method. The source is also positioned for appropriate colored samples, but no optical design eliminates every matrix interference.
Portable TN480 configuration. Operate on a level surface; do not hold during measurement.
0-1000 NTU
Instrument range
Method/reporting scope is a separate requirement.
860 ± 30 nm
Infrared LED
Match the required optical method.
Windows records
PC-Link + selectable TruRead
Capacity depends on mode.
Choose your turbidity workflowClick or tap to compare 4 meters + standardsChoose an item below - click or tap here to close
Start with the required optical method, then the recording workflow. Each card opens that product page. T500-1 is replacement standards only, not a fourth meter.
OPTICAL METHOD BEFORE UNIT LABEL
Infrared is a method choice,
not a white-light relabeling.
TN480
Infrared LED, 860 ± 30 nm, with manufacturer-stated ISO 7027 / DIN EN 27027 positioning.
TN420 / TN500
Tungsten white light, 400-600 nm, with manufacturer-stated EPA 180.1 positioning.
Reporting
Optics, geometry, sample matrix and the required method govern interpretation. A unit label is not a universal conversion rule.
Apera positions this infrared design for appropriate colored samples. It is not immune to every interference, and it does not become an EPA white-light meter because a calibration material carries an EPA-related claim. The exact manual describes NTU/FTU display settings; a separately selectable FNU mode is not asserted.
WHY CHOOSE THIS CONFIGURATION
Match the work, not just the feature count.
Keep the optical method explicit
860 ± 30 nm infrared LED and 90° scattering distinguish this setup from a tungsten white-light meter. Match the instrument to the required method before comparing records features.
Review the complete sequence
Selectable TruRead provides individual values, average, minimum and maximum. Changing samples still need consistent mixing, bubble control and timing.
Separate data transfer from charging
Windows PC-Link and USB support reporting. The power specification is four AA alkaline batteries, not a rechargeable lithium pack or an implied USB-charging feature.
A sequence and a record,
with the limits made visible.
TN480 offers Normal measurement and selectable 5/10/15/20-reading TruRead with average, minimum, maximum and individual values. Its manual gives 10 seconds for a Normal value; the TruRead example uses 20-second intervals.
USB connects to the supplied Windows PC-Link workflow for transfer and Excel-document export. Specific current Windows versions, Mac/mobile support and cloud backup are not established; check your IT/driver requirements before deployment.
200 sets is not the capacity
of every recording mode.
Plan storage around the selected sequence, not the largest headline number. The exact manuals give these onboard capacities:
| Measurement mode |
Stored sets |
| Normal |
200 |
| TruRead: 5 readings |
100 |
| TruRead: 10 readings |
61 |
| TruRead: 15 readings |
44 |
| TruRead: 20 readings |
34 |
Mixed use changes the available capacity. Export needed records before clearing the instrument; its clear-all function removes stored records rather than offering a selective archival system.
PC-Link supports a separate live-PC workflow. When that workflow is running, the manuals describe measurements going to the computer rather than being stored in the instrument. This is not cloud backup or a verified electronic-signature/audit-trail system.
READ THE TWO NUMBERS DIFFERENTLY
Display resolution is not accuracy.
0.01 NTU
Low-range display increment
Other ranges use 0.1 and 1 NTU increments.
2% + stray light
Published reading-error specification
Accuracy: ≤±2% of reading plus stray light; stray light ≤0.02 NTU.
Worked specification example: at 1.00 NTU, the 2%-of-reading term alone is 0.02 NTU before the stray-light term. That arithmetic is not a complete method-uncertainty calculation or a promise of ±0.01 NTU measurement accuracy. Vials, sample preparation, calibration and the matrix remain part of the result.
TN480 carrying-case configuration. The readable checklist defines the included items; a computer is not supplied.
Know what arrives
in the carrying case.
TN480 meter; five standards at 0/20/100/400/800 NTU; six numbered sample vials; 10 mL silicone oil; microfiber cloth; USB cable; PC-Link software flash drive; four AA alkaline batteries; battery-cover screwdriver; manual and case.
The complete meter kit includes zero. Replacement nonzero standards are a separate purchase; do not read a replacement-set name as all five calibration solutions.
SAMPLE PREPARATION IS PART OF THE MEASUREMENT
The vial and the timing
can change the answer.
Prepare the sample vial
Use the specified 25 × 60 mm numbered sample vial and approximately 18 mL of sample. Keep the matching cap paired with it and follow the exact rinsing/mixing procedure.
Control bubbles and settling
Fine bubbles can raise readings; settling and light-absorbing material can change them. Keep preparation and waiting times consistent rather than averaging away a method problem.
Protect the optical surfaces
Keep the vial clean and dry, avoid fingerprints/scratches, align its mark and close the cover. Use oil only as instructed and remove excess.
Work on a flat, level surface, not with the meter in your hand. Never pour sample into or wash the optical holder. The IP67 rating is not a direct-immersion measurement method. Turbidity is not a direct TSS mass measurement or a complete water-safety test.
Check zero and the right standards.
Keep nonzero vials sealed.
The kit is supplied with five calibration values and is factory calibrated across its range. The manual permits later calibration with two or more appropriate points bracketing the expected range; local method/QC requirements still govern. Select the correct value because the instrument does not identify a standard automatically.
For low-range work, follow the manual’s zero check, warm-up and numbered-vial guidance. A display increment is not proof that an unchecked zero or contaminated vial is adequate.
The four nonzero AMCO standard vials must stay sealed. Zero-vial opening/refill instructions are different. Do not vigorously shake standards or infer that a generic shelf-life claim permits opening them.
Watch Apera’s turbidity overview.
The official family tutorial introduces the workflow. Use the exact TN480 manual for its controls, optical method, standards and software. The video is not a model-specific certification or a replacement for sealed-vial instructions.
TN480 buying and workflow questions
Is TN480 the EPA white-light alternative to TN500?
TN480 AI486 uses infrared LED optics and is positioned by Apera for ISO 7027 / DIN EN 27027. TN500 uses tungsten white light. Choose the required method first; sharing a turbidity range does not make the methods interchangeable.
Can NTU and FNU labels be treated as a universal conversion?
No. Instrument optics, geometry and reporting method matter. Source literature uses varying unit labels; the exact manual describes NTU/FTU display settings, not a separately verified FNU selector. Do not convert or substitute methods by changing a label alone.
How many records can TN480 actually hold?
It holds 200 Normal sets, or 100/61/44/34 TruRead sets at 5/10/15/20 readings respectively. Mixed-mode capacity depends on the records saved. Clear-all is irreversible; export needed records first.
Can I use T500-1 standards with TN480?
Do not select them for TN480. The manufacturer assigns T200-1 to TN480/TN400 infrared models and T500-1 to TN500/TN420 white-light models. Matching 20/100/400/800 labels alone is not compatibility evidence.
What power and computer setup does TN480 need?
The meter uses four AA alkaline batteries. Its documented USB/PC-Link reporting workflow is Windows-based with software supplied on a flash drive. No built-in rechargeable-lithium specification, Mac/mobile support or modern Windows-version guarantee is established.
What is supplied with the TN480 meter?
The kit lists five standards at 0/20/100/400/800 NTU, six sample vials, 10 mL silicone oil, microfiber cloth, USB cable, software flash drive, four AA batteries, screwdriver, manual and case. A Windows computer is not included.
Does TruRead replace careful sample preparation?
No. It helps show changing readings and their spread. Use a level surface, clean indexed vials, controlled mixing/timing and bubble handling. Never pour sample into or wash the optical vial holder.
Is the low-range 0.01 NTU display increment the accuracy?
No. Published accuracy is ≤±2% of reading plus stray light, with stray light ≤0.02 NTU. The display increments are 0.01/0.1/1 NTU across ranges. These are not interchangeable specifications or a total method-uncertainty guarantee.
Confirm the method.
Choose the exact configuration.
Review TN480 AI486 and return to the live price and ordering controls. Ask Blue Tiger Scientific to clarify the exact configuration, method or documentation requirements before ordering.
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