APERA INSTRUMENTS / PC8500 / AI5524

Two sensing heads.
One portable testing routine.

Bring pH and conductivity work into one portable kit without confusing the sensors. PC8500 AI5524 includes a 201T-F pH/temperature electrode and a separate 2301T-S conductivity/temperature electrode. Both can remain connected to the meter while you switch measurement modes. The backlit display, fold-out stand and carrying case support a practical routine from sample collection through bench review and USB export.

Choose PC8500 when a sample program needs both pH and conductivity. PH8500 is the general-water pH-only choice; EC8500 is the conductivity-focused choice. For a specialized pH task, compare PH8500-PW with LabSen 803, PH8500-WW with LabSen 333, or PH8500-MS with LabSen 243-6. Those specialty configurations are alternatives, not additional electrodes supplied with this base multiparameter kit.

Separate heads, clear connections

Connect the 201T-F through its BNC pH and RCA temperature plugs. The 2301T-S uses the separate 8-pin socket and a K=1 platinum-black conductivity cell. Each electrode has its own built-in temperature sensor. Leaving both connected saves reconnection between modes, but this does not mean two independent numeric measurement channels appear at once. Read the selected measurement and temperature, then switch modes as the method requires.

Conductivity and useful conversions

Conductivity is the underlying measurement for TDS, salinity and resistivity modes. Those values are conversions, not readings from additional sensors. Choose the TDS factor, reference temperature and compensation coefficient to match the sample method rather than assuming one factory setting suits every liquid. The supplied 2301T-S reaches 200 mS/cm; the meter’s 1999 mS/cm electronic ceiling requires an appropriate optional high-range electrode, not this supplied K=1 cell.

An explicit data destination

Manual M+ saves and timed logging support up to 500 data sets total in meter memory. USB PC-Link offers a desktop Chrome or Edge workflow on Windows or Mac, with CSV export and browser print. Newly logged readings while connected go to PC-Link software instead of meter memory. Export, open and check the saved file before ending the session; connection alone does not create a second retained copy in the instrument.

Know exactly what is supplied.

General-water sample programs

Use the kit for compatible aqueous samples that need pH alongside conductivity-based comparisons. Keep sample identity, temperature and the selected mode with each result. A change in conductivity is not a chemical identification, and a TDS conversion is not a direct analysis of every dissolved constituent. Select settings against the actual test procedure.

Portable work with bench review

The fold-out stand lets the meter sit beside sample vessels; the carrying case brings the testing components together between locations. IP57 housing supports portable handling, but dry connectors and protected sockets still matter. Check the meter clock before recording, then organize exported readings with your sampling notes for later review.

Specialty pH samples

The included 201T-F is a general-water electrode, not a universal solution for pure water, dirty suspensions or tiny volumes. Compare the dedicated PW, WW and MS configurations when those samples dominate the workload. PH8500-MS reaches its stated 60 µL minimum only with the specified 6 mm semi-micro container; that claim does not apply to these full-size probes.

Set up two methods.
Keep the sample sequence clear.

Begin with clean, correctly connected probes and check the clock, logging destination and measurement mode. For pH, select the intended buffer series and start calibration at neutral: pH 7.00 for USA or 6.86 for NIST. The kit includes pH 4.00, 7.00 and 10.01 buffers, 50 mL each. A new 201T-F calls for three-point calibration. Use clean portions, rinse between liquids and wait for the stability indicator before accepting a result.

For conductivity, set the cell constant to K=1 for the supplied 2301T-S and calibrate using appropriate standards for the work. The kit supplies 84 µS/cm, 1413 µS/cm and 12.88 mS/cm standards, 50 mL each. Rinse the cell, immerse it correctly and gently stir to release trapped bubbles. Let the temperature and reading settle before recording. Keep the pH and conductivity calibration routines separate; a pH calibration does not calibrate the conductivity sensor.

Before interpreting TDS, confirm the conversion factor and the conductivity temperature settings. Record readings in the selected mode rather than assuming a single saved value establishes every parameter. For a connected session, use PC-Link to review data, export CSV and print through the browser as needed. Verify the saved output before clearing the meter or closing the session. Sample labels, operator procedures and independent file backups remain part of your own recordkeeping method.

Read the meter.
Know what is held.

Use the physical controls for standalone measurement and calibration. The stable-reading indicator and HOLD help you read a result; a held display is not an onboard measurement-history logger for later upload.

Keep the connectors and battery compartment dry when changing parts. Follow the exact manual for key sequences, battery orientation and cap sealing. Screen values in photographs are illustrative, not test results or a promise of compatibility with another sensing head.

Build a local record.
Keep the transfer workflow clear.

Each 8500 meter can measure and calibrate without a computer. It can retain up to 500 data sets, including date, time, measured value, unit, temperature and the last calibration record. M+ supports manual saving after stability; timed logging can be set from one minute through 99 hours 59 minutes. Deleting stored values cannot be undone.

For computer work, use the meter USB connection with the current Web PC-Link workflow on a desktop Chrome or Edge browser under Windows or Mac. The tool supports CSV output and browser-print reporting. Do not assume Firefox compatibility, a native Excel/PDF export format, an immutable audit trail, electronic signatures or regulatory validation.

When connected to PC-Link, new records go to the software rather than to the meter memory. Save and export important records before closing the browser. USB logging does not guarantee automatic backup, permanent retention or protection from user deletion. Keep the exact meter, configured probe and sample method with any record.