KHG DIY or Alternative Reagent

[Frank_Aaron]

Has anyone made progress on figuring out what dye they are using, or how to adjust the firmware to ignore the "Reagent Lock"? I have a newer unit that can't be flashed with fw: 9.003 and would like to use DIY reagent.

 

[Jposch]

Has anyone made progress on figuring out what dye they are using, or how to adjust the firmware to ignore the "Reagent Lock"? I have a newer unit that can't be flashed with fw: 9.003 and would like to use DIY reagent.

why can't it?

 

[Frank_Aaron]

why can't it?

I'm assuming they've updated the chipset somehow (possibly the networking chip). I get a boot loop when the network starts.

 

[bozo]

I wouldn't use it.

Simply buy 0.1N HCL on ebay or direct from Hanna.

There could be some contaminants that you certainly wouldn't want to pump back into your tank.

Ask yourself how much money you have invested in the tank and whether it is worth saving $5 on a cheap product from Home Depot.

I found some 1N/1M HCl on amazon.

Would this work?

I'm going to follow your 2 step dilution

Thanks!

 

[bozo]

I would do a two stage dilution as it is less likely to have errors.

100ml 1N HCl + 900ml RODI water = 0.1N HCl.
100ml 0.1N HCl + 900ml RODI water = 0.01N HCl

If you use a 100ml Volumetric Flask to measure everything you should be quite close to 0.01N.

After the last dilution, 100ml 0.1N HCl + 900ml RODI water = 0.01N HCl, we just hook the KHG directly to this solution right?

thanks

 

[gbroadbridge]

I found some 1N/1M HCl on amazon.

Would this work?

I'm going to follow your 2 step dilution

Thanks!

If you're doing to empty to waste after testing that product is fine.

However if you're planning on returning the waste to tank, I'd be looking for a higher grade product, especially if you are planning on testing multiple times a day.

Hanna have both 0.1N and 1.0N higher grade solutions available on the website, as do other chemical suppliers.

 

[bozo]

If you're doing to empty to waste after testing that product is fine.

However if you're planning on returning the waste to tank, I'd be looking for a higher grade product, especially if you are planning on testing multiple times a day.

Hanna have both 0.1N and 1.0N higher grade solutions available on the website, as do other chemical suppliers.

Perfect. Thank you

After I dilute the 0.1N HCL solution from hanna to 0.01N, how much of that do we add to 1500 g of RODI?

Thanks

 

[Jposch]

If you're doing to empty to waste after testing that product is fine.

However if you're planning on returning the waste to tank, I'd be looking for a higher grade product, especially if you are planning on testing multiple times a day.

Hanna have both 0.1N and 1.0N higher grade solutions available on the website, as do other chemical suppliers.

I use the lowest grade acid you can get, and its fine.

 

[Jposch]

I'm assuming they've updated the chipset somehow (possibly the networking chip). I get a boot loop when the network starts.

dang. That's trash. I was debating getting 2 more, but not if that's the case.
Lost my future business.

 

[aquadise]

For those who have recently bought a KHG, where in the purchase and setup and use does one first find out that one has to use their reagent or it will lock up?

IMO, it is unacceptable to only find out after you have bought it. I read through the current web site and saw no such info, and could load it into my shopping cart at multiple sites without seeing any such info.

I personally don't see. But I can guess their business model, hence I searched I found out that using DIY reagent will lead to device blocked.
How I find out: The device is very cheap when comparing to every other similar devices on the market. I bought it only USD 399. While, for example, KHD (KH Director from GHL) price is at USD 959. It is big gap!
That is when I realized that they earn money by selling reagents.
For me, with that big gap of price (between KHG and KHD, ~USD 560), I can buy reagent for 4 years. Which meant I can use the KHG for 4 years until its price equal to KHD).
KHD and other similar devices, allow you to DIY the reagent. But their price are extremely high at the beginning. They know that they can only get benefit from selling the machine only. After that, they have to spend money to do maintenance service... No more earning... For me it is not a good way to maintain the business.

IMHO, I still feel good with KHG, and still happy to buy their original reagents.

 

[coralbeauties]

I honestly don’t get the whole thing of locking up your unit. All mine does is count to drops. How would it possibly know if you are using diy or not. I’ve been making my own for years.
Jeff

 

[aquadise]

I honestly don’t get the whole thing of locking up your unit. All mine does is count to drops. How would it possibly know if you are using diy or not. I’ve been making my own for years.
Jeff

Then you should share your successfully recipe here. Thank you.

 

[coralbeauties]

My guardians are older units but I recently had one refurbished here in the US and it came back with newer firmware. Ive been running my diy reagent ever since with no issues. I use 3.5 ml muratic acid (standard harware store strength) per 1500 ml of ro water. I will run it a day or two of testing and do a reverse calibration against my alk test kit. I do find that every couple of weeks I need to check the accuracy of the testing and perform a reverse calibration if I find it off.
If you look at the way these work they just count the number of drops it takes to get the ph that it is looking for. Im no tech guy but I see nothing that would test the reagent for the proper color to tell if it is diy or the real deal.

 

[aquadise]

My guardians are older units but I recently had one refurbished here in the US and it came back with newer firmware. Ive been running my diy reagent ever since with no issues. I use 3.5 ml muratic acid (standard harware store strength) per 1500 ml of ro water. I will run it a day or two of testing and do a reverse calibration against my alk test kit. I do find that every couple of weeks I need to check the accuracy of the testing and perform a reverse calibration if I find it off.
If you look at the way these work they just count the number of drops it takes to get the ph that it is looking for. Im no tech guy but I see nothing that would test the reagent for the proper color to tell if it is diy or the real deal.

You mentioned old unit. Maybe they have not update the sensor for old unit, to detect the DIY reagent.
Mine is new so I suppose I should not try.

Anyway, thank you for sharing you successful recipe.

 

[coralbeauties]

Is your guardian just a red led that flashes with each drop? I would think that if they are measuring the color of the reagent there would have to be something that would measure the amount of light being blocked as it travels through the reagent, sort of like how the hanna checkers work testing for phosphates.

 

[aquadise]

Is your guardian just a red led that flashes with each drop? I would think that if they are measuring the color of the reagent there would have to be something that would measure the amount of light being blocked as it travels through the reagent, sort of like how the hanna checkers work testing for phosphates.

I am not a technical guy, so I am not sure. But the story about blockage devices is real... They are agressive on this.
I can understand because it could damage the whole business model of them. They already cut the cost for the device itself quite a lot. If people can also use DIY reagent, their company will be dead.

 

[Sguiv6]

Intresting what the manual says.. Not sure how much is true, but may not only be dye that it detects