December 18, 2008
Holiday Schedule
Solinst will be operating throughout the holidays with reduced staff levels to maintain consistent service for our clients. Our hours of operation during the holiday season are as follows:
Christmas Eve: December 24, 2008 - 8:30am to 12noon
Christmas Day: December 25, 2008 - Closed
Boxing Day: December 26, 2008 - Closed
December 29, 2008 - 8:30am to 5pm
December 30, 2008 - 8:30am to 5pm
New Years Eve: December 31, 2008 - 8:30am to 5pm
New Years Day: January 1, 2009 - Closed
January 2, 2009 - 8:30am to 5pm
On Monday January 5, 2009, Solinst will resume operation with staff levels back to full capacity
December 15, 2008
Updated Model 408 Double Valve Pump Datasheet Ready!
An updated version of the Model 408 Double Valve Pump datasheet is now available. Solinst Double Valve Pumps are gas driven, providing high quality, consistent groundwater samples. In standard sizes of 5/8" (16 mm) and 1.66" (42 mm) diameters, stainless steel or PVC pumps are suitable for applications of almost any depth and diameter. Portable or dedicated versions are available. The datasheet discusses features and applications of the pump, as well as an overview of operation and set-up. more >>
October 24, 2008
Newly Certified CMT Installers Put Training to Good Use
Last week, CMT training was conducted for eight employees of a drilling company in Tennessee. The training at M & W Drilling in Oak Ridge, TN, consisted of an overview of the different multilevel systems offered by Solinst and then a hands-on demonstration session where the trainees learned how to properly construct a CMT well. After all of the trainees had been given the opportunity to construct a CMT monitoring port, additional questions and specific scenarios were addressed prior to concluding the training session. As newly certified CMT Installers, the drillers put their training to good use - they left the following day to begin the installation of eight 3-Channel CMT Systems!
more >>
October 22, 2008
Updated Model 122 Interface Meter Datasheet Now Available
The Model 122 Interface Meter Datasheet has been updated and is now ready to view and download from our website. Solinst Oil/Water Interface Meters are fully repairable and, feature a narrow 16 mm (5/8") diameter probe, flexible flat tape, and sturdy reel. Meters provide clear, accurate measurements of product level and thickness (LNAPL and DNAPL), and are approved for use in explosive environments. The datasheet includes a brief overview of the design, operating principles, and features of the Meters. more >>
October 15, 2008
Come See Us at WEFTEC '08 – Booth #11029
WEFTEC 2008, the 81st Annual Water Environment Federation Technical Exhibition and Conference, is being held at McCormick Place in Chicago this year, from October 18th to 22nd. Among over 900 exhibitors, you will find Solinst at booth #11029. Be sure to visit us at the largest water quality event in North America and view our full range of instruments and technology, including our new STS Gold Telemetry System! more >>
October 7, 2008
What Do You Get With a Leveloader Gold Assembly?
Our new "Leveloader Communication" guide illustrates the options you have with a Leveloader Gold Assembly. Connect directly to a Levelogger, or to the direct read cable of a down-well Levelogger, and communicate with Levelogger Software on your PC. more >>
October 6, 2008
Complete Your Levelogger Package
Do you want to view real-time readings from your Levelogger during pumping tests, or simply deploy your Levelogger for long term monitoring? Use the new "Levelogger Deployment" sheet to determine the communication accessories you need to meet your project requirements. more >>
October 2, 2008
A Simple and Dependable Way to Deploy Your Levelogger
Solinst now offers Kevlar® Rope Assemblies as an option to deploy your Leveloggers. For applications requiring a little extra strength and durability, Kevlar is five times stronger than steel - it is a spun material with great tensile strength. Kevlar is also very suitable for underwater applications in freshwater and marine environments, as the material resists rusting. It is excellent in all temperatures.
There are no hooks required to attach the rope to the Levelogger. Simply tie the Kevlar to the opening in the end cap, and the other end to a wellhead or any suitable anchor. Solinst still offers stainless steel wire lines for deployment, as well as Direct Read Cables for down-well communication. more >>
October 1, 2008
Solinst Leveloggers Now SDI-12 Compatible!
Levelogger customers can now connect to an SDI-12 network. Leveloggers act as SDI-12 sensors by simply using one convenient Interface Cable supplied by Solinst. The Levelogger Gold, Levelogger Junior, Barologger and Rainlogger are SDI-12 compatible and can link directly to a SCADA or other SDI-12 system. Leveloggers can also be set to record on their own schedule, independent of SDI-12 operation, providing reliable back-up data. more >>
September 30, 2008
Add Rainfall Data to your Levelogger Network
Now Levelogger Gold users can add rainfall data to their water level monitoring networks. The Model 3002 Rainlogger is designed for use with most standard tipping-bucket rain gauges. Compact in design, this durable field unit offers long-term reliability with a 10-year battery, and non-volatile memory for up to 40,000 readings. Rainfall level per sampling period and a five-minute maximum rainfall are logged. Compatible with Solinst Telemetry Systems and SDI-12 networks, Rainloggers are excellent for measuring local precipitation, and larger scale remote monitoring. more >>
September 29, 2008
New STS Gold Telemetry System
Solinst has developed a simplified telemetry system that is sure to gain a lot of interest. The new STS Gold Telemetry Systems come with standardized hardware, flexible communication options (radio, cellular, satellite), and intuitive software that make the system easy to set up, operate and manage data.
Designed for use with Levelogger Series data loggers, these systems provide an economical, reliable and efficient method to access remote data instantly. Added features such as alarm notification and remote firmware upgrades, make it easy to maintain the systems, while maximizing data collection. more >>
September 10, 2008
ON THE LEVEL Water Monitoring News and Updates
Just released! The Fall 2008 newsletter features a discussion on Swedish Saltwater Intrusion monitoring, and a case study about the use of the Levelogger® Gold in the National Groundwater Monitoring Program in Lithuania. Other highlights include the use of Low Pressure Packers to isolate monitoring zones, upcoming tradeshows and an update on the Solinst distributor and agent product training program. more >>
August 7, 2008
Technical Bulletin: Best Practice Low Flow Methods for Highest Quality Samples
Since 1996, low flow sampling has become an increasingly approved method for obtaining high quality groundwater samples. Through the work of Puls and Barcelona, the US EPA released standard operating procedures for low flow sampling (EPA/540/S-95/504). Following such guidelines ensures the collection of samples that are representative of actual in-situ conditions.
Low flow purging and sampling involves extracting groundwater at rates comparable to ambient groundwater flow (typically less than 500 ml/min), so that the drawdown of the water level is minimized, and the mixing of stagnant water with water from the screened intake area in a well is reduced. more >>
August 7, 2008
Model 407/408 Pneumatic Pump Setup and Trouble Shooting Schematic
Solinst has created this very helpful document, which clearly illustrates how a Solinst Model 407 Bladder Pump or a Model 408 Double Valve Pump is setup for sampling using a Model 466 Electronic Control Unit.
Details and function of each important component in the setup are provided, along with maintenance suggestions and tips for proper operation. There is discussion of problems that may be encountered and how they are easily solved and avoided.
June 20, 2008
New Levelogger Gold Software Version 3.2.3 Released
Solinst has released the latest update to the Levelogger Gold PC Software, for use with the Levelogger Gold, Levelogger Junior, Barologger, Rainlogger, and Leveloader Gold.
Software Version 3.2.3 has recently been uploaded to the Solinst website and is ready for download, along with the User Guide and Quick Start Guide. Register your Solinst Software and receive these updates automatically. Download the new software at: www.solinst.com/downloads/
more >>
June 4, 2008
Why Use Bladder Pumps?
We all know that bladder pumps are ideal for obtaining extremely accurate, representative groundwater samples. For these reasons site regulators, owners, and consultants rely on bladder pumps for reproducible data that is defensible, time and time again.
Bladder pumps are EPA approved for low flow sampling and groundwater collection for Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) analysis. Despite their benefits, misconceptions sometimes deter potential users from upgrading to a bladder pump. Perceived complexity of equipment and operation are misplaced on these highly portable, and easy to control instruments.
Solinst Bladder Pumps provide options to suit various environments and applications. They are effective and easy to operate. With a few simple sampling tips and the right pump controller, these pumps will provide you with time and cost savings, along with defensible, consistent data. more >>
June 4, 2008
A Simple Tool for Metals Sampling in Groundwater
The Solinst Model 601 Standpipe Piezometers are low cost, simple, yet reliable tools, which can be used for various groundwater monitoring and sampling applications.
The Model 601 is excellent for metals sampling, as it is composed of a preformed Vyon tube set inside a perforated PVC piezometer tip. The porous Vyon filter has an average pore size of 60 microns, and keeps out silts and fine sands. It is also well suited for water level monitoring, permeability measurements, construction control, de-watering drainage operations, and slope stability investigations.
The Standpipes are designed to be placed within a drilled hole to provide a filtered inlet point. The pointed PVC tip is also suitable for pushing into very loose sands at the base of a borehole, a stream, or into very loose tailings pond sediments. Available in various lengths, the 601 tip connects to the surface with 3/4" ID PVC riser pipe using slip-fit couplings. Reducer couplings can also be used to connect to other sizes of riser pipe or casing. more >>
June 4, 2008
Obtain the Samples You Need – using Model 407 and 408 Pumps
Retrieving a groundwater sample using a pneumatic pump requires answers to two questions – how much pressure and how much drive gas do I need?
Read our User Tips for Solinst Bladder Pumps and Double Valve Pumps. Determine the amount of applied pumping pressure and volume of drive gas you will need for each type of pump, to obtain samples from different depths. Also learn how to select a pump controller that will work best for you. more >>
April 22, 2008
ON THE LEVEL
Water Monitoring News and Updates
Our Spring 2008 newsletter has just been released. It features comparisons to help you decide which Solinst product is right for you, includes interesting case studies from around the world, contains product updates and releases, and provides helpful tips for conducting a successful pump test. more >>
March 25, 2008
Solinst Model 103 Tag Line - more versatile than you might think!
Originally, the Tag Line was designed for use during the construction of monitoring wells, to measure the depth of a well or to tag a backfill layer of sand or bentonite. It also became an ideal tool to use when installing a Solinst CMT Multilevel System and isolating monitoring ports at the perfect depths.
The Solinst Tag Line uses a weight clipped to a polyethylene coated, permanently marked, stainless steel cable. The low-profile markings are bonded every foot or meter. They are fixed firmly in place, while maintaining a smooth surface for trouble-free operation. The cable is mounted on a sturdy and easy-to-use reel.
Because the weight is easily clipped off, the Tag Line can be used to deploy a number of different instruments, and because the cable is marked, you can ensure you are getting your instruments to the proper depth. This is excellent for Bailer deployment. The Solinst Model 428 Disposable Bailer, Model 429 Point Source Bailer, and the Model 425 Discrete Interval Sampler, all have a convenient connector to securely attach a Tag line.
Tag Lines can also be used to install Packers, are great safety supports for downhole Bladder Pumps or Double Valve Pumps, and can even be used to deploy your Levelogger for short-term applications. The Solinst Tag Line has been proven to be a very versatile tool!
March 7, 2008
North American Distributor Training Highlights Solinst Bladder Pump Technology
On March 6th and 7th, training sessions were offered to Solinst North American Distributors. Eleven representatives from seven different companies were welcomed, with attendees from Texas to Quebec. Product updates and an overview of all Solinst instruments were provided during the two-day event.
Training featured informative hands-on demonstrations, including a presentation showcasing the efficiency of Solinst Bladder Pumps and the Pump Control Unit. The Solinst Control Unit allows very slow compression of the bladder. This causes less disturbance to the sample water, providing higher quality samples than other competitor units.
Thank you to the participants, and to the staff who made this training session another successful and interesting Solinst event. A great time was had by all!
February 1, 2008
20 More Certified CMT Installers!
Thanks to the good folks at Boart, Solinst Canada made its 4th visit to be a part of Boart Longyear's Sonic Driller Training Program in Marietta, OH. Solinst was invited to provide training and certification for CMT System Installation to all twenty attendees in this year's class. And what a class it was - Boart had representation from across 12 States, as well as from Toulon, France! The course discussed the background and theory of the advantages and disadvantages of bundled, nested, and engineered multilevel systems. Both Waterloo and CMT manufactured multilevel systems were discussed and reviewed for site application and suitability.
The training focused on CMT installation practices, everything from layout, port cutting and construction, selecting centralizers and ensuring proper placement of sand packs and seals. A review of level measurement and sampling options for both soil gas and groundwater was also discussed. The class had a chance to construct their own monitoring ports, with hands-on training, it's one of the best ways to 'learn, and remember'.
Solinst has now trained and certified a total of 117 installers from around the world. Please see our CMT Certified Installers list to find one near you!
January 16, 2008
North American Environmental Field Conference - Exhibit and Workshop a Success!
The Nielson Environmental Field School held its annual North American Environmental Field Conference and Exposition, January 14-16, 2008 in Tampa, Florida. Once again, this always busy and very informative event was a great success. It featured 38 excellent papers, almost 50 different exhibitors, and over 80 hours of interactive indoor and outdoor workshops and equipment demonstrations. Solinst had the pleasure of exhibiting at the conference, as well as presenting an indoor workshop discussing water level monitoring telemetry systems. A lot of positive feedback was gained through the workshop and exhibit, and we are already looking forward to next year's event!
