Frequently Asked Questions

Kemio is an evolving measurement platform. Keep it up to date with the latest features, bug fixes, test types, etc. by installing the latest software. Instructions on how to do this are below:

1. Download the latest version of software from our Kemio product page. Scroll down to the Downloads section and click to download the software file.
2. Connect Kemio to the PC using the supplied micro-USB cable. A window will appear on the PC.
3. Open the file folder. Drag the .kfwu software file into the top level of the Kemio file folder.
4. Do not interrupt the file transfer. Wait during the upgrade. The instrument will display a white hourglass icon.
5. When the upgrade is complete, Kemio will display a green hourglass icon and return to the neutral powered-off screen. The file folder will refresh on the PC.

Subject to the conditions set out below, Palintest will guarantee that the Goods will be free from defect in material and workmanship for a period of two years from the date of purchase.

Products excluded include, pH/conductivity and TDS probes, which are guaranteed for a period of six months from date of purchase.

The warranty does not cover calibration of the instrument.

The warranty does not cover accidental damage, or damage caused by unauthorised repair or misuse.

The use of non- Palintest reagents may void warranty and damage equipment.

To activate the second year of warranty, the instrument must have been registered with Palintest and the device received its first annual service by either Palintest, or a local Palintest approved service centre.

You can register your instrument at: www.palintest.com/after-sales/product-registration/

Annual servicing can be arranged via www.palintest.com/after-sales/servicing/ or by contacting your local Palintest approved service centre.

During the warranty period, Palintest will repair or replace at no charge, products or parts that prove defective under normal use, subject to the following conditions:

• You must be able to provide proof of purchase.
• The instrument has been supplied, maintained, and used in accordance with Palintest instrument user instructions.

To obtain a repair under the warranty, please contact our Technical Support team to determine the problem and the most appropriate solution for you:

E: support@palintest.com

W: palintest.com/after-sales/technical-support/

This Warranty Policy does not affect your statutory rights.

All rights reserved. Palintest Limited © 2023

1. Reagent Formulations Will Differ Depending on the Manufacturer
2. Optical Set-Up of the Instrument Will Differ Depending on Manufacturer
3. Our Photometers are Calibrated Based on our Reagent Formulations
4. Accuracy Levels are Stated Based on the Specific Optical Set Up and Reagent Formulation

Find out more information by reading our article

Check your Lumiso software version on your instrument. The version number will appear on the bottom right of the screen when the instrument is turned on, as shown in the image below. The latest Lumiso software can be found on the downloads tab of the Lumiso product pages. If the version numbers do not match, the instrument does not have the latest software and requires an update.

To update your Lumiso instrument follow these simple steps:

1. Save the latest software from our website on your desktop (or other file location).
2. Connect the instrument to the computer via USB. The instrument should appear as a removable disk in File Explorer.
3. Drag and drop the new software onto the instrument. .
4. Your Lumiso is now updated with the latest software. The version number on the instrument should match the version number from the website product page.

If the Check Standard readings indicate that the instrument is ‘out of calibration’ there are a few things you can try prior to arranging servicing/ recalibration of the instrument.

We would recommend that you carefully clean the photometer, especially the cell holder and optical windows, using a soft cloth and antistatic foam cleaner. Once this has been thoroughly cleaned, try re-reading the standards.

Please also carefully check the following:

• That the date on the standards’ certificate hasn’t expired
• That your instrument is listed on the certificate
• That the serial numbers on the standards match those on the certificate
• That the standards are in good condition

If these are not correct, we would recommend first obtaining a new set of check standards for your instrument.

Failing this, please contact Palintest or your local Palintest Distributor to arrange for servicing and recalibration of your instrument.

Important: If returning an instrument to our service department please let us know that the instrument is incorrectly reading the check standards with details of the part and serial numbers of the standards and which of them is failing to read correctly

Lumiso works like other photometers, by measuring the amount of light that passes through the sample in comparison to the blank. This is known as the “Percentage Transmission” or “%T”. This %T value is mathematically converted by the software to a mg/L concentration.

Therefore, to verify that the instrument is performing within calibration it is only necessary to check that the instrument measures correct values of %T at each wavelength of light it uses. If the instrument is reading the %T value correctly according to the certificate, the correct mg/L value will be displayed when testing.

Error messages usually indicate that your photometer has detected something that might affect the result of a test. Some error messages are a warning and will still allow you to perform tests. For others, the error will be considered critical and the instrument will prevent a test being performed.

Please check your instrument’s User Manual for details of what the error message means.

Check standards are used to determine if an instrument is still within calibration.

Photometers work by sending light through the sample, check standards for these instruments are usually either Coloured Solutions or Neutral Density Filters (NDF). Both types have known and certified transmittance or absorbance values so they should give these values when read in a photometer. To make the checking process even simpler some instruments will convert these to a parameter such as chlorine and give the value mg/L. The ‘target’ value is on the certificate supplied with the set of Check Standards.

Kemio and sensor instrument check standards verify that the instrument correctly measures electric signals. As with electrochemical sensors in samples, the instrument applies a voltage to the check standard and measures the resulting current. Check standards include verified resistors, which produce a consistent electric current. Kemio validates the measured current internally. Sensor instruments display the corresponding concentration value, which is compared manually to target values on the certificate supplied with the set of check standards. Check standard kits come with three standards to test across the measurement range.

Check standards allow you to confirm that your instrument is reading results correctly.

The recalibration process is a highly technical process which is carefully controlled. To recalibrate your instrument, it must be returned to Palintest. Contact your Palintest representative for more information.

All instruments must be booked in with our team prior to being sent to our office, to find out more about servicing and calibration contact us 

Palintest has a dedicated technical support team who is happy to assist you with any queries. To help speed up our response and to ensure we can deal with your query as quickly as possible, please provide as much information as you can (e.g. instrument serial number, some background information to your application). To contact them, please fill in the form on this page.

To help equip you with more information to get the best out of your instrument, our team has also created a library of information which can be found in Our News. This includes a list of best practice tips to help ensure you are performing the test correctly, to view these tips please click here. 

Check your Kemio software version on your instrument by pressing Configuration > Settings > Details.

When scanning the QR code on your Kemio sensor box, Kemio checks to see if a new software version is available. If so, it will pop up a message asking you to download and install the latest software from the website.

The latest Kemio software can be found on the downloads tab of the Kemio product page here. We recommend that you check for updates every 3 months.

Palintest regularly releases updates to Kemio software to add new test methods and improve your user experience. Usually, software updates are optional, as they provide added benefits but do not affect test results. Some updates are mandatory and you can hear about these updates by registering your product here. In these cases, tests using new batches of sensors cannot be performed until the upgrade is performed.

‘Blanking’ is how a photometer sets the zero point when conducting a test. For the majority of tests, a blank is a sample of water to be tested, with no reagent added.

Some exceptions are Tubetests that usually require the blank to be a new unused Tubetest.  COD (Chemical Oxygen Demand) requires a Tubetest to be made into a ‘blank’ by adding deionised water and digesting (heating) it, following the sample process used for a sample.  These procedures are explained in the relevant test instructions.

An instrument service covers an initial visual evaluation, run of check standards, software check and upgrade if necessary. The photometer is then recalibrated and issued with a new certificate. For more information about servicing click here.

Each sensor is precisely dosed with chemicals and carefully stored to deliver a high-quality measurement. Touching the electrode will affect this dosing and result in inaccurate results. Discard the sensor and use a different one.

Kemio™ Heavy Metals has the only portable EPA approved method for lead testing.

For more details, contact your Palintest representative.

A dilution is required when the expected result falls outside of the test range. For example, if you expect the result to be 11 mg/L and the test is from 0 – 10 mg/L.

To perform a x2, x3, x4, x5 or x10 dilution you will need your sample, de-ionised water and a Palintest dilution tube.

To perform a higher than 10x dilution you will also need a 10mL syringe. This can dilute the sample up to 100 times.

This will depend on how out of range your sample is. For example, if the solution is about five times too strong for the test range being used, then the sample should be diluted by a factor of five.

1. Decide on the degree of sample dilution required
2. Fill dilution tube with sample to one of the sample marks as appropriate (example: if a 5 times dilution is required, fill to the x5 mark)
3. Top the tube up with de-ionised water up to the line marked ‘Deionised water
4. Cap the tube and mix the solution
5. Use the diluted sample and carry out the test as normal
6. Multiply the test result by the dilution factor used (example: if the tube was originally filled to the x5 mark, then the test kit result should be multiplied by 5 to give the concentration in the original sample)

1. Decide on the degree of sample dilution required and consult the table for the correct fill level in the syringe

2. Place the tip of the syringe in the sample and draw the sample up into the syringe until the level corresponds to the appropriate fill level
3. Pour the liquid from the syringe into a clean dilution tube. Top the tube up with deionised water up to the line marked ‘Deionised water’.
4. Cap the tube and mix the solution
5. Use the diluted sample and carry out the test as normal
6. Multiply the test result by the dilution factor used (example: if you originally selected a x25 dilution, then the test kit result should be multiplied by 25 to give the concentration in the original sample)

For dilutions greater than x100, a second dilution can be carried out and the two dilution factors used multiplied together.

For example, a x20 dilution followed by a x50 dilution will result in a x1000 dilution overall (20×50).

Once the test has been carried out on the diluted sample, the test result must be multiplied by the dilution factor used.

For example: If the dilution tube was originally filled to the x5 mark, then the test kit result should be multiplied by 5 to give the concentration in the original sample.

Dilution tubes and syringes should be rinsed thoroughly with deionised water after use.

Palintest multiparameter photometers enable the dilution factor to be entered during the test using the instrument keys. The instrument will then calculate the final answer using this factor, and the multiplication step will no longer be required.

Using Kemio, you can add a dilution factor to a label when performing a test. If a label with a dilution factor is used during the test, the factor will have applied to the number shown on the screen. For example, if a 50mg/L solution was diluted 5x and measured by Kemio using a label with a 5x dilution factor, the result displayed on the screen will be 50mg/L.

Our Lumiso photometers are IP67 rated, meaning the internal electronics of the instrument are protected and will still function if the instrument is splashed or dropped into water. In addition to the IP67 rating, the Lumiso range of instruments has also been humidity tested at 50°C, 90% relative humidity non-condensing, damp heat for 24 hours.

Please be aware that persistent excessive humidity can, however, damage your Lumiso instrument, and therefore should the foam inside the carry case become wet we strongly recommend that you allow the foam to dry out before using it again for your instrument.

Kemio is IP67 rated but it should be kept clean and dry to avoid bacteria build-up. Use non-abrasive cloths and non-aggressive detergents if necessary. Be sure to dry the contacts under the front lid if wet and keep the sample vessel holding area clean.

Rinse the sample vessel between uses and clean it more thoroughly occasionally to reduce the risk of cross contamination between tests.

Monopersulfate can react with the DPD total chlorine test causing a false high total test, and thus, a false combined chlorine reading. The DPD Oxystop tablet eliminates this interference allowing an accurate measurement of total chlorine. This should be used prior to the DPD #3 tablet. The DPD Oxystop tablet may also be used in exactly the same manner with the DPD XT tablets.

Palintest cannot guarantee accurate results when sensos are used outside of the recommended temperature range. To learn more please click here Kemio brochure.

If the reading of your sample is high, please complete the technical support form for further assistance.

Palintest recommends that you dilute your sample with deionised water. The dilution factor can be set on the instrument allowing it to perform the calculation for you. This ensures that the sample remains within the target concentration and temperature range of the sensor being used.

Follow the steps below:

• Clean and dry the contacts with an alcohol wipe
• Clean the sample pot thoroughly
• Test a sample of deionised water

If the reading of your sample is high, please send a copy of your log file to sales@staging.palintest.halmacloud.com

We have a dedicated technical support team who are happy to assist, please send your log file to support@palintest.com for further help.

Carbonate hardness is a measure of carbonates and bicarbonates dissolved in water. It refers to the ‘buffering’ ability of the water, which is how the water maintains a stable environment for aquatic life.

To determine carbonate hardness you need to measure total alkalinity. This can be done using a photometer and Palintest Alkalinity tablets, known as Alkaphot (AP188). Visual methods to measure total alkalinity are also available.

Total hardness is a measure of the calcium and magnesium ions in the water, referred to as the ‘hardness’ of the water. Some aquatic species prefer ‘hard’ water, and some prefer ‘soft’ water.

Total hardness can be measured using our Hardicol reagent (AP254) on a Palintest photometer. This will give a result for total hardness in mg/L CaCO₃.

Sometimes the unit’s dH are used for total hardness. To convert this result to dH divide by 17.8, as 1 unit dH equals 17.8 mg/L as CaCO₃.

A False Positive is a result indicating a detectable presence of the target organism where none are in fact present. The False Positive scenario produces a ‘fail to safety’ in most circumstances but results in unnecessary corrective action. Typical causes are poor testing technique, contamination of samples and the susceptibility of tests to interference from competing organisms. One of the most common causes of False Positive is the over-incubation of samples for methods with a narrowly defined incubation time window. Select a test method with both a minimal interference formulation and a wide incubation window to minimise False Positives.

Specifically for microbiological testing, a False Negative is a dangerous scenario. The test used declares that the target organism is not present when it is, due to issues such as poor sample mixing or the inability of the test method to effectively resuscitate and culture the target (the Viable But Not Culturable scenario). Select a method for the target organism which has a low False Negative where possible.

%T or % Transmittance is related to absorbance and is effectively the amount of light that isn’t absorbed by a solution at a particular wavelength and path length. So, if all the light passes through a solution without any absorption, then absorbance is zero, and %T is 100%. If all the light is absorbed, then %T is zero, and absorption is infinite.

Palintest Check Standards are traceable reference materials defined in terms of %T at a particular wavelength and are ideal in confirming your photometer is conforming to specification in the field.

All instruments must be booked in for a service before arriving back at Palintest. This ensures that we can track your instrument and schedule instrument services in the most efficient way. Any instruments not booked in before shipping, are likely to be subject to delays

In certain circumstances Palintest is able to offer on-site servicing for selected facilities in the UK. Please contact us on servicing@palintest.com if you would like to discuss this option.

We recommend that only your instrument is returned, to prevent any losses or damages during transit.

As not all ions move at the same speed, have the same charge density, or are the same size, they all conduct electricity at the different rates. The TDS factors are a fudge factor which accounts for this variability when converting a conductivity measurement to a Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) measurement. There are different TDS factors for different water types.