AquaTracPLASTIC PIPE TOOL

User OperatingInstruction Manual

HeitmanLaboratories

AquaTrac User Operating Instruction ManualRevision 2a, October, 2005

Quick Set-Up Guide:

1. Using supplied D-clip, clip receiver on left side of belt if right-handed or right side of belt it" left-handed.The top of the Receiver should be pointed toward the ground.

2. Plug headphones into jack and clip around your neck until ready for use.3. Pick up Probe Pole, stick spike in the ground and press ON button on top of Pole.4. LED near ON button should blink when Pole is tapped. Use hand to shade LED in bright sun.5. Press ON/OFF button on Receiver and observe software message and battery test.6. Place headphones over ears and adjust level controls on each ear-piece to mid-range.7. Push and hold ON Button, tap Pole and adjust sensitivity (S+, S-) for mid-scale LCD display.8. Re-adjust Headphones for a comfortable listening level and begin probing ground for signal.9. POLE 'ON' BUTTON MUST BE HELD DOWN TO TAKE A READING.

10. Adjust Frequency (F+, F-) as needed for clearest signal.

Probe Pole ! Icadphono

Detailed Probe Pole Operating Instructions:

Operation of the Probe Pole is accomplished with a single membrane switch button, labeled ON, located onthe top of the Pole. Pushing the button causes the Pole to power up and the green LED located beside it toblink when the Pole is tapped or moved. The LED operates at all limes as long as the Pole power system isenabled. Shade the LED with your hand for viewing in bright sunlight.Replace the battery if" the LED does not blink brightly.

The power system automatically powers down about four minutes after the ON button is pushed last. Thisfeature greatly extends the life of the single 9-Volt battery. In the power down mode, the electronics are stillconnected to the battery, but the current is reduced to less than 0.1 microamps and the expected shelf life ofthe battery is not affected.

Sensor data is transferred between the Pole and the Receiver using a wireless radio transmitter. THE ONBUTTON MUST BE PUSHED AND HELD DOWN FOR SENSOR DATA TO BE TRANSMITTED TOTHE RECEIVER. This feature eliminates the noise generated when the pole is being moved between probepoints on the ground.

Changing the battery is accomplished by using your fingers to roll the large O-ring out of the groove on thePole and up the Pole to allow the battery cover to move upward and expose the battery compartment.PULLING ON THE BATTERY COVER TO FORCE THE O-RING UP THE POLE WILL DAMAGE THEPOLE DECAL. Insert a small screwdriver or ball point pen to gently pry the battery off the batteryconnector. BE CAREFUL TO INSTALL THE NEW ALKALINE ONLY BATTERY WITH THE PLUS(+) TERMINAL OUTWARD OR THE CONNECTOR WILL BE DAMAGED. IMPORTANT - YOUMl!ST HOLD "ON" BUTTON DOWN WHILE INSTALLING NKVV BATTERY TO RESET AUTOPOWER SAVE CIRCUIT. Use the same tool on the opposite end of the battery to pry it onto theconnector. Push the battery cover back and then the O-ring back in place, making sure the O-ring is fullyseated in its groove on the outside of the pole.

Detailed Receiver Operating Instructions:

Operation of the Receiver is controlled with five membrane switch buttons located on the face of the unit.Press the ON/OFF button once to turn power on or off. As the Receiver powers up, the LCD screen willdisplay the revision level of the microprocessor software followed by a short display of the battery voltagelevel, which should be within the range labeled BATT GOOD. The LCD display will begin to fade and thendisappear when the batteries are below the required level.

The Sensitivity of the Receiver is controlled by the S+ (increase) and S- (decrease) buttons. Each time abutton is pushed, the sensitivity moves one step out of the possible 64 steps, from zero to maximum. If abutton is held down, the steps occurs automatically at a rate of about ten per second. Holding a button downfor seven seconds or more will ensure that the maximum or minimum level is attained. Best operating resultsare obtained when the sensitivity is set to provide a mid-scale (50) reading on the LCD. The sensitivitysetting is stored and maintained at the current setting when the receiver power is turned off and when thebatteries are changed or removed.

Frequency Tuning is accomplished with the F+ and F- buttons in the same fashion as sensitivity. There are64 steps that tune the center frequency of the receiver. The control is provided to allow the user to tune thereceiver for a clearer signal. Pushing or holding the F- button will tune the receiver toward lower (bass)frequencies and the F+ button tunes the receiver toward higher (treble) frequencies. The feature is usefulwhen signal levels are very low. Frequency settings are stored and maintained with power off or with thebatteries removed.

Headphone audio levels are independently controlled for each ear with a knob located on each ear piece.USE CAUTION WHEN WEARING HEADPHONES AND BE ALERT TO TRAFFIC OR OTHERHAZARDS THAT ARE NORMALLY HEARD OUTDOORS.

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Detailed Receiver Operating Instructions- Continued:

Changing the batteries is accomplished by removing the lid of the receiver from the case. Unplugthe headphones from the jack and lay the receiver on a flat surface with the headphone jack on yourright. Loosen the four black plastic Phillips head screws. They are held captive to the lid toprevent loss. Raise the left end of the lid (opposite end from the headphone jack) and rotate the lidaround until it is upside down on your right. Six alkaline AA batteries are needed. Replace all thebatteries at one time. The batteries are held in their compartments by metal clamps and by Velcrostrips. Pull one side of the male Velcro strip off and gently remove the batteries from the metalclamps. Install the new batteries following the polarity indicator labels in each battery holder.Insert the male (+) terminal first and gently push toward the male end to allow the flat (-) end to gointo the holder. Pull the male Velcro strips tight and press them down to engage. Pick up the lidand make sure the battery cables are inside the case and pushed away from any sharp edges inside.Reinstall the lid on the case and tighten the four screws until all edges of the lid touch the case.

PART I - TRANSMITTER APPLICATION TECHNIQUES:

1. Transmitters are connected at sprinkler heads, hose bibs, water meter bases, firehydrants and clean-outs. Supplied Transmitter Adapter Kits are illustratedbelow. Always flush any connection site until the water that flows is clear ofall rust, silt, sealing compounds and foreign materials before connecting aTransmitter to the water line.

2. All Adapter kits are supplied with a 3 Meter (10 foot) high-pressure drain hosethat must be connected to the outlet of the Transmitter in order for the device towork properly. Always use a weight on the hose or tie the hose down to preventthe hose from whipping.

3. Check the water pressure before attempting to locate the water line and makesure that it is in the operating range of the Transmitter, which is 3 to 10 Bars(40tol40PSl).

4. The Transmitters are color-coded to identify their intended usage: A color-coded tie wrap is used along with a small square area that is painted on the sideof the transmitter to indicate the color. Green is the lowest power Transmitterand is intended for use on sprinkler and hose bibs pipes that typically range indiameter between 1.3 cm and 5 cm (0.5 inches and 2.0 inches.) GreenTransmitters may be used on larger diameter pipes where reduced operatingrange is acceptable. Yellow Transmitters are intended for use on water mainsthat range in diameter between 5 cm and 15 cm (2 inches and 6 inches.) They

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are typically connected at a water meter connection. Yellow Transmittersshould never be used on smaller diameter pipes, but they may be used on largerdiameter pipes. Red Transmitters are intended for use only on water mains thatare 15 cm (6 inches) in diameter or larger. The typical connection is via a firehydrant.

5. Always start your adjustments by turning the T-handle clockwise until fullwater flow is attained at the Transmitter outlet. Then, slowly turn the T-handlecounterclockwise until the Transmitter begins to pulse. Once the pulsingbegins, turn the handle very slowing in each direction to fine tune the pulse to aregular beat of about two to five times per second. This adjustment rangevaries between less than one turn to several turns depending on the operatingconditions. If you turn the T-handle to far in the clockwise direction, waterwill flow continuously without pulsing and if the turn the T-handle to far in thecounterclockwise direction, water flow will stop completely.

6. The best results are obtained with the slowest pulse possible. Range and signalstrength are greatly improved with low pulse rates of a few pulses per second.Higher water pressures typically cause faster pulse rates. Pulse rates aboveabout 10 pulses per second are difficult to use and cause reduced locationrange.

7. The Transmitter contains a locking collar located directly below the T-handle.Tighten the hex-shaped collar to prevent the T-handle from moving (walking)while pulsating.

1.1 Sprinkler /Hose Bib Kit Details. USABLUEBOOK P/N 61329:

PROVIDED ASSEMBLED AS SHOWN

DAMPER HOSE

FILTER GREEN LOW-POWERWASHERS TRANSONDE(3)

1.3 cm (1/2") x30 cm (12")

1.3cm PVC NIPPLE(1/2") PVCCOUPLER

TEFLONTAPE

1.3cm (1/2"PIPETO HOSETHREADADAPTER

3m (10 FT.)HEAVY DUTYHOSE

1.2 Fire Hydrant Kit Details. USABLUEBOOK P/N 61327:

MUST BE USED AS ASSEMBLEDFOR PROPER OPERATION

1.9cm(3/4")BALLVALVE

FILTERWASHERS(3)

RED HIGH-POWERTRANSONDE

1.9cm(3/4")CLOSENIPPLE

•i1.9cm(3/4") x46cm(18")NIPPLE

1.9(3/4")PIPETO HOSETHREADADAPTER

3m (10 FT.)HEAVY DUTYHOSE

1.3 Water Meter Kit Details. USABLUEBOQK P/N 61328:

ASSEMBLED AS SHOWN

YELLOWMEDIUM-POWERTRANSONDE

1.9cm(3/4")PIPETO HOSETHREADADAPTER

1.9cm(3/4") x46cm (18")NIPPLE

1.9cm (3/4") >.STREETELL

3m (10 FT.)HEAVY DUTYHOSE

1.9cm(3/4")BALLVALVE

1.9cm(3/4") x2.5cm (1")ADAPTER

2.5cm (1")x3.2cm (11/4')ADAPTER

EXISTING•* METER

SETTERWITH STOP

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PART II • TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE

2.0 Transmitter Repairs:

2.1Purpose of Transmitter: The Transmitter creates the signal that is picked up bythe AQUATRAC 100 Receiver. The Transmitter creates this signal by automaticallyopening and then rapidly closing a water valve. This allows water to alternately flowout of a pipe for a short period of time and then be quickly stopped for a short periodof time. This rapid interruption of water flow, on a regular basis, creates pressurechanges inside the water pipe. These pressure changes travel along the pipe as wavesand cause slight motion in the walls of the water pipe. The AQUATRAC 100 Receiverpicks up this pipe motion at the ground surface and indicates signal level to the user.The user locates the underground pipe by finding the maximum (peak) signal level onthe surface.

2.2 Fault Analysis: The Transmitter is a special water valve that operates in the fullyopen condition (water flowing from the outlet) or the fully closed condition (no waterflow). Figure 2.1 is a photograph that illustrates the location of the principal parts ofthe Transmitter. Externally, the Transmitter has two protective caps, a female thread(water inlet) a male water outlet and a T-handle adjustment, which allows the device tooperate over a wide range of water pressures. The serial number for the Transmitter islocated on a small tag on the side of the Transmitter.

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Figure 2.1 - Transmitter Photograph

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FLOW

INCREASINGPRESSURE

DECREASINGPRESSURE

Figure 2.2 - Transmitter Simplified Block Diagram

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Figure 2.2 is a simplified block diagram of the Transmitterillustrating the operation of the valve. Valve opening and closing arecontrolled by the adjustable T-handle. Turning the handle clockwiseincreases the spring force and causes the valve to open (water starts flowing),while rotating it counterclockwise reduces the spring force allowing it toclose (water stops flowing). A handle setting between these extremes willallow the valve to open and then close on a regular basis at a rate of about 2to 5 pulses per second.

Transmitters are factory calibrated to provide specificwater flow rates. (Flow rates are generally expressed in liters per minute (orgallons per minute.) Special test equipment is required to calibrateTransmitters, internal Transmitter adjustments must not he attemptedby users. Any such adjustments will void the equipment warranty andmay result in damage to the attached pipe system.

Larger diameter pipes require higher flow rates to producea strong signal output. The Three types of Transmitters currently offered aresummarized in Table 2.1 below:

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Power / Color Code Diameter of Pipe Service Type

Low /GREEN

Medium/ YELLOW

High /RED*

< 5cm (2 in.)

> 5 cm (2 in.)

> 15 cm (6 in.)

Service and SprinklerlinesSmall Water Mains

Large Water Mains

Table 2.1 - Transmitter Type Summary

* CAUTION: RED TRANSMITTERS SHOULD ONLY BE USED ONFIRE HYDRANTS.

You can determine the type(s) of Transmitters you haveby examining the color coding used on the cable tie that holds the dust capsonto the body and the color painted on the square area opposite the tag on theTransmitter body.

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2.2.1 Transmitter Tests: The following tests can be easily performed by auser to help determine if a problem(s) exists in a Transmitter. Please seeFigure 2.1 (Transmitter Photograph) above to clarify the location of specificparts.

2.2.1.1 Clogged Inlet Filter: Check the filter washer screen (located insidethe inlet of the Transmitter) for debris; remove and clean if dirty. Replacefilter washer if screen is damaged in any way. Be sure to only use filterwashers approved by USABLUEBOOK and to install the screen with thecone pointing outward as shown in Figure 2.3. Do not substitute a washerwith a coarser filter screen or no filter screen at all as this will likelycause your Transmitter to become contaminated internally and result inpremature failure of the valve seats.

2.2.1.2 Leak Tests;

1) Connect the Transmitter to the appropriate water pipe usingall of the adapter kit provided. Do not connect the water hose to the Transmitteroutlet during this test.

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2) Turn the water fully on and turn the T-handle on theTransmitter counterclockwise until water stops flowing completely.

3) Observe the area around the inlet of the Transmitter. If anyleaks occur, check the inlet filter screen washer for cracks or damage and replace ifnecessary. The Transmitter will not operate properly if leaks exist around the inlet.If the inlet has been crushed or bent, the Transmitter must be returned toUSABLUEBOOK for repair.

4) Examine the upper Transmitter body and make sure no leaksare occurring in the body or around the seal between the upper and lowerTransmitter bodies. If leaks appear around the "O" Ring seal or if the body isleaking, return the Transmitter to USABLUEBOOK for repair.

5) Look at the Transmitter outlet and make sure no water leaksoccur at outlet. A few drops per minute from the outlet are acceptable. If a steadyleak occurs, return the Transmitter to USABLUEBOOK for repair.

6) If no leaks are present in any of the tests described above,proceed to the tests described below.

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2.2.1.3 Spring Inspection:

1) Disconnect the Transmitter from water pipe and rotateT-handle counterclockwise until the spring located inside Transmitter is loose. Thespring should rattle when the Transmitter is shaken. The spring can be observed bylooking into outlet of Transmitter.

2) Look into the outlet and examine the spring for signs of wearor breakage. If worn or broken, return the Transmitter to USABLUEBOOK forrepair.

3) Rotate the T-handle clockwise, watch the spring through theoutlet as it is compressed and look for wear or breakage. Look at the brass springbutton on the end of the spring that rides on the threaded handle shaft and makesure it is in place. If any problems are found, return the Transmitter toUSABLUEBOOK for Repair.

2.2.1.4 Operational Tests:

1) Connect the Transmitter to the appropriate water pipe usingall of the adapter kit provided. Connect the supplied, high pressure water hose tothe Transmitter outlet during this test and remember to restrain the hose so that thepulsing does not cause it to whip.

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2) Turn the water fully on (open valve completely).

3) Loosen the T-handle collar (knurled ring or hex-shaped collarjust above T-handle.) Turn the T-handle on the Transmitter clockwise until waterstarts flowing through the water hose on the outlet.

4) Slowly turn the T-handle counterclockwise until theTransmitter starts to pulse.

5) Turn the T-handle clockwise until the pulsing stops andobserve its position (rotational location) and then turn the T-handlecounterclockwise again until you observe the slowest pulse rate. The target rate isabout 2 to 5 pulses per second and the rate should increase slightly as you turn theT-handle clockwise. Observe the Transmitter operation for a few minutes to makesure that it runs smoothly and then lock the T-handle by tightening the T-handlecollar with pliers or a wrench. The collar puts friction on the T-handle shaft, toprevent it from turning (walking) due to the vibration, which will cause theTransmitter to stop pulsing. Continue watching the Transmitter to make sure theT-handle does not turn and that the Transmitter continues to pulse at a regular rate.Re-tighten the collar if the T-handle moves.

6) If the Transmitter does not run smoothly at about 2 to 5 pulsesper second, compare the results with the following table:

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SYMPTOM OBSERVED LIKELY CAUSE(S)

1. Water runs continuously and Transmittervalve seat is and Transmitter will not pulseregardless of T-handle position.

2. Water runs, then Transmitter pulses a fewtimes as T-handle is turned, then water stopsflowing.

3. Transmitter pulses too fast.

4. Transmitter stops pulsing after running afew minutes.

5. Transmitter pulsing is interruptedperiodically by continuous water flow fromthe outlet.

Transmitter is seat is being held open by a foreign object or isdamaged.

T-handle is being turned counterclockwise too quickly. Tryturning it clockwise until water starts flowing, then slowly turnit counterclockwise unt i l the Transmitter starts pulsing.

Make sure high pressure hose, supplied with kit, is connectedto the outlet of the Transmitter and that all parts supplied in theadapter kit are connected as shown in the kit instructions.

Make sure the locking nut on the Spring Housing is tightenough to keep T-handle from "walking."

This problem is caused by variations in water pressure on theline being located. Try turning the T-handle slowlycounterclockwise until a continuous pulse is achieved.

Table 2.2 - Transmitter Failure Symptoms and Causes

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FCC STATEMENT:

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a class B digital device,pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonableprotectionagainst harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and canradiate radio frequency energy and if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions,may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee thatinterference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmfulinterference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipmentoff and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of thefollowing measures:

* Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.* Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.* Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.

This equipment has been certified to comply with the limits for a class B computing device,pursuant to FCC Rules. In order to maintain compliance with FCC regulations, shielded cablesmust be used with this equipment. Operation with non-approved equipment or unshieldedcablesis likely to result in interference to radio and TV reception. The user is cautioned that changesand modifications made to the equipment without the approval of manufacturer could void theuser's authority to operate this equipment.

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For Further Assistance:

Please contact USABlueBook at:

Toll Free Telephone, 7 am to 5 pm, Central Time, Monday - Friday: 800-548-1234

Tech Support Facsimile: 847-291-9318

Tech Support e-mail: tech@ usabluebook.com

USABlueBook3781 Bur Wood DriveDock #12Waukegan, IL 60085USA

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