User Manual

16 VPC300-en-GB_v1.9 5/18
Particle Counter Considerations
Particle pollution is a mixture of various components including smoke, dust, chemicals, mold,
and gases. Particle concentrations can affect our health and comfort levels. Evaluating the
quality of the air by determining the concentration and size of these particles can help to
determine if a problem exists. Locating the source of these various particles can help to
determine effective methods of reducing these and improving the Indoor Air Quality (IAQ).
One way to determine the source of air particulates in a room is to test the air outside of the
room under investigation. Determine the concentration and size of particulates at the air intake
to that room. Purge or Zero the particle counter and then measure the concentration and size
of particles in multiple areas of the room to be tested, to determine the effectiveness of the
incoming air filtration. The air temperature, relative humidity, and CO2 levels are also an
important consideration for IAQ as high humidity and lower temperatures can bring about mold
creation.
If a room is classified as an ISO clean room or clean zone, the counts of particle sizes for that
class cannot be exceeded when tested.
Refer to the ISO Clean Room Class chart (ISO 14644-1:1999) for values.
The VPC300 is equipped with a still/video camera to directly see the areas under test. Data,
images, and video can be stored on up to an 8GB micro-SD card (not included) or in the meter’s
internal 74MB memory.
The life of the meter can be maximized by testing only when necessary and securely storing the
instrument when it is not in use. Continuous use is not recommended and can shorten the life of
the instrument especially in dusty environments. Setting up a common sense maintenance
schedule and testing to the schedule will go a long way in lengthening the life of the instrument
sensor.
PC Interface and Supplied PC software
This meter has the capability to connect to and communicate with a PC. A USB cable is supplied
and connects to the jack on the meter’s left side compartment.
To install and use the software, please refer to the instructions provided on the supplied CD-
ROM and/or the instructions provided in the HELP Utility within the software program.
Check the software download page of the website www.extech.com for the latest version of the
PC software and its operating system compatibility.