PARSTAT MC Hardware Manual
PARSTAT MC Hardware Manual 15
Installing the USB Driver
The first time the PARSTAT MC is connected to the host PC and powered on, Windows® should display a
“Found New Hardware” message, and request driver installation. Upon this request, insert the VersaStudio
CD into the CD-ROM drive, and select “Automatic” to install the driver. This driver should be located in the
C:\Program Files\Princeton Applied Research\VersaStudio\ folder.
3.4.2. Connecting the Cell
To connect the cell cable (part no. 223945) to the PMC-1000 or PMC-1000/DC:
1. Make sure the POWER switch is off.
Match and attach the D connector side of the Cell cable to the front of the PMC-1000, and secure the
screws on either side.
After cell cable is connected to front panel, power the unit on and let it boot fully (approximately 1 min to
boot up) before connecting a cell to the leads of the cell cable.
CAUTION: Having a cell connected at power-on or at power-off should be avoided to prevent any
voltage or current spikes from reaching the cell, or in the case of energy storage devices (such as batteries,
capacitors, or fuel cells), preventing spikes from discharging back into the PMC-1000 and causing damage
to the instrument.
The opposite end of cell cable is color-coded at the tip as follows:
Green – Working (WE) electrode lead. This lead connects to the electrode of interest at which the desired
reactions will occur. The current (I) is measured through the WE.
Red – Counter (CE) electrode lead. This lead connects to the electrode opposite the WE and controls the
power output of the PMC-1000.
Gray – Sense (SE) electrode lead. This usually connects to the working electrode (the combination often
referred to as the working-sense), and is a component of the differential amplifier that measures/controls
the voltage between itself and the reference electrode.
White – Reference (RE) electrode lead. This connects to the reference electrode, a component of the
differential amplifier that measures/controls the voltage between itself and the sense electrode.
Black – Ground lead. The use of the ground lead depends on the application, but it is not ordinarily used
in most experiments. It can be used to supply a ground point to a Faraday shield for the experimental cell,
and is used in some open circuit experiments to form a zero-resistance ammeter (ZRA).
The following descriptions and figures explain how to connect a two-, three-, or four-terminal
electrochemical cell to the terminals of the PMC-1000 cell cable.
a) Batteries, capacitors, resistors, fuel cells, and some sensors are generally connected using a two-
terminal connection (Figure 6). The connectors for the cable leads are designed to allow easy
interconnection of the working/sense and reference/counter leads. Note: If your cell has low impedance
(battery) and/or your experiment generates currents in excess of 100mA, do not connect the leads into one
another for a two-terminal connection. Instead, connect the leads independent of one another to their
proper terminal at the cell to prevent voltage offsets that can result from milliohms of contact resistance in
a “piggy-back” connection as shown below.
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