Chapter 1: Safety Considerations--Service
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Service
Your Interface 1000 Potentiostat/Galvanostat/ZRA has no user-serviceable parts inside. Refer all service to a
qualified service technician.
RF Warning
The Interface 1000 has been tested for both radiated and conducted RF interference and for immunity to
RF fields, and has been found to be in compliance with FCC Part 18 and EN 61326:1998—Electrical
equipment for measurement, control, and laboratory use— EMC Requirements.
However, your Interface 1000 Potentiostat/Galvanostat/ZRA does still generate some radio-frequency
energy. The radiated levels are low enough that the Interface 1000 should not create an interference
problem in most industrial laboratory environments.
Your Interface 1000 Potentiostat/Galvanostat/ZRA can also respond to environmental radio-frequency
energy. We recommend you avoid using cell-phone and other radio-frequency equipment in the same
room as an Interface 1000. The Interface 1000 circuitry has been tested for operation in high-intensity RF
fields, and has demonstrated little response to those fields. However, there is no guarantee that the
electrochemical cell and its connections will not respond to RF fields. This response will most often appear
as DC shifts in a cell’s response caused by rectification of the RF signal.
A Faraday cage surrounding your cell can be used to minimize the effect of environmental RF fields. If your
cell is isolated from earth ground, Gamry recommends connecting your Interface 1000 to earth ground and
then connecting the Faraday cage to the Interface 1000’s floating ground (the black lead on the cell cable).
Electrical Transient Sensitivity
Your Interface 1000 Potentiostat/Galvanostat/ZRA was designed to offer reasonable immunity from
electrical transients, including transients on the incoming AC Mains supply and Electrostatic Discharge. It
has been tested for compliance with EN 61326:1998—Electrical equipment for measurement, control, and
laboratory use—EMC Requirements describing acceptable limits for electrical transient susceptibility in
laboratory test equipment. It should continue to operate when subject to the standard ESD and power-line
events defined in EN61326.
In severe cases involving transients beyond the limits tested in EN61326, the Interface 1000 could still
malfunction as a result of electrical transients. If you are having problems in this regard, the following steps
may help:
If the problem is static electricity (sparks are apparent when you touch the Interface 1000 or its cables):
• Try placing your Interface 1000 on a static-control work surface. Static-control work surfaces are
now generally available from computer-supply houses and electronics-tool suppliers. An antistatic
floor mat may also help, particularly if a carpet is involved in generating the static electricity.
• Air-ionizers or even simple air-humidifiers can reduce the voltage available in static discharges.
If the problem is AC power-line transients (often from large electrical motors near the Interface 1000):
Warning: Never operate the Interface 1000 with any cover or panel on the chassis
open. Dangerous voltages may be present at several points within the Interface 1000 chassis, including
PC board traces. Always remove the power connection before opening the Interface 1000 case.
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