Chapter 5 -- Cell Connections--Fuses in the Cell Cable
5 - 5
contains a counter electrode. The Reference 3000 controls the potential across the membrane. Table 5-4
shows the cell connections used with a membrane type cell.
Table 5-4
Cell Cable Connections for a Membrane Cell
Color Type Name Normal Connection
Blue Banana Plug Working Sense Connect to reference electrode #1
Green Banana Plug Working Electrode Connect to counter electrode #1
White Pin Jack Reference Connect to reference electrode #2
Red Banana Plug Counter Electrode Connect to counter electrode #2
Orange Banana Plug Counter Sense Leave open (only needed in ZRA mode)
Black Pin Jack Floating Ground Leave open or connect to a Faraday shield
Note that reference electrode #1 and counter electrode #1 must be on one side of the membrane and
reference electrode #2 and counter electrode #2 must be on the other side.
Fuses in the Cell Cable
All standard Reference 3000 Counter/Working cell cables include fuses in the current carrying leads. These
fuses protect the instrument from the extremely large currents that can flow through an improperly connected
electrochemical energy generation or storage device (including batteries, fuel cells, and capacitors). For
convenience, the term battery will be used here to refer to all single-cell or stacked electrochemical devices that
can source energy.
Grounding errors on a battery can be particularly dangerous, since they can result in the battery being shorted
through the instrument. During the development of the Reference 3000 several prototype instruments,
without fuses, were damaged when connected to a Li-Ion battery stack.
NOTE
The fuses in the Reference 3000 Counter/Working cell cable do not protect against a
safety hazard. They are needed to prevent damage to the instrument if it is improperly
connected.
Both the counter electrode lead and the working electrode lead must be fused. Two different cell cable fuse
arrangement have been built or are planned.
In-line Fuse-Holders and Fuses
The In-line fuse design is provided with Counter/Working cable supplied with early Reference 3000 shipments.
The fuses in the cable are located plastic and brass fuse-holders located in-line with the current carrying leads,
as shown in Figure 5-1. The photograph in this Figure shows the Working and Counter electrode leads with in-
line fuse-holders. The Counter electrode fuse-holder has been opened to show the fuse. The fuse-holder
contains a hidden spring that keeps the fuse in contact with the cell lead.
NOTE
Always turn off the Reference 3000 and disconnect both ends of the Counter/Working
cable before checking or replacing the fuses in the cable.
In this fuse arrangement, the fuse can be removed from the cable by unscrewing the brass knurled nut on the
fuse holder, just below the banana plug. Once a fuse has been removed, it can be checked using an
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