TSI DustTrak Quick Start Guide

Before you start using a DustTrak for particle monitoring and sampling, learn how to set up TrakPro software on your PC, how to set up the DustTrak for use, running and troubleshooting the zero check, sampling, and downloading data to your PC.

TSI DustTrak 8530, 8533 & 8534 Quick Start Guide

1a. TrakPro Setup

1. Install TrakPro software (provided with instrument) on your computer
2. Turn on and connect DustTrak to computer using the provided USB cable
3. In the TrakPro window at the top, choose the instrument type you wish to configure (DustTrak II or DRX)
4. Above the instrument selection click [Instrument Setup] menu and select [Logging Setup] from the drop down menu
5. You can choose any protocol from the list on the left to use as-is or you can edit the parameters on the right
6. When finished editing, click [SEND] to add protocol(s) to the instrument
7. When sending finished verify that your protocol was loaded on the DustTrak by opening the [RunMode] tab at the bottom of the instrument’s screen and opening the first drop down menu – if protocol is not there repeat sending

1b. Setup directly on DustTrak

1. Turn on DustTrak
2. After startup, select “RunMode” tab at bottom of DustTrak interface
3. The drop down menu at the top has pre-set protocols that can be edited – choose any of the options in the list to edit
4. After selection is made the second drop down menu opens – this is where you can edit the parameters of the chosen protocol
1. Touch “Log Name” to edit name (on screen keyboard should appear)
2. Adjust log time, intervals, and other values to the desired settings
5. When finished, select “Main” tab at bottom of DustTrak interface to see that your protocol name appears in the lower left side of the screen – if not, repeat setup instructions

2. Zeroing

1. After setup is complete a zero check must be performed to ensure proper function of the instrument before testing
2. To perform a zero check pull the zero filter from the accessory bag provided with the instrument
3. On the instrument’s interface, select the “setup” tab and press “Zero Cal”
4. Pull the cap off of the instrument’s inlet and attach the zero filter in place of the cap
5. Press start to perform zero check – instrument does a 60 second countdown for the zero check
6. Remove zero filter when finished
7. If instrument fails the zero check…
1. Turn off instrument
2. On the backside of the instrument remove the plastic cover directly under the inlet
3. Using the black spanner driver provided with the instrument open the round gold cover and replace the sheath filter inside (spare filters also provided) – replace the gold cover
4. Next to the gold cover is a filter cassette. Disconnect the small piece of tubing from the bottom of the cassette. The cassette can be removed by pinching the blue plastic pieces on the underside of the filter cassette together and pressing downward. With the filter cassette still removed, unscrew the inlet from the top of the instrument to check for excess dust in the line to the filters. After blowing out any dust from the line coming from the inlet, replace the inlet, put one of the two extra filter cassettes in its place and reconnect the tubing. Replace back cover and turn on instrument to run zero check again.

If it fails to zero after that please call RAECO Rents for assistance. (866) 736-8347

3. Sampling

1. To begin your test (automatic intervals or manual) press the “Main” tab at the bottom of the screen and press the green start button on the lower right side of the screen
2. In the top right corner of the screen, you can see the real-time measurements and a total concentration to the left of that
1. Pressing “Stats” will switch the displayed measurements between a MIN, MAX, AVG display to a PM1, 2.5, etc. display – on 8533 DustTrak DRX models, pressing the “Stats” button will display or remove from display the MIN, MAX, AVG values, mass concentration always displayed
2. Touching one line of the measurement readout will change its value i.e. touching the line that displays the PM10 measurement will switch to a “total” readout – touching again returns that line of the display back to the PM10 reading **8533/8534 only
3. Pressing the “Graph” tab at the bottom of the screen will display a real-time graph
1. To change the value displayed on the Y axis of the graph, touch the screen to the left of the graph at the very edge of the screen (*8533/8534 DRX model Only*)
2. To change the value displayed on the X axis of the graph, touch the screen just below the graph
3. To adjust the range of the Y axis touch the screen on the Y axis and adjust values
4. To change the graph display between TWA and AVG, touch the screen in the middle of the graph

4. Data

1. To download data from your DustTrak, TSI’s TrakPro software must be installed on a computer first
2. Open TrakPro after installing and connect the instrument to the computer with the provided USB cable – **DustTrak must be on for computer to detect**
3. Once instrument has been connected click “File” – “receive”
4. A window will appear with a list of your tests organized by the protocol name, date, and time that the test was taken – select the tests you want to download or click “select all” – after selecting tests, click receive to load test data into TrakPro
5. From here, you can make graphs, reports, view data, and save/print them
6. To make a graph click the “graph” drop down menu at the top, hover mouse over “new” and click the graph you want to have generated
7. To generate a report, click the “reports” drop down menu at the top and select the report you want to have generated