MCM Electronics 4110 Reference Manual

M. C. Miller Co., Inc.
11640 U.S. Highway 1, Sebastian, Florida, U.S. A.
Tele: 1 (772) 794-9448; Fax: 1 (772) 589-9072
Website: www.mcmiller.com; email: [email protected]
MAN150
Model DPM
Digital Potential Meter
Reference Manual
Part # 4110
MAN150
Revised1/4/2022
Table of Contents
Topic
Page
Description
3
Preparing Meter & Reference
Electrode for Use
4
Maintaining & Checking
Your Reference Electrode
6
Structure-To-Soil
(or Water) Potential
Readings
6
Structure-to-Structure
Potential Difference
Readings
7
Cell-to-Cell Potential
Difference Readings
7
Installing New Battery
8
Trouble-shooting
10
Precautions
10
Specifications
11
2
Description
The MCM Digital Potential Meter is a very simple to operate meter designed for one-handed operation
under almost any climatic conditions in which it is feasible to perform indoor or outdoor corrosion or
cathodic protection tests. It is equally useful in difficult environments such as on a pipeline right-of-way
underneath high voltage power lines or in marine environments. If accidentally dropped overboard, your
Digital Potential Meter will float, even with a completely filled reference electrode attached.
The DPM meter comes complete with reference electrode, test lead, manual, and a padded carrying
case. The DPM is an indicating type meter and does not store readings of any kind.
Since potential measurements are by far the most common measurement made by the corrosion
engineers, you will find the DPM to be extremely useful for a large number of applications as outlined
below. It is both accurate and highly sensitive.
BOTTOM VIEW OF METER CASE
A – 2V RANGE PUSH BUTTON SWITCH
B – 20V PUSH BUTTON RANGE SWITCH
(Must be pressed along with 2v Range
Switch button to get 20v)
C – RED (Positive) INPUT BANANA JACK
D – BLACK (Negative) INPUT
¼-20 Female Thread
3
Preparing Meter & Reference Electrode for Use
Your new meter will have a 9v battery already installed. Press and hold the 2v range button. The display
window should immediately show “.000” or “.001” or should become either of these values within several
seconds. If there is no number displayed or if a battery symbol is displayed, the battery is weak, dead or
has become disconnected. See “Installing New Battery” on page 12.
As received from the factory, a new copper sulphate reference electrode will be dry but some blue copper
sulphate crystals should be visible in the transparent window of the electrode tube. To prepare the
electrode for use, unscrew the top end of the electrode and fill to bottom of threads with distilled or
demineralized water. If electrode is to be used or stored below 32 F (0 C), substitute MCM’s “Electrode
Anti-Freeze Solution” for the water.
With top end of electrode securely tightened, shake the electrode a few times to help the copper sulphate
crystals to dissolve. Wait several minutes and check inside of tube to make sure that there are some
undissolved crystals visible in the tube. This is to ensure that the solution is saturated. If there are no
crystals remaining after shaking the tube, open up the tube and add more copper sulphate crystals. Don’t
worry, you can’t get too many crystals in the tube, but you must have some crystals remaining
undissolved at all times.
Unscrew the knurled thumb nut from end of the electrode and screw electrode into the threaded recess in
the bottom of the body of the meter. Place the banana plug of the red test lead (supplied with meter) into
the red banana jack in the bottom of the body of the meter.
Remove and save the orange plastic protective cap from the bottom end of the electrode tube.
This will expose the porous ceramic plug of the reference electrode so that it can be placed in contact
with soil or water. By this time the porous plug should feel slightly moist.
Meter and electrode are now ready for use.
4
Model RE-5 Reference Electrode
A – Knurled brass thumb nut
B – Electrode tube filled with distilled water
or MCM’s Antifreeze Solution.
C – Copper sulphate crystals - must always show
some visible in the tube.
D – Porous ceramic tube
E – Orange plastic protective cap
(remove
when
5
taking
readings)
Maintaining & Checking Your Reference Electrode
Please consult M. C. Miller’s instruction manual titled, “How to Prepare and Maintain Portable M. C. Miller
Copper Sulfate Reference Electrodes”, which is Manual # 270, for details.
Structure-to-Soil (or to-Water) Potential Readings
Assuming that you have prepared both meter and reference electrode as detailed previously, measuring
a potential is very easy.
Remove the orange protective cap from the reference electrode. Place the lower end of the reference
electrode (the porous ceramic plug) in solid contact with soil or water at desired location. For best results,
there should be no vegetation between electrode and the soil.
Connect the clip end of the test lead onto the metallic structure being tested. Make sure that the contact
point with structure is clean and shiny.
Press and hold the 2V range push-button.
Read and record the voltage value obtained, unless the meter indicates “1.“, which indicates an over
range condition. Switch meter to 20V range by pressing and holding both push-buttons in such a case. If
the meter again indicates an over range, the input voltage exceeds 20V and cannot be measured by this
meter.
IMPORTANT: The polarity of a reading is a vital part of the reading and should always be
recorded along with the numerical value on your data sheet.
NOTE: Most potential readings will normally be negative and therefore the display will show a (-) minus
sign. If there is no minus sign displayed, the reading is positive, but no positive sign will be displayed.
6
A – DPM with protective cover
B – Wire connection to structure
C – Porous plug in contact with ground
(Vegetation removed)
Structure-to-Structure Potential Difference Readings
This type of measurement will require the use of two test leads, one supplied with the DPM, the other
available for separate purchase (Item # SUB171). After unscrewing the reference electrode from the
DPM, screw the brass fitting on the end of the SUB171 test lead onto the DPM, in place of the electrode,
and connect the other test lead to the banana jack on the DPM. You would then connect the test leads to
the two separate structures for a potential difference reading.
Cell-to-Cell Potential Difference Readings
A cell-to-cell potential difference reading can be taken using the equipment indicated below.
A – Intermediate Electrode Extension
CAT # 16203
B – Electrode Extension
CAT # 16101
C – Reference Electrode RE-5 or RE-5C
CAT # 15108 or 15210
D – Banana plug-to-alligator clip test lead
7
In this case, an intermediate electrode extension is attached between the DPM and the reference
electrode to act as one of the data-probes and a second data-probe is fashioned using a regular
electrode extension and a reference electrode. The test lead supplied with the DPM kit is then used to
connect the DPM (via its banana jack input) to the second data-probe. The DPM will then read the
potential difference between the two locations on the ground to which the reference electrodes are in
contact.
Maintenance of the DPM
The battery should be replaced whenever the battery symbol shows in the display window. If the battery
symbol is suddenly displayed during a normal day of test activities, you may finish out the day of testing
before having to replace the battery. On the other hand, if the symbol is displayed the first time the meter is
used after a period of being idle, the battery should be replaced at once.
The meter should be kept reasonably clean by wiping with a cloth and then allowed to dry before placing
back in the carrying case.
The meter and the electrode assembly are reasonably watertight and will float if accidentally dropped into
water. However, the meter should be immediately removed from the water, wiped with a towel and allowed to
dry thoroughly before placing it back into the case. If the period of immersion is more than a few seconds, the
three 4-40 screws on the top of the meter body should be temporarily removed and any accumulated moisture
should be allowed to evaporate before placing the meter back in use.
It is a good idea to store the meter and electrode in the padded case when not in use. Please consult
M. C. Miller’s instruction manual titled, “How to Prepare and Maintain Portable M. C. Miller Copper Sulfate
Reference Electrodes”, which is Manual # 270, for details on long- and short-term storage of reference
electrodes.
If the meter is accidentally dropped, it is a good idea to check it by connecting to a brand new “D” cell battery.
If meter reads between 1.5V and 1.6V, it probably did not become damaged. Digital meters usually read
correctly or not at all, unlike analog meters which can experience mechanical problems after being dropped.
Installing a New Battery
The current drain is quite small and only occurs when one or both of the range buttons are being
pressed. This means that you should anticipate a long battery life.
Almost any 9V battery can be used in your meter. The alkaline type, such as Energizer or Duracell type,
will last longer since their shelf life (up to 4 years) is longer than the cheaper, standard type carbon-zinc
battery.
Replacement Procedure
To gain access to the battery, slide off the orange plastic protective cover from the upper end of the
meter body. Then remove and save the three 4-40 screws from the meter bezel. (Please note the
position of the meter relative to the position of the push button switch on the tube. Reinsert in the
same manner.)
Gently withdraw the meter assembly from its case until the battery is accessible.
8
Remove the spring battery retaining clip from the battery and original battery. Plug in the replacement 9V
battery and reinstall the spring battery retaining clip.
Slide meter assembly back into its case and insert the three 4-40 screws, making sure that the meter is
correctly aligned as specified above.
TOP OF METER WITH ORANGE PROTECTIVE COVER REMOVED:
A – 3 SCREWS (Remove to get to Battery)
Accessing the 9V Battery:
9
Trouble-shooting
In order for your DPM system to function properly, the meter, the reference electrode and the test leads must
all be in satisfactory condition. The following are some simple tests that you can make to isolate any apparent
source of trouble.

If there is no display in the window when 2V or both 2V and 20V range buttons are pressed, open up
the meter (see section on battery replacement) and check to see that the battery is in place. If properly
connected, it is held in place by the spring retaining clip. Also check to make sure that if nothing
appears to be wrong, replace battery. If this does not cure the problem, check for loose or broken wires
or connectors. If you cannot locate and fix the problem, send the meter back to the factory for repairs
(obtain RMA from M. C. Miller).

If the display shows all zeros or nearly so when you would expect a substantial reading, connect any
new 1.5V battery cell between the two input terminals, using two test leads and the threaded adapter.
Pressing the 2V range button should yield a reading between 1.5V and 1.6V if meter is working
satisfactorily. If the battery and the test leads are known to be OK, then check inside meter for a loose
or disconnected wire. If none of these tests disclose the problem, send the meter back for repair (obtain
RMA number from M. C. Miller Co.)
 If the meter and battery appear to be working properly but readings are zero or almost zero, check
reference electrode to make sure that fluid inside the electrode is contacting the copper rod and that the
orange plastic cap has been removed from the bottom of the electrode tube so that the moist porous
plug can contact the soil (or water) properly. Also check to see that there are some excess un-dissolved
copper sulfate crystals in the electrode tube.
 If the meter, battery and electrode appear to be normal but the reading is not obtained or is intermittent,
check test lead using an ohmmeter or substitute another test lead.

Zero or lower than anticipated readings are sometimes caused by frozen soil, dry sand, rock
or paving being in contact with reference electrode. Try using a cup of tap water on point of
contact of porous plug to lower contact resistance. Freezing of electrode fluid will produce the
same problem and destroy the electrode. Use of MCM’s Electrode Anti-Freeze Solution will
permit the electrode to be used or stored down to about -10F without damage. Avoid taking
readings through paving material whenever possible.

Intermittent jumpy readings can be result of using the meter too close to a transmitting antenna of a
mobile radio system. The only practical solution is to either move further away from the antenna or to
not key the transmitter when attempting to take readings.
Precautions
COPPER SULFATE, which is the main ingredient inside your reference electrode, is listed as a toxic
substance. It must NOT be ingested and body parts should be washed with water if contact is made with
either copper sulfate or the electrode solution. Keep copper sulfate and reference electrode away from
children. Please consult the Copper Sulfate Pentahydrate Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) supplied
with your DPM Kit for proper handling instructions.
10
HIGH VOLTAGE associated with electric fences can cause damage to your meter. DO NOT allow test leads
to touch an electric fence because the insulation on the test leads will not withstand the high voltage pulses
(up to 15,000V).
Specifications
 3-1/2” digital liquid crystal display
 Ranges: 0-2V and 0-20V DC
 Accuracy – ½% over most of temperature range, 1% at limits of operating temperature range.
 Weatherproofed meter case (can be floated in water momentarily).
 20 mega-ohm input resistance on both ranges
 AC filter eliminates error caused by 60Hz AC up to 50V on 2V range, up to 100V on 20V range.
 Temperature range of operation, -4F to +185F
 Operates on one 9V battery
 Weight including carrying case –approximately 3 lbs
 Size: meter with electrode attached, 2-1/2” diameter by 10” long
 Size: carrying case, 12-1/4” by 7-1/4” by 4-3/4
11