Copper-alloy guard
This copper-alloy sonde guard for the EXO2 or EXO3 sonde protects water quality sensors and provide bio-fouling protection. The copper construction naturally resists fouling agents in the water and prevents organisms from attaching to the guard.
Protecting Your Data and Reducing Your Costs: YSI has improved upon its industry leading long-term monitoring systems
with the development of the Anti-Fouling (AF) Kits for 6-Series Sondes. Use of the AF Kits will extend maintenance
intervals by 3X or more in most environments through the use of copper-based alloys. Copper has been used as an
anti-fouling agent in the marine industry for years but the use in and around in situ sensors has developed more
recently. YSI has chosen several different copper alloys for various parts of the sonde to achieve a complete anti-fouling
system that can be installed quickly and significantly reduce the maintenance and travel time to maintain a long-term
monitoring program while improving data quality.
Copper tape is a component in the AF Kit that is used to protect probe bodies, ends of the sonde housing, and to cover
other exposed areas, such as the foam edges on the top of the wipers. The copper tape will corrode in water and must
be replaced on regular intervals. The rate of corrosion will depend on the environment, with increasing salinity and
temperature accelerating the corrosion process. For challenging, warm, marine environments the copper tape should
withstand deployments of 60 days or more.
This guide provides instruction on copper tape installation for YSI water quality probes used in long-term monitoring
applications.