{"id":10458,"date":"2020-12-07T15:21:39","date_gmt":"2020-12-07T23:21:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/?p=10458&#038;preview=true&#038;preview_id=10458"},"modified":"2025-07-21T08:58:21","modified_gmt":"2025-07-21T15:58:21","slug":"go-direct-polarimeter-troubleshooting-and-faqs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/10458","title":{"rendered":"Go Direct Polarimeter Troubleshooting and FAQs"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-center is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-polarimeter\/\">Go Direct<sup>&reg;<\/sup> Polarimeter<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-POL<\/nobr>)<\/h3>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"\/manuals\/gdx-pol\">Specifications and User Guide<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/product.gdx-pol.hero._001-scaled-1.jpg\" alt=\"\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Troubleshooting<\/h3>\n<p><strong>General: <\/strong>Press the power button on the sensor to turn it on. Connect your sensor as described in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/get-started\/chemistry-instruments\">Getting Started instructions for your device<\/a>.<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Primary Test: <\/strong>Make sure you are using the latest version of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/ia\">Instrumental Analysis app<\/a>. <br \/>\u26ac If using LabQuest 3, make sure you are using version 3.0.3 or newer. <br \/>\u26ac If using LabQuest 2, make sure you are using version 2.8.7 or newer.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p class=\"has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background\">There are four free experiments available our website: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/product\/go-direct-polarimeter\/#experiments\">www.vernier.com\/product\/gdx-pol<\/a>. We highly recommend starting with one of these experiments to master the technique.<\/p>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Additional Troubleshooting<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/2595\/\">What is the sample volume required by your Polarimeter?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/2596\/\">What does the illumination value on the Polarimeter mean and what are its units?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/2598\/\">Do you have experiments written for the Polarimeter?<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/4290\/\">I'm not getting accurate results with your Polarimeter.<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/til\/11558\/\">My Go Direct Polarimeter does not complete calibration.<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Specifications<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Accuracy (optical rotation measurements): +\/-1 degree<\/li>\n<li>Sensitivity: typically up to OD 2<\/li>\n<li>Light Source: LED<\/li>\n<li>Wavelength (nominal): 589 nm<\/li>\n<li>Connections:<br \/>\u26ac Wireless: Bluetooth<sup>\u00ae<\/sup> v4.2 (wireless range 30 m unobstructed) <br \/>\u26ac Wired: USB 2.0 full speed<\/li>\n<li>Battery: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/product\/go-direct-650-mah-replacement-battery\/\">650 mAh Li-Poly<\/a><br \/>\u26ac Battery Life (single, full charge): ~10 hours continuous data collection<br \/>\u26ac Battery Life (lifetime): 2 \u2013 5 years (typical)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Calibration<\/h3>\n<p>Calibrate? Yes. Because you are taking relative measurements of angle, you should perform a new calibration each time you connect the Polarimeter. <\/p>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Connect the Go Direct Polarimeter according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/get-started\/chemistry-instruments\">Getting Started instructions for your device<\/a>.<\/li>\n<li>Pour distilled water or the appropriate solvent in the Go Direct Polarimeter cell to a height of 10 cm. \u26ac It is important to read the height to the nearest 0.1 cm. Read to the bottom of the meniscus.<\/li>\n<li>Place the cell in the Go Direct Polarimeter, then follow the appropriate steps:<br \/>\u26ac Instrumental Analysis<br \/>\u2003\u25b8 Click or tap Finish Calibration.<br \/>\u2003\u25b8 When the polarimeter is ready, click or tap Done.<br \/>\u26ac LabQuest App<br \/>\u2003\u25b8 Select Calibrate from the Sensors menu.<br \/>\u2003\u25b8 Tap Calibrate Now and follow the instructions on the screen.<br \/>\u2003\u25b8 When the polarimeter is ready, tap OK.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Battery Troubleshooting<\/h3>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the sensor won\u2019t tur<\/span>n when on its own, but does when connected to a USB power source, try charging the sensor for at least 2 hours using a known-to-work USB cable.<\/li>\n<li>If you continue to have trouble<span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, try swapping the battery with a working sensor to see if the problem follows the battery or stays with the sensor.<\/span><br \/>\u26ac If the problem stays with the sensor, the battery is probably not the issue.<br \/>\u26ac If the problem follows the battery, <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the battery has likely reached its end of life.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the battery is indeed at the end of its life, the battery should be replaced. <\/span><br \/><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-650-mah-replacement-battery\/\">Go Direct&reg; 650 mAh Replacement Battery<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-BAT-650<\/nobr>)<\/span><\/li>\n<li>See <a href=\"\/til\/4014\/\">How do I remove or replace a Go Direct battery?<\/a> for more information.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-very-light-gray-background-color has-background\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Rechargeable batteries are covered by a one-year warranty.<\/strong><\/span><br \/>Batteries <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">should last two to five years in typical use. <\/span><\/p>\n<div style=\"height:20px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Products<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/micro-usb-to-usb-c-cable\/\">Micro USB to USB-C Cable<\/a> (<nobr>CB-USB-C-MICRO<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-charge-station\/\">Go Direct<sup>&reg;<\/sup> Charge Station<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-CRG<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/chemical-polarimeter-accessory-cells\/\">Chemical Polarimeter Accessory Cells<\/a> (<nobr>CELLS-POL<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/polarimeter-chemical\/\">Polarimeter (Chemical)<\/a> (<nobr>CHEM-POL<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Replacement Parts<\/h3>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/go-direct-650-mah-replacement-battery\/\">Go Direct&reg; 650 mAh Replacement Battery<\/a> (<nobr>GDX-BAT-650<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"\/product\/micro-usb-cable\/\">Micro USB Cable<\/a> (<nobr>CB-USB-MICRO<\/nobr>)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Specifications and User Guide Troubleshooting General: Press the power button on the sensor to turn it on. Connect your sensor as described in the Getting&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11015,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[4312,6519,7569,720,4310,7570],"class_list":["post-10458","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-chempol","tag-gdxmain","tag-gdxpolmain","tag-maintil","tag-polarimeter","tag-polmain"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10458","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11015"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10458"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10458\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10458"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10458"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vernier.com\/til\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10458"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}