# Need to Calibrate my Milwakee SM 122



## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

I bought a Milwakee SM 122 used and it did not come with instructions or Calibration solutions.

I'm not sure if I need to calibrate with 4ph, 7ph and 10Ph solutions or just 1. I'm trying to order my solutions and don't know what to get!!!

Can anyone help?


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## Valthenya (Feb 11, 2009)

can u look up a instruction manual?


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## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

Valthenya said:


> can u look up a instruction manual?


I mentioned in my post below it didn't come with a manual.


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## gibmaker (Jan 3, 2007)

Patchworks said:


> I mentioned in my post below it didn't come with a manual.


I think he meant online.


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## Valthenya (Feb 11, 2009)

gibmaker said:


> I think he meant online.


she...

and yes i did mean online.


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## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

Can someone point me to that manual. I did a search for "milwaukee SM 122 Manual" on google and didn't find a solution.

g


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## Valthenya (Feb 11, 2009)

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/equipment/16132-milwaukee-sm122-controller.html this person says you need 7.01 solution


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## Dan S (Nov 28, 2008)

I've been told in the past if you want to run your PH below 7.01 you should calibrate it with the 4.01 solution. So that is what I've always done with no problems.


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## Izzy (Jun 4, 2006)

I would calibrate with 7.01 using the front adjuster and 4.0 using the back adjuster. Having two set points makes it more accurate. Every 6 months or so i clean and calibrate three controllers. IME the older probes, that may need replacing, seem not to calibrate to the 4.0. I will be replacing a 4 year old one soon. If anyone knows of any good deals let me know.


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## Izzy (Jun 4, 2006)

Here's the link for the manual:

http://www.milwaukeetesters.com/pdf/SMS110-SMS120-SMS122.pdf


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## Dan S (Nov 28, 2008)

Izzy, Thanks for stepping in and providing this info. I too bought mine slightly used minus the instruction manual. You shed a whole new light on calibration! Luckily, I haven't had any trouble with my controller or my livestock since I've been using it for the last couple years! I guess i better buy some 7.01 solution!


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## Patchworks (Dec 20, 2008)

Yes, after reading the manual, I figure I'll calibrate for 4 and 7. eBay has some of the simple foil packets for 3 for like $6.

Thanks,

g


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## c4cache (Jan 21, 2009)

i just got mine today and went to calibrate it, but only had a hole in the back no set screw? so i took the back off to find the adjustment on the board, but my problem was after calibrating it, i put the prob in my tank and it read 11.4 ph "oh no" now i know that's wrong, so i recalibrated and it still read 11.4. so i pulled out the old pinpoint ph monitor calibrated it put it in the tank and read 7.3ph then did a chemical test ya it''s 7.3 ??? now just so you know the prob that came with the milwakee arrived dry so i was thinking this might be a problem, but after reading some info thy say to soak it in a solution to activate it again but it still read 11.4, so just to see were the problem was i swapped the probes and the milwakee prob worked fine on the pinpoint and read 7.2 so i put the pinpoint prob on the milwakee sm122 and it read 7.2, so if any one can tell me what the heck (not what i really said) this kind of thing bugs the hell out of me.


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## ray-the-pilot (May 14, 2008)

c4cache said:


> i just got mine today and went to calibrate it, but only had a hole in the back no set screw? so i took the back off to find the adjustment on the board, but my problem was after calibrating it, i put the prob in my tank and it read 11.4 ph "oh no" now i know that's wrong, so i recalibrated and it still read 11.4. so i pulled out the old pinpoint ph monitor calibrated it put it in the tank and read 7.3ph then did a chemical test ya it''s 7.3 ??? now just so you know the prob that came with the milwakee arrived dry so i was thinking this might be a problem, but after reading some info thy say to soak it in a solution to activate it again but it still read 11.4, so just to see were the problem was i swapped the probes and the milwakee prob worked fine on the pinpoint and read 7.2 so i put the pinpoint prob on the milwakee sm122 and it read 7.2, so if any one can tell me what the heck (not what i really said) this kind of thing bugs the hell out of me.


I cannot say for sure without looking at you pH meter and probe, but the most likely problem is that you pH probe is broken or clogged. It probably needs to be replaced.

Missing parts and bad probe? Can you send it back?


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## c4cache (Jan 21, 2009)

no parts missing, just the set screw on the back is in a hole and i couldn't see it, so i took the back cover off to see instead of just poking around with a screw driver, i don't need to do that next time i calibrate it.
and i just found it funny that the milwakee prob wouldn't work on the milwakee co2 controller but it would work on the pinpoint ph monitor so i am up and running.


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## markstr (Feb 23, 2004)

Calibrate to the 7.01 solution only..... I believe it says that as well on the instructions...........
Don't mess with the back of the controller.......


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## jmhart (Nov 13, 2007)

ray-the-pilot said:


> I cannot say for sure without looking at you pH meter and probe, but the most likely problem is that you pH probe is broken or clogged. It probably needs to be replaced.
> 
> Missing parts and bad probe? Can you send it back?


That's what I was thinking, a bum probe. If you bought it new, send it back. If you bought it used, you can get a probe from aquariumplants.com for about $40. I'm sure you can find one cheaper than that if you try.



markstr said:


> Calibrate to the 7.01 solution only..... I believe it says that as well on the instructions...........
> Don't mess with the back of the controller.......


A calibration with 1 point isn't a calibration at all, and the manual says to calibrate to 4 and 7.


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## c4cache (Jan 21, 2009)

jmhart said:


> A calibration with 1 point isn't a calibration at all, and the manual says to calibrate to 4 and 7.


 ya i just found it funny the way it worked out, but i have it up and running so all is good, and i checked it twice just to make sure it is working.


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

markstr said:


> Calibrate to the 7.01 solution only..... I believe it says that as well on the instructions...........
> Don't mess with the back of the controller.......


dittto!

It comes with a card that says to calibrate with 7.01 only. It is bad that Milwaukee doesn't mention this on their site.


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## vancat (Nov 5, 2004)

When mine was acting strangely, I spoke with a nice fellow at Milwaukee who sent me a new probe for free. He recommended calibrating with 7 & 10!


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## Newt (Apr 1, 2004)

If you are running your water below a pH of 7 then you really need to calibrate with at least 2 solutions >>> 7 and 4. That way the controller can establish a slope. If you experience unstable readings while calibrating to a solution the salt bridge is probably shot. Also, if you use a grounding probe in your tank the controller will never be accurate, especially if the pH probe is in close proximity to the grounding probe.


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