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wrote:

On Jan 26, 7:46 pm, Salmon Egg wrote:

I have been storing the electrode in a pH7 buffered calibration solution.
Would it help if I store it in a concentrated KCl solution? That seems to be
the way the electrodes get shipped.

See my previous post. In general both pH 7.00 buffer and KCl solution
should do the trick. However, you should check users manual - sometimes
one solution is preferred over the other. n most cases it means
producer tested the elctrodes in one of the solutions and is sure
electrode will work correctly if stored this way. This doesn't
necesarilly mean that the other solution won't work.

Where can I get information on how electrodes fail?

You mean how to find out if the electrode fails? If you can't calibrate
pH meter, if the indications are fluctuating you know something is
wrong. As long as you have no problems with calibration electrode is
almost for sure OK. You may move electrode several times between
buffers to see if it keeps displaying correct value, just don't forget
to flush the glass each time with DI/RO water before dipping (to
prevent buffer contamination, dilution shouldn't change pH,
contamination can).

Borek
--
http://www.chembuddy.com/?left=BATE&right=pH-calculator
http://www.ph-meter.info/pH-electrode
http://www.bpp.com.pl/?left=dysleksja&right=dysleksja
http://www.terapia-kregoslupa.waw.pl

Old Alligator-Mouth here again.

My experience has been that the glass probe should be kept in a pH7
buffered soaking solution (ask supplier). You may want to get some
"Parafilm"tm as well, so that you can seal the beaker (typically 50 ml),
the probe, and soaking solution from air-born contaminants. You will
also need some pH7 and pH4 calibration solutions (typically yellow and
red, respectively).When you calibrate the pH meter (see manual) you will
want a slope somewhere between 98 and 102.Finally, you'll need electrode
solution to top-off the pH probe or to refill it when you can't get the
slope into the desired range. Like most jobs, set-up and clean-up are a
significant part of the work.

You may want to have a temperature probe as well because the probe is
temperature dependent and the readings will have to be adjusted if
significantly above or below 20C (68F).

Bonne chance,

- Bill
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