ISO 7027-compliant IR turbidimeter with GLP data logging for water-quality verification in licensed cultivation.
The Apera TN480 (AI486) is a portable, ISO 7027-compliant infrared turbidity meter built for water quality professionals who need accurate, repeatable NTU measurements in the field or the lab. Equipped with an 860 nm infrared LED, five-point calibration, and a 200-dataset GLP data logger with USB PC output, the TN480 delivers audit-ready turbidity data wherever your operation runs.
The Apera TN480 is a portable nephelometric turbidimeter that uses an infrared light emitting diode operating at 860 ± 30 nm and a 90° scattering measurement geometry — the method specified by ISO 7027 and DIN EN 27027 for determining turbidity in aqueous solutions. The infrared source is a deliberate design choice: unlike visible-light turbidimeters, an IR source is not affected by the natural color of the sample, which means the TN480 reads accurately on nutrient solutions, tinted or lightly pigmented liquids, and other colored media common in cannabis and hemp cultivation water streams.
Measurement range is 0 to 1000 NTU with automatic range switching across three sub-ranges — 0.01 to 19.99 NTU, 20.0 to 99.9 NTU, and 100 to 1000 NTU — so the meter self-selects the appropriate resolution without operator input. All data is time-stamped and stored in the on-board GLP logger, with capacity for 200 datasets and USB output to a Windows PC using the included PC-Link software. The result is a field instrument that produces traceable, audit-ready records without any transcription step.
Turbidity is a front-line indicator of filtration performance, sediment load, and microbial risk in irrigation water. For commercial cannabis and hemp operators — whether running reverse osmosis systems, recirculating deep water culture, or media-based irrigation lines — regular turbidity checks catch filter breakthrough, media fines carryover, and reservoir sediment buildup before they affect plant health or state compliance inspections.
The TN480's infrared optics make it especially reliable for checking the colored effluents produced when working with organic amendments, humic acids, or certain coco-based leachates, where a visible-light meter would report elevated turbidity from chromophores rather than from actual suspended particles. For operations that submit water quality documentation to regulators or auditors, the GLP data logger with real-time clock, calibration date record, and USB export provides the chain-of-custody record that a manual logbook cannot. The instrument is equally at home at a reservoir, a fertigation skid, or an on-site quality-control bench.
TruRead™ measurement mode automatically collects multiple consecutive readings and reports the average, minimum, and maximum values alongside each individual reading in a brief on-screen test report. This matters specifically for samples with rapid settling or continuously shifting turbidity — a single-point read on an unsettled sample can be meaningfully different from the true value. TruRead removes operator timing variability and is the right mode to run on any sample where turbidity is actively changing.
Calibration uses five points — 0, 20, 100, 400, and 800 NTU — with AMCO high-molecular polymer calibration solutions included in the kit. These standards are EPA-approved primary standards, NIST-traceable, non-toxic, and stable in sealed vials. A zero-turbidity error reminder alerts the operator if the 0 NTU calibration was performed with a degraded solution, protecting low-turbidity measurement accuracy. The large TFT color screen displays on-screen operating guides in English, Spanish, and Chinese. Auto power-off and low battery reminder are configurable. The full kit ships in a rugged carrying case with six sample vials, USB cable, silicone oil, a microfiber wipe, PC-Link software on flash drive, and user manual.
For a grow operation with a dedicated IPM and quality-control protocol, the TN480 slots into the incoming-water verification routine alongside pH and EC meters. Inline water treatment — sand filters, carbon blocks, UV sterilizers, RO membranes — all have failure modes that express as turbidity spikes before they register on other parameters. Catching a spiked NTU reading from a spent carbon block or a cracked sand filter vessel on Monday means replacing a component on Tuesday rather than losing a reservoir to biofilm contamination two weeks later.
Because the instrument is fully portable and battery-operated (4× AA alkaline cells), it moves between reservoirs, wet rooms, and fertigation rooms without needing a power drop. Operators running multiple cultivation sites can use the USB export to push turbidity records into a centralized QC spreadsheet or LIMS, keeping all sites' water data in one audit trail. HSC supplies the TN480 with Apera's full factory kit to licensed cannabis and hemp operations nationwide — request a quote for current lead time and volume pricing.
| SKU | AI486 |
| Measurement Method | 90° nephelometric scattering (ISO 7027, DIN EN 27027) |
| Light Source | Infrared LED, 860 ± 30 nm |
| Measurement Range | 0 – 1000 NTU (auto-ranging: 0.01–19.99 / 20.0–99.9 / 100–1000 NTU) |
| Calibration Points | 5-point: 0, 20, 100, 400, 800 NTU (AMCO polymer standards included) |
| Calibration Standards | AMCO high-molecular polymer, EPA-approved, NIST-traceable |
| Data Storage | 200 datasets with real-time clock; USB output to PC (Windows), PC-Link software included |
| Display | Large TFT color screen with on-screen graphic/text operating guides |
| Language Support | English, Spanish, Chinese |
| Power | 4 × AA alkaline batteries |
| Warranty | 2-year limited (Apera Instruments) |
| Included Accessories | Rugged carrying case, 6 sample vials, USB cable, silicone oil, microfiber wipe, PC-Link flash drive, user manual, calibration solutions |
Visible-light turbidimeters can misread naturally colored samples — the photometer interprets color absorption as scattered light and reports falsely elevated NTU values. The TN480's 860 nm infrared source is outside the visible absorption range of most chromophores, so it measures actual particle scattering rather than sample color. This makes it the correct tool for nutrient solutions, organic-amendment leachates, or any sample with inherent color.
ISO 7027 specifies the infrared, 90° nephelometric method as the international standard for turbidity measurement of water. Compliance means the TN480's measurement geometry, light source wavelength, and calibration approach conform to that method. For licensed cannabis operators facing state or local water quality documentation requirements, using an ISO 7027-compliant instrument means your turbidity data is collected with a defensible, internationally recognized methodology.
TruRead™ automatically collects multiple consecutive readings and reports the average, minimum, and maximum values in a single test report. Use it on any sample that is actively settling, showing rapid particulate changes, or where you need statistical confidence in a single result. For stable, well-mixed samples a standard single read is sufficient; for turbid reservoir samples or post-filter effluent checks, TruRead removes the risk of capturing an unrepresentative point reading.
The TN480 stores up to 200 datasets internally. Each record is time-stamped via the on-board real-time clock and includes the measured NTU value and calibration date reference. Data exports to a Windows PC over USB using the included PC-Link software, where records can be saved to spreadsheets or imported into a quality management system. The GLP structure also logs the last calibration date, giving auditors a complete chain of custody without a separate paper log.
The included AMCO calibration solutions have a one-year shelf life from manufacture. Replacement standards (0, 20, 100, 400, and 800 NTU AMCO polymer vials) are available as separate accessories through HSC — contact us when your kit solutions approach expiration. The 0.0 NTU vial cap is removable and can alternatively be replaced with fresh laboratory distilled water per the Apera manual.
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