Xiaomi device for measuring water quality. TDS meter - measure the hardness of water from various sources, including natural

Since water is the basis of life and we, due to the peculiarities of our physiology, have to consume it without fail, it would be nice to be able, if not at a professional, then at least at a household level, to assess its quality. An inexpensive device from a fairly well-known Chinese manufacturer - Xiaomi MI TDS Pen will help in this. What kind of tester is this and how it works - this will be our conversation.

What is being measured?

One of the most important indicators of water quality is the degree of its mineralization. This term refers to the amount of various inorganic impurities - individual trace elements and their compounds, per unit volume of liquid. A special case is the so-called hardness salts, which are commonly called calcium and magnesium compounds. When water is heated, they partially crystallize and are deposited in the form of scale, which we can see in the kettle and on the heating elements of boilers and washing machines.

Not only hardness salts, but also other mineral impurities, and these include heavy metals that are notorious today, with an excess content, have a negative impact on the health of the consumer. One of the most striking examples is the formation of kidney and bladder stones. There are other violations:

• deterioration in the condition of the hair;
• tooth decay, etc.

Therefore, to have data on the degree of mineralization drinking water used for a long time is extremely important.

In our country, the content of mineral impurities is usually measured in milligram equivalents per liter (mg-eq / l). Abroad, this parameter is called Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), which translates as "total content of dissolved solids." The TDS of water is measured in units of “Parts per million” (PPM), which translates as “parts per million”. Xiaomi TDS water tester, which is described in this material, shows the degree of mineralization in these units. The ratio of domestic and "imported" units of measurement is as follows: 1 meq/l = 50.05 PPM.

What is considered normal

The requirements for the degree of mineralization of drinking water are prescribed in the SanPiN document ( sanitary rules and norms) No. 2.1.4.1074-01. According to him, the concentration of mineral impurities should not exceed 7 mg-eq / l, which is equivalent to 350 PPM. On the box in which the Xiaomi MI TDS Pen TDS water quality tester is packed, there is a “Water Quality” table with the following gradation:

1. Up to 50 PPM: water that can be conditionally considered distilled. It is obtained using the settings reverse osmosis and distillers. Some experts do not recommend drinking water with low mineral content, believing that it can greatly disrupt the electrolyte and salt balance in the body. But this point of view has not yet been proven and it has both supporters and opponents. We will not delve into the scientific jungle, but we note that a well-known propagandist drank distilled water and recommended drinking healthy lifestyle life of Paul Bragg. As you know, he drowned at the age of more than 80 years while surfing, which in itself indicates remarkable health.
2. Between 50 and 170 PPM: pure water, which can be found in some natural sources or obtained using carbon filter.
3. Between 170 and 300 PPM: hard water, which can be considered limited.
4. Between 300 and 600 PPM: Extremely hard water not recommended for drinking.
5. Between 600 and 1000 PPM: Not only is the water harmful, it also has a noticeable bad taste.
6. Above 1000 PPM: the water is not suitable for continuous drinking.

Description of the device

The Xiaomi water tester looks like a marker or an electrothermometer. On the ends there are caps:

• a container for batteries is hidden under one of them;
• under the other - a temperature sensor and two titanium electrodes (they have anti-corrosion resistance).

The cap on the side of the sensors is designed in such a way that water can be scooped into it.

In the middle part of the body there are:

• small display;
• power button (on / off);
• button labeled "TDS" (taking measurements);
• a clip with which the device can be hooked onto a patch pocket.

The case itself is made of shiny plastic. These materials are known to scratch quite easily, so you would expect this TDS meter to wear out relatively quickly. But with its cost - from 5.3 USD on the official website to 7.7 USD in some online stores - this drawback can be considered quite tolerable.

In its action, the Xiaomi TDS water tester is similar to a conventional ohmmeter: it determines the electrical conductivity of water, for which a voltage of several volts is applied to the electrodes immersed in it. Pure distilled water is known to be a dielectric. And some impurities present in the form of ions give it the ability to conduct electricity. The higher the content of these impurities, the lower electrical resistance water.

The water analyzer detects the following substances:

1. Salts of calcium, magnesium and other alkaline earth metals.
2. Ions of heavy metals - lead, chromium, copper, zinc, etc.
3. Some organic impurities, such as ammonium acetate.

As you can see, the list is quite modest, especially when compared with professional analysis: in Western European countries, drinking water is tested according to 60 parameters, in the USA - according to 90. Thus, the Xiaomi MI TDS Pen water tester cannot be considered as a means for a full-fledged quality check water - bacterial pollution, benzene, cadaveric poison and many others toxic substances they are not identified.

This device is a TSD factor meter. If you need to check the water, for example, from a well, you should contact a specialized laboratory.

AlthoughXiaomi TDS water tester is equipped with a temperature sensor, it does not display the temperature. This sensor is needed in order to correctly determine the PPM indicator, because water with the same salt concentration at different temperatures will have different electrical conductivity.

The temperature accounting function is referred to as "Auto Temperature Compensation". If it were not there, then in order to obtain accurate readings, the water under study would have to be heated or cooled to a certain temperature, say, + 200C.

Read also

Specifications

Tester dimensions: 150x16x16 mm.

Weight: 27.4 g

Battery type: push-button, AG13 or LR44, with a voltage of 1.5 V and a total capacity of 160 mAh (2 pcs.).

Measurement accuracy: within 2%.

The temperature of the test water, at which the measurement error does not exceed 2%: from 0 to +800C.

How to use the device?

Using the TDS meter is extremely simple: turning it on, you need to immerse the sensors in water or scoop it into the cap, and then press the "TDS" button. At the same time, a number will light up on the display, showing the concentration of impurities in PPM units. The reading will fluctuate at first, but after a few seconds the final value will be set.

The matrix is ​​designed for three digits, but if the indicator exceeds 1000 PPM, then the additional “x10” icon will light up (multiply by 10). Thus, the water tester can objectively display the degree of mineralization up to and including 9990 PPM.

If the device is idle for 2 minutes, it will turn itself off.

Who needs a water tester from Xiaomi

This device will help determine the suitability of water for:

• eating;
• filling the aquarium;
• applications in appliances such as irons (steamers), steam generators and ultrasonic humidifiers air.

It will come in handy both for people who do not use filters, and for those who have such installations: with the help of a water tester, you can accurately determine whether it is time to change the cartridges.

Video review

It is believed that if the mineralization of water after filtration is 8-10 times lower than before it, the cartridges are fully functional.

separate issue- hardness salts. Many mistakenly believe that you can get rid of them by boiling. In fact, only magnesium and calcium bicarbonates turn into hard scale. Chlorides and sulfates remain in solution and enter the body. Therefore, even after boiling, the TDS of water is desirable to control.

You should not think that the problem of excessive mineralization is relevant only for residents of large cities, which are supplied with water from surface reservoirs. Any natural source, regardless of proximity to industrial regions, can be overmineralized.

Even artesian water in a number of regions contains a large amount of some elements, for example, iron, which requires iron removal measures before consumption. Water in a mountain stream may well have a TDS of over 1000 PPM (one of the Xiaomi MI TDS Pen users was convinced of this), so this device will also come in handy for tourists.

Do you need such a device? Leave your opinion in the comments!

Water purity tester

• Convenient shape
• Accurate results
• Economical battery consumption

The quality of the water we drink affects the functioning of the whole organism. Unfortunately, we cannot determine by taste, color and smell whether the water is drinkable. But the Xiaomi Mi Water Quality TDS Pen Tester will do it for you. It is similar in size and shape to a pen, so you can always carry the tester with you.

The device determines the TDS in water. TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) is the total mineralization or the total amount of dissolved particles. Its level should not exceed 600, but the lower the TDS, the better the quality of the water. High level mineralization means that inorganic salts, minerals and heavy metal ions are dissolved in the liquid.

TDS and water purity

0-50 _______________ Perfectly pure water

50-100 _______________ Water is considered relatively clean and drinkable

100-300 _______________ Satisfactory purity

300-600 _______________ Water contains a large amount of impurities

1000 or more _________ Drinking water is life-threatening

Check for three types of impurities

inorganic salts

organic matter

heavy metal ions

Test water wherever you need it

Xiaomi Mi Water Quality TDS Pen Tester can be taken to work or on a trip to check the water quality. It is known that in different regions tap water has different indicators, you can never be sure that you are offered a quality drink. Even water filters sooner or later become clogged and cease to perform their function. You can only trust smart electronics!

By the way, customers who decide to buy Xiaomi Mi Water Quality TDS Pen Tester from us use it not only to test drinking water. For example, home plant lovers check the quality of the irrigation liquid - there the level of general mineralization should be high. Some control the purity of the water in the aquarium. In a word, the functions of this device are very wide.

tap water

Boiled water

Bottled water

Water in public places

Water for watering plants

Aquarium water

High technology for precise results

input

The body of the Xiaomi Mi Water Quality tester is protected from water, even if you drop it into a liquid, nothing bad will happen. At one end is a titanium probe, as well as the TDS measurement sensor itself. By the way, the device takes into account the temperature of the water in its measurements in order to eliminate errors.

The device runs on two batteries. In order to save energy, the tester turns itself off after 2 minutes after being turned on.

Runs on two batteries

Shows from 0 to 9990 PPM

Automatically turns off after 2 minutes of standby

Compact size

Takes into account water temperature

The probe is made of stainless titanium

Cap for sampling water

Housing protected from moisture

Energy Saving Technologies

Rapid water testing

Just click the button

To find out the level of water contamination, simply draw a small amount of liquid into the cap, insert the tester and press the button. A clear number will appear on the monochrome screen - this will be the TDS indicator.

Works perfectly in conjunction with the Xiaomi Mi Water Purifier

To always have clean water in your home, use Xiaomi Mi Water Purifier. With the help of a tester, you can check at any time that the cleaner is working correctly, and you will also understand in time that it is time to change the cartridge.

For people who care about their health, Xiaomi has developed a fairly simple, but at the same time very useful device– Xiaomi Mi TDS water tester. A compact measuring device is able to show how the water you drink meets generally accepted mineralization standards.

Equipment

The Xiaomi Mi TDS Pen water quality tester comes in a regular cardboard box with the MI logo on the front, instructions on the back, and the entire Technical information however, in Chinese.

In addition to the device itself, the box also contains an incomprehensible insert with hieroglyphs.

The inner packaging is quite dense and reliably protects the device during transportation.

Appearance

MI TDS looks like a thick marker or a pen with caps on both sides.

Under the top cap there is a compartment for batteries, and under the bottom cap there are water quality sensors.

Also, the lower cap is a container for taking the test liquid (natural or purified water).

On the front side there is a liquid crystal display for displaying the results obtained, as well as a TDS engraved button that activates the start of the test.

The case of the device is plastic and glossy. It hides fingerprints due to its coloring, but is prone to micro-scratches.

Specifications

With a weight of 27.4 grams, Xiaomi Mi TDS (xmtds01ym) has a fairly compact size, which is 150 x 16 x 16 mm.

The operating temperature ranges from 0 to 80 degrees Celsius.

Powered by two AG13 batteries with a total capacity of 160 mAh.

The measurement scale is in the range from 0 to 9990 PPM (mg / 1L), and the error, according to the manufacturer, does not exceed 2%.

Instructions for working with Xiaomi Mi TDS Pen

To measure the mineralization of water, it is necessary to pour it into any container or cap measuring instrument and place the sensor of the measuring device in them.

According to the table, you can calculate how much given water suitable for everyday use:

• 0 - 50 ppm - the most purified water by distillation, microfiltration or other purification methods. It is highly not recommended to drink such water, as it will simply wash the existing salts out of the body;
• 51 - 100 ppm - high-quality water that has been purified household filters or water from mountain springs;
• 101 - 300 ppm - not very "clean" water, drinking which is quite acceptable;
• 601 - 1000 ppm - an excess of minerals that can affect the taste of water;
• more than 1000 ppm - water unsuitable for frequent use.

As a test, the mineral content of the water with which we come into contact most often was measured.

Test results:

• water from a well near the iron ore quarry - 339 ppm;
• water from a well away from the iron ore quarry - 275 ppm;
• tap water - 197 ppm;
• tap water through a filter in a decanter - 176 ppm;
• tap water through a reverse osmosis filter with mineralization - 87 ppm;
• tap water through a fully purified reverse osmosis filter - 56 ppm;
• distilled water - 9 ppm;
• drinking water from the store - 87 ppm;
• mineral water from the store - 2530 ppm.

As you can see, mineral water has an excess of all kinds of elements that, if used for a long time, can adversely affect health (hair loss, damage to teeth, nails, etc.). This can be observed in people who have returned from mineral resorts and drink excessively this useful (up to a certain point) water for 7-10 days.

What you need to know about the general mineralization of water?

Total mineralization of water (TDS) is an indicator of the amount of substances dissolved in water, both inorganic and organic.

Most of this indicator is organic matter- salts of calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium in the form of bicarbonates, chlorides and sulfates, existing in water in the form of ions.

The more ions, the greater the current strength between the electrodes, lowered into the water. This is the principle of operation of the Xiaomi Mi TSD Pen.

In the US, this value is called Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) - the total amount of dissolved solids.

Therefore, the device can be called a TDS-meter or salt meter.

The unit of measurement of a TDS meter is the number of milligrams of salts per 1 liter of water - mg / l, or ppm (parts per million) - 1 part of a substance per million parts of water.

In practical calculations, 1 mg/l = 1 ppm.

It is important to understand the difference between total water salinity (TDS) and "water hardness".

"Water hardness" - part of the total mineralization, due only to calcium and magnesium salts (without sodium, potassium and others).

At the same time, the "hardness" of water consists of two parts - temporary (removable) and permanent (irremovable).

Removable "hardness" - goes away when boiled - turns into insoluble scale (due to hydrocarbonates), irremovable (permanent) - does not go into scale (chlorides and sulfates).

The degree of "removable hardness" of the water you use is easy to determine: measure the TDS "before" and "after" boiling. It is desirable that the temperature of the studied water be approximately the same (unless your device corrects for temperature). The difference in measurements will be an indicator of "removable stiffness".

The standards given in the instructions for TDS meters refer only to “drinking water”, without affecting the range of the so-called. "mineral waters", the degree of total mineralization of which is incomparably higher.

For Russia, the permissible TDS of drinking water is 500 mg/l, for the USA - 1000 ppm (mg/l), in Ukraine, drinking water with a total mineralization of 100 to 1000 mg/l is recognized as physiologically complete.

It is this water, the TDS of which does not exceed 1000 mg / l, that is called fresh.

You need to know this and not panic when your device, inserted into a container with elite "mineral water", shows values ​​\u200b\u200bfrom the zone of "unsuitability" for drinking water. This is how it should be, and will only confirm the fact that what more degree mineralization of the mineral water you use, the less suitable it is for continuous (continuous) use. Such waters are used in short courses according to special medical indications.

Separately, I would like to warn the owners of complex treatment systems from drinking water of very low mineralization (from 100 to 50 and below mg / l). By systematically drinking this almost “distillate”, you grossly violate the water and electrolyte balance in your body, which is fraught with serious health problems.

Results

Thus, if you care about what you drink, the Xiaomi Mi TDS Pen Tester may be indispensable assistant. This device can be purchased at a price

Xiaomi Mi TDS pen is an indispensable, easy to operate and very useful device for the systematic monitoring of water quality

Allows you to test your water at home to see if it needs water treatment.

Externally, the device looks like an electronic thermometer. But in addition to temperature, it is able to measure the content of heavy metals in water, organic substances and the mineralization of water in general, to assess its overall purity.

What is the water quality at home? Test before use!

Initially, xiaomi has been manufacturing software and smartphones, but quickly realized that all sorts of technology brings a good profit went to create devices for the home. In this review, we'll look at interesting thing– Xiaomi Mi TDS water tester pen. Alas, today this device can be considered a necessity for residents of large cities.

We cannot figure out the purity of drinking water with the naked eye, it would seem in crystal clear water
contains a lot of impurities, the TDS value represents the total content of soluble solids in water, Mi TDS can reflect the water quality to a certain extent. Generally, a lower TDS value indicates less presence of water soluble heavy metal salts, thus cleaner and better water quality. Mi TDS Pen detects water quality and can accurately determine the TDS value of water.

Xiaomi Mi TDS Pen despite its functionality has reasonable price when buying in the online store.

What is Xiaomi Mi TDS Pen?

The water contains substances for measuring the total mineralization of water (TDS - total dissolved solids). This means that thanks to the device, you can find out whether and in what size the water contains:

• heavy metals (lead, chromium, copper, zinc);
• inorganic salts (magnesium, calcium);
• organic compounds (ammonium acetate).
• The total mineralization of water is measured in parts per million or ppm (parts per million).

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends:

• TDS values ​​below 600 mg/l are generally considered good quality water and recommended to drink
• When the TDS value exceeds 1000 mg/l, there will be a significant change in the taste of drinking water.

To clarify: if Xiaomi Mi TDS pen shows us 250 ppm, it means that millions of water particles contain 250 molecules of unwanted substances. By the way, this is a normal result, relatively safe for the body.

Xiaomi Mi TDS water analyzer pen can measure from 0 to 1000ppm.

There is a special table for decoding the measurement results:

• 0-50 ppm (mg/l) ultrapure water (distilled if possible);
• 50-100 ppm (mg/l) - pure (filtered) water;
• 100-300 ppm (mg / l) - ordinary (tap) water that has undergone initial treatment;
• 300-600 ppm (mg / l) - hard water;
• 600-1000 ppm (mg / l) - hard water is undrinkable, but not poison;
• 1000 ppm (mg/L) is the hazardous liquid value.

Who can use Xiaomi Mi TDS Pen?

It's pretty easy to find practical use water analyzer. The most obvious option is to use a tester to check the quality of filtered water. This is due to xiaomi mi tds pen, you can simply replace the cartridge in the filter jug ​​or reverse osmosis filter.

The thing is, cartridge manufacturers always make recommendations when you need to replace this accessory, but practice (and tester) shows that cartridge sellers care too much about their pockets. Sometimes when using a cartridge, even twice its expiration date, xiaomi mi tds pen shows quite normal ppm water values. At the same time, the recommendations of filter manufacturers are obvious: the more often you replace the cartridge, the more money will fall into their accounts.

You can check ordinary tap water and water from open reservoirs with xiaomi Mi TDS pen. In any case, the manufacturer positions the device as universal. But it is worth considering that if tap water first goes through a certain amount of cleaning and is conditionally considered good for drinking, then water from wells, rivers, lakes and other sources can include a bunch of organic and inorganic substances, bacteria and impurities, which will not be determined in the analyzer. As a result, the tester will show a good result, but the water will be undrinkable. For this reason, it is impossible to consider xiaomi mi tds pen universal tool.

Who else needs a water test tool and why:

• those who live in areas with very hard water, the consumption of which leads to the formation of kidney and bladder stones;
• before pouring water into the iron;
• aquarists add only correct water, purified from hardness salts.

Xiaomi Mi TDS water tester device

The Xiaomi Mi TDS pen resembles an ordinary electronic thermometer, which is closed on both sides of the lid. On one side, lr44 batteries are inserted into the device (they are included in the kit), and on the other side, there are 2 special titanium probes. Titanium provides resistance to corrosion of the instrument and high accuracy.

The analyzer is turned on and off with a single button. For analysis, it is enough to lower the device into a container with water from the side of the probe. The display on the side of the Mi TDS Pen will show the measurement result.

The instrument can be calibrated and is said to be very easy and simple to do. I think that there are still some difficulties - the question remains, where to get the standard for calibration. The only thing that comes to mind is water for injection from a pharmacy, by default, it is ultra-pure, distilled, and therefore well suited for our purposes.

As you know, water temperature always affects the error in determining the mineralization index. To account for this parameter, the analyzer can measure the heating level of the liquid. However, for some reason, manufacturers have decided that users do not need to measure water temperatures, since it is not displayed on the display tester, but simply “take into account”.

So just to keep you informed, here's another example: if you take a hot and cold water from the same faucet in the same apartment, the difference in instrument readings will be about 50-60 ppm. Naturally, hot water will show worse results.

Most likely, the problem is not that xiaomi mi tds pen does not remove errors well due to temperature. There are usually two pipes - one with cold (drinking) water, and the second with hot (as a rule, it is considered technical). In fact, we are talking about liquids with different mineral composition. It is not surprising that the device will show different meanings TDS.

By the way, the water from the reverse osmosis filter shows the content harmful substances about 20-30ppm. After the water pitcher filter, the TDS value is approximately 150-170 ppm (this is normal). Mineral Waters usually show up to 300 ppm this is a fact and minerals, because sometimes you need to use salt, which is good for the body.

Buy Xiaomi Mi TDS water quality tester

Conclusion

That's all cool in this device, but it is still far from perfect. For those who want to control the quality of filtered water, xiaomi mi tds pen is suitable. First you need to measure the mineral and salt composition of water before and after filtration.

Hello, today we will talk about the hardness of water measured using a TDS meter or saline meter. This device has already been repeatedly reviewed on the site, but since I live in the foothills of the Caucasus, I had an idea to go camping with this device and measure the hardness of water in a mountain river, mountain stream, forest spring. Therefore, I am going on a real trip and I invite you to a virtual one. Well, I will measure rain, store-bought mineral, bottled non-mineral and tap water. Interesting? Then we read further.

Water hardness is a combination of chemical and physical properties water associated with the content of dissolved alkaline earth metal salts in it, mainly calcium and magnesium (the so-called "hardness salts"). (wikipedia)

That is why this device is also called a salt meter. TDS stands for and translates as Total Dissolved Solids - the total content of dissolved solids.
Water hardness is exactly what is responsible for the scale in the kettle and kidney stones.
Let's run a little on the device itself.
On the front there is an on/off button, a reading hold button and a reading display.


At the bottom under the cap are two electrodes that are lowered into the water


On the back side there is a clip and a calibration screw

The cap has a built-in battery compartment for two LR44 batteries

The measurement is done like this: Turn on the device, it shows 000, lower the electrodes into the water and look at the value.
The indication is three-segment, if the value is greater than 999, then the x10 sign appears below.
The device measures ppm in American units, in Russia we have a unit of milligram equivalent per liter, mg-eq / l.
1 meq/l=50.05 ppm
According to Sanitary standards and rules under the number SanPiN 2.1.4.1074-01
the maximum allowable concentration is 7 mg-eq/l. or 350ppm
we will rely on this value, I will also give you such a table, you can also trust it


This instrument is calibrated with a special calibration liquid in which the value of the salt content is known in advance, this instrument is already calibrated by the seller.
The temperature of the water during measurements does not play a special role, since the following property is declared in the characteristics of the device:

Auto temperature compensation

Let's start with room glass measurements.
Drinking tap water

She is boiled, as you can see a little less content salts, boiling softens the water.

Rainwater, just went out to the balcony and collected water running down from the roof during the rain.

Bottled water from the cooler, it is stated that it is melted, glacial, I do not specifically show the manufacturer.


carbonated mineral water from the store, why I don’t know why such indications this water is extracted from a well, it is enriched with all sorts of elements, maybe for this reason.


Well, now on a hike, our first mountain river

this is what it looks like

Here are the testimonies

In the process of measuring, I threw a bait a couple of times, hoping to catch trout, no luck.

But here is such a plotvichka.

The next one is a spring in the forest. It is believed that this spring has very clean water, many locals collect this water for drinking, and cook only from it. There is even a story that someone took water from it to some kind of scientific research institute, they did an analysis there and said that the water is unique, it can raise the dead, I personally don’t believe it.
I was distracted, so I forgot to take a picture, the readings were 60 ppm, there is this spring at the bottom of the video.
What is characteristic is almost the same as in the river in which I measured earlier, the river flows from the spring about half a kilometer, I have suspicions that this is the same water, only due to filtration through the soil, in the spring it looks crystal clear.
The next place in line is a small mountain stream with a small 2-meter waterfall.

Here are the views on the way to the waterfall

And here is the waterfall

measurements


splashes below, water scatters in all directions, so it was not convenient to take measurements, but nevertheless I measured it and the result was very surprising, I couldn’t take it normally in the photo, but in the end the result was over 1000 ppm, the inscription x10 blinked from the left. Why such high readings in this stream, I do not know, it flows higher from the cave, perhaps for this reason.

In conclusion, I will say that the device is mainly needed in everyday life by the owners of filter systems in order to determine when it is necessary to change the filter element.

Video of a hike in the reservoirs on my youtube channel If you are interested, be sure to subscribe.

Also unboxing video.

Goodbye. I plan to buy +66 Add to favourites Liked the review +55 +109