Laurus mini rad-D User Manual - page 4
ON/OFF Button
3.0 Operating Instructions
The mini rad-D is shipped with batteries installed and is ready to use (See Battery Management section on page 9).
Remove it from the shipping carton and familiarize yourself with the controls and displays on top of the unit and
operating instructions on back label. To begin operation, move the mini rad-D power switch from the “Off” position to
SPK (the “on” position) and the unit will begin a power up and calibration sequence. During the 30 second calibration
interval, the unit will measure naturally occurring background radiation and will calculate a threshold above which a
radiological alert will be indicated to the operator. The LED display will flash during the 30 second calibration sequence.
Following completion of calibration, a beep is sounded indicating the threshold level has been successfully calculated
for that particular environment. Every 15 seconds thereafter, a small LED in the lower right hand location of the main
display window will flash, indicating the unit is operating properly and is in detection mode. Because the mini rad-D
auto-calibrates to the ambient radiation level, maximum sensitivity will be obtained if you turn the mini rad-D on at the
location where you are planning to inspect. If the mini rad-D finds that it is no longer detecting the background radiation
levels that it expects over a period of time (such as if the operator takes it into a concrete building), the mini rad-D will
recalibrate itself. The mini rad-D will beep and the LED will show a "racetrack" pattern for 30 seconds. When complete,
the mini rad-D will beep and go into detection mode. This is performed to keep the mini rad-D at maximum sensitivity
levels in all environments.
LCD Display
3.1 Alarms
The mini rad-D will alarm (either audibly if in SPK mode or will vibrate if in
VIB mode) when the presence of gamma radiation exceeds the natural
background levels. Alarms are visually displayed (LED window on top left of
unit) in levels from 1 (low level of gamma particles present) to 9 (high level
of gamma particles present) and will also change to a more intense color.
In addition, when in SPK mode, an audible alert will sound in increasing
intensity as the alarm level goes from 1 to higher levels. When unit is on,
calibrated and in VIB mode, the mini rad-D will alarm by displaying the level
on the LED window and activating the vibra-sender feature and the intensity
of vibration will increase proportionately as the level of gamma presence
increases.
In addition to the visual LED window, audible alerts and vibration alerts, a
small rectangular LED located directly below the D-tect Systems logo on
top of the unit will flash slowly (and display an orange color) as a level 1
alarm is displayed on the larger LED and will increase in the rate of flashing
as alarm levels increase through level 9. Finally, the color of this flashing
LED will change from orange to red at level 6 through 9. In the event the
operator changes work location during the course of their duties, it is
recommended that the mini rad-D be turned off and turned back on (allows
unit to automatically re-calibrate to the natural background radiation in the
new location which can be significantly different from place to place). This
simple and quick step will insure that the unit will be the most effective
detecting unusual levels of gamma radiation.
3.2 Internal Switch
Inside the back of the battery compartment of the mini rad-D is a small 16-position switch that can be adjusted
with a long hand held screwdriver. The majority of mini rad-D users will not require adjustment of this switch.
The purpose of this adjustment and switch is to allow adjustment of the background level radiation value if the
user is operating in an environment where the background radiation swings back and forth frequently (such as
in close proximity to an operating X-ray machine). This switch auto adjusts the "1" to "9" scale so that the
operator in those environments does not constantly get false alarms. This switch should only be adjusted by
an informed operator. If the switch level is set too high, it will desensitize the mini rad-D and potentially allow
low-level radiation sources through that would be detected under normal operation.
Detector
Location