# Simulating a pH meter probe

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simulating-a-ph-meter-probe/361520>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 21, 2006, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simulating-a-ph-meter-probe/361520 "2006-06-21T02:05:18Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2006, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/simulating-a-ph-meter-probe/361520/1 "2006-06-21T02:05:18Z")

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All,

For a project at work, I’ve borrowed an [Orion 525+ pH meter](http://canadawide.ca/products/640-700.6.html) from one of our customers. We need to take the meter’s RS232 serial output and parse it in such a way that some data is useful for the application we’re developing. The company with which I’m employed doesn’t really work with pH meters…ever. This is a unique and likely one-time project and way outside of our specialty (weight, force and torque measurement).

The customer didn’t have any extra probes to lend me. I need to hook someting up to the meter so I don’t get an error message. My sense is that I can hook up a resistor or small signal source to the [BNC connector](http://www.bluejeanscable.com/pages/technicaldocs/bncjack225.jpg) to get some reading from the pH meter so that we can run our tests. That there’s are only 2 leads for the probe connector makes me think I can do this …somehow.

The meter spec says “Millivolt Range: ±1600.0” Can I hook up a 1 volt DC source and get a reading? Or perhaps a 1k resistor?