For the latest instructions, please visit our website: Little Dipper 2 In-Line Fluorometer | Turner Designs | United States
Information comes from our User Manual instructions Section 3 and download files can be found here: Software | Little Dipper 2 In-Line Fluorometer | Turner Designs
Our AI Chat bot will also be able to walk you through these steps if you need a more guided approach.
Should your Little Dipper™ 2 experience connectivity issues with external devices over time, feel free to run through our diagnostics. To assist in diagnosing the root cause of these issues—whether it stems from the cable, the computer, or the instrument itself—we have developed a series of troubleshooting steps. These steps will help you pinpoint the specific area responsible for the connection problem.
Note: It's crucial to follow the steps in the specified order. Deviating from this procedure may prevent the connection from being established successfully.
Connect the Little Dipper 2 to a PC with Little Dipper™ 2 In-Line Fluorometer Calibration Software using the provided interface cable, ensuring it is not connected to an external power source.
Areas to confirm before troubleshooting
Software Requirements.
The LD2 software user interface has been designed to work with Windows-based systems. At this time there is no Macintosh version available.
Text version of Main Little Dipper 2 troubleshooting pathway:
This step assumes that the download has completed and the file is now available on your computer. If the file is missing or if the download was canceled, please check your firewall and antivirus settings to ensure that our website is whitelisted and that the download is permitted.
Are you running a computer or a laptop?
Computer
Laptop
Laptops such as the Windows Surface Series or Apple Macbooks are not compatible with the LD2 Software. If you have another laptop, please try running the software on it.
Have you downloaded and installed the required LD2 software?
If yes, move on to next step.
If no, please refer to our Website Download Setup in a section below.
Are there any popup messages being displayed when attempting to run the Little Dipepr 2 software?
Yes it says unable to find location of software.
Refer to our Software Downloads Setup section.
No I am unable to see any popup messages.
Are you able to see files located inside your computer? You can navigate to your local device storage found using this path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Turner Designs
Refer to our Software Downloads Setup section.
When Little Dipper 2 software is ready to be used, check cable connection to the Little Dipper 2. Refer to our Device Manager Section.
Refer to our Software and Calibration Cable Section for more information.
If Little Dipper 2 fails to initialize on the Little Dipper 2 Software, please contact support.
After following our workflow map, here is the directory below for expanded instructions from where you need help the most on the Little Dipper 2.
Software Download Setup
This step assumes that our website is whitelisted and that the download is permitted. If the file is missing or if the download was canceled, please check your firewall and antivirus.
If your company has a firewall preventing downloads. Please try our OneDrive link and see if it allows you to download from here: https://tinyurl.com/DataBank2023
For more assistance, please contact Turner Designs Support via our website, "Contact Support" Technical Support | Turner Designs | United States
Software and Calibration Cable Installation from website
Information comes from our installation instructions from our User Manual instructions Section 3 and download files can be found here: Software | Little Dipper 2 In-Line Fluorometer | Turner Designs
Please go to (www.turnerdesigns.com)
Click on the products tab.
Then select Little Dipper 2 and you will see a link in the Downloads section titled Little Dipper 2 In-Line Fluorometer Software.
Click on the link, you will be redirected to a page where you can download the Little Dipper 2 In-Line Fluorometer Software.
Install this software on your computer.
Using a zip file opener open the contents of the compressed zip file.
Extract contents of the zip file out into a designated folder like your desktop.
Open the extracted contents into another folder.
Run the Setup.exe from the first folder extracted.
Run the software.
A new pop-up window will appear asking to allow this app to make changes to your device. Select Yes.
Little Dipper 2 Software will appear. Select Next after ensuring extraneous browsers are closed.
It is not necessary to change the Directory of the program file. Select Continue when the next pop-up appears.
Setup Software will close after selecting Next.
Software and Calibration Cable Installation from USB flash drive
Included on the USB flash drive are:
LD2 application
Driver installer for 32-bit Windows OS
Driver installer for 64-bit Windows OS
Release Notes
License Agreement
Exit all Windows programs
Insert the USB Flash Drive (also located on the Turner Designs Customer Care Software / Firmware webpage under Little Dipper™ 2).
If you’re running 64-bit Windows OS, double-click the CP210xVCPInstaller_x64.exe icon. If you’re running 32-bit Windows OS, double-click the CP210xVCPInstaller_x86.exe icon.
Note: If you are not sure which OS your computer is running, please follow the instructions in Appendix C.
A screen will appear prompting you to begin the installation process. Click “Next.”
Follow the screen prompts to install the driver software. The software will be automatically installed on your computer’s C drive.
You will see a “Completing the Installation of the CP210x USB to UART Bridge Driver” screen upon successful completion of installation. Click “Finish.”
Return to the USB flash drive window and open the LD2 software folder and double click on the “Setup.exe” icon.
Follow the screen prompts to install the LD2 application and the accompanying National Instruments application. The software will be automatically installed on your computer’s C drive. If you wish to specify an alternate location for the installation, click the “Browse” button and type in the desired location.
Once the installation process is complete, restart the computer and locate the LD2 application icon on your desktop or in your applications folder.
Validate Software download is complete
To validate the software installation went to completion, press the Windows Icon, or spotlight icon, to enter the search bar. Type in Little Dipper 2.
Normally, this can associate the files just fine. However, on some computers a new pop-up window will normally indicate that the file is not found. Click Browse to reassociate the file location.
If you can navigate to your local device storage found using this path: C:\Program Files (x86)\Turner Designs
Are you able to see files located inside?If unable to find the files: It is possible that your anti-virus software is deleting the files. Please contact your administrator or anti-virus software to whitelist the file from deletion.
If able to find the files, continue to next step.
Within the Program Files (x86), select Little_Dipper_2.exe.
For ease of access in the future, make a shortcut from that file to save onto your desktop or your taskbar. Shortcut will now be available to select from the Desktop.
Device Manager Setup
Connection Requirements
NOTE: The Little Dipper 2's Interface cable should be connected to the computer first before plugging in the power source.
If you connect the cable and computer, you may get the message "Cable not found." The computer may have assigned the USB to a COM Port greater than COM 6. The software only searches ports 0-6. Please follow the instructions to reassign the USB.
If you are unable to get the driver to install on your computer or continue to have issues, please ensure that you had the USB to UART software downloaded before running the Little Dipper 2 software.
You need to have a Little Dipper 2 communication cable (PN 021-2801) to plug into the computer.
Computer user has administrative privileges enabled
Device Manager is enabled
Ports Settings are showing on the Device Manager
The COM port setting can be viewed in the computer’s Device Manager window.
Open up device manager and view ports
Plug in the Little Dipper 2 calibration cable and watch to see if the Device Manager window updates.
Inspect the cable. When unplugging and re-plugging the PN 021-2801 Little Dipper calibration cable, the computer should be able to recognize it.
Use another cable to confirm that Instrument connection port still works if previous step has problems.
A USB serial port should now be visible in the space where it was previously not there. In image example above, it is on COM 5
If the USB shows a value other than a number 1-6. Right click the USB serial port and select Properties.
Select the tab Port Settings then click advanced.
Click the drop-down menu for COM Port Number to change the number to between 1-6 and then press ok. Little Dipper 2 can only connect to software on COM Ports between 1 and 6.
If any steps are blocked for troubleshooting your Device Manager, you will need to have administrative privileges to enable this. Additionally, if you are unable to find the port settings on the Device Manager, you may need to download legacy software on your Device Manager. We recommend taking a look at this Microsoft forums: Ports and com not showing up in Device manager even after view show - Microsoft Community
Little Dipper 2 Verification of Working Connection
Before plugging in the LD2 to the computer, connect the instrument to the calibration cable and a power source and verify that the UV light is on.
Check that pins on both the cable and the instrument are not damaged or corroded in any way.
PC Software Interface Setup
This step assumes that the download has completed, and the file is now available on your computer. If the file is missing or if the download was canceled, please check your firewall and antivirus settings to ensure that our website download is whitelisted and that the download is permitted.
Plug the Calibration Cable USB into your computer.
Plug the Calibration Cable pins into the connector of the Little Dipper™ 2.
Plug in power to the Little Dipper 2 and verify that light appears
Begin LD2 software by double-clicking on the LD2 icon.
Plug the 12V power supply into a power source and supply power to the calibration cable.
Wait for initialization process to complete.
Press Connect to Device and wait for Device Connection Status to turn green.
If Device Connection Status turns red, check to ensure that the COM Port is correct on the Device Manager section: https://intercom.help/turner-designs-support/en/articles/10843200-troubleshooting-steps-to-connect-the-little-dipper-2-to-the-computer#h_c5a8ddfe34
If Device Connection Status is still red even with the correct com port, check to see if Little Dipper 2 can turn on with connection to power source and not connection to computer.
The Device Connection Status will turn green when connection is established and “Device is now connected” will appear in the dialog box
Calibration Basic Run-through on Little Dipper 2 Software
Once the connection to the Little Dipper™ 2 has been established in the LD2 Software you can proceed with calibration.
Obtain a 500mL black glass beaker with 500mL of the source water you will be measuring. You can also use a glass container wrapped with black electrical tape.
Place the beaker on a non-reflective black surface. Note: This water should represent the signal you intend to set as zero, make sure that it does not contain any fluorophore.
Fully submerge the optical face in the water.
IMPORTANT NOTE: MAKE SURE TO REMOVE ALL BUBBLES FROM THE OPTICAL FACE BY TILTING THE LITTLE DIPPERTM 2 AND GENTLY SHAKING WHILE FULLY SUBMERGED IN THE WATER AS AIR BUBBLES TRAPPED NEAR OR ON THE OPTICAL HEAD WILL INFLUENCE RESULTS
Once bubbles have been removed select the Blank Calibration button from the LD2 software screen. The dialog box will then state, “Blank Calibration…Please wait”.
Once the blank calibration is complete the following screen will appear:
Remove the Little Dipper™ 2 from the beaker and wipe dry.
In a second 500mL black glass beaker, make 500mL of a solution using your fluorophore of interest that represents a concentration you intend to measure or add 500mL of a Turner Designs prepared calibration standards. Navigate to Little Dipper 2 product page and select desired calibration solution in the accessory section for a formal quote: Little Dipper 2 In-Line Fluorometer | Turner Designs | United States
Once bubbles have been removed, enter the value for mA at which your calibration solution should be set. At factory setup, we use 9.50 mA. You can use your own mA values if your procedure has a different requirement. Select the Solution Calibration button from the LD2 software screen. The dialog box will then state “Solution Calibration…Please wait”.
Once the solution calibration is complete the following screen will appear:
Click Quit to close the LD2 Software and remove the Calibration Cable from the Little Dipper™.
You can now install the Little Dipper™ in line with the system you intend to monitor following installation instructions provided - see Section 2.2 in the Little Dipper 2 user manual.