How to overcome a port plate mismatch error in EasyMatch QC Follow

FAQ: "A message" Port Plate does not match selection" has started to appear on the screen when using our spectrophotometer. What does this mean?"

Built into the port plate base on the instrument are 3 little LED light + detector systems that provide a warning for the User if there is a mismatch between the port-in-place on the instrument and the port plate defined by the user in the measurement mode (EasyMatch QC+ER/Sensor/Set Mode).

This warning will occur during standardization or when taking readings when the port diameter is smaller than the viewed area of the lens. The reason for this warning is that if this masked port condition exists, part of the black port will be read along with the sample color, distorting the color measurement. This error message only occurs on HunterLab instruments with the ability to measure in more than one area of sample view.

The easiest way to fix the message is to make sure the port plate diameter matches or is larger than port plate diameter selected in the measurement mode 

It may be that the 6 little detector holes in the port place base that contain the LED detectors or lights are dirty. Try cleaning the LED holes in the base of the port plate with a Q-tip moistened with IPA isopropyl alcohol. Once cleaned, this may clear the issue. 

Getting a port plate mismatch error does not mean that the instrument is unusable or compromised in performance.

The error message can occur if one of the LED lights or detectors has malfunctioned and requires service. After version 4.30 of EasyMatch QC+ER, an option was built into EasyMatch QC to bypass the warning and continue to allow measurements to be taken as there is no issue with the measurements taken, just an LED failure.

Go to Options/Application Preferences/Startup Defaults and check "Remove Sensor Warning Messages".

This port plate error message will still occur once when EasyMatch QC+ER is started as a reminder to address the issue at a time of some future service. However, the message will not continue to prompt constantly.