The Critical Role of Regular Servicing for Gas Detectors

7 reasons why regular servicing for Gas Detectors is critical

Gas detectors play a critical role in ensuring the safety of workers and infrastructure  by promptly detecting and alerting them to the presence of harmful gases. Whether used in industrial settings or laboratories, these devices are designed to provide early warnings, preventing potential disasters. However, like any other equipment, gas detectors require regular servicing to maintain their effectiveness and reliability.

1. Ensuring Accuracy and Reliability:

One of the main reasons for servicing a gas detector is to ensure its accuracy. Over time, sensors and components can degrade due to exposure to harsh environmental conditions, dust, or contaminants. For example, the detector may read 46% LEL when the true level is 50% LEL. Regular servicing involves calibrating the detector to maintain its precision in detecting even the slightest traces of hazardous gases. Accurate readings are vital for timely and appropriate responses to potential threats.

2. Compliance with Safety Standards:

Adhering to safety standards and regulations is paramount in any setting where gas detectors are present. Many industries and institutions have specific guidelines regarding the use and maintenance of gas detection equipment. Regular servicing ensures that the detectors meet or exceed these standards, helping organisations remain compliant and avoid legal ramifications. Sophisticated instruments not only keep a log of their calibration history, but also the devices’ upcoming due date.. Calibration certificates are produced during production, and after servicing as a record.

3. Legislation and Industry-Specific Regulations:

Gas detector maintenance is often governed by legislation and industry-specific regulations. For instance, in the European Union, the ATEX directive regulates equipment intended for use in explosive atmospheres, including gas detectors. In the United States, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) emphasises the importance of maintaining a safe working environment. While OSHA doesn’t have specific regulations on gas detector servicing, adherence to general safety standards is crucial. Similarly, international standards like those developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) provide guidelines for proper maintenance.

4. Extended Lifespan of Equipment:

Gas detectors are an investment in safety. Regular servicing not only enhances their performance but can also extend their life expectancy. Preventive maintenance, such as cleaning, calibrating, and replacing worn-out parts, can significantly contribute to the longevity of the equipment, thereby reducing the frequency of replacements, saving both time and resources.

5. Minimising False Alarms:

A well-maintained gas detector is less liable to trigger false alarms. False readings result in complacency as well as a decreased trust in the equipment, potentially putting individuals at risk. Regular maintenance helps identify and resolve potential issues that could trigger false alarms, ensuring the detector only activates solely in the presence of a real threat.

6. Emergency Preparedness:

Gas detectors play a critical role in emergency response systems.

Regular servicing increases their responsiveness, providing early detection of gas leaks and allowing for swift evacuation or containment measures. In emergency situations, the reliability of gas detectors can make a significant difference in minimising damage and ensuring the safety of workers.

7. Cost-Effective Maintenance:

While servicing may be perceived  as an extra expense, it is essential to recognise it as a proactive and cost-effective measure. Regular maintenance helps identify potential issues before they escalate, preventing costly repairs or replacements. Investing in servicing is a minor price to pay compared to the potential consequences of equipment failure.

Ensuring Safety and Reliability

The significance of routinely servicing gas detectors is unquestionable. Whether utilised in industrial or commercial environments, these instruments play a crucial role in safeguarding the safety of workers lives as well as the business infrastructure. A properly maintained gas detector not only ensures accurate and reliable performance, but also promotes in adhering to safety standards, prolonging equipment duration and reducing false alarms. Prioritising the regular servicing of gas detectors is unquestionable in contributing to the safeguarding of workers lives and infrastructure.

For more information about servicing or calibration contact our team or visit our worldwide distributors to discover your local service and calibration centre.

Our Partnership with Altitude Safety

Background

Altitude Safety has developed into one of the UK’s leading Confined Space and Site Safety Equipment suppliers. Supplying a product portfolio of over 10,000 products from the leading global manufacturers and with their dedicated fleet, Altitude Safety can deliver your safety solutions nationwide. Altitude Safety is part of the Citrus Group and has a client base of more than 35,000, thereby offering truly extensive and multifaceted provision. The Group aims to keep focused on Safety Equipment, Education and Training whilst also providing an effective and complete safety and training solution trusted by industries worldwide.

Views on Gas Detection

Providing both portable and fixed systems allows Altitude Safety’s customers to have a full solution option best suited to their needs and requirements. In regard to portable gas detection being a critical piece of safety equipment, Altitude Safety put customers at the forefront of gas detection, providing equipment in gas detection that not only protects their customers plants and processes but, more importantly, helps to prevent injury, thereby helping to ensure the health, safety, and wellbeing of its workers. Also, with the supply of fixed gas detection, Altitude Safety can offer its customers a complete turnkey solution for both new and replacement systems. Altitude Safety ensures the customers’ requirements through complete site surveys to provide advice on the best location of sensor heads, cable runs, and control panels. Whilst also offering a complete service from supply, installation, commissioning, and ongoing service/calibration contracts.

Maintaining and servicing safety products is key to ensuring that it remains in tip-top condition and ultimately works correctly at the critical time. Their manufacture approved service center is operated via a team of dedicated and manufacturer-trained technicians. From receipt into our warehouse, Altitude Safety prides itself in being meticulously careful with the products ensuring that they are maintained, serviced and packaged correctly, ready for their customers to get back to operating as soon as possible.

Working with Crowcon

Through continuous communication of knowledge and expertise with Altitude Safety, our partnership has allowed for the supply of gas detection instruments for those working in the confined space and utility industries. “Our partnership with Crowcon has allowed us to provide a full turnkey solution for our customers and qualified service centers. We can provide a critical safety product to a range of industries, environments and workers to ensure safety for those involved”.

Our Partnership with Sure-Safe 

Background 

Sure-safe is a gas detection specialist based in Hertfordshire. With an internal team of 18, they provide fixed and portable gas detectors and in-house service and calibration to provide suitable gas detection across many sectors, including automotive, transportation, water treatment, CHP plants and universities. 

Views on Gas Detection 

Gas detectors are essential for safety and analytical purposes, with site surveys and consultations providing tailor-made risk assessments. Sure-Safe work with customers to implement the most appropriate gas detection solution for their needs. Sure-Safe, fully appreciates the importance of ensuring the equipment required for the task is maintained, calibrated and certified.

 Working with Crowcon  

Sure-Safe and Crowcon have a long-established relationship working together to provide gas detection solutions for over 25 years. “Crowcon is a reliant manufacturer in which our robust relationship has complemented their supply.”

Our Partnership with Acutest

Background

Acutest have established themselves as a leading player in test instrument supply, repair and calibration, asset management and bespoke training services. Acutest are a complete solution provider who match to each customer’s need. Their team of external account managers support customers with onsite product demonstration as part of the solution identification process. Serving across sectors including utilities (distribution network operators), sole traders, public sector and white goods. Acutest are a trusted partner to many sectors, who have a diverse customer base including the utilities, street works and rail sectors, facilities maintenance teams, manufacturing, processing and industrial plants as well as individual contractors and electricians.

View on Flue Gas Analyzers

Providing workers within these sectors with the correct equipment is vital, therefore providing these workers with an essential tool is key at Acutest. This tool is used every day; therefore, Anton by Crowcon flue gas analyzers provide an easy-to-use tool that detects CO (Carbon Monoxide) and NO (Nitrogen Oxide).

Working with Crowcon

Acutest have been a long-term partner in which our gas analyzers prevent users from having to store, charge, carry, calibrate and transport multiple devices. Our equipment allows Acutest customers to conduct all critical test measurements with just one high performance, innovative solution. “Our partnership with Acutest has enabled them to supply their customers with a readily available, reliable product as well as customer support. Anton by Crowcon provide innovative tools for every engineer needs and has been a go to on many occasions.”

Flue Gas Analyzer Calibration Guide

Ensuring your flue gas analyzer (FGA) is regularly maintained goes without saying, however the hows and whys take a little more digging into. This article breaks down the calibration process and highlights handy tips and tricks for maintenance and best practice. 

The Act of Calibration 

Calibrating an FGA involves checking the sensors to ensure accurate measurement of a known concentration of certified calibration gas. To do this, the reading needs to be adjusted to match the gas concentration through an initial sensor calibration of the new or existing unit.

Next up is a calibration drift – this is done using existing instruments to bring the reading back after the drift occurs. Measuring the amount of drift in the gauge is a chance to see how far into inaccurate territory it has moved, and rule out measurement errors moving forward. 

Regularity is key

Sensors degrade over time with each sensor having a different life span of optimum operation, whether it is an electrochemical, catalytic bead and infra-red sensors. Regular calibration raises the gain levels and brings the sensor back in line to avoid dangerous incorrect readings. 

Once the sensor reaches a certain point it cannot be brought back into the correct position and this is the time when a new sensor needs to be installed. 

Explaining the calibration procedure 

The first step of the process is to set the device to calibration mode. This feeds a test gas of a known concentration onto the sensors to see how they respond. The gain levels are adjusted within the sensor to match the readings to the concentration fed in whilst mitigating drop off. 

The new settings are locked into the device’s firmware and a calibration report is produced, creating a PASS or FAIL result. 

Best Practice Tips and Tricks

Here are some best practice recommendations to help you maintain your FGA.

  • Clear out the water trap regularly – moisture is a by-product of combustion and can get sucked into the FGA when a test is undertaken. Water damage is the primary cause of damage in flue gas analyzers, so it is imperative to check, empty and replace the unit’s inbuilt water traps and filters to protect from this.
  • Purge the device in clean air before powering down – noxious gases are drawn from the flue and passed over the sensors to gain a reading. After a test is completed and the system closes down some of that gas remains trapped inside. This can cause corrosion damage and shorten the life of the unit, so purging in clean air prior to shut down is a must.
  • Take inside to protect from cold weather conditions – to lessen the chances of condensation build up and water damage within your FGA make sure to remove the unit from your van overnight. This also reduces the risk of theft. 
  • Use approved chargers with outputs tailored for target device – non approved chargers cause damage to the battery and lessen charge retention, or even impairment to the battery and IC chips of the device itself.  
  • Check the devices’ probes and connector pipes – any splits or cracks in the rubber house will cause incorrect readings. Performing periodic checks on your hoses to ensure they are in good operating condition is a useful habit. 

All-Inclusive Service Options 

You have multiple options when sending your device off for it’s annual service and calibration:

Send it direct to us

Crowcon’s innovative Autocal jig system manages the end to end calibration process for Sprint Pro FGA’s. An out-of-calibration unit leads to errors in the combustion reports produced and could disrupt your day to day. 

Autocal servicing is easy. Simply bring your FGA to one of the DPD drop off locations, your unit will be inspected, tested and calibrated within two days and returned to you using DPD’s express return trackable option.

For more information please check out https://shop.crowcon.com/

Send it to your local store

Drop your device in to your local trade counter or specialist servicing center at a time convenient to you and they will work with us to facilitate the annual calibration.
They will contact you to come and collect your device once the calibration is completed.