Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Engineco913 on May 3, 2008 at 9:16pm

I suggest getting a multi rae, or any of the detectors Rae sells. They are great and very multi purpose. In a multi rae you can also add a HCN bulb (hydrogen cyanide) to ensure you are safe before going off air in a building fire.

http://www.raesystems.com/products/multi_gas

Permalink Reply by Joe Stoltz on May 3, 2008 at 9:23pm

We bought the Draeger X-AM 3000 which is OK, but at times a bit tempermental. We bought the calibration kit so we can re-cal it ourselves, which has to be done every 3 months.

One thing we've learned is that it needs to be checked out weekly if not more often. That will minimize the chance of the battery being dead when you go to use it. It also helps keep track of the cal date.

Permalink Reply by lutan1 on May 3, 2008 at 9:38pm

Can't go past BW TEchnologies for product reliability and price.

Fantastic on all fornts.

http://www.bwtnet.com/RegionSelect.cfm?nocookie=1

HQ is in Calgary, Alberta.

Permalink Reply by J Mac on May 3, 2008 at 11:25pm

Grant,

Don’t ask me prices because at my level I didn’t know and didn’t care as long as it worked.

What I have used over the years and have found to be pretty good meters.

Gastec
GX-90
GT-402

MSA
Passport

Rae
Multi-Rae

What might work best is get a dealer to drop off some samples so you can field test them any the people who are actually going to use them can compare meter “X” to meter “Y”

If cost is an issue you might want to see which meter companies have the state bid for your area.

If you aren’t a dedicated Haz Mat team that puts the meters through the paces on a daily or at least a weekly occurrence I would tend to stick to the KISS method when it comes to the technology.

Hope this helps….

J Mac

Permalink Reply by grant morse on May 4, 2008 at 7:35am

Right on j mac i really don't care about the the price tag just as long as when i leave the rig it works, Nothing gets me more p.o.'d than having a piece of equipment in my hands that doesn't work.

Permalink Reply by D.C. Sterbenz on May 4, 2008 at 10:14am

I in no way am saying you do not but alot of times I have noticed that when gas detectors fail it is because the operator did not use it properly. If it is a machine malfunction you should address it with the manufacturer. For three thousand dollars it should not malfunction mechanically. We use both Drager and Q-Rae and I have had good luck with both but I train pretty regularly on our detectors for Hazmat.

Permalink Reply by grant morse on May 4, 2008 at 2:39pm

its not missuse on anyones part, i agree it's like any other piece of equipment if not used properly yes it will malfunction, most of the time with ours one of the three sensors doesnt work or it has lost its calibration.

Permalink Reply by lutan1 on May 4, 2008 at 5:38pm

If they're bumped checked everyday as part of the inspections done at the commecement of every shift, this would more than likely capture these failures before they become an issue on scene.

Permalink Reply by grant morse on May 4, 2008 at 6:43pm

right on but unfortunatly we are a vollie dept. with no shifts. Therefore it becomes a weekly test

Permalink Reply by mck306john on May 4, 2008 at 11:10pm

the vollie dept im on, has a industrial scientific multi-gas monitor. we have to bump test it weekly, and calibrate it ourselves every month... we got a docking station for it, and it saves everything on the computer incase we would ever be taken to court, the gas monitor also records the gas levels along with time and everything. if you want any more info about it just let me know, and i will be willing to answer any question that i can.

Permalink Reply by lutan1 on May 4, 2008 at 11:18pm

FYI, it's known as "data-logging".

Very, very handy as you say for follow ups at a later date...