QC Inspector
22nd January 2017, 02:44 PM
I found out about this instrument (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/182391336628?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT) from a former member, got banned here, and was curious if any of the members have experience with it? It can test for dust, VOC, temperature and humidity. Dust being of interest to most here. I was wondering how it relates to the PPM used here in North America? Would it be useful in the shop for comparisons before and after DC system improvements? With a cost of $88Aus or less, it's almost a throw away if it doesn't work.
Pete
BobL
22nd January 2017, 03:45 PM
It's difficult to say how reliable it will be but a couple of things come up from the specs.
Accuracy is +/-10% - thing is 10% of what.
If it's of full range, that's +/- 50 ppm!
Given that OHS limit for hardwood dust is 1ppm then a +/- 50 ppm makes it useless.
If it's +/-10% of the reading that would be better but with only a sampling time of 1 second I it will struggle to sample enough air/dust to make a reliable measurement below about 10 ppm.
In comparison profession particle counters usually sample for 30 seconds or so.
I think it's targeting the Chinese city smog scenario where they have serious problems but I don't know how long it will last in a woodwork situation.
If you wave a normal particle counter in the vicinity of air full of wood dust it is very easy to clog its internals and permanently damage it.
I am tempted to buy one and test it against the particle counter from the uni but I'll pass on it for now.
If anyone else wants to buy one and send it to me I will test it and mail it back to you (in Australia) at no cost.