Oxygen Analyzer Shelf Life

[Mark Vlahos]

Hi folks,

I am considering the purchase of an Oxygen Analyzer for NITROX and am curious if anyone can give me some insight on the shelf life of the sensor.

I travel 100% of the time on business and I don't get to pick the cities I go to. This can make it difficult to make time for diving. The great thing about it is there is room in the trucks for my dive gear! When I am in a city where there is no opportunity to dive I am stuck on land... But when I find myself in a good diving spot I can dive like crazy.

So here is my theoretical example...

The analyzer might be used on 10 or 15 tanks in a week or two and then sit unused in an airtight pelican box for perhaps 3 or 6 or 9 months and then get used again. I know that the sensors have a lifespan that is shortened by both use and time sitting exposed to ambient air. Can anyone estimate the frequency I will need to buy a new sensor?

I do not want to get into a debate about the merits of one analyzer over another unless the merit involved is the shelf life ot the sensor.

Many thanks,

Mark Vlahos
Head Electrician on "The Producers" first national tour

 

[Jim Baldwin]

Mark,

I have a Hudson analyzer that I have had for quite some time and have found that the sensor will last about a year to a year and half. I bought two when I bought the unit and keep the second one in its airtight shipping container. I keep the entire unit with spare batteries and extra sensor in a small Pelican 1060 waterproof case. Works good for me.

Jim

 

[Padipro]

I've had mine last anywhere from 6 months to a year or more.

The first sensor I bought brand new from a Maxtec and it only lasted about 6 months, even though I installed the rubber cap it came with whenever I wasn't using it.

When that one died I bought a couple Miniox sensors off Ebay from some guy that had about 50 of them for sale. They were still in their factory sealed package but the experiation date was only a month or so away. They were cheap, about $10 US each, so I got three of them figuring that if they didn't last long I'd have spares. I bought them almost a year ago and I'm still using the first one. The others I store in their original package in the frig. Maxtex told me that doing so COULD help prolong the life of the ones I wasn't using.

I've always installed the rubber storage cap to seal the sensor from the outside air whenever it's not being used and the brand new one died within 6 months but the ones I figured wouldn't last very long are still alive and kickin a year later.

I guess it just goes to show that you never know.

 

[rjchandler]

The one in my oxyspy has been going fer about two years now

 

[gj62]

How much you use it, and how much humidity it is exposed to are key factors. You should include a desecate in any air-tight case. If the case has foam rubber, make sure the foam has not absobed alot of moisture. I don't know what the stuff is called, but I use the stuff that looks like "flexible styrofoam" that came around my Dell computer...

 

[Aeolus]

Quite often, the shelf life is the limiting factor rather than the actual usage. This is only reasonable if you consider what the percentage of time that the unit actually in operation. Most of the manufacturers claim about one year, but this can vary a lot. As the other posts have said, try to seal the air and moisture out of whatever you are storing the spares in.

Enjoy the diving.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

Many thanks to those of you who posted replies, your information was quite helpful.

I will be buidling my own analyzer and based on your replies I can probably expect to get at least half the rated life span from a sensor (probably more). Since my storage conditions for the device will most likely be less than ideal.

I will be building my analyzer based on the design from RC Dive Technology.

http://www.oxygenanalyzer.com/YOUDOIT.htm

The sensors that are compatible with this meter have a lifespan of up to 5 years, so if I actually get 3 years from a sensor I will be satisfied.

Again, many thanks.

Mark Vlahos

 

[BillAllbritten]

Amoxtec advertises a 3 year warranty on the sensor and a max life of 4 years.