Combustion analyzer question

[channellxbob]

I'm in the market for a new one, looking over specs. I'm a bit surprised at CO accuracy on Test 310, ie. plus\minus 20ppm ? How can you test CO in a home (one of the 310s functions) with that kind of range?

[ga-hvac-tech]

Advise...

Bacharach is a better company with a better product...
It is not about price, as price shopping assumes all products are the same...
Which they are NOT...

[TruTech-Bill]

Checkout the wide range of options and helpful advice we provide at
https://www.trutechtools.com/Combustion


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Subcool215]

I would just like to add that I am not very happy with my Testo 310 combustion analyzer. I actually have three of them in the company. Each year I spend about $300 or more in testing and repairs. Not such a big deal. The problem is the time it takes to get it done. I typically have my local Johnstone Supply House send it into testo. This is typically an 8 to 12 week process. Even in the summertime. I am even willing to put up with that as well. But my biggest gripe is that I have gotten the meter's back in the past and they don't even work right! The certification test sheet comes with the meter when I get it back. But honestly I don't trust it. There have been times when I get the meter back and it is not reading any CO. Not at all. 0 PPM on a normally operating furnace. So I tested alongside another meter which is getting 30 PPM. Obviously there is a problem. Other instances I have got the meter back and the temperature sensor won't be working. I'm pretty fed up with it at this point and I am looking towards a different brand. I know Bacharach has been in the game for a very long time and I think that is the way I am going.

[TruTech-Bill]

...Each year I spend about $300 or more in testing and repairs. ...The problem is the time it takes to get it done. I typically have my local Johnstone Supply House send it into testo. ....But my biggest gripe is that I have gotten the meter's back in the past and they don't even work right! .... There have been times when I get the meter back and it is not reading any CO. Not at all. 0 PPM on a normally operating furnace. So I tested alongside another meter which is getting 30 PPM. Obviously there is a problem. Other instances I have got the meter back and the temperature sensor won't be working. ... I know Bacharach has been in the game for a very long time and I think that is the way I am going.

Sorry to hear of all this trouble. I can shed some light on a couple things, however, given all this, I am not out to change your mind on switching brands.

Quick background I worked in Engineering at Bacharach from 88-98 and in Product Management at testo from 99-09

Testo, USA has mandated that all repairs and calibrations on the model 310 go back to testo headquarters in NJ.

Otherwise, TruTechTools can do minor repairs and calibrations on other testo (and Bacharach) models with a 4 day calibration turn around guarantee at a competitive price. If you do any more work with testo, you might want to look at doing service and repair work with them directly to take a potential delay in handling out of the loop.

The "meters not working right" that should be an immediate call back to testo - 1-800-227-0729.

Seeing Zero CO from a furnace is actually commonplace. What may be happening is the other meter you are comparing to may not have a NOx filter, and the CO sensor on the other unit is registering NOx (pretty much prevalent in all flue gas) is showing up as CO.

Here is a paper I co-wrote on this topic:
https://trutechguy.com/2010/07/01/th...esence-of-nox/


If you are looking for options on any combustion analyzers, check out
https://www.trutechtools.com/Residen...stion-Analysis
...even if just to gather info.

Also, we have a TruTech free combustion guide:
https://www.trutechtools.com/Downloads

I wish you good luck!

-Bill Spohn