Operating Devices in Extreme weather
February 12, 2019
Updated September 09, 2022
This support article describes how very cold or very hot temperatures impact portable and area monitoring devices. This article applies to G6, G7c, G7x, and EXO.
Blackline portable and area monitoring devices are rated to operate in weather conditions between -20°C (-4°F) and 55°C (131°F). Devices will function in temperatures colder or hotter than this for short periods of time, but Blackline Safety does not recommend letting the device’s internal temperature drop below -20°C (-4°F) or rise above 55°C (131°F).
Extreme weather has the following impacts on portable and area monitoring devices:
Battery run Time
Very hot or cold weather may reduce the battery life of devices.
ELECTROCHEMICAL SENSORS
Electrochemical sensors available from Blackline include:
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At temperatures below -20°C (-4°F), the sensor electrolyte inside electrochemical sensors can start to cool, resulting in sluggish response from devices. Storing devices in a warm and humid (50% relative humidity) environment when not in use will help keep electrochemical sensors running longer.
Shocking an electrochemical sensor from room temperature to extreme cold and vice versa can also cause temporary drifts in sensor readings. These readings typically resolve in less than a minute.
Very hot and dry conditions can destroy electrochemical sensors by causing the electrolyte to dry out.
INFRARED (IR) SENSORS
Blackline offers several infrared (IR) sensors including:
- Carbon dioxide (CO2)
- LEL-infrared (LEL-IR)
Unlike electrochemical sensors, there is no liquid electrolyte inside an infrared sensor. However, there are optics within the sensor that can be affected by condensation. This condensation has the potential to cause a temporary reduction in readings or produce temporary readings on IR sensors.
Shocking the IR sensor from a room temperature to an extremely cold environment can cause the sensor to drift slightly for a short period of time (e.g., on an LEL-IR sensor, the reading should typically be < 10% LEL). If this drift persists, you can manually zero the sensor in the cold environment.
Shocking the IR sensor from an extremely cold environment to room temperature can cause a high reading — sometimes even reaching over-limit on an LEL-IR sensor. Typically, this effect lasts less than 60 seconds, after which the readings will recover and the sensor will function as normal.
Photoionization Detector (PID) Sensors
Extreme weather has similar effects on PID sensors as IR sensors.
MPS Sensors
Shocking an MPS sensor from room temperature to a very hot or cold environment can cause false readings in extreme cases. In addition, moving the sensor from very cold conditions to a warm, humid environment can cause condensation to form on the sensor and result in temporary false readings until the temperature stabilizes.
We’re here to help
Sensors offered by Blackline Safety are subject to change. For the most up-to-date sensor list, please contact our Customer Care team.
