Analox -- Be warned!!

[SM Diver]

The 02 censor on my analox 02 analyzer went bad recently, and was reading far too much 02 in my mixes. I sent it into Analox for service, at their request, and they just called telling me that I have a bad 02 censor, which I already figured out.

Anyway, here is the thing you should know: Although they advertize a 3 year warranty, it is 3 years from the date of manufacture. In other words, you will need to interrogate your dive shop about how long they have had the unit in inventory. Although I have only had it for a year, I am not covered by a three year warranty.

 

[Scubaroo]

Ouch - that's a bit of a catch. Did the dive shop tell you it had a 3 year warranty when you bought it?

I wouldn't expect a 3 year warranty to cover the O2 cell - they are meant to be replaced every one or two years depending on the brand.

 

[Tamas]

...Anyway, here is the thing you should know: Although they advertize a 3 year warranty, it is 3 years from the date of manufacture. In other words, you will need to interrogate your dive shop about how long they have had the unit in inventory. Although I have only had it for a year, I am not covered by a three year warranty....

That is not good!

Is there a way to tell from the unit how old and when it was made?

 

[SM Diver]

The sensor is actually covered for three years. If you go to their website, it says "prorated" as far as the sensor. What does that mean in this context?

No, I don't think you can tell from looking at the unit how old it is. The only thing I can recommend is that you would need to ask your dive shop when they purchased it for their inventory. In reality, that does not even tell you. It is the date of manufacture that determines when the warranty starts, so what if analox had it for six months before selling it to a dealer??

When I spoke to analox earlier this week, I said "Do you honestly think the average consumer is going to know that the warranty starts from the date the product is made? Almost nothing is warrantied like that." The response was, "Well, it's like buying a loaf of bread. It is a perishable. Once it leaves us, the sensor will start to deteriorate." Maybe, but it is still misleading that no one tells the end user of this little caveat. In theory, you could have one guy in dive shop "A" getting a 3 year warranty, and another guy in dive shop "B" getting a 4 month warranty. Caveat emptor.

 

[WileEDiver]

FWIW, many PC hard drive warranties work the same way. The only thing there is that the manufacture date is stamped on the case.

 

[Rick Murchison]

The sensor is actually covered for three years. If you go to their website, it says "prorated" as far as the sensor. What does that mean in this context?

This is not an Analox problem any more than it is a problem with any oxygen analyser. It is the nature of oxygen sensors. The way the sensor operates is a consumptive process; sensors wear out and must be replaced on a regular basis to assure accurate analysis, and the more oxygen they come in contact with the faster they wear out. A "three year" sensor that's sitting in a 40% Nitrox stream every day for hours, for example, won't last nearly as long as one that's in the case with a cover over the sensor most of the time and only used to analyse a tank from time to time.
You can extend the life of your oxygen sensor by keeping it sealed in an air-tight container with very little gas in it.
When you find yourself having to make larger and larger adjustments to recalibrate your analyser between bottles it's time to replace the sensor.
Rick

 

[Tamas]

Are the sonsors replacable in that unit?

 

[Otter]

Analox sells a plug to replace the green orifice to allow the sensor to last longer. Secondly, I always calibrate an analyzer on a known air tank. That eliminates issues with ambient humidity and temperature.

Does your unit read high O2 even after you calibrate it on normal air?

 

[Rick Murchison]

Are the sonsors replacable in that unit?

Yes, "easily" according to the company.
Rick

 

[Patti Analox]

Firstly, may I say many thanks for your comments on Analox. We do appreciate all customer feedback, and make it our priority to aid customers who are not truly satisfied with the service that they have received.

If I can clarify, all electro chemical oxygen sensors are consumable items which degrade over a period of time. Analox offers a pro-rated warranty on their sensors to take this into account (pro-rated means that you get a percentage towards the cost of a replacement sensor if it fails within a three year period). This consumer protection beats thats of any other O2 Analyzer manufacturer.

Resulting from your comments we have made some changes to procedure which include;

Publishing the manufacture date on the O2EII storage tube making it easier for stockists and customers to view.

We will continue working with stockists regarding best practices and stock rotation for Analox products and sensors.

Again, we appreciate your feedback and comments and if anyone from the forum would like to discuss this in further detail please email me or call toll free (877) SAFE-AIR (877-723-3247)

Patti L Clarkson
Vice President, US Sales