Anyone Have Experience with Sensorcon CO Analyzers?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Yes, but with a single bump gas to calibrate each one. By self-calibrate, I mean they can be done in the field, by the operator, like the monOx and cootwo. Being on the store page but not the products page explains how I missed the monOx. The store pages have a lot more info.

They don't sell the bump gas as far as I can tell. Except for OxyCheq, the places I found that do sell it sell a small tank of it with a regulator and hose, in the $225-$345 range depending on how much gas you get. So let's look at 5-year COO for the monOx.

$229 for the monOx, another $225 for bump gas, unknown cost for 0 PPM test gas, and $70 for the sensor every two years. $225 + $140 is $365 vs. $429 for the OxyCheq, but that leaves out the 0 PPM test gas. Or, you can send it in for four calibrations at $60 each, including shipping back to you, for $240, adding $15 for a total of $380.

If you trust a zero reading from the monOx for a tank you can mark and dedicate to using once a year, maybe you can use that for the zero test, but then you have to factor in the cost of the tank ($100 for a 6 cu ft pony from Leisurepro today), or the cost of a tank of actual 0 PPM calibration gas, which I did not research.

Back to the cootwo, for which I missed field calibration and 2-year CO sensor life, but also missed the 1-year O2 sensor life, while most O2 analyzers use a sensor that costs about the same but usually lasts 5 years. So to the above, add $75 plus an O2 sensor every year at another $280.

With any luck, I've added things up right this time...
I seriously doubt that the sensors in the Cootwo/MonOx are really any different than those in the others as I do not believe that Divenav (or most others) actually make their own O2 or CO sensors. I believe it's just that they are being way more conservative in their life span/replacement recommendations - seems to be the case based on what I have seen them post on the topic:

ediving.us • View topic - How do I replace the Oxygen sensor?

Also, for transparency, some claim to have had issues with support from Divenav. I honestly have had good service so far (did an O2 sensor replacement and CO calibration ealier this year with no issues - prompt, courteous service). Check the Divenav Mfr. forum theads here so you can form your own opinion.
 
I seriously doubt that the sensors in the Cootwo/MonOx are really any different than those in the others as I do not believe that Divenav (or most others) actually make their own O2 or CO sensors. I believe it's just that they are being way more conservative in their life span/replacement recommendations - seems to be the case based on what I have seen them post on the topic:

ediving.us • View topic - How do I replace the Oxygen sensor?

Also, for transparency, some claim to have had issues with support from Divenav. I honestly have had good service so far (did an O2 sensor replacement and CO calibration ealier this year with no issues - prompt, courteous service). Check the Divenav Mfr. forum theads here so you can form your own opinion.
Actually, I found a thread where Divenav confirmed that they do not manufacture their own O2 sensors:

Sensor life claims for oxygen analyzers

They also list compatible O2 sensors on their website:

i-qB7dmbV.jpg


So, if the shelflife is really better on some, you could put one in as a replacement - like this one (claimed 36 month life) :

OxyCheq - R-22S Oxygen Sensor

or this one (claimed 42 month expected life):

Rebreather Oxygen Sensors

I also found the listed equivalent Maxtec Max-305 - only a 12 month warranty listed on the site, but their customer service rep indicated that the life expectancy in use can be anywhere from 1-5 years

FiO2 | Maxtec

i-rWhdKvC.jpg



So, I really think the 1 year is WAY conservative as they are likely using 1 of these 3 sensors?
 

Attachments

  • i-rWhdKvC-M.jpg
    i-rWhdKvC-M.jpg
    27.1 KB · Views: 40
  • i-rWhdKvC-XL.jpg
    i-rWhdKvC-XL.jpg
    38.9 KB · Views: 44
Last edited:
There are all kinds of places to get bump gas, some of them inexpensive, depending on the packaging. A web search will turn them up.
 
I seriously doubt that the sensors in the Cootwo/MonOx are really any different than those in the others as I do not believe that Divenav (or most others) actually make their own O2 or CO sensors. I believe it's just that they are being way more conservative in their life span/replacement recommendations - seems to be the case based on what I have seen them post on the topic:

ediving.us • View topic - How do I replace the Oxygen sensor?

Also, for transparency, some claim to have had issues with support from Divenav. I honestly have had good service so far (did an O2 sensor replacement and CO calibration ealier this year with no issues - prompt, courteous service). Check the Divenav Mfr. forum theads here so you can form your own opinion.

You're probably right about the sensors, but what do I know? That's what they rate them for on their site, so that's what I'd have planned for had I chosen their analyzer instead of the one I ordered today from someone else. Of course, I'd have started the comparison with the MonOx had it been on their product page, rather than the cootwo.

As it happens, it was a recent thread in the Divenav forum that convinced me to look elsewhere. Not so much the complaint, for which I can see both sides, but the tone of the companies responses and the company's posted policies in that thread.
 
My Sensorcon CO meter died in a few months. Response from the Mfgs was "we can sell you a new one at full price." Thanks, guys. Been using my buddy's COOTwo since then, which will be my next CO analyzer.

Since they advertise a 1-year warranty, if this happened to you, I suggest writing them a letter, including proof of purchase and date of complaint, pointing to their warranty policy, here, Sensorcon's warranty, returns, repairs and shipping policies , and filing a truth in advertising complaint with the Federal Trade Commission if they don't make it right. If any of the exchanges involved the US Mail, you can also file a complaint with the Postal Inspector.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/swift/

Back
Top Bottom