Particle counter recommendation for testing air quality (~£1000 budget) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: bifferos
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 14, 2017, 01:26:35 pm
content: Hi All,It seems theDylos DC1100is favoured amongst DIY enthusiasts and seems good for the money, however they have no UK distributor. I was wondering which particle counter I should be looking at for my budget. I don't need a hand-held unit, I'd be happy with a module I have to wire up to PC/Arduino, but it really needs to be calibrated.The one I'm looking at for the moment is theTrotec PC220, I like the fact it gives the particle size breakdown, however I know nothing about this company, and have seen no reviews of the device. It also takes pictures and videos (which I don't need).It seems the gold standard for this would be devices likeAethlabs-AE51, andTherm PDR 1500but I can't justify that kind of money.I'd appreciate any advice.many thanks,Biff.

author: Loboscope
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 16, 2017, 08:25:07 pm
content: Trotec is a German company who produces and sells amongst others also gear for measuring (https://www.trotec24.com/messgeraete). Their target group will be craftsman and workmen. Their measurement-gear is good constructed, rugged and precise within the specs. In price their products are affordable, it is not cheap toy-stuff, it is for professional use, but not as perfect and top-range professional like highly specialised measurement-gear (which always will cost a fortune).I have some Trotec-tools for measuring humidity of walls/floors in buildings, air humidity and temperature and a microwave-leakage detector. Not too expensive but sufficient reliable.

author: TheNewLab
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2019, 04:33:07 am
content: I know, I know I am reviving a thread over one year old...I have been looking at handheld particle counters. Here in Northern CA and southern Oregon we have had some wildfires that affected the entire coast from Baja CA up to Washington state. close to the ocean and well south, we experienced the effects where a friend's wife was having problems with asthma Even I had to close all my windows and am still have a hacking cough.So what I have been looking at simple consumer ones $250 and less. Then more professional ones $1,000 or more.I have looked at Temtop It seems Temtop 1000s+ at around $150 seems OKThen the the HT-9600 at around $170there is a $100 plus/minus IGeress brandthe $1,000 plus models are:CEM DT9881 $1,200 to $1,700Extech $2,000 or moreFluke $2,700 or moreand the German Trotec PC200 or PC220 (no longer available.)It seems the $1,000 plus models log onto SD cards, and can be used for clean room certifications.The $150 to $3000 I find little info about them.Below $150 they have mixed reviews.:-2.5PM calculated to 10PM numbers, HCHO and VOC numbers are dubious,no logging or SD card ability.benefits of the higher end ones. not only logging, they can time/date stamp with both photo and video capability.So what on earth am I asking here?Has anyone else any of the handheld particle counters? and what are their experiences?If I spend more than $200, I will have to justify the price. That means selling IAQ survey and analysis inspections. That may be easy now, however people quickly forget so if now major fires next year I doubt I could sell such a service.Any suggestions? if need need more detail message me. I can find links for most of these products on eBay, Amazon, and Banggood and their manufacturer websites for the higher end.The Fluke is just way over my budget....

author: bitbanger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2019, 04:24:22 pm
content: If you're looking for instantaneous results, they may be outside your budget but I used TSI instruments for several years in the past, and they are of high quality. Based here in the US. Not sure what the second hand market looks like. They sell a line of portable/handheld air quality monitoring equipment, particularly (no pun intended) the dust-trak line:https://www.tsi.com/dust-monitors/If you're looking for a more analytical health assessment (and more affordable solution) I would suggest personal air samplers: it's a small battery powered sampling pump+filter which you keep on your person for a day or so, then send the cartridge off for analysis. This gives better insight into longer-term, daily exposure levels, and is typically what OSHA will do when called in to perform a job-site assessment to follow up on air quality complaints.

author: cdev
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2019, 06:43:31 pm
content: If I were you I would focus on cleaning the air coming in to your house as its brought in - as well as the air thats already in it with HEPA filtration - you already know its causing health problems.That said, Ive seen a very inexpensive one meant to be incorporated in HVAC controls for (just guessing) around $20. I will try to find the datasheet which I am pretty sure I have on my other computer. I think they use a small laser.Okay with the caveat that this is just my gut feeling after having to deal with an unusual situation which I am certain makes me very biased - Ions do a good job of pulling really tiny particles out of the air but two things you want to avoid are ozone generation and letting all those negative ions out of the filter area because then they cause dust to accumulate on everything in your home much faster than it would otherwise. Which might be problematic for a bunch of reasons. Its especially problematic if there is anything particularly unhealthy in your atmosphere. Because an ionizer may mean that the rate of its removal from the air in your living space, as opposed to just blowing in and blowing back out, might go way up.bitbangers' solution above might be very helpful if you needed to know that, assuming that your testing lab tested for it.Also, if you're concerned about what might be in your dust, buy a decent, cheap microscope and a box of glass slides and some totally clear plastic tape and do some tape lifts. Press the tape down on a surface you clean after some specific amount of time, then apply it to the slide and label it. It also doesn't hurt to take a digital photo with time and date stamp so you'll remember exactly where and when it was taken.Get familiar with your usual dust's density and content. It changes quite a bit throughout the year.

author: TheNewLab
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2019, 09:28:04 pm
content: Follow up:I ended dropping the USD's for a CEM DT-9881. It appears, CEM, Trotec, PCI, and Extech VPC300 are all the same product.it measures down to 0.3microns and has both HCHO and CO measurement capability.By the time I got past the $200 price tag, I knew I would just be pissed spending that much money and getting something useless.I am impressed, but I cannot find any standard procedure for doing these measurementsLOLI also bought a $55 unit. pretty interface..That's what I said "pretty" but very little confidence in the accuracy of the readings, and much more limited in functionality.IF anyone knows of a consistent method of using these handheld devices I would love to hear about it.Any questions about the two units, I will gladly share what little I am learningThanks for all the advise guys!Ric