1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,520
Tales from the Trenches, stories forged in the fires of experience.

2
00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:15,280
This episode brought to you by UEI Test Instruments and their wide range of high quality testing

3
00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:16,280
tools.

4
00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:23,480
Take a look at UEITest.com.

5
00:00:23,480 --> 00:00:28,080
All right thank you everyone for joining Tales from the Trenches.

6
00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:36,240
So we're walking up to this home and we're going to do an inspection on the furnace and

7
00:00:36,240 --> 00:00:43,920
we get out our tools, we do an analysis of the system and our meter, our combustion analyzer,

8
00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:48,720
is giving us some good readings on this particular piece of equipment.

9
00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:56,080
Now how do we know that our combustion analyzer is actually performing the way it's supposed

10
00:00:56,080 --> 00:00:57,080
to?

11
00:00:57,080 --> 00:01:02,560
Well a lot of people think about the combustion analyzer and the maintenance that is required

12
00:01:02,560 --> 00:01:04,380
on combustion analyzers.

13
00:01:04,380 --> 00:01:08,920
So today we're hanging out with our good friend Louise Keller from UEITest Instruments and

14
00:01:08,920 --> 00:01:14,960
we're going to talk a little bit about that misperception of the maintenance of combustion

15
00:01:14,960 --> 00:01:17,280
analyzers.

16
00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:19,240
Well thanks for having me today Clifton.

17
00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:20,240
Love talking about this topic.

18
00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:25,840
One of my favorite topics to talk about dangers of carbon monoxide, combustion analyzers and

19
00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,240
how to properly service them.

20
00:01:28,240 --> 00:01:32,720
So one of the interesting things about combustion analyzers is you know most of them have an

21
00:01:32,720 --> 00:01:37,560
oxygen sensor, they have a CO sensor and maybe a CO2 sensor.

22
00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:41,600
Years ago we actually got rid of the oxygen sensor because that was the sensor that would

23
00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:44,040
die out on you pretty regularly.

24
00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:48,080
But then there's still a maintenance that needs to happen because CO sensors they can

25
00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:49,660
drift over time.

26
00:01:49,660 --> 00:01:53,800
You know there's more to your analyzer than just that sensor though as well.

27
00:01:53,800 --> 00:01:58,360
So when we're talking about an analyzer right because it's also taking your stack temperature.

28
00:01:58,360 --> 00:02:00,640
It's taking ambient air temperature.

29
00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:03,040
It has a pump that works on it.

30
00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:07,280
And if you're just changing a sensor what are you really accomplishing?

31
00:02:07,280 --> 00:02:12,800
Are you verifying that everything else out there is working properly?

32
00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:17,720
So one of the things that we do at UEITest Instruments is that you know we've always

33
00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:22,600
encouraged people to have those recertified to have somebody really take a full look at

34
00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:26,040
the picture of your combustion analyzer.

35
00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:32,240
Right because me as a technician I mean it's on and it's working or it's giving me an

36
00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,720
error code or it's off right?

37
00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:41,720
So I'm not completely aware of the condition of my test instrument when we're you know

38
00:02:41,720 --> 00:02:45,880
we're doing a vital test on a piece of equipment.

39
00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:51,360
Yeah one of the things I like to talk about in the classes that I teach happens to be

40
00:02:51,360 --> 00:02:53,240
about a CO sensor.

41
00:02:53,240 --> 00:02:59,240
So there's two things a CO sensor if you walk into a house and when you walk into the house

42
00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:02,000
the ambient air should be zero on that CO.

43
00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:04,320
We shouldn't be seeing any of it.

44
00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:07,040
But there's a couple of possibilities that could happen.

45
00:03:07,040 --> 00:03:11,840
Maybe there is CO present but if you haven't had your analyzer checked and tested to verify

46
00:03:11,840 --> 00:03:17,080
that that CO sensor is working properly you could also get a zero reading when you walk

47
00:03:17,080 --> 00:03:20,640
into that house which would be a false zero.

48
00:03:20,640 --> 00:03:25,760
So by having it recertified it's actually checked and tested against gases.

49
00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:30,200
And at the end of it you get a certificate that's going to allow you to see what your

50
00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:34,720
instrument tested against in those an actual lab atmosphere.

51
00:03:34,720 --> 00:03:37,160
Exactly exactly.

52
00:03:37,160 --> 00:03:41,640
But one of the other things is that we've heard in the industry that getting your analyzer

53
00:03:41,640 --> 00:03:45,260
recertified has been a little bit of a of a pain.

54
00:03:45,260 --> 00:03:48,880
It has been because there's two components when you're really looking at a combustion

55
00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:53,960
analyzer is your upfront cost and then you have your secondary cost.

56
00:03:53,960 --> 00:03:58,840
And we heard what the struggles were and we have come out with a really great new service

57
00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:03,220
program for our combustion analyzer which is UEI Service Plus.

58
00:04:03,220 --> 00:04:10,880
So any of our brand new C160 combustion analyzers we offer some some promises for you when you

59
00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:17,520
go online and use our website UEITest.com black backslash service.

60
00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:23,240
But we wanted to encourage you to have your test instruments calibrated on the annual.

61
00:04:23,240 --> 00:04:28,440
So one of the things that we did the first thing we did is every year you get it recertified

62
00:04:28,440 --> 00:04:34,000
you get another year warranty on your combustion analyzer for up to 10 years.

63
00:04:34,000 --> 00:04:38,000
The next thing that we heard is how long are we going to be out of that combustion analyzer

64
00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:39,160
or if we have to send it in.

65
00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:40,520
Absolutely that's a vital tool.

66
00:04:40,520 --> 00:04:45,560
So we opened up many years ago we have our service facility in Indianapolis Indiana.

67
00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:50,280
It's a NIST and ISO certified lab that we use.

68
00:04:50,280 --> 00:04:53,640
We have actually gone through and we offer same day service.

69
00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:59,520
So things that land in Indianapolis on a Wednesday morning are actually going out to back on

70
00:04:59,520 --> 00:05:02,120
the UPS truck Wednesday afternoon.

71
00:05:02,120 --> 00:05:06,920
So we redid our entire way that we do things in our facility to make it as efficient as

72
00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:08,460
possible.

73
00:05:08,460 --> 00:05:13,000
And then the next thing that we did is if you go through and you use our website to

74
00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:18,840
go through it you're actually going to get shipping paid for by us to us and from us.

75
00:05:18,840 --> 00:05:21,120
So we've taken all that danger out.

76
00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:26,520
And it's really important though to have that analyzer recertified every single year.

77
00:05:26,520 --> 00:05:32,340
And I use the term recertification instead of just calibration because it's a full comprehensive

78
00:05:32,340 --> 00:05:34,520
program that we're doing on it.

79
00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:39,320
So if it moves on that instrument we're checking it if it's reading if it's taking readings

80
00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:43,840
we're going to verify that it's working because we want you to feel confident when you're

81
00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:47,760
out there in the field that your instrument is working properly.

82
00:05:47,760 --> 00:05:52,660
Some of the things that I've seen over my time here at UEI is that inevitably somebody

83
00:05:52,660 --> 00:05:58,040
has had an older analyzer that maybe had that oxygen sensor.

84
00:05:58,040 --> 00:06:00,760
And they'll turn it on and they'll be like oh no it still works fine.

85
00:06:00,760 --> 00:06:01,960
I'm still getting a reading.

86
00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,360
I'm still getting a are you zero or something.

87
00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:07,200
But still it's not an error.

88
00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:10,160
It's not that I have a dead sensor.

89
00:06:10,160 --> 00:06:11,160
Exactly.

90
00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:15,000
And you know I remember one of the first classes I taught a guy was like I've never used it.

91
00:06:15,000 --> 00:06:16,520
It's still good to go.

92
00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:21,120
Unfortunately the analyzer was about four or five years old at that point which one

93
00:06:21,120 --> 00:06:23,080
begs the question why he hadn't used it.

94
00:06:23,080 --> 00:06:27,480
But two he turned it on for me and I was like oh you're going to have to send that in for

95
00:06:27,480 --> 00:06:30,320
service and he goes how do you know.

96
00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:33,400
And I said well your oxygen is zero.

97
00:06:33,400 --> 00:06:34,400
Right.

98
00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:36,000
So nothing in here.

99
00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:37,320
Absolutely.

100
00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:42,400
You know one of the other stories since since we're doing some Tales from the Trenches I

101
00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,480
used to do a little bit of our tech support and I remember a guy called me and he was

102
00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:50,720
super angry and you know unfortunately as a manufacturer there's always somebody out

103
00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:52,680
there that's going to be angry about something.

104
00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:53,840
You can't make everybody happy.

105
00:06:53,840 --> 00:06:54,840
You can't.

106
00:06:54,840 --> 00:06:59,560
And he was really he was really upset and he was he was going through he was talking

107
00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,840
to me about his analyzer and he said it's not reading anything.

108
00:07:02,840 --> 00:07:05,900
I'm not getting any readings.

109
00:07:05,900 --> 00:07:08,040
And I said oh I'm sorry.

110
00:07:08,040 --> 00:07:09,600
He said it won't zero out.

111
00:07:09,600 --> 00:07:12,620
And so I'm thinking there's a problem with some some carbon monoxide.

112
00:07:12,620 --> 00:07:15,560
Maybe he spiked his sensor or something like that.

113
00:07:15,560 --> 00:07:19,800
So you know I go through all the troubleshooting and he's like no it still won't zero out.

114
00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,120
I said OK.

115
00:07:22,120 --> 00:07:23,680
Well I you know what.

116
00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,120
Can you just read me what's on your display screen.

117
00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:27,120
Yeah.

118
00:07:27,120 --> 00:07:30,120
And he goes oh two twenty point nine.

119
00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:32,640
It won't zero for me.

120
00:07:32,640 --> 00:07:39,280
And I had to stop for a moment and I had to really think about that one.

121
00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:42,140
How do you respond.

122
00:07:42,140 --> 00:07:48,680
We want twenty point nine oxygen in ambient air and it's do you enjoy breathing.

123
00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:49,680
Yes.

124
00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:50,680
OK.

125
00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:51,900
Then your oxygen is fine.

126
00:07:51,900 --> 00:07:52,900
What's your CEO.

127
00:07:52,900 --> 00:07:53,900
Well it's zero.

128
00:07:53,900 --> 00:07:54,900
That'll zero out.

129
00:07:54,900 --> 00:07:57,160
But I can't get the two to zero out.

130
00:07:57,160 --> 00:07:59,920
So I think unfortunately that was a little bit of a training fail.

131
00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:00,920
Yeah.

132
00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:01,920
Absolutely.

133
00:08:01,920 --> 00:08:05,400
Because as I as I teach classes across the country you know there's there's there's always

134
00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:06,880
a story.

135
00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:10,400
It may not be the contractor that's in the class but there there is somebody who had

136
00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:14,320
a story or a buddy that had a story or something like that.

137
00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:19,600
So how often do you get combustion analyzers that come in for routine maintenance just

138
00:08:19,600 --> 00:08:25,440
to discover that they need significant maintenance and sensors replaced that are completely out

139
00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:27,000
of calibration.

140
00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:30,520
So I'll tell you I don't actually know what that exact number would be.

141
00:08:30,520 --> 00:08:32,480
But the way is it a lot.

142
00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:36,960
You know as far as people sending them in to be recertified that's a that's a pretty

143
00:08:36,960 --> 00:08:39,900
regular regular thing for our contractors.

144
00:08:39,900 --> 00:08:42,080
The ones with significant damage.

145
00:08:42,080 --> 00:08:44,440
I really don't know that number.

146
00:08:44,440 --> 00:08:49,980
But the good news is as long as it's not something that you know was obvious misuse like you

147
00:08:49,980 --> 00:08:55,240
ran over it with your truck or threw it off you know threw it into a wall that whole service

148
00:08:55,240 --> 00:09:00,080
program actually will cover those type of things as long as it's not from you know neglect.

149
00:09:00,080 --> 00:09:01,640
That's why I was like all right.

150
00:09:01,640 --> 00:09:05,160
You can see the details on our website and everything like that.

151
00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,460
But it's it's covered under that.

152
00:09:07,460 --> 00:09:12,540
So whether you know a sensor were if a sensor were to die within you know that warranty

153
00:09:12,540 --> 00:09:14,140
period it's covered.

154
00:09:14,140 --> 00:09:15,240
You don't have to think about it.

155
00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:18,320
You don't have to worry about having extra charges.

156
00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:19,760
We do flat rate pricing.

157
00:09:19,760 --> 00:09:26,020
So everything that's in that handheld analyzer is going to be checked and tested for you.

158
00:09:26,020 --> 00:09:27,240
Because it's important right.

159
00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:32,040
We want to make sure that our test instruments are up to what the specs should be.

160
00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,920
Because if something drifts over time.

161
00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,280
You can wind up in some very dangerous situations out there.

162
00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:40,280
Absolutely.

163
00:09:40,280 --> 00:09:43,800
So I think about you know how many combustion analyzers are out there.

164
00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:45,960
That's the whole reason for this discussion.

165
00:09:45,960 --> 00:09:51,320
How many combustion analyzers in the field are reading incorrect readings that are you

166
00:09:51,320 --> 00:09:59,320
know potentially have dangerous atmospheres only because we haven't had our tool maintained

167
00:09:59,320 --> 00:10:00,320
properly.

168
00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:01,320
Absolutely.

169
00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:04,240
And I it's a little scary out there.

170
00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:09,000
One I'd like to thank everybody who does have a combustion analyzer out there and to hopefully

171
00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:14,560
this will encourage you to get one because it's it's not only a safety tool right.

172
00:10:14,560 --> 00:10:16,640
It's a piece of mind for the homeowner.

173
00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:18,560
It's a piece of mind for you.

174
00:10:18,560 --> 00:10:23,280
By having those tools being able to show what those results are.

175
00:10:23,280 --> 00:10:28,800
That's you know that's been one of our specialties for many many years.

176
00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,760
Making those combustion analyzers and we heard the struggles and that's why we redesigned

177
00:10:32,760 --> 00:10:35,940
our combustion analyzers to make them easier for you to use.

178
00:10:35,940 --> 00:10:40,720
We redesigned our service program to encourage you to make sure that they're up to date.

179
00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:43,200
To make sure that they're within spec.

180
00:10:43,200 --> 00:10:44,200
Nice.

181
00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:45,700
All right.

182
00:10:45,700 --> 00:10:52,880
So moral the story is annually your combustion analyzer needs to be serviced to keep you

183
00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:59,280
from dangerous situations so that you are not coming back with tales from the trenches

184
00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:00,280
of your own.

185
00:11:00,280 --> 00:11:01,280
Absolutely.

186
00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,240
I don't want to have to tell a story about anybody that's listening out there today.

187
00:11:04,240 --> 00:11:05,240
All right.

188
00:11:05,240 --> 00:11:07,920
No we have plenty of stories to share on that.

189
00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:13,920
We'll bring in probably Bob Dwyer sometime to share some of our deep tales from the trenches

190
00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:15,280
on carbon monoxide.

191
00:11:15,280 --> 00:11:24,760
Carbon monoxide is a deadly scenario in many many many instances and proper maintenance

192
00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:32,040
of tools is the first step in assuring that we're doing a proper evaluation and inspection.

193
00:11:32,040 --> 00:11:33,040
Absolutely.

194
00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:34,040
All right.

195
00:11:34,040 --> 00:11:35,040
Well sweet.

196
00:11:35,040 --> 00:11:36,040
Thanks for joining us Louise.

197
00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:52,520
Thanks for having me today Clifton.