Hello AV8OR51, We’re excited to be included in this test and appreciate you taking the time to do this comparison. Sensorcon has been working with Dan Bass to help bring awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide while flying; we appreciate his dedication to the community. Like the other sensors reviewed in this video, the Sensorcon Inspector uses an electrochemical sensing element; however, our sensing element is manufactured in Buffalo, NY. The Sensorcon Inspector specifications can be found on each product page on our website. We agree with Forensics that a higher reading does not indicate better accuracy. Without knowing the final concentration of the gas in this test setup, it is impossible to know if one unit was more accurate than the other. Accuracy is dependent on the drift of the sensing element over a given time frame. Only routine calibration ensures the sensor will perform to the stated specifications. At Sensorcon, we calibrate our sensor prior to shipping to our customers and avoid using fulfillment services because we cannot control how long a sensor may sit on the shelf before arriving to the customer. Once a customer receives our sensor, we recommend calibration every 6 months. Based on pilot customer feedback, we recommend you clip/attach the sensor to yourself so you can feel the unit vibrating, if harmful levels of CO are present. Relying on audio visual alarms is not enough; many of our pilot customers use noise cancelling headphones while flying and some have even indicated that they placed the unit out of sight. Here at Sensorcon, we believe the best solution is to wear the detector so you can feel the unit vibrating. While the specified life span of Sensorcon Inspector is two years, many of our customers obtain many more years of use by performing frequent calibrations (every 6 months) and/or out of warranty repairs. If you have any questions, we would be happy to speak with you about these options. Sensorcon stands by our products and we thank you for taking the time to test our unit and bring more awareness about the harmful effects of carbon monoxide while flying.
Hi AV8OR, Thanks for the CO detector comparison. I was pleasantly surprised to see our product in the mix here! If you do not mind I would like to make a few comments for your viewers. During development of our FORENSICS CO Detector we surveyed and spoke with many pilots and made changes from the "traditional" product offerings, which we believe has resulted in a superior product. A few items worth mentioning however. (a) Calibration of accuracy is very important. A higher reading detector does not necessarily mean "better" - the question is which is most accurate to a calibrated "known" CO gas concentration. Although your testing was "crude" it was sufficient as a "operational" test sequence, but please be careful, higher does not mean a better CO detector; (b) Another issue is mounting. We surveyed pilots and they suggested a slip sleeve with stick-on is best allowing one to easily mount on the dash and on any smooth surface - we use industry grade 3M stick pads (and offer free replacements). Alligator clips are sometimes hard to place on a aircraft dash, and when asked, pilots have responded as not the most favorable choice; (c) Pressure changes. As one increases altitude, partial pressure of gases change and one needs to ensure the sensor responds accurately. We have tested and certified accuracy of our detector up to 30,000 feet executed with Dr. Lindell Weaver, CO Expert and Hyperbaric expert at the Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City; (d) Life of the sensor - all detectors you tested have a limited life of 2 years. Our sensor is rated for at least 3 years, but continuous to operate, and can operate for at least another year if well taken care of (i.e. stored and operated within temperature and humidity specs). Also, "responsible" pilots want to have a expiry date on the detector so they can enter replacement dates on their service calendar and/or logbooks and not leave it to "chance". (e) Our survey showed price is also important. We kept the price point as low as possible so that buying a new quality CO detector every 3 years for $99 is a pill most can swallow. All in all, it was very informative video and thank you for taking the time to shed more attention on this extremely important issue.
Hi, thank you for your feedback on the device. I agree with your comment that reading higher concentration doesn't necessarily makes the device better. But, IMHO, what makes a CO detector better for pilots besides accuracy and responsiveness is the presence of good audio/visual alerts. Although I liked your device's form factor, responsiveness and price, I thought the audio visual alerts were weak compared to the device of my choice (Tocsin 3). It is important in a noisy cockpit (typical to a GA aircraft) the alerts should be able to get the attention of the pilot. That is why I was suggesting to place a detector (especially yours) in the field of view. Also, when I received the device from amazon, all it came with the device is a small booklet explaining how to use the device. I think it would be helpful to include the certificate (that you have mentioned in (c)) to build the credibility of the product. Thanks again for your response.
Just to give you a trucker's point of view of your product FORENSIC: Noise level true for truckers (not as noisy as aircraft, but can get noisy) so visual and audio alerts are ultra important. But it's the mounting issue that wouldn't work for us, when switching trucks having to mount 2 new stickers for each truck (one for cab/driving and one for cabin/sleep) unless you provide 10+ stickers and may not be able to always order more since we have no mailing address while on the road for a month or more. Forensic is good but not practical for a trucker who switches trucks sometimes at a moment's notice, unless it had some additional way to mount like a clip or a ring to hang it. You have an excellent product for one that can keep it in a stationary place and has a more quiet environment. NOTE: If you did change those things (keeping in mind the 2 things mentioned) and just market it specifically for truckers you'd have a big seller because at this point truckers have no real direction as to which monitor to buy, and some are even using household monitors as a result and truckers are dying in their sleep, no doubt sometimes from carbon monoxide poisoning.
@@moniquemonicat Hey, dont worry we have a solution - check out website, we have a holder with the alligator clip, go to Accessories on our website wwwforensicsdetectors.com
@@CaptainLeo Hi Captain Leo, all accessories can be found on our website, for this our holder is here: www.forensicsdetectors.com/collections/accessories/products/holder-cover-mount-with-alligator-clip-for-co-detector
Thank you, very helpful. I just bought the Forensics unit before I saw your video. It has an end of life date on the back of April 2028, so 4 1/2 years from date of purchase (mid-Oct ‘23). It’s compact. Going to test in my car today (once I get over this headache which may be caused by the car exhaust). Will make another post.
Nice job on giving some sense of these detectors!! After watching the story about Dan Bass I am done with those crappy CO detectors that turn black if exposed to CO long enough (I assume). Really appreciate taking the time to show us how these detectors work when activated!!!
AV8OR51 It’s kind of a pain looking for a car CO detector. Not much out there and more expensive than home use ones. Some websites just recommended using a home use one for a car, but just about all home use ones are AC powered with a battery only for backup use. Just looking for something reliable that won’t break the bank. Do you have any other recommendations or suggestions?
BTW: The link for Tocsin3 by OTIS posted in the description is no longer working. Unfortunately cannot buy it on Amazon, we need a detector within 2 days as will only be by a mailing address for one day this week. We purchased the Sensorcon since is sold on Amazon and arrives in 2 days. Sure would've like to have the Tocsin3 but not possible for us to receive in time.
I wonder what the actual difference is between using a home unit (around $40 each) and something like this. I’m unclear that besides the form factor there is a huge difference but would love to see that tested. It just seems to me like “aviation pricing” gets applied to this sort of thing and it’s really a $50 device marked up for “rich pilots” like us
I wondered that too..when I did my research, I was discouraged to use the home CO detectors for aviation purposes for not being sensitive enough. I plan on doing another test later this year & would include a home CO detector to the mix. Also, there are devices such Sentry & the latest light speed headset that advertise CO detection capabilities. I am curious on that too..thanks for your comment.
I'm not very inspired by the Orange Dot type. The color change was not very obvious me. But these types are in every aircraft I've been in. Seems they are easy to misread or assume everything is ok.
Great video sir!!!!!!! Thank you. I am a huge car guy and own a few cars, some are built, and am building a race car and I want to make sure they are all running well and not dangerous inside, could I use the Tocsin3 for my cars or is it only for aviation?
Excellent presentation. We're leaning towards the Tocsin 3. Noise level true for truckers (not as noisy as aircraft, but can get noisy) so visual and audio alerts are important. The Forensic wouldn't work for us, when switching trucks having to mount 2 new stickers for each truck (one for cab/driving and one for cabin/sleep) unless they provide 10+ stickers. Very disappointed in the Sensorcon we were thinking to buy but after seeing this presentation will not be. Forensic is good but not practical for a trucker who switches trucks sometimes at a moment's notice, unless it had some additional way to mount like a clip or a ring to hang.
Wow! 5 years ago! This just popped up in my feed! Good stuff!
Hello AV8OR51,
We’re excited to be included in this test and appreciate you taking the time to do this comparison. Sensorcon has been working with Dan Bass to help bring awareness about the dangers of carbon monoxide while flying; we appreciate his dedication to the community. Like the other sensors reviewed in this video, the Sensorcon Inspector uses an electrochemical sensing element; however, our sensing element is manufactured in Buffalo, NY. The Sensorcon Inspector specifications can be found on each product page on our website.
We agree with Forensics that a higher reading does not indicate better accuracy. Without knowing the final concentration of the gas in this test setup, it is impossible to know if one unit was more accurate than the other. Accuracy is dependent on the drift of the sensing element over a given time frame. Only routine calibration ensures the sensor will perform to the stated specifications. At Sensorcon, we calibrate our sensor prior to shipping to our customers and avoid using fulfillment services because we cannot control how long a sensor may sit on the shelf before arriving to the customer. Once a customer receives our sensor, we recommend calibration every 6 months.
Based on pilot customer feedback, we recommend you clip/attach the sensor to yourself so you can feel the unit vibrating, if harmful levels of CO are present. Relying on audio visual alarms is not enough; many of our pilot customers use noise cancelling headphones while flying and some have even indicated that they placed the unit out of sight. Here at Sensorcon, we believe the best solution is to wear the detector so you can feel the unit vibrating.
While the specified life span of Sensorcon Inspector is two years, many of our customers obtain many more years of use by performing frequent calibrations (every 6 months) and/or out of warranty repairs. If you have any questions, we would be happy to speak with you about these options.
Sensorcon stands by our products and we thank you for taking the time to test our unit and bring more awareness about the harmful effects of carbon monoxide while flying.
Thank you for the feedback!
Hi AV8OR, Thanks for the CO detector comparison. I was pleasantly surprised to see our product in the mix here! If you do not mind I would like to make a few comments for your viewers. During development of our FORENSICS CO Detector we surveyed and spoke with many pilots and made changes from the "traditional" product offerings, which we believe has resulted in a superior product. A few items worth mentioning however. (a) Calibration of accuracy is very important. A higher reading detector does not necessarily mean "better" - the question is which is most accurate to a calibrated "known" CO gas concentration. Although your testing was "crude" it was sufficient as a "operational" test sequence, but please be careful, higher does not mean a better CO detector; (b) Another issue is mounting. We surveyed pilots and they suggested a slip sleeve with stick-on is best allowing one to easily mount on the dash and on any smooth surface - we use industry grade 3M stick pads (and offer free replacements). Alligator clips are sometimes hard to place on a aircraft dash, and when asked, pilots have responded as not the most favorable choice; (c) Pressure changes. As one increases altitude, partial pressure of gases change and one needs to ensure the sensor responds accurately. We have tested and certified accuracy of our detector up to 30,000 feet executed with Dr. Lindell Weaver, CO Expert and Hyperbaric expert at the Intermountain Medical Center in Salt Lake City; (d) Life of the sensor - all detectors you tested have a limited life of 2 years. Our sensor is rated for at least 3 years, but continuous to operate, and can operate for at least another year if well taken care of (i.e. stored and operated within temperature and humidity specs). Also, "responsible" pilots want to have a expiry date on the detector so they can enter replacement dates on their service calendar and/or logbooks and not leave it to "chance". (e) Our survey showed price is also important. We kept the price point as low as possible so that buying a new quality CO detector every 3 years for $99 is a pill most can swallow. All in all, it was very informative video and thank you for taking the time to shed more attention on this extremely important issue.
Hi, thank you for your feedback on the device. I agree with your comment that reading higher concentration doesn't necessarily makes the device better. But, IMHO, what makes a CO detector better for pilots besides accuracy and responsiveness is the presence of good audio/visual alerts. Although I liked your device's form factor, responsiveness and price, I thought the audio visual alerts were weak compared to the device of my choice (Tocsin 3). It is important in a noisy cockpit (typical to a GA aircraft) the alerts should be able to get the attention of the pilot. That is why I was suggesting to place a detector (especially yours) in the field of view. Also, when I received the device from amazon, all it came with the device is a small booklet explaining how to use the device. I think it would be helpful to include the certificate (that you have mentioned in (c)) to build the credibility of the product. Thanks again for your response.
Just to give you a trucker's point of view of your product FORENSIC: Noise level true for truckers (not as noisy as aircraft, but can get noisy) so visual and audio alerts are ultra important. But it's the mounting issue that wouldn't work for us, when switching trucks having to mount 2 new stickers for each truck (one for cab/driving and one for cabin/sleep) unless you provide 10+ stickers and may not be able to always order more since we have no mailing address while on the road for a month or more. Forensic is good but not practical for a trucker who switches trucks sometimes at a moment's notice, unless it had some additional way to mount like a clip or a ring to hang it. You have an excellent product for one that can keep it in a stationary place and has a more quiet environment. NOTE: If you did change those things (keeping in mind the 2 things mentioned) and just market it specifically for truckers you'd have a big seller because at this point truckers have no real direction as to which monitor to buy, and some are even using household monitors as a result and truckers are dying in their sleep, no doubt sometimes from carbon monoxide poisoning.
@@moniquemonicat Hey, dont worry we have a solution - check out website, we have a holder with the alligator clip, go to Accessories on our website wwwforensicsdetectors.com
@@DrKozForensicsDetectors that link doesn't work
@@CaptainLeo Hi Captain Leo, all accessories can be found on our website, for this our holder is here: www.forensicsdetectors.com/collections/accessories/products/holder-cover-mount-with-alligator-clip-for-co-detector
Thank you, very helpful. I just bought the Forensics unit before I saw your video. It has an end of life date on the back of April 2028, so 4 1/2 years from date of purchase (mid-Oct ‘23).
It’s compact.
Going to test in my car today (once I get over this headache which may be caused by the car exhaust). Will make another post.
Nice job on giving some sense of these detectors!! After watching the story about Dan Bass I am done with those crappy CO detectors that turn black if exposed to CO long enough (I assume). Really appreciate taking the time to show us how these detectors work when activated!!!
Thank you! I was just as curious as other pilots on how these worked. I thought I share the results.
Nice test. I have both sensor on and forensics bought for my car.
This is very helpful as I am determining which unit I want to purchase. You should include the prices for each!
Nevermind you mentioned them at the end!
@@delanehood4784 I am glad you found it useful..thanks for checking out!
Thanks. Informative video. I’m not a pilot, just looking for a detector for a car. The smallest unit seems like it would be very good for that use.
It sure does. Thanks for checking out.
AV8OR51 It’s kind of a pain looking for a car CO detector. Not much out there and more expensive than home use ones. Some websites just recommended using a home use one for a car, but just about all home use ones are AC powered with a battery only for backup use. Just looking for something reliable that won’t break the bank.
Do you have any other recommendations or suggestions?
I know that the home use ones are much less sensitive than vehicle /portable detectors.
Thank you for the video. I plan on buying one for hotel rooms that I stay in.
You are welcome! Make sure to carry extra batteries and a screw driver. Some of the batteries are non- standard.
Thanks for the video. The orange dot is truly disappointing.
BTW: The link for Tocsin3 by OTIS posted in the description is no longer working. Unfortunately cannot buy it on Amazon, we need a detector within 2 days as will only be by a mailing address for one day this week. We purchased the Sensorcon since is sold on Amazon and arrives in 2 days. Sure would've like to have the Tocsin3 but not possible for us to receive in time.
thanks for that: here is the updated link:
www.sportys.com/carbon-monoxide-cockpit-monitor.html
The description is also updated
I wonder what the actual difference is between using a home unit (around $40 each) and something like this. I’m unclear that besides the form factor there is a huge difference but would love to see that tested. It just seems to me like “aviation pricing” gets applied to this sort of thing and it’s really a $50 device marked up for “rich pilots” like us
I wondered that too..when I did my research, I was discouraged to use the home CO detectors for aviation purposes for not being sensitive enough. I plan on doing another test later this year & would include a home CO detector to the mix. Also, there are devices such Sentry & the latest light speed headset that advertise CO detection capabilities. I am curious on that too..thanks for your comment.
I'm not very inspired by the Orange Dot type. The color change was not very obvious me. But these types are in every aircraft I've been in. Seems they are easy to misread or assume everything is ok.
Great video sir!!!!!!! Thank you. I am a huge car guy and own a few cars, some are built, and am building a race car and I want to make sure they are all running well and not dangerous inside, could I use the Tocsin3 for my cars or is it only for aviation?
Thanks, you certainly can!
@@AV8OR51 Awesome!! Thank you. Sir, do you use Instagram?
@@AV8OR51 What do you think about Aithre?
@@jettagliturbo yes, I do, same handle. But not very active
@@jettagliturbo that’s an interesting device. I will that device for my next iteration of my review. Thanks for the pointer
Excellent presentation. We're leaning towards the Tocsin 3. Noise level true for truckers (not as noisy as aircraft, but can get noisy) so visual and audio alerts are important. The Forensic wouldn't work for us, when switching trucks having to mount 2 new stickers for each truck (one for cab/driving and one for cabin/sleep) unless they provide 10+ stickers. Very disappointed in the Sensorcon we were thinking to buy but after seeing this presentation will not be. Forensic is good but not practical for a trucker who switches trucks sometimes at a moment's notice, unless it had some additional way to mount like a clip or a ring to hang.
You won’t regret it...this device might have already saved my life and thousands of dollars in my airplane repairs by acting early
These sensors also perform the same in an automobile?
Yes
@@AV8OR51thank you
Please check out my more recent video th-cam.com/video/7M60zZi4eLQ/w-d-xo.htmlfeature=shared
6:05 the video had a blink. It is easy to see it on detector on the top left. That is mean the video is edited. Do not trust in this video.
Of course the video was edited for time.