Bruce L. Bergman (munged human readable) wrote:
I really should get my own gas detector for pump pits, I occasionally
have to go into the big ones. At GTE (Verizon) we just had MSA
Explosimeter 2 or 2A LEL detectors before you popped a manhole, and
Draeger tubes if you suspected other nasties were down there, but time
has marched on.

And I can't just check a form and have a box of nifty things magically
appear behind my truck the next morning for free anymore. (Darn!)

As of now, all I can do is sniff for flammables, pop the hole, drop in
the manhole blower hose, and ventilate thoroughly before going down,
but I really should get something - and without spending $5,000.

Is a good old (and still fairly cheap used - $800 - $1800 for NOS??)
MSA 2A Explosimeter still "enough" to pop the lid? Or do you have to
get one of the electronic detector and aspiration sample kits that
cost a bloody fortune.

One of the Pocket style Multi-Gas detectors sounds good for once
you're inside, but real world comments from the Plant Managers and
such among us would be appreciated. Especially things like "It failed
after 1 year and two days, and when I asked about the warranty they
told me to Pound Sand..." or "The sensor replacements every 4 years
costs more than the whole unit - and the battery pack is almost as
bad..."

-- Bruce--


You could always get a canary.

John