Industrial Scientific

Ventis MX4: 4 Gas Meter

Objectives: • Provide a foundation for further training

on your Ventis MX4 • Highlight how your Ventis MX4 benefits

fire service professionals • Review basic care and maintenance for

your Ventis MX4

This training does not supersede users’ reading product information and manuals that are received with these products.

Be sure to consult your department or organizational guidelines in the operation of these products.

Key Features: • Over-Molded Composite Construction • Four Gas Configuration in a Compact

Package • Lithium Ion Extended Range Battery • Integrated Sample-Draw Operation

(Integrated Pump)

Key Features (Cont’d): • PEAK Reading Storage • Short Term and TWA Levels • Audible, Visual & Vibrating Alarms • On-Board Continuous Data Logging • 4 Individual Sensors (many

manufacturers have 3 sensors, with 1 sensor doing double work).

Know your Gas Meter:

Backlit LCD

Visual Alarm

Lights

Integrated

Sampling

Pump

Two Button

Operation

Left Button

(Power/Menu

Button)

Right Button

(Enter/Command

Button)

Know your Gas Meter:

Sensors (Most Common Fire Service Configuration):

• LEL: Lower Explosive Limit • O2: Oxygen • CO: Carbon Monoxide • H2S: Hydrogen Sulphide

• Always Remember:

0, 0, 0, 20.9

LEL: Lower Explosive Limit

• Alarm is set at 10% LEL • LEL: Minimum mixture

of combustible gas in air that will cause an explosion if exposed to ignition.

O2: Oxygen

• Alarm Levels: • Oxygen Deficiency (Low End): 19.5% • Oxygen Enriched (High End): 23.5%

CO: Carbon Monoxide

• Alarm is set at 35 PPM • CO is odorless, colorless, and toxic. • CO is a by-product of combustion and is

lighter than air.

CO: Carbon Monoxide (cont’d):

Levels of Carbon Monoxide

Level (in PPM) Time Exposed (in Minutes) Effects

200 60 - 120 Headaches/Nausea/Dizziness

800 45 Headaches/Nausea/Dizziness

800 180 Death

3200 10 Death

12800 1 - 3 Death

H2S: Hydrogen Sulphide

• Alarm is set at 10 PPM • Odor of rotten eggs is a telltale sign. • H2S desensitizes our sense of smell at

high concentrations. • H2S is a product of decomposition of

organic matter. • H2S is heavier than air.

H2S: Hydrogen Sulphide (cont’d)

• OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL): 8 Hour TWA at 10 PPM

H2S Exposure Effects by PPM Exposure (PPM) Likely Side Effects

50-100 Eye Damage

100-150 Sense of Smell Disappears

320-530 Pulmonary Edema

530-1000 Rapid Breathing/Loss of Breath

Over 1000 Immediate Collapse

Starting Your Ventis MX4:

• Hold the Power (left) Button for 3 seconds • A 20 second warn-up will begin • Integrated pump will initiate at this time as

well. • Always perform start-up prior to entering

suspected IDLH environment.

Left Button

(Power Button)

**Most Important Takeaway**:

• Required starting point for gas sampling:

• This can be accomplished one of two ways: 1. Gas detector will attempt to self clear during

start-up 2. If that does not happen follow the steps for

Function #2: Zero Out

H2S: 0 ppm CO: 0 ppm

LEL: 0 % O2: 20.9%

Sensing & Alarms:

Gas Detector Sensors & Alarm Levels

Sensor Sensing Purpose Alarm Activation

CO Carbon Monoxide @ 35 PPM

H2S Hydrogen Sulphide @ 10 PPM

O2 Oxygen @19.5% (Low) @ 23.5% (High)

LEL Combustible @ 10%

Battery:

• Battery life indicator is on the lower-left side of the display.

• 20 hours of operation on a full charge in diffusion mode

• 12 house of operation on full charge with integrated pump

Functions from the Menu:

• Button Function: o Left Button: starts the menu of choices o Right Button: confirms menu choices

• First (home) screen is your monitoring screen which shows your 4 gas readings.

• Press the left button to cycle through the various functions.

• Press right button to select or confirm the desired function.

Functions from the Menu:

• Function #1: Calibration o Symbol: A Calibration Cylinder o This indicates the number of days since

last calibration.

Functions from the Menu:

• Function #2: Zero Out o Once you confirm your choice, a clock

appears and the unit will self zero out. o Zero in fresh clean air o Meter Will: Count down for 15 seconds, then beep After 10 more seconds it will return to

monitoring. **This is not a Calibration!**

Functions from the Menu:

• Function #3: PEAKS o This function will display the following: The highest readings of the 3 gases The lowest reading of O2

*All PEAKS readings are since the unit was last turned on.

o To clear PEAKS, press the right button again, or shut off detector.

Functions from the Menu:

• Function #4: TWA o Symbol: TWA at bottom of screen o This function will display the Time

Weighted Average of CO and H2S for 8 hours.

Functions from the Menu:

• Function #5: STEL o Symbol: STEL at bottom of screen o This function will display the Short

Term Exposure Average for CO and H2S for 15 minutes.

System Shutdown:

• Hold the Power (left) Button for 5 seconds • While holding the power button the unit

will beep 5 times then shut off. • Do not let go of the power button until the

screen powers down and beeps stop.

Pump Operation:

• Flow Rate: o 0.5 SCFH (Standard Cubic Ft. per Hour) o .25 Liter per Minute

• Tubing: Clear Urethane Hose o Standard Length: 10 feet o Maximum Length: 100 feet o Hose comes with Hydrophobic Filter o **Do Not Use Medical Tubing: it absorbs

the hydrocarbons.**

Pump Operation (Cont’d):

• Rules for Pump Operation: o Allow 2 seconds per foot of hose plus 2

minutes for 100% gas readings • Quick Calculations: o 10 feet: 2 minutes, 20 seconds o 100 feet: 5 minutes, 20 seconds

Sensor Replacement:

• Smart Sensor Technology • 2 Year Warranty on all Sensors • All sensors are field replaceable

Calibration:

• A calibration must be performed at least once a month.

• Calibration: adjusts the range of the sensors to ensure full potential; the gas in the cylinder will be matched with the sensors.

V-Cal Calibration Station:

• Calibration, bump tests and charging terminal all in one.

• Simple one button operation. • Includes software for improved data

logging.

Before Taking Readings:

• Meter Must Read: o LEL: 0% o CO: 0 PPM o O2: 20.9% o H2S: 0 PPM

o The meter will attempt to “Zero Out” to

these numbers, but a manual Zero Out may be performed if necessary.

Key Takeaway

• If 0%, 0PPM, 0PPM, and 20.9% are not displayed prior to taking readings, OSHA does not consider them valid readings.

• Always start your gas meter before entering the potential IDLH environment.

• Most detectors have 3 sensors, with 1 doing double work. The Ventis MX4 has 4 stand alone sensors for added reliability.