Product Review: TopTes Tools PT520A Combustible Gas Leak Detector

Рет қаралды 3,767

Күн бұрын

A thorough review of the TopTes Tools PT520A combustible gas leak detector. It seems like decent value for the money and compares well to much higher end and higher priced models.
Buy one here: www.amazon.com/dp/B0BTM3G8DK (not an affiliate link)
10% off discount code: UXWBILLYT (valid March-June 2023)
There is also a 10% discount "coupon" checkbox available as of this writing on Amazon's US store. Whether you can "stack" it with the discount code I do not know. Tell me if you do and it works!
I believe TopTes is using the Winsen MP-4 gas sensor in both of their detectors.
www.winsen-sensor.com/sensors...
I would like to see TopTes improve their instructions with a warning about butane temporarily disabling the sensor. I would also like to see them improve the PT520A's display so it is readable in sunlight or bright room lighting. Finally, it would be nice if they'd sell the replacement sensors, so you can renew your leak detector after the sensor wears out.
The TopTes detectors are not designed to detect byproducts of combustion (carbon monoxide, etc.). Be sure you're getting the right product for the job you're doing.
Index:
0:00 - What Am I Reviewing Today?
3:40 - Unboxing - What's Inside
4:53 - Partial List of Gases Detected
5:21 - Testing Methodology
6:28 - Controls and Sensitivity Ranges
7:14 - Editing Oops
7:17 - Back to the Review
7:47 - Butane Test & Caution, High Sensitivity
12:00 - Butane Test, Low Sensitivity
12:55 - Sensor Details (it could be user replaceable, another butane caution)
15:07 - Butane Test, Medium Sensitivity
16:25 - Gasoline (Fresh)
18:49 - Gasoline (Stale)
20:14 - Natural Gas
21:51 - Propane
22:14 - Acetylene
23:10 - Final Thoughts
24:27 - Sneak Peek (Upcoming Tesmen TM-510 Multimeter Review)

Пікірлер: 50

@vwestlife Жыл бұрын

I, for one, appreciate the stereo microphone.

@Browningate Жыл бұрын

Love that classic UXWBill humor! Especially the fuel cap falling off unscripted, and "the Klein Tools just goes on and on in the proud tradition of most UXWBill videos." Brings a smile to my face every time!

@Palosrob Жыл бұрын

So glad to see this! Miss you so much Bill! Nice to hear my left and right speakers wake up when watching a KZfaq video because you're recording in stereo. So boring listening through my center speaker all the time.

@uxwbill Жыл бұрын

I'll be (too?) honest when I say I'm not a big surround sound enthusiast. ("You only have two ears!" :-) ) That said, I have a few surround capable stereo receivers from the 1990s. One has a Hafler Matrix circuit built in, and that's definitely fun. It has revealed a lot of interesting things in recorded music.

@mikehall3976 Жыл бұрын

@@uxwbill I personally quite like the Dolby ProLogic surround processing. 4 speakers (the regular stereo speakers plus a center channel and a rear channel) are enough for me. (Yes, I changed my profile picture from that blue and black one around a year ago, it's still me though.)

@OldEqualsCool Жыл бұрын

Glad to see you back, Bill! Speaking of wind noise, hopefully the recent bad weather in the Midwest didn't cause any damage in your area. I can see these gas leak detectors being very useful in the event of a natural disaster.

@uxwbill Жыл бұрын

Oh, there's definitely been some damage and I"m being jerked around by my insurance company...but that too shall pass. It's nothing serious. It just needs to be fixed.

@Jallge Жыл бұрын

I like the dramatic pause at 07:14

@uxwbill Жыл бұрын

I'm not sure what happened there! I noticed during editing that the video timeline suddenly "grew" by a few seconds after making a change. I suspected corruption was perhaps encroaching on the project file, but I was very tired, wanted very much to wrap this up so I could get some rest, and as such I didn't find it until I watched the whole thing to put in the table of contents. I wasn't going to re-edit and upload over about three seconds of video.

@stevenboll322 Жыл бұрын

Glad to see your back and looking forward to more videos

@parkerkowens Жыл бұрын

Good to see another UXWBill video 🤘

@retroguy74 Жыл бұрын

Great video Bill as always! Looking forward to that multimeter review as well. You're the best person on KZfaq for the job!

@timwolfe6869 Жыл бұрын

Glad to see you again bill I’m glad your happy and healthy much love from Texas USA

@rrcoster Жыл бұрын

Nice to see new video Bill

@fordmuscleluis9710 Жыл бұрын

Glad you got this Gas leak detector welcome back to KZfaq of this year

@erp65 Жыл бұрын

More of these, Bill! I'd watch you review a Bic pen!

@gerredstallings465 Жыл бұрын

Good to see u again I don't know which of these I like better they all seem to work well hope things are going well for u this year hope to see more videos when u can get them out I have been watching your channel for some time all the way back to 2007 when u had the pink Buick and the silver one I didn't know it was free to subscribe and didn't know about the notification bell but it's set up now see u again soon

@Minecraftganer101 Жыл бұрын

Welcome back uxwbill 2023

@KrissBartlett Жыл бұрын

Very good as usual there Bill nice to see you on again always like watching you, your very smart anything you do with electronics i love your computer post really but happy to watch you do what ever !!!!!

@RaidifyLifts Жыл бұрын

welcome back!

@uxwbill Жыл бұрын

Popping the cover on this gas leak detector didn't reveal much about its possible origins. Although component designations are silkscreened on the board, there's no model number or any other identifying mark. The microcontroller is labeled SDIC SRRZ 8709, seemingly making it an 8-bit RISC part with a one time programmable ROM along with some onboard peripherals, including an RTC and 24 bit analog to digital converter . The design seems pretty clean and everything looks reasonably well assembled. There is unused capability -- solder pads are present for a micro-USB connection, USB-to-serial IC and supporting components. From Thomas Heckhaus' comments below, it seems likely that the actual manufacturer of this and the PT210 leak detectors would be Dongguan Habotest Instrument. Unfortunately, that company has nothing on their website other than a few pictures of the detectors along with their other products.

@daniel_kale Жыл бұрын

Glad to see you're doing okay!

@thelazyfishkeeper2730 Жыл бұрын

as always an informative video. any chance of a review of your collection of computers. i know your a retro kinda guy so it would be interesting what you have kept working. stay well. stay safe during these tornado outbreaks

@beagle605 Жыл бұрын

big fan

@joeduece1 Жыл бұрын

That's cool

@rikityrik 7 ай бұрын

Thank you for a well thought out and thorough test. You get a big like and a new subscriber just to show my appreciation. Lol, thanks! Only question I would have, and you probably don't want to answer, is what sensor would you recommend if you were going to replace it. Or similarly who makes good sensors. Of course I could google it, but seeing your review makes me value your opinion. And I don't have the Toptes detector just contemplating purchasing it, I guess.

@uxwbill 7 ай бұрын

It's arguable whether it would be worth just replacing the sensor. You may find it costs more than the whole detector. You should only use the same Winsen sensor that TopTes used in this detector, and it must be tested with a known quantity of an explosive/flammable gas before it is used anywhere else.

@rikityrik 6 ай бұрын

@@uxwbill hey, thanks for the reply. I was hesitant to but decided to go with the Odorsin (stick/ wand style) detector. The only reason I chose the Odorsin is it displays ppm and also has type-c charging. The Toptes model that displays ppm was out of my price range but still had the micro-usb charging port. Plus after researching a bit more it seemed Toptes was going over the top with pushing their product out to YT audiences. It’s probably a better detector than what I picked up but was on a budget for the little issue I was dealing with in my shed. I also purchased the Kidde Co2 and Explosive gas Alarm and some bubble leak detector also. I don’t know much at all about the sensors the budget brands use but I believe the Odorsin and others use a sensor that only senses temperature change which puts it in alarm. I like the Klein brand, and the detector you had in your video. I plan to do some more research on the sensors they use.👍

@uxwbill 6 ай бұрын

Odorsin seems like a poorly considered brand name to me. (I have a whole theory about where all those names come from, possibly for the future.) Anyway. A few months ago, TopTes sent me the version with a USB charging port and PPM display. I've been so busy I couldn't get to it, though I hope to have a review for it up here soon. This time around they went with a sensor from Figaro Engineering. I was really quite surprised. Unfortunately, that detector didn't perform as well as those I had reviewed previously. I don't have any reason to believe the sensor was a fake. I am not sure how a temperature sensor could be useful in detecting a gas leak. (Sure, if you have enough of it escaping, it may be noticeably cooler than the surrounding air...and if it's on fire, much hotter. 😛 Either way, by then you probably already know there is a problem in some other way.) If anyone is doing that, I don't think I'd trust it. I think you'll find there's a Figaro sensor in the Klein product as well. Those sensors are usually very well regarded, so I don't know why the TopTes product didn't fare very well. Maybe I just got a bad one?

@john123abc201 Жыл бұрын

I actually bought the Inficon used for $80 after seeing your review of the PT210. It's a really nice tool, but man do I wish that it didn't scream so loud when warming up!

@uxwbill Жыл бұрын

I suppose the idea was that you could hear it in a noisy mechanical room. If you're feeling bold enough to take it apart, and willing to bear all the responsibility of doing so, you could probably tone the beeper down with some glue or tape placed over its opening.

@thomasheckhaus205 Жыл бұрын

Hi Bill, Per your request. I was able to "stack" the two discounts. However, the Amazon coupon is only 5% not 10%. I used the coupon first on the product page. Then added it to my "cart"". At checkout I had a $2.00 discount. Then I added your discount code and the "cart" updated with an additional $4.00 discount. $6.00 in all. Please note I am an Amazon "Prime" member so I don't know if that has any bearing on the discounts. Thanks , I'll let you know how the meter works in my application. Regards Tom

@uxwbill Жыл бұрын

Thank you for letting me know. At the time this video was in production, Amazon's coupon was offering a 10% discount. Perhaps TopTes decided that was too much? It's hard to know. Please do keep me posted on your experiences with this detector, if you happen to think of it. I hope it works well for you.

@Madness832 Жыл бұрын

So, what if you test it in a Taco Bell bathroom?🤔😄

@uxwbill Жыл бұрын

You'll likely cause the sensor to burn out!

@kara76480 Жыл бұрын

About to watch you diesel to

@Jon-hx7pe Жыл бұрын

you could get enough heat from the flammable gas in a single taco bell bathroom to heat all the homes in the us. energy crisis solved!

@scgamer2442 Жыл бұрын

Okay don't get mad for my wondering mind. I shall try to make a constructive comment, awesome and informative video. Now how's the station wagon doing is that thing still kicking? Ive been watching your videos since you got it and I guess I'm just curious. Or nosy.🤔

@uxwbill Жыл бұрын

Uhh, why would I get mad about that? Truthfully, "awesome and informative video" isn't really all that constructive. Yes, great, you say you liked it...what else? (Think of this like that chiding English teacher you may have had in your school age years, trying to get you write a better essay -- or any essay at all for that matter. Perhaps you had a friend or something in your life that you considered "nice" and you felt that summed things up perfectly, yet this hypothetical teacher who may well have existed wanted more. "Why is your friend nice?" "What makes _something_ nice?") I cast doubt on the veracity of any claim about this video being "awesome", as there are some truly awesome things on KZfaq and I just don't see a gas leak detector review as fitting that bill. If it was, maybe you should get out a bit more, take a vacation, see some of the wonders in this world? (Wow, there were some tangents!) The station wagon is most certainly still around, though I don't drive it a lot. It needs an oil change and a battery, both of which it will get when I've got some time.

@scgamer2442 Жыл бұрын

@@uxwbill I guess I felt guilty for asking a question completely unrelated to the video and as for the for the constructive comment; it was a joke and an excuse to ask my question. Purposely non constructive. Anyway glad to hear it's still around!

@thomasheckhaus205 Жыл бұрын

Hi Bill, I enjoyed your video. I have a question. On Amazon there are a few of these, all different manufacturers and most all look exactly the same. I just did an Amazon search for "Gas leak detectors " and found a number of them. The TopTes pt520A $39.95, A Forensics FD-91 $89.95, Habotest HT601B $85.90 and a Intendvision (No name on device) HT601B $69.99. I'll buy the one you tested at $39.99, I just thought you'd be interested. Thanks, I'll subscribe to your channel. Tom P.S. I have a small shop usually using various cleaning and paint thinners. Recently whenever our small dog comes in, she gets loopy. I do smell a alcohol type odor so I need something to track it down.

@uxwbill Жыл бұрын

I'd not be surprised to find that all of these companies, TopTes included, are rebadging someone else's product. Although I had planned to do so, I've not disassembled either this or the previously reviewed detectors to see what's inside or if there would be any clue as to who the actual manufacturer is. Thank you for watching. I should say that I don't make nearly as many videos as I used to. I hope you will enjoy what you see. I think it might be better to improve the ventilation in your shop if at all possible. This detector must be turned on and allowed to start up in an environment free of any explosive or flammable gases you are trying to detect. Be sure this detector is suitable for the type of gas you are trying to find. Finally, don't use this detector as a continuous monitor, dosimeter or PPE. It's not made for that application.