The Spectrex 40/40i product line uses IR (Infrared) signals to detect fires. It does this by monitoring 3 different IR bands. Different fire sources product different ratios between the 3 bands. Based upon how the system is set up it can know if the IR is from a flame caused by that source.

The sensitivity is sufficient to allow the system to detect a 1 ft² gasoline pan fire at 215 feet. This is like detecting a fire from a pad of legal paper from 2/3 of a football field away. This means that when you need to protect a large area you can use less detectors and thus save money.

Are you willing to take the risk of not having flame detectors? Remember some of the big refinery and rig explosions that, many years later, are still being talked about as examples. What is they had flame detectors? Yes, they might have spent $100,000 to cover a rig, but they may not have lost a multi-billion dollar rig and hundreds of lives – cheap insurance. Remember this lesson before the next potential disaster.

Installation of these units is fairly easy. They need a clear line-of-sight to anticipated fire locations, preferably located up high to avoid humans and vehicles getting in the way. Spectrex offers a mount that allows easy positioning of the unit such that they can be pointed in the correct direction. Power and a 4-20mA signal are typically used (HART is also available with the 4-20mA configuration). Other options are also available.

TestEquipmentUSA can offer support in selecting the correct type of equipment, installing and commissioning the equipment, and calibrating the equipment both initially and in the future.