We’ve all done it – your new equipment arrives, and in your haste to get it up and working, you toss the manual aside and start connecting cables, only reverting to the boring old document if your instinct fails you. And even then, you’re likely to jump to the section that seems to pertain to your issues, skipping over all those pages with the bright red font declaring CAUTION! Dig that boring text out and read it. When conducting in-use emissions testing there are several things that you need to be aware of, and the manufacturer of your equipment is best prepared to present those to you. They are important, not only for your own safety, but for the safety of those around you, and to ensure the warranty of your equipment. In addition to reading your manual, the following list should help to keep you safe while conducting in-use emissions measurements.
- Ground Your Equipment: Before connecting any accessories or power cable, make sure that your analyzer is electrically grounded. If using a power generator and more than one device, all of the devices must have the same ground potential. They should be connected to the vehicle frame, or to the negative terminal of the battery.
- Use Two People to Lift Heavy Equipment: Be nice to your back: use two people to lift heavy equipment, and always lift with your legs.
- Don’t Run the Equipment While Driving: It seems obvious, but you shouldn’t be operating a laptop computer while you’re driving! Always take at least two people when testing: one to drive, one to run the equipment.
- Route Exhaust Gases Outside: Make sure that the analyzer’s exhaust tubing is routed outside of the vehicle, and that it flows downhill. There will be some condensation in the exhaust lines, which can create problems if allowed to back up into the sample system or FID.
- Conduct Frequent Leak Checks, and Repair Leaks Immediately: A leaky unit could be dumping exhaust gases into the vehicle.
- Secure the Analyzer Tightly into Place: Make sure it’s tight enough that it won’t go flying in the case of an accident.
- Watch Those Cables: Some cables have conductive shielding around them, and should not come into contact with the positive battery terminal! Also, make sure that there is plenty of slack in the cable between connections: tension on the connectors could damage your equipment.
- Shut Down First: Before you change a filter, or perform other routine maintenance, be sure to shut down the equipment, remove the main power connector, and allow it to cool.
- Maintain Your Equipment: Be sure that your equipment is maintained properly and inspected regularly.
- Read Your Manual: Yeah – it’s worth repeating.
Always remember: While the data is important, it isn’t more important than your safety!
