Crowcon Electrochemical Sensors

Crowcon Electrochemical sensors typically have a stated shelf life of six months from manufacture, provided they’re stored in ideal conditions at 20˚C. Inevitably, a small proportion of this period is taken up during the manufacture of the gas detector and in shipping to the customer.

We advise that when acquiring sensors and any spare parts during its lifetime, you plan and time your purchases for a minimal delay between storage and usage.

Lifespan when in use? In absolutely ideal conditions – stable temperature and humidity in the region of 20˚C and 60%RH with no incidence of contaminants – electrochemical sensors have been known to operate over 4000 days (11 years)! Frequent exposure to the target gas doesn’t limit the life of these tiny fuel cells: high-quality sensors have a large amount of catalyst material and robust conductors which don’t become depleted by the reaction.

However, ideal conditions don’t always exist or stay that way, so it’s vital to err on the side of caution when it comes to gas sensors.

With that in mind, electrochemical sensors for common gases (for example carbon monoxide or hydrogen sulphide) have a typical operational life of 2-3 years. A more exotic gas sensor, such as hydrogen fluoride, may have only 12-18 months.