Maintaining your Gas Monitoring Instrumentation Fleet

It is vital to maintain your instrumentation fleet to ensure it is always working as it should. Poor maintenance can jeopardize instrument performance which, in turn, could lead to potentially dangerous situations that can have consequential effects to worker safety and health.

Shawcity manufacturer-approved service centre

We pride ourselves in being able to fully support the products we sell through our manufacturer-approved Oxfordshire Service Centre.

Calibration, service and repair work is undertaken by our manufacturer-trained and approved engineers. We help facilitate UKAS and ATEX certified services and calibrations, meaning you can rest assured any work undertaken is with the full authority of the manufacturer and also, importantly, within the terms of your warranty.

Our engineers will inspect and test your equipment before sending you a report, detailing exactly what work is required, what costs will be involved in getting it back to full working order and an idea of turnaround time. Any work that needs to be undertaken will always be approved by you first, so you are always in control.

We also stock a large range of spares, accessories and consumables so we’re equipped to support your business requirements.

Our added-value partnerships with our customers extend to free fleet management, including helpful service reminders, arranging hires and advance notice of any manufacturer end of life or obsolescence issues. Everything is designed to ensure you have an efficient fleet and minimal downtime. Our engineers also thoroughly clean your instrument before returning it to you, all part of the service.

Technical Support

We offer free, unlimited and impartial advice and support through the entire process of instrument selection and ownership or hire. From selecting the correct instrument for the job to after sales care, we are always here when you need us.

Bump Testing vs Calibration

What is Bump Testing?

A bump test is a manufacturer-recommended quick check to ensure gas detection instrument sensors and alarms are all functioning correctly before deploying the instrument. Just because a sensor is giving a zero reading when you switch it on, does not necessarily mean that sensor is working properly.

Gas is applied long enough to make the sensor(s) alarm, to ensure that the gas is getting to the sensor and that both the sensor and alarm are working correctly. Single or mixed gas blends are available for single or multi-gas instruments. Each test costs as little as a few pence, takes just 15-20 seconds and can be carried out in-house or remotely.

What is Calibration?

A calibration is a “resetting” of the detector’s response against a known concentration of target gas, in a balance of synthetic air or nitrogen. This determines the relationship between the detector’s reading and the actual concentration of the target gas, ensuring it is accurate. Adjustment involves modification of the detector’s response to bring the reading into line with what is expected.

How often do I need to calibrate my instruments?

Most instruments should be calibrated and serviced once a year, regardless of how often they are used. Some instruments will have different requirements, but either we or the manufacturer will be able to advise you of any exceptions.

Circumstances which may mean your instrument needs a calibration in between annual checks include drops or heavy knocks, an electrical surge, moisture, long exposure to extreme temperatures or if you suspect for any reason that the readings may not be correct or consistent.

A certificate is issued each time your instrument is factory calibrated. When this expires it will need to be done again, regardless of how much it has been used in the interim. Shawcity will send you calibration and/or service reminders to help you ensure your instrument is always compliant and performing at its best.

Reduce downtime with Shawcity interim hires

Ensuring instruments are regularly serviced and calibrated can inevitably create some downtime. If required, Shawcity offers a wide range of instruments available to hire while your instrument is at our Service Centre. We will arrange for a hire instrument to be sent to you in advance and collected once you have received your instrument back from us, ensuring no lost working time.

On-site servicing

We offer on-site visits where one of our Field Engineers will service, calibrate or repair fixed gas detection systems or instrument fleets. For more information or to discuss your requirements, contact: serviceadmin@shawcity.co.uk or call: 01367 899553.