Lidl Gas detector

[AndrewWimborne]

Lidl are currently selling a gas detector for £14.99. It apparantly detects natural, propane and butane. Would this device be any use against the gas that has been used and commented on recently on this forum to knock people out whilst sleeping in there vans.

 

[rob_jax]

Hi Andrew,

A good idea but almost certainly not usable.

Gas and smoke detectors work by having a sensor that is tuned to the chemical compound(s) targeted by the device.

The sensor takes a unique property of the target material and converts that property into an electrical signal that can then trigger an alarm.

For instance, hydrocarbon detectors (like the LIDL device) work by a flameless combustion of the gas on a small piece of platinum catalyst - and measure the voltage produced by the combustion; and a smoke detector works by smoke particles in the air blocking an electrical signal - as more smoke builds up the electrical signal reduces.

If the anaesthetic gas was, say Nitrous Oxide, then an exactly matched detection system is required - a dedicated combination of metals that converts the gas into something else - and then measure the voltage produced by the conversion.

You can buy such a sensor system, targeted at a particular gas - but choose the wrong sensor or if the crims use a different gas - then it'll be blind to the gas.

Robert

 

[AndrewWimborne]

Hi Andrew,

A good idea but almost certainly not usable.

Gas and smoke detectors work by having a sensor that is tuned to the chemical compound(s) targeted by the device.

The sensor takes a unique property of the target material and converts that property into an electrical signal that can then trigger an alarm.

For instance, hydrocarbon detectors (like the LIDL device) work by a flameless combustion of the gas on a small piece of platinum catalyst - and measure the voltage produced by the combustion; and a smoke detector works by smoke particles in the air blocking an electrical signal - as more smoke builds up the electrical signal reduces.

If the anaesthetic gas was, say Nitrous Oxide, then an exactly matched detection system is required - a dedicated combination of metals that converts the gas into something else - and then measure the voltage produced by the conversion.

You can buy such a sensor system, targeted at a particular gas - but choose the wrong sensor or if the crims use a different gas - then it'll be blind to the gas.

Robert

Thanks for the info. Glad i did not buy one on impulse.