KingCobra wrote:
Glad to help. Thanks for sharing those pictures, your unit looks very professional but I do agree with hey/Harlan, improvements can be made. Please remember that the EPA units and those used at the WIPP all use HEPA filters. The main reason I believe is so the filter/sample can be sent off to be tested using a scintillation counter if radiation above normal is detected. Of course using a HEPA filter will give you better detection rates too as the fallout would build-up on the filter and be more easily detected.
I assume that your fan draws the air in from hole near the bottom of the geiger counter? If not, it should because the geiger tube for detection is located in the bottom of that model geiger counter. Then a HEPA filter should be installed over the hole nearest to the bottom of the geiger counter. This filter will obviously need to be replaced from time to time. You would also want the bottom of the geiger counter as close to the filter as you can without limiting the airflow. You want the most airflow you can reasonably get out of a fan with those dimensions.
Your geiger counter comes with a preset alarm of 100 CPM I believe from the manufacture. I would make sure your does because if you were to see high readings on the NETC network from your unit, you need to be able to verify it is not a software problem. By having your alarm set on the geiger counter you should be able to hear it alarming from the ground with no need to climb up and unscrew your enclosure to look at the screen. Furthermore, just because your geiger counter display might read a 100+ CPM value does not confirm radiation is present. The GM tubes in the units do fail (in all geiger counters) and can create false readings. Having a 2nd geiger counter is always a good idea to have available to confirm the detection.
Hi King, and Harlan too.
Firstly, I am always open to suggestions so always feel free to comment.
I'll try to address some of your questions, and also what I have in mind for Mod 2 on this.
I know the EPA stations use HEPA filters, I believe the rational is if they start seeing high counts they can send the filter into the lab for spectral analysis to see exactly what type of nucleotide they are dealing with, Cs, Pu, etc. but I am hardly an expert on the subject.
I know the GM tube is located on the bottom of the unit as I popped the cover on it for a look see. Nice electronics on the GMC, but the Chinese GM tube they use leaves a lot to be desired. Alright for the money, but it can't begin to compare to my Ludlum survey meter with it's pancake tube.
I do have two professional grade Geiger counters on hand to verify the readings of the GMC if things get wonky.
Here's a more detailed explanation of how this is set up, just to clarify things, and you can refer to the not so good picture at the bottom of this post.
The intake port is on the left side of the box (2 inch pvc elbow) butted against it is the bottom of the GMC-320. The fan on the right side is blowing outward, so when the cover and gasket are on, the left port is the intake and the right port is the exhaust. The fan is 60 MM in diameter and is rated at 25 CFM (which is pretty phenomenal for its size). As the box is physically not that big, I believe that when it is closed up, the airflow should be more than adequate. I could have used a bigger enclosure and fan, but everything you see in this setup I already had on hand, and did not have to buy anything, (I hate the "B" word). I do have some course filtering material crammed in the intake port, which you can't see in the picture, mainly to keep sand out.
So, here's what I am thinking to improve this:
The GMC is mounted using adhesive backed Velcro tape, so I have an inch or two wiggle room. I am going to try and find a air filter such as used on a lawn mower engine, or such, the correct size, and mount it on the inside covering the intake port, then butt the bottom of the GMC right up against it. Guess I should have thought of the earlier.
Let me know what you think of this idea, and if it would be a viable improvement....
