CaptiveAire HIC-203 User Manual

Data Sheet and Operation Instructions for model HIC-822 Gas Detector

1. Calibration Level and Purpose of Detection

This model HIC-822 is a general-purpose gas detector calibrated as a Carbon
Monoxide emergency alarm. It is calibrated at 150 ppm of Carbon Monoxide. It
will also alarm at 200ppm of Hydrogen (0.5% of LEL), 5000 ppm of Methane
(10% of LEL), and 420 ppm of Propane (2% of LEL). The 150 ppm Carbon
Monoxide calibration is above the level known to be a long term health hazard.
However, it is not the intended purpose of this model to monitor for long term
health hazards. Its purpose is to serve as an evacuation alarm.

2. Input Power
The unit is supplied with a 120V AC to 12V DC adapter to operate from a standard
120VAC outlet. Alternately the detector may be powered directly from 12VDC
without the use of the adapter.

3. Purging (Initializing Cycle)
The detector has a 8-minute delay for purging upon application of power. During
the purge the green light will flash. At the end of the purge the green light will
change to steady. The purpose of this purging is to drive off contaminants on the surface of the sensing element.
These contaminants can cause a false alarm. If the detector has been left without power for more than one day,
contaminants can accumulate, which may require more than one purge cycle. Additional purge cycles may be
activated by pressing the reset button.

4. Alarm Delay Setup
This unit has a programmable delay to
activate the relay contact alarm. What this
means is that if gas is detected the buzzer
and LED respond immediately - the relay
does not respond immediately, but only after
the delay selected by the internal dipswitch.
This reduces nuisance alarms caused by
short whiffs of targeted gas. The default delay for the relay contacts and
buzzer is 4 minutes. It may be changed to 8 minutes by setting both 1 and 2
dip switches to off. It may be made instantaneous by setting both 1 and 2 on.

5. Electrical Connections
The terminal board connections looking at it with the cover off and the reset
switch on the left are from left to right as follows: terminal 1 and 2 power
input. Terminal 4 is the relay common and 3 is normally closed and
5 normally open. If power to the detector is interrupted the relay
reverts to the alarm state.

6. Nose Gases

This model is very sensitive to alcohol vapor and related Hydrocarbon vapors, such as Acetone vapor, Benzene
vapor, n-Hexane vapor and Iso-butane vapor. Therefore, an alarm may not indicate an actual hazard, but merely the
presence of some vapors for these volatile Hydrocarbons.

7. Mounting Instruction

The recommended area for one detector is 10,000 cubic feet. You should be clear what gas are you trying to deal
with before mounting the detector. If you are dealing with Carbon Monoxide, you should mount it close to the floor
(for example, one foot above the floor) because Carbon Monoxide is heavier than air and it has a tendency to “sink”
down to the floor when mixed in air. If you are dealing with Hydrogen, then you should mount the detector close to

0-minute 8-minute

4-minute

+12V

DC

4-minute

12V

Com

NC

COM NO

the ceiling because Hydrogen is much lighter than air. You can apply the same rules for Methane and Propane.
Methane is lighter than air and Propane is heavier than air.

8. Recalibration

The recommended recalibration interval is 5 years. It doesn’t mean that the detector will be out of function after 5
years. It is just a safety precaution to make sure the circuitry and calibration level is still serves the intended
purpose of the detector. The recalibration service can be done in our factory with a $45.00 service fee. A traceable
certificate of calibration will be issued when the recalibration service is done.

9. Warranty and Exchange Policy

The warranty policy for this model HIC-822 hazardous detector is ONE year parts and labor with transportation fee
prepaid. For users who would actually want to use the models for specific gases, we offer an exchange at no cost to
those models which have the same price as the model HIC-822. For those models which have a price difference
with the HIC-822, we charge the price difference for the exchange. The following chart lists the other models for
detecting specific gases.

MODEL NO. TARGETED GAS CALIBRATION NOISE GASES

HIC-203 Carbon Monoxide 100 ppm of CO None
HIC-813 Propane, Hydrogen 20% LEL of Propane (4200 ppm) Methane
HIC-821 Hydrogen 20% LEL of Hydrogen (8000 ppm) None
HIC-842 Methane 20% LEL of Methane None

10. Brief Information about CO, Hydrogen, Methane and Propane

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a toxic, flammable, odorless, colorless gas that interferes with the delivery of oxygen in
the blood to the rest of the body. It is slightly lighter than air. It is produced by the incomplete combustion of fuels.
It is often being called “the silent killer”. Figure 1 below shows the effect of carbon monoxide on human beings.

Hydrogen (H

) is a colorless, odorless, nonmetallic, tasteless, highly flammable diatomic gas. Many reactions may

2

cause fire or explosion. Its relative density, compared with that of the air, is 0.0695. Hydrogen is the most
flammable of all the known substances.

Methane (CH

) is most commonly known as Natural Gas. Methane is odorless and lighter than air. The main hazard

4

is its flammable, explosive nature.

Unlike natural gas, Propane (C

) is heavier than air (1.5 times denser). In its raw state, Propane stays low to the

3H8

ground. That means there's more potential for propane to be ignited and cause an explosion.

Industrial Test Equipment Co., Inc.

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