Aliexpress Air Quality Monitor - Is There an Inexpensive Air Quality Monitor Worth Trusting??...
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- čas přidán 5. 07. 2024
- I created this video for someone who contacted me from Ukraine. I was asked to research an inexpensive Air Quality Monitor on Aliexpress to see if I could recommend it. I purchased the Monitor so that I could test/review and ultimately do a tear-down to verify it’s legitimacy. Thank you Nikolai Kolodachka for the inspiration and may you and your father remain safe in these uncertain times that you are faced with.
If you like this type of video, please let me know in the comments about a subject you would like to discuss and I will do my best to create a video on that subject, or if you have a video idea for a DIY project, A review of a product or anything else, I will be happy to create that content as well.
Thanks for stopping by, and remember - find someone who needs to laugh, needs to smile, needs to cry, or just simply needs a friend - and make it happen ;).
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Contents of this video
00:00 - Overview
03:50 - A Look at the Air Quality Monitor & Features
05:10 - A Smoke Test
06:38 - The Numbers in Comparison
07:32 - What Will We See Inside?
08:40 - Operation of Monitor
09:58 - Manual Calibration of Any Monitor
10:47 - Monitor Manufacture Calibration Procedure
11:27 - RT (Real Time) Feature
11:44 - HCHO Formaldehyde Chart Feature
12:44 - Temperature Chart Feature
13:09 - TVOC (Total Volatile Orgainc Compound) Chart Feature
13:24 - PM 2.5 Chart Feature
13:47 - Record Feature Settings
15:50 - Settings Menue
17:40 - Calibration Adjustments/Tweeking
18:38 - First Thing to Do After Receiving Monitor
19:30 - Where is the Power Button?
19:35 - A Tear-Down of Monitor
21:00 - Did I Do That???
21:45 - Continuing After the Spill & Cleanup...
24:15 - Reassembly
24:36 - My Thoughts
28:26 - My Inspiration for Creating this Video
28:46 - Let's Say A Prayer for Ukraine
30:05 - Closing Sentiments
30:30 - Outro
Music Used:
Outro Song Title: Outside Looking In - by: Elijah Webb
Visit Elijah Webb’s Playlist of Royalty Free Songs:
/ elijahwebb
Equipment used in the making of this video…
There are no affiliate links here.
Air Quality Monitors used in this video:
* Aliexpress Inexpensive Air Quality Monitor:
Formaldehyde Detector Air Quality Monitor PM2.5 PM10 PM1.0 Temperature Humidity Monitor Home Air Quality Testing Instrument:
www.aliexpress.us/item/325680...
* 1. HOTKREM:
www.amazon.com/dp/B0B9S7857S?...
* 2. Temtop M10:
www.amazon.com/Temtop-M10-Pro...
* 3. Hofun Air Quality Monitor:
www.walmart.com/ip/Hofun-Air-...
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* Feelworld Livepro L1:
www.feelworld.ltd/collections...
Recording/Sound Equipment:
* Pyle Pro PMXU46BT Mixer Board: (eBay search link)…
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...
Microphones:
* BM-800 Condenser Microphone on eBay: (A search link)…
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...
* V67G Large-Diaphragm Cardioid Condenser Microphone from B&H Photo:
www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produc...
Camera's I use in making videos:
1. Cannon Vixia HF R600 Camcorder: The following is a “Search” link for a Cannon Vixia HF R600 on eBay:
www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from...
2. Sony HDR-CX405: The following is a “Search” link for this camera on Amazon:
www.amazon.com/s?k=sony+hdr-c...
3. (3) Akaso-V50 Pro SE Action Cams:
www.akasotech.com/v50-pro-se - Jak na to + styl
I found out something interesting about this monitor and thought I would pass it on here to you...
This monitor kept telling me that I had poor air quality when my other monitors were saying good or Fresh...
That got me to wondering if maybe this monitors' calibration was working in reverse of other monitors' calibration, - Meaning - other monitors use the outside/fresh air for calibration to be able to give correct information about the air quality indoors. However - this one seems to calibrate according to outdoor/fresh air as a starting point, so that any air that is less than fresh is automatically bad air.
I decided to try and do another calibration inside my room/office and see if that made a difference in reporting air quality information. I proceeded to calibrate this monitor again (using the devices auto calibration function), and to my surprise - the monitor started giving much better information on air quality just as the other monitors I have tested.
In short - Calibrate this monitor (see below steps) in the room/area you intend on using this for better results.
Calibrating Monitor:
Step 1: Turn Monitor on and wait 3 minutes.
Step 2: Press the "C" button to enter the calibration screen.
Note: Notice above the "D" button, it says "back"...
Step 3: Press the "A" button to start the calibration process.
It will count down from 300 seconds to 0.
Note: Notice above the "D" button, the "back" option will (once reaching 0) change to "finish".
Step 4: Press the "D" button to "finish" the calibration process, and return to the main screen.
You may need to let this sit for a day or so (continuously running) before the numbers give more complete data.
Steven
how about this unit, price is almost similar, interesting to see if you can compare these cheap but functional device
czcams.com/video/LxPfk2rluvo/video.html
Thanks I will try that, but I did do the outside calibration, seems to work, unless your outside air is worse then inside air
@@RuudyL Yes, I found that mine isn't like the others I have tested, this one seems to need a calibration in the environment that it is intended to be used in, and that could be because, the manufacture set the calibration to work from an average indoor air quality instead of an average outdoor air quality, which actually would be backward from other makers - hmmmm. But anyway, after I calibrated mine to the indoor environment, it seems to work just fine.
Let us know how it works out after you calibrate it inside. Thanks RuudyL for all your comments, they will be valuable to others who may have the Aliexpress monitor. 👍👍
So to calibrate it should calibrate on the testing room instead of outside? Is this simply unit variation or like this normally?
@@aqwandrew6330 No, this is not normal at all. Most all monitors that you have to calibrate, should be calibrated outside or in a purified environment. For some reason, this monitor from Aliexpress does work better if it is calibrated in the room you wish to use it in, so also why for you (after learning more of what you are looking for), I am not sure I should recommend it to you, simply because you are looking for more accuracy, and you are not going to get this from the Aliexpress monitor. The only reason that I am recommending it to people, is because most people are not looking for pin-point accuracy, they just need a device that is close enough, so they will know when they need to create some ventilation, and this monitor is close enough to be usable, but not if you need better accuracy.
Tkank you from Ukraine.
Thank you for using your community to let people know about struggling of Ukraine.
Peace to your country
We all may come from different places, and even speak different languages, but there are commonalities that we all share... - Love, Understanding, and the Desire for Peace.
Peace to you and your Country as well Ivan - Thank you for your thoughts - much appreciated. 🙏🙏
Thank you from Thailand.This video is very useful.Thank you for making this. Thailand's air pollution levels are among the worst in the world.😷
Thank you for your comment, and glad it helped. 👍
I'm searching the testing video like this before but I've just found you with amazing video and clear information. Thank you for making this! ❤
You are welcome, and glad I could help. 👍👍
Thank you very much for such a high professional review. I was deeply touched by the video about your concern for me). God bless you!
You are very welcome Nikolai, and it was a pleasure creating this video to help you make a decision. We all here on this channel - are praying for you, your father, and all of Ukraine - God bless us everyone...
This video and the others on your channel helped me make a valid choice: I bought this one. I will be opening the device upon arrival to check for number of sensors and also do a couple of sanity tests before using it. And I do not depend on its exact measurements, more on the general trend of the meassurements. It helped me save a couple of bucks buying worthless pieces of junk. Thanks again!
Glad these videos have helped, and yes, you are right, a general idea is really all we need. And if you don't mind, it would be great to hear how it goes with this monitor. Thanks for the comment - truly appreciated.
Ps. I love how you handle the spill. I am like you, we dont sweat the small things in life 21:10
We would really get along well. Im a huge supporter of this channel
Thanks Deem for the comment. I was going to edit that out, but thought that some might find it interesting that they are not the only ones this happens too LOL, so I guess you were one of them - it is great to know that I am not the only one that something like this happens too... Also, the last comment you made, didn't make it here because (I am assuming) the link you added to the comment caused CZcams to delete it. For some reason CZcams don't show comments with links, and I have checked my settings, and the option to block links is un-checked... But per your last comment that didn't make it here, I guess it depends on the air purifier, how long it takes to get rid of smoke in the room. I do like the Hotkrem monitor also, and I do enjoy making these reviews to help someone make a more informed decision on what to buy and what to stay away from. The link to the Hotkrem is in the description of this video so no need to add a link in the comment :).
So glad you did a video on this model. There is absolutely no other info out there in English. I just purchased this a few days ago off Ali, and now I know it's not a piece of 💩.
Thanks Joseph for the comment. I hope it works great for you.
Thank you for your support and of course for yours investigations / opinion. I really appreciate of all what you say and doing.
Thank you kDnZP for your comment, it is much appreciated.
Thanks for the great video! 🙂
Bought the Formaldehyde Detector Air Quality Monitor from Ali Express.
It seems not to be able, to detect HCHO and TVOC independently!
Probably it is using the same sensor for both of these values or 2 sensors with high cross dependency: The TVOC measurements I made are always ~4,25 times times the HCHO values. (It seems to be the same in your video.)
If you put a cloth dampended with some ethanol in the room, TVOC rises significantly as it should, but also HCHO rises, which should not.
Unfortunately I have other plausibility issues with the HCHO and TVOC readings. Maybe I try the calibration method Steven suggested.
(PM 2.5 and especially humidity and temperature seem to be much more reliable, but that is not what one buys such air quality monitor for usaully.)
Thanks for your comment, thoughts, and concerns regarding the Aliexpress monitor.
I do believe the Aliexpress monitor has an independent HCHO sensor inside, but it is not the best quality, so why the readings are not what you are used too. The Aliexpress monitor is a great choice for someone who can't afford the more expensive alternatives. To be able to produce a good quality monitor, and still be able to make it available to those who don't have a lot of money - is nearly impossible to accomplish. With that said, the Hotkrem has in my opinion cornered the market on affordable and accurate air quality monitors.
We can't get too picky about HCHO and TVOC, as neither of the two are any where near as important as CO2 and CO.
The two most important monitors to own are CO2 and CO, and a third would be PM, and if you want to know TVOC, I would go with a monitor that incorporates a VOC NOT a TVOC sensor, as there is a HUGE difference between the two.
I am hoping that Hotkrem decides to make a monitor that detects CO and HCHO as well, and then they will have the perfect affordable combination of monitors.
AirKnight is developing a new monitor as well, to encompass most of the recommendations and suggestions from the AirKnight video, - so that is exciting news for sure.
Thanks for your thoughts - they are much appreciated, and I hope I have been able to help at least a little lol... Have yourself a Merry little Christmas
Great video, thank you.
Thank you FidoDemo for the comment, and am glad you found this useful. ...And thanks for watching :).
Great video, it is the only one I've saw that gave me the answers I needed! Thank you for your thourough analysis on this subject. I also really like your setup and could not help but notice this USB hub with individual power consumption on your workbench. Do you remember where you got it?
Thank you Max for the comment - much appreciated. I am glad that the video helped you. Thanks for the compliment on the setup, and as far as the power supply you see, I believe I bought that on eBay about a year or so ago. I looked on Amazon, but could not find one, and looked on eBay, and found one that I will link to below. It also has a wireless charging feature as well. You just sit your phone on top of the supply and it starts charging your phone. I really like this supply and don't understand why it is not more readily available. I can't remember what I paid for it, but the one I found on eBay is around 45.00, and if you have the money, it definitely is worth the money. It also has a fast charge port as well for charging devices with fast charge capability that is really nice. The eBay link to the only one I could find is here: www.ebay.com/itm/225543359957?hash=item34836e8dd5:g:5KAAAOSwjJxkHd1Z&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8K9H9zsbSXMbExtyYCGU6Gwhj%2F%2BtYNT26b1FJat7vvqPqXje%2B2SoudBf5H5xfqP6lP7qB1W43vCzw8UTHnZISJCuQzWoTT5j42FxvYkwH7J6hmmS1iYpAn8S9BtcuQY4w%2BuK1S%2F0xUEiyux0fM3FNHoHiTH4eK2wMMfhFJVFwD43dYUtZC79ZUmbOQYDK0TxC6MjWhxfjWdbFxgq0gx9wHSZ6JwVR%2BSrQ3LIWQ%2BM6mFLeIDOZwkuWyKEiIRQBPpHMBitee7OA9SVbCWJNYCB40AIWwWjyBbY5ymBzQKGcXJGGNX2g6DsFyRdqFaINWf53g%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR97p5ZHMYg
Thanks again Max for the comment, I am glad I could help. Let me know if you get this and how you like it - if you don't mind. ;).
@@Outside-In. Thank you very much for this quick answer! Hope to see more videos coming!
@@darkmax2007 I love communicating with you guys, and thanks for the subscribe. It is a pleasure to be able to do something to give back to the community that has given me so much in knowledge.
I have a new video that I am putting together right now, and should be up in a week, about two Knife Sharpening self-guided systems, and am so looking forward to doing this, as Knife Sharpening has become an incredible interest to me in the past couple of years or so.
I have finally found the ultimate system (in my humble opinion), (and not too expensive either) and wanted to create a video comparing it with another very popular system, and I would say that most people I would assume does not even know a system like the one I found exists, and it will be a pleasure also giving the guy who invented it, some much needed exposure.
The guy who invented this system wasn't too keen on sending me one to review, but no matter - I love this system so much that I decided to purchase it for the video and to help him with exposure. I do like helping people where I can and when I can.
This is going to be one of my most favorite videos yet I believe, so hopefully my viewers won't mind something a bit different than my usual Air Quality Videos LOL...
Thank you for making this! The world needs to be more educated on air quality
Thanks Sanspeppa, and that is what we are trying to do with these videos. Glad it has helped, and thanks for your comment - it is much appreciated. 👍
good video, thanks for doing it
Thank you POG for the comment, and you are welcome. 👍
Unfortunately for particles, it cannot be assumed that outside air will have very low PM. For example with the wildfire smoke blowing down from Canada into the US is causing highly elevated PM2.5 even when the air doesn't look all that hazy. An indoor room (all doors and windows closed) that has a HEPA air purifier in it or even putting the sensor where the clean air blows out of the air purifier will probably be the most guaranteed low PM reading to check a sensor on.
Thank you for doing these videos! I will be checking back to see if you keep making air quality content!
Yes that is obvious and the fault is mine not to have mentioned that possibility LOL. I would hope that most people would know that outside air means under the best of conditions. Thanks for the comment and clarification - much appreciated... And I apologize if this sounded a bit sarcastic. And yes, you are absolutely correct about keeping the doors and windows closed using an air purifier. I had mentioned that to Nikolai during our emails back and forth, so great information for sure Joe.
Thanks for these very useful videos .
Please , Which type would you recommend for measuring particulate matter in the air In industrial places ?
Thanks for the comment and question. I would look into the TemTop M2000c , but remember, if you are going to buy TemTop, buy from Amazon, NOT through TemTop. TemTop has horrible customer service.
@@Outside-In. Thanks a lot
@@saiddjaballah325 Sure thing
Appreciate these, How does the IKEA monitor stack up? For the price it seems good in the reviews I've seen, curious if it's somewhat accurate / uses decent sensors?
Thank you Jonathan for the question. Actually I would not recommend the Ikea because it only does PM 2.5, and too much money for what it is.
Yet another very informative video, thanks a lot! You mention it's important that we measure CO and CO2: Could you recommend a cheap and cheerful monitor that does that? Keep up the good work!
Thank you for the comment and question. Yes I do recommend having a CO and CO2 monitor as that is the most important to monitor. Finding a combo monitor that does both CO and CO2 is hard to find and expensive, however, I do recommend the Smart Sensor CO handheld meter which is very fast to respond to CO and not too expensive (around 40.00), making is easy to take around the home, and check specific areas. The Smart Sensor CO2 handheld is also a very nice meter to have as it also is fast to respond to CO2, but it is a bit more expensive as are most all CO2 meters (around 180.00).
The AirKnight monitor that I reviewed has a built-in CO2 sensor, and you also get all the other readings as well. If you would like to be able to go to a friends home or office to check for CO and CO2, then I definitely recommend the Smart Sensor CO handheld, and the Smart Sensor CO2 handheld.
Edit: I forgot about the TemTop C10 CO2 monitor (I did a video on that one as well). A very good monitor as well for around 75.00 on Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B0BBG9DZHB?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-reorder-t1_k0_1_6&=&crid=3Q9SYYFTCWUT6&sprefix=temtop&th=1
If there is another CO2 meter that you would like me to review, let me know which one, and I will do what I can to purchase it for testing. Like I said, CO2 meters can be expensive to buy, but just be very careful about buying a CO2 meter that is in-expensive, as China is producing allot of fake CO2 monitors.
I hope this information has helped you in making a decision. Smart Sensor makes allot of industrial monitors, so you might want to check them out on Aliexpress. You can find some Smart Sensor products on Amazon, but the prices are higher than you would find on Aliexpress Smart Sensor Factory Store:
www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804532459210.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000014.46.65c8147bnU1c9S&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller&scm=1007.40000.326746.0&scm_id=1007.40000.326746.0&scm-url=1007.40000.326746.0&pvid=efc3c710-34f9-449e-8bd0-1c9c8a114481&_t=gps-id:pcDetailBottomMoreOtherSeller,scm-url:1007.40000.326746.0,pvid:efc3c710-34f9-449e-8bd0-1c9c8a114481,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238114%23748&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2212000030221280226%22%2C%22sceneId%22%3A%2230050%22%7D&pdp_npi=3%40dis%21USD%21255.4%21173.67%21%21%21%21%21%402101d1b316774814052091262e2b28%2112000030221280226%21rec%21US%21872586204
Sorry I didn't respond sooner, but CZcams did not alert me of your comment, so I have to check manually from time to time to make sure I haven't missed a comment...
I am hoping by the end of next week to have a new Air Quality video up, comparing a Dylos DC1100 Pro PC to other monitors. The Dylos monitor allows you to record an unlimited amount of Particulate data on your PC for review later, and I am going to be testing that over 3 to 4 days worth, - it should be a fun video, and will be testing with Ultrasonic Humidifier as well, pertaining to some interesting information I found about Ultrasonic Humidifiers...
@@Outside-In. Hi, since air purifier cant filter co2, what can we do if the co2 is high?
Anyway, do you have a video about air purifier? I wanted to know which one to look for, what function etc also is the 2 in 1 combo of air purifier and dehumidfier works?
@aqwandrew6330 Thanks for the questions. Once I complete me new case, I will be doing a video on how CO2 and CO are affected by a purifier. If the CO2 GETS too high, you will need to open a window or other means of creating ventilation;, but like I say, I will be covering that in an upcoming video.
As far as different types of purifiers, that is going to take a while for me to be able to pull off a video like that, as I don't have a whole lot of money to work with, and buying and testing multiple purifiers could get quite expensive lol. I highly recommend the Levoit air purifiers, as that is what I personally use. Hope this helps.
Imo a monitor or meter of anything doesn't really have standard number. So as long as the number is up when the corresponding substance is in and is down when the substance is reduced, then it is good enough. We won't know what other devices' numbers look like anyway if we don't have them. But a thorough check like the defect two yellow temtops in other videos are very nice and good find.
Thank you for that assesment, and you are exactly right... We only need a rough estimate, to know when to open a window, so no need for lab accuracy, as (like you say), no two monitors for home use, are going to 100% agree as there is no standard number.
The two defective TemTops was an unfortunate situation, but that is how it goes I guess. It just sucks that I received 2 in a row that were defective, and not a good sign of good quality control. The 2 white TemTops have been very very good however, and so have allot of others said about theirs, so I guess it was the M2000 that is not a good choice from TemTop - who knows, but I hear the M2000 2nd edition is great, but can't afford that much at the moment lol...
I just bought a VT 9-in-one air quality from Temu. Now I'm concerned about the readings it is showing. Thanks for doing these videos!
Thanks Keith for the comment. It sounds kinda scary buying a monitor from Temu. What did it cost?, and I don't blame you for being concerned. Do you have to be a member to buy from Temu?, as if not, maybe I could get the one you have and do some testing for you - would be a fun project...
@Outside-In. No, Temu is like Wish. They sell straight from China. I set the monitor outside and calibrated it. When I brought it inside it said I had a toxic amount of CO. But I have a CO monitor I got from my brother in law who runs a heating and air business. I'll take the one I got from Temu apart when I can and see what it actually has inside of it.
@@KeithAlumbaugh Thanks for the reply. Try taking the Temu monitor and spraying alcohol around it and see if the CO monitor goes bonkers. That will tell you right away if it is a fake. The CO reading may be coming from a breathalyzer sensor... Thanks for the information. After what the CO monitor did when coming into the house, I am sure it is fake - too bad that even Temu is selling fakes.
It is comments like yours that will help others to not make a mistake. Thanks again Keith for your help and knowledge - much appreciated.
@KeithAlumbaugh It would be interesting to know what you find inside the Temu monitor, and also if the monitor reacts to alcohol (rubbing alcohol or even drinking alcohol). It may also react to colognes as well. Let us know if you can - thanks
I have a diesel Sprinter cargo van, I think there is a tiny exhaust filtration in the cabine. What is the best air monitor you would recommend for that?
Thanks for the question. I would recommend a portable CO meter like the Sensorcon, or the Forensics CO meter, and you can find both of these on Amazon. I am hoping to get these meters, and do a video review of them as well as some less expensive portable meters. You may also consider a CO2 portable meter as well.
Hope this helps.
Thank you for the video. Is there any monitor that you could recommend that has it all and costs less than $150? By "all" I mean PM1.0/PM2.5/PM10, Temperature & Humidity, Formaldehyde, TVOC, CO2 and maybe even CO but I guess CO sensors are only in more expensive units so this one is not necessary...
CO2 and CO are in more expensive monitors. If you can find All of that in a device that is less than 150.00 - PLEASE PLEASE let me know, as I would love to test that one LOL...
Be VERY careful however about any monitor that gives all of that information for cheap, as there are allot of FAKE monitors produced by the Chinese, and are now going higher in price to fool someone into making the purchase. Things are starting to turn around in the fact that higher prices does NOT mean a better or legitimate product.
I have contacted a few companies asking for a monitor with the readings you are asking about, but no one seems to be interested. They keep making single sensor monitors, and I assume it is to make more money instead of having all sensors in one device - which is unfortunate. I don't think anyone wants 5 monitors sitting on their table...
Thanks for the comment Bartek, it is much appreciated, and if I find a monitor with the readings you ask about, I will let everyone know with a new video testing it.
@@Outside-In. I know about the fake monitors. I watched your other videos. :) Thanks for informing the public about this issue. From the meter that you featured The AirKnight 9-in-1 has almost it all but it lacks PM1.0 only. It's kind of odd because most of the time if the device is measuring PM2.5 and PM10 it is also measuring PM1.0 hence there is a question do those other devices really measure PM 1.0 with their laser sensor or is it only estimated by the logical chip based on PM2.5? So maybe the AirKnight by omitting the PM1.0 is actually truthful?
@@bartekszymczak6517 I would assume that most all modern particulate sensors are able to register 1.0 but it is not implemented until recently (after such a high demand for it) in most companies. I tried to talk to AirKnight about implementing 1.0 as part of their device, but AirKnight has stopped talking to me after my video reviewing their product, so I guess they did not like my review of their monitor - hmmmm. I told Jim in the beginning that I was going to be completely honest, and he said that he had no problem with that, but it now seems that he actually did. Jim was going to send me more products for review but after my AirKnight review, he has broken off communication.
@@Outside-In. That is very unfortunate because your suggestion was great and would really made their product into a one in all type of a deal. Maybe they confused a reviewer with a salesman and that's why they got offended?...
@@bartekszymczak6517 Thanks Bartek for the comment. You may be right. I don't want to sell a product to make money, I want to sell a product that will help fill a need. You are also right that the suggestions would have made their product the only one a person would ever need. Hopefully they will have a change of heart - you never know right?.
Hi Steven I just recieved mine from Alli, did the celebration and I think it works fine, sadly I have nothing to compare it with at the moment because my Hotkrem went defective and is on its way back. Only thing that is a bit disappointing is the volume of the alarm, which I suspect you did not check. What I do like is that you can adjust the backlight of the display, which will save power of the battery
Also I would like to thank you for aal the time and effort you put into researching there Air Quality meters, saving us a lot of money
You are very welcome RuudyL. It sucks that your Hotkrem went defective already????. Didn't you just get that?. Are you sure if was defective?, because the Hotkrem needs at least 6 to 12 hours to adjust to the environment it is in, because most affordable monitors are manufactured in China, and are also calibrated in China, so it sometimes takes up to a week for such monitors to become reliable (within the new surroundings) in their readings, and also after being introduced to a much different environment than the one they were made and calibrated in...
@@Outside-In. I had it on for 3 days and the partica; stoped working. You had te same thing happen with your Airking I saw
@@RuudyL Actually I discovered that the AirKnight was defective from the beginning, and AirKnight is coming out with an updated version in May of this year.
You know what?... I have seen others comment on the Hotkrem, saying the same thing. I don't use my monitors 24/7, - I only use them for videos, so I am thinking now that I may have to run my Hotkrem continuously to see how long it lasts, and if mine also stops working after a few days, then I may have to reconsider recommending them, and that would be too bad.
I hope you returned it for a replacement, or did you just give up on Hotkrem?, it would be good to know that.
@@Outside-In. I was so disappointed that I did not get a replacement, I am going on a trip for 3 t0 6 months, so if I come back I might buy the Airknighte, if its the updated one. or just get the CO2 meter from Topten. So with the Intelligent from Alli and the CO meter you recoment I will be all set
@@RuudyL Have a safe and enjoyable trip Ruddy. I am sure when they do an update to the AirKnight, Jim will send one to me for a video review, so I am looking forward to that.
Hello Steven, First of all, thank you for your videos, they are very informative. I come from Germany and mainly want to check my home for the presence of formaldehyde. After seeing your videos, I bought an Air Detector (see my video). Now I think the Detector might be a bit fake, because it only has one (round) sensor for HCHO and TVOC. All other devices (like the yellow one in your video) have their own (rectangular) sensor for formaldehyde.
So I tested the Air Detector with 2 substances:
1.) 70% medical alcohol
2.) 37% formalin (formaldehyde)
The result: the Air Detector reacts to both substances to the same extent, i.e. without any difference. This makes me suspicious of the accuracy and the measuring method. Before the measurement I had calibrated the Air Detector as recommended. I have created a video for this, which I will link here in the attachment. I couldn't find any evidence of HCHO or TVOC anywhere in my apartment, so it leads me to believe that everything is fine. But: I have the impression that the Air Detector can determine large amounts of critical substances well, but can measure small values in the room air - which could be critical for people in the long term - but less accurately.
Here is the Link for my Video:
czcams.com/video/PyeSh87qoSo/video.html
Drones 'R' Us, Thank you for the comment. I do not like the TVOC sensor that is also an HCHO sensor. The best HCHO sensor is square or rectangle in shape and the TVOC (only) sensor is round just like the ones that are two in one. If the round one is only a TVOC sensor - the reason for the fake HCHO reading around alcohol, is simply because the odor from alcohol or perfumes, paints, cleaning supplies etc. will cause the TVOC sensor to react, and why an HCHO reading can be displayed (using math to get it's reading from the TVOC sensor), and also the reason it is easy for a fake monitor to appear legitimate. I went to your channel, but did not find the video you speak of, so can't estimate your monitors legitimacy. If yours has a two in 1 (TVOC and HCHO sensor), Formaldehyde and Alcohol will be registered because the alcohol odor is being picked up by the TVOC side, and the Formaldehyde is being picked up by the HCHO side of the sensor. I just don't believe a two in one sensor is nearly as accurate or trustworthy as a single gas sensor. I hope this helps.
@@Outside-In. czcams.com/video/PyeSh87qoSo/video.html
Thank you for your message. I listed the video as not public, so you probably couldn't find it on my channel. It should work with the link above. I will have to buy another Air Detector with its own formaldehyde sensor.
@dronesrus7436 Thanks for the video. I think yours actually works better than mine. I have had so much trouble with mine, that now I am NOT wanting to recommend it in my videos. From the beginning of my videos I have said that I kinda recommend the Hofun (Like yours), and that is because sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't, but when it works, it works great. I don't know if I just got a defective one, but sometimes it works great, and then the next time I use it, the readings are all over the place, so it may be a good idea to try another detector like you say.
Your Formaldehyde normal levels should be between 0.000 to 0.100 (in one study) and another study will say that 0.000 to 0.300 is normal for newer homes. As long as levels stay below 0.300 but also not be 0.300 or higher for any length of time, you will be ok.
The only time I would be concerned is if the levels went to 0.300 or above for 20 solid minutes, and the reason I say that is because Formaldehyde levels will fluctuate greatly when changing clothes, making the bed, walking across carpeted floor, waving your hands around (with gloves on) as in your video. The gloves contain traces of Formaldehyde and will put off Formaldehyde when waving them around.
Most products in our homes/lives have traces of Formaldehyde, and why it is important that people understand that, because moving furniture, making the bed, Burning firewood, smoking a cigarette, Taking our shirt off, putting on our pants, putting together a new coffee table from WalMart etc., etc. - All these things will cause HCHO to fluctuate, but it will only go up for a few seconds to a minute of so, and then come back down. It is when the numbers stay high for 20 minutes or even hours at a time, that we should be trying to figure out what the problem is. We could be living next to a new building being built - that will cause high HCHO levels, and then we just close the windows, and turn on the air purifier - OR we live with it the same as we always have our whole life...
It is ONLY since the pandemic that people have become paranoid about air quality. People have lived for 100+ years not giving a second thought about air quality, and now all the sudden everyone is so worried... - in fact, so worried - that I am afraid the air isn't going to be the one that kills them - it will be the worry. Don't get me wrong, it is great to know our air quality, but not get so paranoid that if numbers rise a little we get panicked, as that is not at all good for our health. Why are there so many different air quality monitors now???.. Because companies are making a killing off of our paranoia...
@@Outside-In. Hello Steven, thank you very much for your very detailed information. My Air Detector (like Hofun) seems to work well with fine dust, I tested that positively with a cigarette. The displayed values for particulate matter appear credible. This is to be expected, as there is a large sensor in the device for fine dust. Unfortunately, I am not sure about formaldehyde, I have now ordered the yellow device from your video (from China, delivery in about 6 weeks), which has its own HCHO sensor. After receipt I will compare both devices and repeat the test with the substances - video will follow. The background to our concern is that we have an older house and wood preservatives were used in the construction of the house (formaldehyde, lindane, PCP). 40 years ago, nobody really cared about that. Now there are modern measuring methods (also in special laboratories) and the internet, which has made people more aware, also because there is so much information available on the internet (also confusing ones). My wife was sensitized to the topic by friends and now I'm looking for a technical-scientific approach to get to the bottom of the matter... In Germany there are also very special measuring devices just for formaldehyde that cost between €1,000 and €2,000, which is a lot of money. Thank you for your effort, I will keep you posted.
@@dronesrus7436 Among other research, I found this bit of information:
"All wood species, and therefore all wood products, contain and emit small amounts of formaldehyde. Because formaldehyde occurs naturally in wood, there is no such thing as “formaldehyde-free” wood. An oak tree, for example, emits 0.009 parts per million (ppm) of formaldehyde."
I hope this helps to prove that Formaldehyde is all around us and has been - since the beginning of time, and people have lived for more than 100 years without the worry.
It is quite interesting to see numbers go up and down, but what the problem now is - People are getting overly paranoid about that which we have no control over.
If we are to become worried about numbers going up - the numbers to be worried about are CO or CO2 numbers - Not formaldehyde, as Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring thing, unless of course, you work in a lab with large quantities of pure formaldehyde. Also living next door to a new community of houses being built will cause significant amounts of formaldehyde, and carpenters, and builders get the most of that formaldehyde...
Even CO2 is a naturally occurring gas that is in the air/ozone - it is apart of the health of our planet. It is when the levels rise too high and stay there, that we should be concerned. We breath out more than 35,000 ppm of CO2 with every breath we exhale, and the concern should be when we enter a room that is over capacity without proper ventilation for any length of time, and why it is so important to have a CO2 monitor.
Smokers exhale not only CO2, but also CO, which is something I just found out recently through testing, and also why I submit that the most important monitors to own are not formaldehyde - but CO, CO2 and a fire alarm.
Particulates are also causing panic as well, and that is something I do not understand... We go to cook-outs, we go to camp sites and sit around a fire, we stand and watch fires burn out of control and the whole while breathing in smoke and have done so for decades, but now all of a sudden panic has set in about smoke particles - why???. Again, I like monitors as the numbers are interesting to know, but not to the point of panic every time they jump up, as they have always been apart of our lives, and we have lived fine... until now... and knowing the numbers "for some strange reason" is causing needless panic - or is the "strange reason", companies that have been successful at causing this panic in the first place? - so they can make millions from selling these monitors?. Just a thought... These monitors should only be used to aid in helping us to know when to go ahead and open the window - not lie down in fear - because in the end - the constant fear and panic will be the cause that eventually kills us...
These are good but it's really nice to have a higher end model which has an intake funnel that you can put into a fast moving stream of air so you can test air purifiers. These are very much standalone devices They only really work in an undisturbed airflow because otherwise I believe it would throw off the calibration of the fan intake. Am I correct about this? This looks like an excellent model which I think I'm going to buy but would I be writing thinking that if you put it in the stream of an air purifier it would send the readings haywire I understand this is what happens to the Dylos model which also works on a passive fan input.
I put one of these monitors (can't remember which) into the air stream of my air purifier, and it did not go haywire at all, it simply just went down in reading as the air coming out was purer than the air entering. Hope this helps. The air stream of an air purifier should not cause a device to go haywire in readings, it should simply read the quality of air that is in the stream as mine did.
@@Outside-In. I bought one of these air quality monitors and I agree with you is a very nice product. The scale of PM2.5 does seem to be rather strange as you show in your video it's twenty when the others are 40 PM 2.5. That said in a airflow it goes down to 1. I must that these sort of air quality monitors very unexciting compared with laser particle counters, that have a probe that enables you to detect contaminated air flows, and also give immediate results. I urge you to get hold of a second hand one, sometimes there are older models on eBay which are to expensive to buy second-hand. I'm actually returning this item because I'm mainly interested in the air particle monitoring and have decided to get something with a bigger display to have going all the time on the mantelpiece. I'm confused about is that the number of PM 2.5, PM 1 and PM 10, are very similar. At the moment the readings are, 6, 4 and 8. Using my multichannel laser particle counter there is a huge difference number between the smaller and larger particles. In the 10 µm channel I might have a reading of 250 but in the one micron channel there might be 70,000 particles per square foot. So I'm wondering what the PM numbers are actually referring to. I know that particle count and PM 2.5 are not quite the same although this metre uses optical scattering so I feel there should be some sort of correlation. I would be very interested in your thoughts on this. All the best.
Help me here, Outside In. I bought one at aliexpress. For HCHO, took very long time to change value, almost 1 hour, to slowly change from 0 to 0.11(poor level), in open air, which I knew had no formaldehyde. Already calibrated. Should the sensor data change quickly? Is this defective?
Let me try to answer your questions/concerns in order...
1. "HCHO, took very long time to change value, almost 1 hour" - When first purchasing a monitor (any monitor), it takes a while to adjust to the environment that you bring it into, but also when it comes to HCHO (Formaldehyde), the values can take a bit to rise as HCHO is not as in your face as TVOC's, CO or CO2, so the slow rise is to be expected - unless of course you have a bottle of pure HCHO, then your levels will shoot high instantly.
2. "almost 1 hour, to slowly change from 0 to 0.11(poor level), in open air," - First of all, 0.11 is not bad at all, actually 0.11 is very good levels. Unhealthy levels of HCHO is around 0.4 and above. Again, the reason for the slow rise is because HCHO is partly in everything that we own, and doesn't usually get released until we have disturbed it causing it to get pushed into the environment, and the reason for the slower rise.
3. "in open air, which I knew has no formaldehyde." - Again, that is a wrong assumption. HCHO is everywhere, and in everything; in furniture, drapes, clothing etc., etc.. The Forest is full of HCHO because it is in the trees and plants, and why - in a construction site, where a house is being built or modified, the HCHO levels will be high because of cutting timber, lumber etc. as it releases the HCHO that is within the wood itself. If you make your bed or vacuum your house, the HCHO levels will rise, and pretty high depending on how much cleaning you are doing, but opening a window will cause the levels to fall quickly.
4. "Already calibrated. Should the sensor data change quickly? Is this defective?" - The short answer to this question is more than likely - not. The longer answer is that HCHO data is normally not going to change drastically unless you are doing something drastic - like moving furniture around, putting together a new piece of furniture you bought at the store, cutting a 2x4 to prop up a couch to make it level, etc., or even changing your clothes...
HCHO is in everything that we own, and in every part of our lives, so some HCHO is too always be expected, and for most people, HCHO should not really be a concern; as after cleaning, moving furniture around, making the bed, vacuuming the carpet, cleaning our wood floors etc., the HCHO levels will rise, and maybe even to unsafe levels, but don't be alarmed at this, because it is just a quickly dissipated the moment we open a window, and get some ventilation going on.
Unless you specifically store Formaldehyde in bottles, and the bottles crack and start leaking, you should always be able to maintain safe levels of an average of 0.001 to 0.25 in your environment, but like I say, no real reason for alarm as ventilation will remove the HCHO nearly as quickly as it rose. The only time for concern is if the HCHO rises to unhealthy levels and remains there, or are consistently going to unsafe levels, causing the need for constantly ventilating the environment, but also, unless you are storing HCHO in liquid form, there should not be too much cause for concern. HCHO is a part of our daily lives, it is a part of what makes up our universe, so no need for panic unless you store it in liquid form, and then I for sure would want a HCHO sensor constantly running, as too high of levels can be very dangerous to our immune systems for sure.
I truly hope this has helped answer your questions and concerns about HCHO. 👍
Hi, so the device is all quite accurate but the TVOC and AQI is a bit miss? Can we increase the sensitivity in the settings to combat this?
As you saw in the video, there is a way to adjust the HCHO reading, but not the TVOC.
@@Outside-In. So do you recomend it? I really want that AQI to be quite accurate
Thanks for replying btw 😄
@@aqwandrew6330 Actually I do recommend it, but just keep in mind that this is one of those less expensive monitors, so the quality of the sensors are not going to be the best. If you need better accuracy, then I would go with the Hotkrem products, as they are less expensive but very accurate in my testing. If you are looking for CO, get the Smart Sensor CO meter that I recommend. Actually, I am getting ready to review and test another CO meter made by TopTes (CT-300).
You may want to check out the video I did about the Hotkrem with CO2 and TVOC, it is a very good monitor, and only costs about 30.00, and it is very close to my industrial Smart Sensor monitor in accuracy.
Also you need to keep something else in mind, and that is that allot of people are thinking that the NDIR sensor is best, but unfortunately they are wrong. The best accuracy is going to come from a monitor that has the electrochemical sensor inside, and not the NDIR.
The NDIR is a good sensor, just not as accurate, and I will be starting to mention that in my upcoming videos. The NDIR is so popular because it has a much much long shelf life of 10 years, while the electrochemical only has a shelf life of 2-3 years. I myself need accuracy, so will have to continue to buy new monitors every 2-3 years for use in testing, but for anyone who don't need the better accuracy, the NDIR sensors are just fine to have, plus like I say, they last much much longer.
Hi, I appreciate you giving time to debunk these programs. But wouldn't that be easier to compare the different levels to a professionnal well calibrated device's results? (rather than other same price devices)
You are absolutely correct my friend - 100%. Thanks for the comment - much appreciated. 👍
What device do you recommend to monitor those parameters accurately in addition to CO2?
TemTop M10, HotKrem, Smart Sensor co meter, Smart Sensor co2 meter. There is another video czcams.com/video/K3-Yvhk0C8o/video.html - Where I compare 6 monitors. All but one of those monitors are quite accurate. I just would not go with the TemTop M2000, as I received two in a row that were bad and did not get very good customer services from TemTop at all. I would purchase TemTop through Amazon because if there is a problem - it will be taken care of immediately. If you want pin-point accuracy - then you are going to pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars on a single sensor meter.
What was the humidity when your drink spilled?
Good one 😜
What about radon and mold? Can it test for that?
No it cannot test for Radon or Mold. There are no monitors that test for mold as of yet. The best way to know if you are susceptible to mold, is to pay attention to humidity levels, and if they stay above 60%, that would be an area that could be susceptible to mold forming. Mold loves high humidity in which to flourish.
@@Outside-In. Yes. That is what I have found also. There are stand alone Radon detectors and I have the TRifield EMF detector, but there doesn't seem to be anything that will do it all including mold. But yes, keeping an eye on the humidity level would be a good preventative.
Hi, any recommendatin of CO2 monitor for home use?
TemTop C10 - Great CO2 Monitor and pretty accurate. Thanks for the question, hope this helps.
@@Outside-In. Thanks a lot!!
@@helloworld5601 👍
Can you do one on geiger counters?
Real vs. fake, good & bad ones?
They're not usually all that cheap.
Thank you Gregory for the comment and suggestion. I have looked into Geiger counters, and you are right, they can get quite expensive, which is the reason I haven't done a video on them yet due to cost, there is only so much I can do myself without help, but I do appreciate the suggestion - much appreciated. 👍
@@Outside-In.I got one off amazon (gq gmc-800) for pretty cheap, but when it comes to nuclear radiation in the area, it's definitely not something ya wanna stake your life on with a possible fake, or knock off, n at the price (I think it was under $150) I bought it at, I don't think I'll be visiting Chernobyl with it any time soon. It can stay home. Lol
@@gregoryfrolov2537 Thanks Gregory. I also believe that the less expensive Geiger counters don't pick up very far away (maybe a few inches), so another reason to not have one of the less expensive counters.
21:02 😂😂😂
Hi, I see Amazon is now selling this monitor. Do you still recommend it, or do you recommend something else?
Thanks thankyou, for the question. I recently talked with a friend in Ukraine that I did this video for, and he told me that his is still working great, so yes I still recommend this, and good to know it is now on Amazon.
Awesome, thank you for your prompt response!.
By the way, I have enjoyed your videos.
@@thankyou1970 It is my pleasure, and I am glad you enjoying the videos. 👍
not one video shows actully how to use this .
You have a cool man cave
👍
These monitors are absolutely shit....got my temptop a week ago, moment I plugged it i I was getting high formaldehyde readings that dropped in half within 2 hours but was still high. Someone mentioned you could tell if if the monitor is shit by breathing into it, unless you have formaldehyde breath the number shouldn't change but when I did that the reading jumped so these crap devices measure all gases and give you a formaldehyde reading that is so high if it was accurate you would be able to smell it and you'd be dead in an hour lol.
If you received your monitor a week ago, also remember that the humidity is very high in allot of areas at the present, and that will play a BIG role in how the sensors read... High humidity WILL cause readings to fluctuate from time to time, and I do believe that is due to the fact that Humidity re-constitutes the formaldehyde or particles that are in objects in your home or in the air, causing higher than normal readings. Allot of people do not know that high humidity will cause inaccurate readings as well as colognes, perfumes, paint fumes etc.. Also, keep in mind that no matter how good a product may be, every now and than a bad one slips through quality control LOL. Yes, my experience with TemTop has not been the best - especially customer service. I try to find affordable monitors for testing and review as I can't afford expensive monitors, but also because I know there are allot of people that cannot afford the expensive ones either, and why I try and find a decent monitor that the masses can afford. I would love to review much more expensive monitors, but simply can't afford to do so, as I have to purchase everything that I review out of my pocket. Hopefully the day will come when my viewers start helping so that I can review more expensive monitors/products. I do thank you for your comment and insight - it is much appreciated.
Breathing in a monitor is to test the co2 sensor if equipped, and not for PM or TVOC, unless of course you have dust in your breath, or are a smoker and exhaling smoke, but that would also be good for testing a co sensor in a monitor...
So all you are doing is buying a bunch of cheap monitors and comparing them with each other? Wouldn't you need an expensive unit to actually measure if these devices work?
No, I was doing much more than that. I was finding fake ones and exposing them, finding inexpensive ones that most of us can afford. If you have $10,000.00 or more, and would like to buy one for me to use, I would be very happy to use it....
I did what I did with what I had, and sometimes we have to use the Pinto to teach someone how to drive and not kill themselves, because we can't afford the Bentley which is a much more capable and safer car, it doesn't mean that using the Pinto is the wrong way.
As long as you know what you are doing and are knowledgeable in the field (and I am), it doesn't matter what you use, just as long as you know the product you are using is close enough to accurate, and that is all anyone needs - close, not pin-point.
Besides, the only two monitors that I recommend for anyone is a CO and CO2 monitor, all the others just cause undue stress and mental health issues from paranoia, and why I don't cover air quality any longer. I am tired of feeding into the paranoia that is air quality.
People are afraid to leave their homes, go camping, get together with friends and family over a camp fire, it is just ridiculous, how about this air purifier, will that one be better - NO just open a window and live life instead of being afraid of it...
Thanks for your comment and concern - it is much appreciated 👍
@@Outside-In. I was trying to get ready for fire season. I was trying to confirm Consumer Reports results. They recommend 5, including Temptop M100, Airthings View Plus, Qingping Monitor CGS1, uHoo UHO-OT-000001, and INKBIRD 6 in 1. But the Amazon reviews show lots of reliability and consistency problems.
Dear Sir, can you recommend another inpensive TVOC and Formaldehyde detector? We will never buy any China product under quality concern. US, EU, Japan, Korea, Taiwan product can be accetable. Related validation video will be much appreciated.
If you find one, let me know the name, and I will look into it.