UEi Combustion Analyzer

ValueTesters is proud to offer a wide range of UEi combustion and flue gas analysis products. From economical residential analyzers to industrial combustion kits, we have a UEi Test Instruments for every combustion need.

UEi Test Instruments stands apart from other combustion analyzer manufacturers in that UEi’s analyzers for the residential, light commercial and lower-end of the industrial markets calculate O2 levels in the flue gas and use an electro-optical sensor (EOS) to directly measure CO2. In contrast, analyzers from competing brands directly measure the O2 levels with an electro-chemical sensor and calculate the amount of CO2.

UEi’s approach allows them to eliminate the need for an O2 sensor in many of their analyzers, saving technicians money on replacement sensors. Their EOS sensor boasts a 10 year life expectancy, about double the working life of the electrochemical sensors used by other manufacturers.

New UEi Combustion Analyzers

Just in time for the fall and winter combustion season, UEi has stepped up its combustion analysis game, bringing three new analyzers that cover the range from residential boilers all the way up to large commercial heaters. UEi Test Instruments is one of the only (if not the only) manufacturers of combustion equipment seeking to innovate and provide more performance to technicians while saving lots of time and money. Specifically, their EOS sensor technology takes the biggest headache and costliest feature of traditional combustion analyzers off your mind. Read on to learn more about this exciting new development in UEi Combustion Analyzers.

EOS - Electro-Optical Sensor

EOS stands for "Electro-Optical Sensor". This technology stands in contrast to typical combustion analyzer sensors, which are "electro-chemical". As you might gather from the name, optical sensors use laser/"visual" technology to take readings. In contrast, chemical sensors contain compounds that react with the gasses being tested to produce readings.

Typically, combustion analyzers come with onboard CO (Carbon Monoxide) and O2 (oxygen sensors). This arrangement works just fine in terms of getting accurate readings but has one major flaw. Oxygen is in the air all around us, and because the Oxygen sensors on most analyzers are electro-chemical, the sensor is continuously in contact with oxygen. This situation causes the sensor to be constantly degrading as the compounds react with the atmosphere. This process of degrading quickens if you're doing a lot of combustion testing. In the best-case scenario, you get about a year of life out of the typical oxygen sensor before it needs to be replaced. If you are a veteran of combustion analysis, you know full well that this is a bit of a pain, and it costs time and money at best once a year to get the sensor replaced and get back in the field.

UEi understood that this was a big hindrance to combustion techs and took the initiative to innovate a way to combat this cost and hassle. Enter EOS. The new line of UEi combustion analyzers all come equipped with an optical CO2 sensor. Almost every other analyzer directly reads O2 and CO and uses computer calculations to get a measurement for CO2. UEi's new line instead directly reads CO and CO2 and uses those values to calculate O2 levels. The CO2 sensor on the UEi analyzers is the optical sensor we've been discussing. Instead of using a chemical compound to react with the gasses you are testing, the optical sensor has two poles that pass a laser through the gas sample. Based on the degree of obstruction of this laser from one pole to another by the flue gas (it is specifically calculated to CO2), the EOS sensor will give a reading for CO2. The major benefit here is that no flue gas actually touches the sensor. Thus, the sensor essentially never degrades. Readings are only taken during testing and even then, there is no degradable compound to cause you a problem. The sensor will last indefinitely.

As a quick note, the CO sensor in these units is still electro-chemical. This presents no problem as CO is a very rare gas in atmospheric conditions. In fact, it's dangerous and should not really be present in fresh air at all. CO sensors last notoriously longer than O2 sensors since there is no constant contact of the gas with the sensor to cause any degradation.

To wrap up this section on EOS, let's do a short review. The big problem with standard analyzers is that the O2 sensor is constantly breaking down due to contact with O2 in the air, and this process is accelerated by frequent combustion testing. Calculated values are not by any means less accurate than those that are directly measured. So, UEi has swapped the standard electro-chemical oxygen sensor for an optical CO2 sensor. So, you get all the same readings and accuracy of any other high-quality combustion analyzer, but there is no longer any need to constantly monitor the health of the O2 sensor and replace it every time it degrades to a point where it is no longer functional.

In sum, UEi Test Instruments has eliminated all the cost and hassle of normal combustion analyzers without sacrificing any of the functionality you expect. This is nothing but a win for the discerning technician looking for a top-notch combustion analyzer.

Just because Eos is the most exciting and forward-thinking feature on the new UEi line does not mean it is the only thing going for these powerful tools. Let's take a look at some of the other design benefits of the UEi Combustion Analyzer and discuss which analyzer is designed for what application so that you can make an informed purchasing decision.

The UEi Combustion Analyzers with EOS Technology eliminate the number one hassle experienced by HVAC technicians, the cost, and the downtime of replacing the O2 sensor. Explore the UEi models C161, C163, & C165.

UEi C161 Combustion Analyzer

The first unit in this line is the UEi C161. The UEi Combustion Analyzer C161 is designed primarily for residential heating jobs and is the entry-level model for this series. On the physical level, the meter is ruggedly designed and comes with a magnetic boot for hands-free operation. The selection mechanism is a rotary dial which is much better suited for the job site than some other touch screen type models, fancy and futuristic looking as that tech may be. For these jobs, you want performance, not flash (except in reporting features, which we'll come to in a moment). The backlit display is extra-large with a 6-line display.

CO readings on this unit go up to a range of 2,000ppm, more than adequate for any residential boiler. There are 8 pre-programmed fuels to choose from as well as a 30-test internal memory. You can test heat exchange, there is high-altitude compensation built-in, and the CO sensor has NOx protection. You can also calculate overall efficiency and excess air values. The rechargeable battery will run for 8 hours of testing, so you'll have no issues doing a full workday on a single charge. If you'd like a printer on the job, there is an infrared port for connecting to an IR printer (sold separately). Last but not least, you can take differential temperature measurements as well.

UEi C163 Combustion Analyzer

Next up the food chain is the UEi C163. This analyzer features all of the design characteristics of the UEi C161 Flue Gas Combustion Analyzer with a few extra goodies.

First off, this meter allows you to take differential pressure readings. This will help you get your draft values and tune boilers with more precision. The range is still 2,000 ppm on CO, so this unit is best described as "light commercial".

As for the tech features, this UEi combustion gas analyzer will connect wirelessly to the UEi printing and reporting app. In addition to giving you lots of options for sending reports and printing remotely, these kinds of digital records are very impressive to customers. This is one area where flash helps you over pure functionality, displaying a higher level of professionalism to customers. It's also great data to have transferred remotely if you're a project manager dealing with a whole list of jobs and technicians.

UEi C165+ Combustion Analyzer

The king of the hill in the new line is the UEi C165. This unit is designed for full-on commercial work with an H2 compensated CO sensor that goes all the way up to 10,000 ppm. Let's just say if you have CO values exceeding that amount, you've got bigger problems than routine combustion analysis. This unit has you covered for the biggest of standard jobs.

There are two more significant features to point out on this analyzer. The first covers another area where flash is beneficial and also highly functional. The area we're talking about is smart probes. These little meters are all the rage these days, and the UEi Combustion Analyzer C165 offers wireless connection to UEi smart probes for taking temperature measurements and other readings like those from an anemometer. This arsenal of tools will give you a more complete picture of the combustion process when you're doing your work. The second feature is that the meter includes two pipe clamp probes for flow and return.

A Word on UEi Combustion Analyzer Calibration and Warranty

Finally, UEi offers a one-year warranty on the analyzers. However, they recommend a yearly calibration which extends the warranty by an additional year up to 6 years total. So, if you take them up on that offer for calibration, the warranty is essentially 6 years. Not bad at all! To sweeten the deal, calibrations feature a 24hr service time plus free shipping. They make the process as painless as possible, and you get a killer warranty in the bargain.

Conclusion

Overall, this new series of UEi combustion analyzer is a winning proposition. Outstanding performance, unbeatable warranty, plus the most significant benefit of all: no more hassle and cost associated with changing O2 sensors constantly. We recommend this series without reservation. Click on your favorite model above to learn more!

Residential and Light Commercial Options

Affordable Efficiency Testing with the Smart Bell Meter - discontinued with no replacement

UEi’s entry level product for combustion servicing is the Smart Bell Combustion Meter (P/N SmartBell), which incorporates their EOS technology and measures CO2 and flue temperature. O2 levels, combustion efficiency, excess air, and net temperature are calculated. As this meter doesn’t include a CO sensor, it can’t be used for safety-related tuning or inspections. It is, however, an economical analyzer for efficiency tuning of a residential furnace or boiler.

The C85: An Economical Combustion Analyzer - (discontinued - replaced with model C161)

Techs requiring CO measurement for residential and light commercial combustion analysis should consider the C85. The C85 can handle flue gas temperatures up to 1112°F, have a max CO limit of 1,000 ppm, and can measure CO accurately down to 1 ppm. This meter is easy to read with its large 2 line backlit display, can store 20 measurements, and includes all the features of the Smart Bell. The C85 is backed by a 5-Year limited warranty.

We offer two kits based on the C85 analyzer:

Light Commercial Analyzers: C155 and C157

UEi also offers combustion analyzers for light commercial duty in addition to residential jobs. The C155 and C157 analyzers both have max CO levels of 4,000 ppm, a maximum flue gas temperature limit of 2400°F, have the ability to perform heat exchanger integrity tests, can measure ambient CO, have 4 lines on the LCD display and 179 slots for saved readings, and can perform differential temperature and pressure measurements.

There are a few subtle differences between the two models: a low-range NO sensor comes pre-installed on the C157, but is optional on the C155. The C157 can also calculate the total NOx levels.

We have three kits based on the C155: - (discontinued - replaced with model C163)

The UEi C155 Eagle 2X Combustion Analyzer with EOS Sensor Technology (P/N QVT-2009082609303900859) is our entry-level C155 kit and includes the analyzer, flue probe, an AC adapter, quick start guide, owner’s manual, and a soft carrying case.

For a more complete package, consider the UEi C155 Kit Eagle 2X Combustion Analyzer with Printer (P/N QVT-2010031212121110679) which replaces the soft case with a hard one and adds an infrared thermal printer, two K-type thermocouple probes, two static pressure hoses, a true draft probe, a gas pressure probe, and a roll of thermal printing paper.

Our most inclusive C155 kit is the UEi C155-OILKIT Eagle 2X Combustion Analyzer EOS Sensor Technology which goes one step further and adds a smoke pump test kit for measuring the soot levels of oil-burning appliances.

ValueTesters also stocks three kits based on the C157: - (discontinued - replaced with model C165+N)

EOS Analyzers for Industrial Combustion: C255 and C257

UEi’s long-life EOS technology is used by two of its analyzers aimed at the industrial combustion market: the C255 and C257. With industrial focus come industrial-grade specs, notably a 10,000 ppm max CO limit, the switch to H2-compensated CO sensors, and 8 pre-programmed fuels.

The only real difference between these two is the low-range NO sensor which is installed on the C257, but not on the C255. By extension, only the C257 is able to calculate NOx levels.

For HVAC technicians looking for use the C255 for their work, we have two options: - (discontinued - replaced with model C165+)

For those who prefer the C257, we have two other kits: (- discontinued - replaced with model C165+N)

The UEi C257 Long Life Industrial Combustion Analyzer with EOS Technology option features the C257 analyzer, a 12” flue probe with a 10’ hose, hard carrying case, inlet tube and probe connector, particle filter, AC adapter, and an owner’s manual.

UEi C257 Kit Industrial Combustion Analyzer with Long Lasting EOS Technology includes everything our other C257 kit does, but adds an infrared thermal printer and a roll of thermal printing paper.

The K945 sits near the top of UEi’s analyzer lineup. This four gas industrial analyzer shares the 10,000 ppm CO limit of the C255 and C257, but like other analyzers from competing manufacturers, the K945 calculates the CO2 levels in the flue gas while directly measuring the O2.

This analyzer is step up from the C255/C257 in three key ways:

ValueTesters has three products based on the UEi K945:

Our UEi K945 Industrial Combustion Gas Analyzer Basic Kit (P/N K945) includes the analyzer, probe, charger, manual, calibration report, and a carrying case.

The UEi K945NOX Industrial Combustion Gas Analyzer NOx Kit (P/N K945CONOX) includes all that the basic kit does, plus the analyzer comes with NO and NO2 sensors installed.

The UEi K945CONS Industrial Combustion Gas Analyzer NOx and SOx Kit (P/N K945CONS) is identical to the NOx kit except that NO2 sensor is replaced with a SO2 sensor.

The UEi Autoplus5-2 Automotive Exhaust Gas Analyzer

Finally, UEi’s exhaust gas analyzer for autos also utilizes the EOS sensor technology to measure CO2 (16% max). This analyzer also measures CO (up to 10%), O2, unburnt Hydrocarbons (using an infrared sensor very similar to EOS), and NO.

Being an automotive-focused analyzer, the Autoplus5-2 comes pre-programmed for gasoline, LPG, diesel, and CNG.

The Autoplus5-2 can store up to 500 tests and connects to a PC via Bluetooth.