{"id":14859,"date":"2022-11-11T09:40:53","date_gmt":"2022-11-11T16:40:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thecampingnerd.com\/?p=14859"},"modified":"2023-02-14T13:26:57","modified_gmt":"2023-02-14T20:26:57","slug":"toptes-gas-detector","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thecampingnerd.com\/toptes-gas-detector\/","title":{"rendered":"TopTes Portable Combustible Gas Leak Detector Test & Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

Disclaimer: We received the TopTes PT199 gas detector for free to review and test. The review below is our honest opinion and testing of the product. <\/strong><\/p>\n

TopTes PT199 Portable Gas Leak Detector Overview<\/h2>\n

TopTes is a new company that sells a few different portable testing tools that can be used at home, in your RV, or anywhere.<\/p>\n

The PT199 combustible gas leak detector (click to view on Amazon)<\/a>\u00a0is the smallest version they offer. There is also a PT210 that I will compare the PT199 to later on in this review.<\/p>\n

This small testing tool can find gas leaks in gas lines, grills, stoves, furnaces, water heaters, and anything else that is connected to a combustible gas.<\/p>\n

Combustible gases the TopTes can detect include propane, natural gas, methane, gasoline, sewer gas, diesel, and more.<\/p>\n

See Also: Best Small Portable Propane Heaters For Indoor & RV Use<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

Since fire and carbon monoxide alarms don’t test for many other gases, you might find at home or in your RV, a combustible gas indicator like the TopTes is a great tool for anyone.<\/p>\n

In this review, I’ll go over the features the TopTes PT199 offers, talk about the best way to use it, and give our opinion based on testing in our RV and home.<\/p>\n

TopTes PT199 Gas Detector<\/a><\/h2>\n

\"TopTes<\/a><\/p>\n

Check Price at Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

Main Features<\/h3>\n

The PT199 TopTes combustible gas leak detector is very simple and easy to use.<\/p>\n

There’s a power button, a sensitivity button, and a backlit LED screen that will show you the levels of gas being detected.<\/p>\n

The LED screen will change from a green back light to red if high gas levels are detected.<\/p>\n

There’s also an audible alarm that makes a ticking noise. The ticking gets faster as the levels of combustible gas increase.<\/p>\n

See Also:\u00a0Propane Tank Recertification: How & Where To Get Recertified<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

The power button turns the gas indicator on or off. If left on the TopTes will turn off automatically after 5 minutes.<\/p>\n

There’s also a low battery indicator that will appear when it gets low on battery power (2 AAA batteries).<\/p>\n

It’s made to be super portable. Basically, a tool you can have in a drawer or toolbox.<\/p>\n

It measures only 6.5 inches long and is about as round as a dry erase marker. There’s a belt clip on the end.<\/p>\n

The life of the sensor is 3 years, which is standard for this type of detector.<\/p>\n

It’s CE<\/a>, UKCA<\/a>, RoHS<\/a>, and FCC<\/a> certified. That means it can be used in the USA, Canada, UK, and EU.<\/p>\n

\"toptes <\/picture>
TOPTES combustible gas detector with the red LED back light that means high levels of gas detected.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sensitivity Settings<\/h3>\n

Even though this is a very basic combustible gas indicator or “gas sniffer” as some like to call them, there are still two levels of sensitivity to choose from.<\/p>\n

The high setting detects 50-500 ppm and the low setting detects 500-1,000 ppm.<\/p>\n

High sensitivity is used to detect any combustible gas in a general area. Low sensitivity is used to find the source of the leak.<\/p>\n

See Also:\u00a06 Best Diesel Heaters For Campers, RVs & Vans<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

When testing for a gas leak, start by using the high setting to see if there are any levels of combustible gas in the air.<\/p>\n

The high sensitivity is on when the “S” button is illuminated. It’s the default mode when you turn on the detector.<\/p>\n

To switch to low sensitivity, just press the “S” button once. The button will no longer be illuminated, which means it’s in low mode.<\/p>\n

Use low mode to figure out where the leak is coming from.<\/p>\n

Because it only detects high levels of gas and the leak source will be where the highest levels will be found, it will help you find the leak better than the high sensitivity mode will.<\/p>\n

The sensitivity measurements are based on methane gas. When testing for other gases, the ppm might vary.<\/p>\n

Testing Response Time<\/h3>\n

When you turn on the gas leak detector, it needs about 30 seconds to calibrate.<\/p>\n

You should always turn it on in an area you know is free of any gases because it could mess with the calibration.<\/p>\n

In high sensitivity mode, gas will be detected in 0.5-2 seconds. In low sensitivity, it can take 0.5-3 seconds to respond.<\/p>\n

Because the detection speed can vary, test for gas slowly so the detector has time to react.<\/p>\n

The best distance for testing is 1 to 5 centimeters, around 2 inches. If the leak is big, the indicator may go off further away from the leak.<\/p>\n

\"testing <\/picture>
TOPTES testing for natural gas leaks from a home water heater.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Detectable Combustible Gases<\/h3>\n