MSA ALTAIR 5X Quick Start Manual

TURNING UNIT ON

1. Press [ON/OFF] button.
2. Display = "PUMP TEST", place finger
over pump inlet to block intake

PASS: "PUMP TEST PASS"

FAIL: "PUMP TEST FAIL"
(inspect pump, repeat test)
3. Display = "FRESH AIR SETUP", press
[▼] button/"YES" begin process.

PASS: "FRESH AIR SETUP PASS"
 FAIL: "FRESH AIR SETUP FAIL"
(perform a zero calibration)
4. Once instrument completes start up
process & Main Measure Page appears
in display, instrument is ready for use.

TURNING UNIT OFF

1. Press and hold [ON/OFF] button until
instrument shuts off.

GENERAL ALARM MESSAGES

"ADC ERROR" Analogue measurement error; Contact MSA
"MEM ERROR" Memory error; Contact MSA
"PROG ERROR" Program error; Contact MSA
"RAM ERROR" RAM error; Contact MSA
"BT ERROR" Bluetooth error; Contact MSA
"LOW BATTERY Battery low; recharge battery as soon as possible
"BATTERY ALARM" Battery completely discharged; recharge battery
"SENSOR MISSING" Sensor damaged or missing; replace sensor
"NO SENSOR" No sensors are enabled
Orange, "heart"-icon Sensor end-of-life warning; replace sensor soon
Red, "heart"- icon Sensor end-of-life alarm; replace sensor immediately
"PUMP ERROR" Pump malfunction or flow path blockage
"INVALID CONFIG." Sensor installed in incorrect location
DELRAY BEACH FIRE-RESCUE DEPARTMENT
QUICK USER GUIDE
MSA ALTAIR 5X

GENERAL INFORMATION

NOTES
 Portable, multi-gas monitor. Detects volatile organic compounds (VOCs),
and combustible, oxygen, and toxic gases.

Technology: Photo-ionization detector (10.6 eV), Catalytic bead LEL
sensor, Electrochemical sensors (CO, H2S, O2, HCN).

Power Source: Rechargeable Li-ion (~14-hr. runtime). Intrinsically safe.
LED Charge Indicator: Red = Charging / Green = Charged / Yellow = Fault
 LCD Color Display Screen with backlight (press any button to activate).

3 operation keys (▲, ON/OFF, ▼). Function as "soft keys", defined
directly above the button.
 LEDs Visual Indicators:
Red (Alarm) = indicates alarm condition or errors
o
Green (Safe) = flashes, indicates instrument normal function and
o
no alarms are present
Yellow (Fault) = indicates fault conditions
o

Sensor Life Indicator: warns when sensor's end-of-life has been reached.
Indicated with a "heart" icon next to sensor/gas-type on main page.

BASIC INSTRUMENT OPERATIONS

BUMP (FUNCTIONAL) TEST

1. From Main Measure Page, press [▼] button to access Bump Test Page.
2. Attach regulator/tubing to mixed calibration gas cylinder & tubing to instrument's pump inlet.
3. Display = "BUMP TEST" (O2/LEL/CO/H2S). Press [ON/OFF] button to start the bump test:

PASS: "BUMP TEST PASS"

FAIL: "BUMP TEST FAIL" & failed sensor indicated (Recalibrate instrument)
4. Repeat steps 3 & 4 to bump test individual HCN & VOC sensors, as indicated by the instrument.

Use appropriate calibration gas cylinders: HCN – Hydrogen Cyanide / VOC – Isobutylene
5. Once completed, instrument returns to Main Measurement Page.
ZERO & SPAN CALIBRATION
1. From Main Measurement Page, press and hold [▲] to access the Calibration Page.
2. Display = "ZERO CALIBRATION?". Press [▼] button to begin zero calibration process:

PASS: "ZERO CALIBRATION PASS" (Display progresses to "SPAN CALIBRATION?")
 FAIL: "ZERO CALIBRATION FAIL" (Repeat zero calibration process)
3. Attach regulator/tubing to mixed calibration gas cylinder & tubing to instrument's pump inlet.
4. Display = "SPAN CALIBRATION?" (O2/LEL/CO/H2S). Press [▼] button to start calibrate process:
 PASS: "SPAN CALIBRATION PASS"

FAIL: "SPAN CALIBRATION FAIL" (Repeat calibration process)
5. Repeat steps 3 & 4 to calibration individual HCN & VOC sensors, as indicated by the instrument.
 Use appropriate calibration gas cylinders: HCN – Hydrogen Cyanide / VOC – Isobutylene
6. Once completed, instrument returns to Main Measurement Page.
Revised: 7/8/2019
Page: 1 of 2

MONITOR DISPLAY PAGES

Press [▼] button to scroll through display pages.
Press [ON/OFF] button to return to Main Measure Page
Main Measure Page
↳ Bump Test Page
↳ Peak Reading Page (Press [▲] button to reset value)
↳ Minimum Reading Page (Press [▲] button to reset value)
↳ STEL Page (Press [▲] button to reset value)
↳ TWA Page (Press [▲] button to reset value)
↳ Date Page (Displays current date)
↳ Last Cal (Displays last calibration date)
↳ Change VOC Gas Page
↳ Motion Alert Page (Press [▲] or [▼] to turn on/off)

SENSORS

Oxygen (O2)
Combustible (LEL)
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S)
Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN)
PID (VOC - 10.6 eV)

CALIBRATION

Mixed Gas: Pentane (58%
LEL), CO (60 ppm), O2 (15%),
H2S (20 ppm)
Single Gas – HCN: Hydrogen
Cyanide (10.0 ppm)
Single Gas - VOC: Isobutylene
(100.0 ppm)