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How to determine if my APX is intrinsically safe
Got to ask...why does it matter to you? If you are in a working situation where IS is a requirement, then you need to let your department handle issuing you the radio you need and they can also handle the task of ensuring that it's in conformance with all applicable policies and regulations required to maintain Intrinsicaly Safe/Hazardous Locations certification.
You would not want to bring your own personal non-IS-certified (currently certified compliant) into a work environment that require IS certifications, as to do so would subject you to substantial liabilities in the event of involvement of a situation involving injury or loss of life where failure of communications may be a factor.
You may presume that a personally owned IS/HazLoc radio is FORMERLY certified and not currently in compliance, unless it has been tested and issued certifications by a fully qualified maintenance shop.
You would not want to bring your own personal non-IS-certified (currently certified compliant) into a work environment that require IS certifications, as to do so would subject you to substantial liabilities in the event of involvement of a situation involving injury or loss of life where failure of communications may be a factor.
You may presume that a personally owned IS/HazLoc radio is FORMERLY certified and not currently in compliance, unless it has been tested and issued certifications by a fully qualified maintenance shop.
Then read the radio's labels. If it's IS, the labels will say so.
In the air force, the current rules are.
4.6. Intrinsically Safe.
4.6.1. PWCS managers will participate in development of local Intrinsically Safe LMR
operational procedures with Base Safety and Fire Marshall and for processing use
requirements through command safety channels. (T-2).
4.6.2. Radios may have a green dot on them and may say “Intrinsically Safe;” however,
that does not mean they have been certified as such. A radio is considered Intrinsically
Safe when the battery and the radio itself are stamped Factory Mutual (FM) Approved
Intrinsically Safe.
4.6.3. Recertification occurs any time outer case has been breached in a manner, which
exposes internal circuits of unit. (This does not include: replacement of antenna;
changing/replacing battery pack; software loaded into unit; replacing a control knob;
replacing an escutcheon or belt clip). If for any reason a radio needs repair, it then needs
to be re-certified as FM Approved.
Hope this helps.
Joel
4.6. Intrinsically Safe.
4.6.1. PWCS managers will participate in development of local Intrinsically Safe LMR
operational procedures with Base Safety and Fire Marshall and for processing use
requirements through command safety channels. (T-2).
4.6.2. Radios may have a green dot on them and may say “Intrinsically Safe;” however,
that does not mean they have been certified as such. A radio is considered Intrinsically
Safe when the battery and the radio itself are stamped Factory Mutual (FM) Approved
Intrinsically Safe.
4.6.3. Recertification occurs any time outer case has been breached in a manner, which
exposes internal circuits of unit. (This does not include: replacement of antenna;
changing/replacing battery pack; software loaded into unit; replacing a control knob;
replacing an escutcheon or belt clip). If for any reason a radio needs repair, it then needs
to be re-certified as FM Approved.
Hope this helps.
Joel
prcguy
Member
Question, is Intrinsically Safe considered a Luxury option?
The OP may have been issued this radio and is questioning if it is or not.
The HazLoc Class 1 Division 1 stickers, with compatible battery (same type of labels) are the giveaway if they are maintained to the standard. FM was replaced with Underwriters Laboratories (UL) now in place of Factory Mutual (FM) certification. That green dot on the radio and battery is now a white dot in the United States. CSA Canada is equivalent for that market, India is BIS (Bureau of Institute of Standards).....going through this for ensuring Motorola XPR7550e/XiR P8668 radios meet spec.
Real world, you must replace gaskets when the case/chassis is taken apart for maintenance or repair. Then pressure test, nitrogen purge and water intrusion dunk test.....where some radios will fail. Also did this in the military and the Land Mobile Radio (LMR) shop is also usually doing this for night vision and scopes as well....since they have the same equipment requirement for filling with nitrogen and sealing all gaskets.
Truth be told, I just finished IS certification training for Kenwood radios, and they do not require nitrogen or the water dunk test.....instead just pressure testing the gaskets with a negative pressure test. I suspect corners can be cut by other manufacturers as well, but while in the oil industry and repairing Motorola radios, no corners were cut, as previously mentioned by others, lives may be at stake. Looks for the hazardous location stickers and green or white dots on radio and battery.
Real world, you must replace gaskets when the case/chassis is taken apart for maintenance or repair. Then pressure test, nitrogen purge and water intrusion dunk test.....where some radios will fail. Also did this in the military and the Land Mobile Radio (LMR) shop is also usually doing this for night vision and scopes as well....since they have the same equipment requirement for filling with nitrogen and sealing all gaskets.
Truth be told, I just finished IS certification training for Kenwood radios, and they do not require nitrogen or the water dunk test.....instead just pressure testing the gaskets with a negative pressure test. I suspect corners can be cut by other manufacturers as well, but while in the oil industry and repairing Motorola radios, no corners were cut, as previously mentioned by others, lives may be at stake. Looks for the hazardous location stickers and green or white dots on radio and battery.
Op is in luck, another thread discusses IS rating for a SRX2200 (military version of APX4000).
forums.radioreference.com
About repaired APX radio
I have got an srx2200 radio, but it has an label says “repaired”. I am worried about whether the repaired radio will have problems again. Can someone tell me when the radio will be sent back to the factory for repair, and if it is not repaired and passout , will it still be labeled for “repaired...
williewhyte
Member
FM stopped being supported December 2020. Unable get batteries since May 2021. Motorola do not repair the FM APX6000 model as of Dec 202 and certify for FM. Motorola would repair radio but no FM certification, therefor we could not use the radios
We had a few thousand for the mine and are replacing them as they fail. Difficult with covid and waiting on equipment now.
We had a few thousand for the mine and are replacing them as they fail. Difficult with covid and waiting on equipment now.
I don't suppose you could find out what the mine does to dispose of these failed APX6000 radio, by chance? I'm sure that plenty of people would like a chance to buy or bid on them.
Speaking of UL labels on APX radios - I’ve noticed that some UL Approved labels are white text on a black backround and some are black texts on a white backround. What’s the difference ? I’d ASSume one type of label is newer than the other ? They both say the exact same thing just a different color ( I’m talking about the “UL” label on the side of the radio ). I’ve seen APX8000 and APX8000H’s with both type of labels.
williewhyte
Member
We waiting on decision. We have already suggested this, but no decision as yet, think putting off till have to deal with it. Most of them are volumes broken or physical damage to plastic casings. used to test and confirm working before tossed in pending box. Will suggest again
Check your PMs. And please respond one way or the other?
Only Motorola will have those. Or some M dealer who bought some for spares.
The shop that recertifies it should be able to help. If you read any of this thread it would be obvious why Joe Dip**** can't just buy these labels and slap them on. And if your radio lacks the labeling, then it should fail the visual inspection and be sidelined until it can be recertified.
