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Tony81269
USA
37 Posts |
 Posted - 08/18/2024 : 15:37:16
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Hello Everyone,
I'm curious about what people do with these meters. I work in the Well Logging industry and we use Ludlum 3 with beta/gamma probes to take surveys of a bunch of stuff. Inside of the truck before transporting, before and after surveys of the transport containers, and a whole lot of other things we are required to do by the NRC.
Do you all use these in a professional setting? If so, what? Do you just use them as a hobby? I'm really curious as to why so many people want a survey meter.
Anyway, I am going to compare this to our Ludlum. I have access to cs137 up to 300mCI, Ambe sources up to 5Ci - yes I know it's an alpha/neutron emitter but you'd be surprised how much gamma comes out of those. I would like this meter to do good and have high hopes. The funny thing is if it does show to be a good meter and compares somewhat with the Ludlum, the price of an actual NIST calibration would be more than the cost of this product. |
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| Reply #1
Stargazer 40
USA
423 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2024 : 19:14:52
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I work with a lot of first responders. One was a safety guy at nuclear facility. He had a few GM meters. Ludlum 3 I believe was one. I got the bug to learn and get as much value as I could for the money. Then because I didn't know much I started testing. Because GQ was open to input we took their simple GM meters with lots of flexibility built in and added deadtime adjustment of the CPM giving something that could be certified because you could change tube voltage and deadtime adjustment. The 500+ is an amazing tool. The 600+ adds the alpha component and that with its LND 7317 pancake tube pretty much does it all but radon. Now they have a radon tabletop GM meter and we're getting a lot more consumer oriented (meaning less flexibility and more real time measurements for awareness).
I carry either my 500+ or 600+ to incidents and so far haven't had need. Still they are compact and fairly durable. I also have a CD-V717 meter with gamma and beta that is pretty similar to the M4011 GM tube response. That is more used for sample measure.
Haven't got to the point where I am using a 600+ for food measures but have tried it out and it is interesting to see what lights up.
It's been really fun and I've learned a lot because of the flexibility of these meters. As they go more toward a consumer dosimeter and radon meters, lots more market opens up. But these very capable meters with tons of flexibility are great learning tools.
What I found with all of this is our hazmat guys will clear out when they see around 300,000 uSv (300 mSv, 40 R/h). That is way past any of these meters we're looking at. I have CD-V 717 that is a true survey meter for dangerous radiation. I can measure to 500 R/h with ionization chamber. Course I'd be dead if I pegged that meter. So these meters can show you when things are beyond just interesting and that is a great time to get out of Dodge. I'd like to know that. |
Stargazer 40 |
Edited by - Stargazer 40 on 08/19/2024 04:01:32 |
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| Reply #2
Stargazer 40
USA
423 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2024 : 19:18:27
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I've sat a lot of wells and always watched the logging trucks and tool prep when sources for the nuclear tools were screwed into place. Always interested in when they hit a tight spot going in or coming out of the hole as a stuck tool or a snapped cable was an administrative nightmare for the engineer. Lots and lots and lots of paperwork and an instant hazardous waste site.
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Stargazer 40 |
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| Reply #3
Tony81269
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2024 : 19:21:04
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| Cool! Thanks for sharing. I got one of the new 800 models. I don't know any of the differences but I'm sure going to have some fun at work tomorrow |
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| Reply #4
Tony81269
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - 08/18/2024 : 19:27:35
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quote:
Originally posted by Stargazer 40
I've sat a lot of wells and always watched the logging trucks and tool prep when sources for the nuclear tools were screwed into place. Always interested in when they hit a tight spot going in or coming out of the hole as a stuck tool or a snapped cable was an administrative nightmare for the engineer. Lots and lots and lots of paperwork and an instant hazardous waste site.
Yes, I am the assistant RSO at my shop and they plan on submitting me as the legal RSO soon. I look forward to the job but not that part. If you lose a tool downhole with a source then you call a fishing company out to try and get it. While they are doing that, you have to take samples of the area periodically and keep a journal of everything. If they aren't able to get the tool out then they cement the hole and put a plaque on top stating what's down there. If the fishing company or drillers do anything to rupture that source then its all messed up. You have to have everything and everyone decontaminated. All I can say is you better not rupture the source |
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| Reply #5
Stargazer 40
USA
423 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2024 : 04:24:28
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| My well sitting days were in the late 1970's. The process you described for a lost tool was pretty much exactly the same back then. When I was doing that, the engineers ran film (many feet of film) through an oscillograph and developed it pretty much real time. Then using a blueline machine made paper copies of the logs. Final copies came from the company later in the mail. Good ole days. |
Stargazer 40 |
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| Reply #6
Tony81269
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2024 : 06:12:15
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quote:
Originally posted by Stargazer 40
My well sitting days were in the late 1970's. The process you described for a lost tool was pretty much exactly the same back then. When I was doing that, the engineers ran film (many feet of film) through an oscillograph and developed it pretty much real time. Then using a blueline machine made paper copies of the logs. Final copies came from the company later in the mail. Good ole days.
Yeah, we have a room here that has stuff from the 70's. It's kind of neat to look at how they used to do it. Now, its all done on computer and most of the time you can give a customer a preliminary copy in both paper and digital image. Sometimes things might take longer if any post processing is needed |
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| Reply #7
Stargazer 40
USA
423 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2024 : 06:32:42
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| Retired in 2016 and all that was in place of course. Tools likely much 'smarter' today. Need to see what wireline players are out there now. |
Stargazer 40 |
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What Do You Use This Meter For?
