Portable LPG Gas Detector

youmagine

With Summer just around the corner and the BBQ season heating up fast, I set out to create a simple handheld device that can detect small gas leaks when connecting LPG gas bottles. Initially, I thought this project would be quite tough to tackle, but I soon stumbled upon the MQ range of sensors which makes it easy to detect a wide variety of gases. The MQ range of sensors is incredibly versatile and allows users to detect all sorts of gases from Alcohol to Ozone. By following the chart shown below, you can see which sensor code corresponds to what gas. For this project, I chose the MQ-6 sensor specifically designed for detecting LPG. However, I've designed the circuit to be easily adaptable for other sensors as well, giving users the flexibility to swap out sensors and detect different gases with ease. For example, if you want a way to detect hydrogen gas while charging batteries or CO2 leaks in your home bar system, simply use the sensor that correlates to that specific gas - in this case, the MQ-8 or MG-811. Keep in mind that some sensors may require higher or lower heater voltages, so it's not always a straightforward swap. Nevertheless, the case and code will generally need minimal modification regardless of which sensor you choose. If this project sounds like a perfect fit for you, check out the instructions on how to build it here: https://diyodemag.com/projects/sniff_sniff