Enable non-destructive analysis for standard double glazed IGUs.
About Sparklike Handheld™ 3.0
Sparklike Handheld™ 3.0 is the practical and quick method to test IG gas concentration. The technology is based on plasma emission spectroscopy. A high voltage spark is launched in the IG unit’s cavity causing a light emission which is observed and analyzed further. The device is portable and battery operated, thus being practical and quick to use with a measurement time of 2 seconds! Thanks to its small size, it is easy to get a fast reading of gas concentration, whether it’s argon or krypton. The user can simply place the device against the unit, press the button and receive an instant result with high accuracy. Sparklike Handheld™ 3.0 (formerly known as Gasglass Handheld) has become the industry standard for non-destructive measurement – and used by insulating glass manufacturers, window and door manufacturers and testing laboratories worldwide.
Dimensions (L x W x H, in mm): 285 x 190 x 100 Weight: 1.6 kg Time: 2 seconds
Device Calibration & Repair
GED IG Experts will provide Sparklike Handheld™ calibration and repair services to new and existing Sparklike customers across North America from its headquarters in Ohio as part of being certified as a Sparklike Service Center Partner. Read more about Sparklike Services.
The handheld device is not designed to work with laminated glass. Laminates aren’t all built using the same glass types/substrates and aren’t all the same thickness. Because of that variability, it’s possible it would work with a few as an exception, but it generally will not work with most.
It is recommended to have your device calibrated yearly to maintain accurate readings. GED offers Sparklike Handheld™calibration service at the GED Sparklike Calibration Lab. Submit a calibration form here. Contact the GED Sparklike Calibration Lab at 440-600-8534 or sparklike@gedusa.com.
If you have same coating in both glasses, then the spark will not go through the unit. In any case, if you have Handhelds, you can simply try to see if the spark goes through the unit. If the spark goes though, everything should be fine, and if the spark spreads to the surface, then it doesn’t work.
The Sparklike YouTube channel contains many helpful how-to videos for all Sparklike IGU measuring devices. Here are the links to simple Handheld instructional videos:
There are validations related to certainty of measurements, but no such criteria has been developed yet by Sparklike. The calibration report does not list the calculated measurement of uncertainty. Having the annual calibration service performed on your Handheld device gives a tolerance of +/- 2%.
An Argon / Krypton device is different in firmware than an Argon only device.So, an Argon only device is not convertible to Argon/Krypton. We currently offer calibration of Argon-only devices at GED. Argon/Krypton devices still need to be sent to Finland. A brand–new device ships calibrated already for the first year. For future calibrations, we can covert an Argon / Krypton device into an Argon only device, so that we’re able to calibrate it at GED. It can be restored to Argon/Krypton in the next calibration, if it’s decided you want to test Krypton again.
The Laser Portable 2.0 uses a different technology than the Handheld.
The Handheld uses Spark Emission Spectroscopy (SES) to determine the gas levels. The instrument looks at the intensity and the color of the spark to make its measurements. Background lighting can be detrimental to the operation of the Handheld. Different algorithms are used for argon and krypton measurements. The ability to measure krypton is an option and is not normally included with most Handhelds.
The Laser Portable 2.0 uses Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy (TDLAS) to determine the gas content. By measuring the amount of the laser signal that is absorbed by the oxygen within the IG unit, the instrument calculates the gas content. The Laser Portable does not determine the type of gas within the unit. It cannot determine whether the insulating gas is argon, krypton, or a mixture. The Laser Portable also measures the configuration of the unit and supplies the dimensions of the glass, cavity thickness and overall unit thickness.
The tolerance of the Laser Portable is much better than the Handheld. The readings are within +/- 1% to levels as low as 1%. The accuracy does not decrease with lower gas levels as does the Handheld.