Radon tester and asus ax3000 question

[lepa71]

Is it possible that AX3000 or any other newer routers are emitting something and triggering a radon tester?

I just got a refurb AX3000 from eBay. I set it up and it is working as it should. It replaced a AC68 in the same spot. Next to it, I have had an airthings radon detector for more than 2 years. My average Radon is 1.9 pCi/L but sometimes it could go up to 5 pCi/L. Since I have had a new router, my radon detector is jumping to 42ish and this morning it was 243. I highly doubt that it is right.

Any thoughts?

 

[ColinTaylor]

My guess would be EMR from the router interfering with the radon sensor (but I have no idea how the sensor works). Move the sensor away from the router.

 

[lepa71]

The question then is why the ac68 did not affect it. It is strange.

I changed the battery in the sensor and moved it away. The sensor was running on original batteries for 465 days. I'm not sure how long it suppose to last.

 

[rotareneg]

Not likely, but unfortunately not impossible: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radioactive_scrap_metal

Although, most of those contaminants wouldn't give off radon, "just" gamma rays.

I'd think RF interference would be the most likely cause though.

 

[lepa71]

I was thinking about radioactivity. I don't know where this unit came from. I did buy it from eBay. I'm not sure how to measure radioation.

 

[ColinTaylor]

I don't see how a radon gas detector could also measure radiation. Especially as "radiation" is just a generic term that could mean almost anything (radio, light, audio, etc.). My money would still be on EMI, not necessarily from the router but possibly from its power supply.

 

[lepa71]

The power supply is not close to the router. In your theory, ac68 should have been doing the same, wouldn't it?

 

[lepa71]

So I'm testing a theory. I moved the detector to another floor and put it next to the box that the router came with. I also changed the batteries in the detector.

 

[ColinTaylor]

In your theory, ac68 should have been doing the same, wouldn't it?

Not particularly. Two completely different physical designs. Different circuit board layouts, different shielding, different components, etc. It's not about the WiFi signals, its about all the other electromagnetic "noise" that all electronic devices create. Manufactures aren't going to spend extra money on their products screening out low levels of interference that they're not legally compelled to do.

 

[noah way]

Is there a way to test / calibrate the detector?

Have there been any other changes - construction, renovation, excavation in the area?

 

[follower]

Is it possible that AX3000 or any other newer routers are emitting something and triggering a radon tester?

I just got a refurb AX3000 from eBay. I set it up and it is working as it should. It replaced a AC68 in the same spot. Next to it, I have had an airthings radon detector for more than 2 years. My average Radon is 1.9 pCi/L but sometimes it could go up to 5 pCi/L. Since I have had a new router, my radon detector is jumping to 42ish and this morning it was 243. I highly doubt that it is right.

Any thoughts?

Is the detector near the bed?

 

[lepa71]

Is the detector near the bed?

No, but close to the bedroom.

 

[follower]

No, but close to the bedroom.

Can you check Radon value of the mattress with a detector?

 

[lepa71]

Can you check Radon value of the mattress with a detector?

Why? The whole reason I was asking is that I got a new router. This radon detector was working fine for more than 465 days. It was only acting up now. The value of 240 is really not realistic.