Alcohol Gas Sensor

（Model：MQ303B）

Manual

Version: 1.3
Valid from: 2014-05-01

Zhengzhou Winsen Electronics Technology Co., Ltd

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Zhengzhou Winsen Electronics Technology CO., LTD

 Zhengzhou Winsen Electronics Technology Co.,Ltd www.winsen-sensor.com

MQ303B Semiconductor Sensor for Alcohol Gas

Profile
Sensitive material of MQ303B gas sensor is semiconductor material
which is with lower conductivity in clean air. When the target alcohol
gas exists, the sensor’s conductivity gets higher along with the gas
concentration rising. Users can convert the change of conductivity to
correspond output signal of gas concentration through a simple circuit.
Features
High sensitivity, quick response and resume, long lifespan, low power
consumption, low cost, small sizes.
Main Applications
It has high sensitivity to alcohol and quick response and resume, widely used in portable alcohol gas detector.
Technical Parameters Stable.1

Model MQ303B
Sensor Type Semiconductor
Standard Encapsulation Metal
Target Gas Alcohol gas

Detection range 20~ 500ppm alcohol

Loop Voltage VH 0.9V±0.1V AC or DC

Heater Voltage Vc ≤6V DC
Load Resistance RL Adjustable
Standard Circuit
Heater
Conditions RH 4.0Ω±0.5Ω（room temp.）
Resistance
Heater
PH ≤140mW
consumption
resistance of 1KΩ～400KΩ(in air)
sensitive R0
Sensor
material
character under
R0(in air)/Rs(in 125ppm
standard test Sensitivity S
C2H5OH)≥3
conditions
Concentration
α ≤0.6(R300ppm/R50ppm C2H5OH)
Slope
20℃±2℃
Tem. Humidity
55%±5%RH
Standard test
Vc:3.0V±0.1V DC
conditions Standard test circuit
VH: 0.9V±0.1V DC
Preheat time Over 48 hours Fig1.Sensor Structure
Unit: mm

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 Zhengzhou Winsen Electronics Technology Co.,Ltd www.winsen-sensor.com

Basic Test Circuit

Fig2.Test Circuit
The change of alcohol concentration causes the change of sensitive material resistance, which lead to the
changes of voltage on the load resistance. Please use Vh, Vc and RL as the requests of above fig.
Before the normal detection, sensor should be applied 2.2±0.2V high voltage for 5-10 seconds , making the
sensor work with stability sooner.

Description of Sensor Characters

Alcohol

Air
CO

H2

Fig3.Typical Sensitivity Curve

Fig4.Typical temperature/humidity characteristics
The ordinate is resistance ratio of the sensor
The ordinate is resistance ratio of the sensor (Rs/Rso). Rs means
(Rs/R0), the abscissa is concentration of gases.
resistance of sensor in 125ppm alcohol under different tem. and
Rs means resistance in target gas with different
humidity. Rso means resistance of the sensor in 125ppm alcohol
concentration, R0 means resistance of sensor in
under 20℃/55%RH.
clean air.

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 Fig5.Sensitity Curve Fig6.Responce and Resume
Fig5 shows the VRL in alcohol with different concentration. Fig5 shows the changing of VRL in the process of
The resistance load RL is 4.7 KΩ and the test is finished in putting the sensor into target gas and removing it
standard test conditions. out.

Fig7.long-term Stability

Cautions
1 .Following conditions must be prohibited
1.1 Exposed to organic silicon steam
Sensing material will lose sensitivity and never recover if the sensor absorbs organic silicon steam.
Sensors must avoid exposing to silicon bond, fixature, silicon latex, putty or plastic contain silicon
environment.
1.2 High Corrosive gas
If the sensors are exposed to high concentration corrosive gas (such as H2S, SOX, Cl2, HCl etc.), it will
not only result in corrosion of sensors structure, also it cause sincere sensitivity attenuation.
1.3 Alkali, Alkali metals salt, halogen pollution
The sensors performance will be changed badly if sensors be sprayed polluted by alkali metals salt
especially brine, or be exposed to halogen such as fluorine.
1.4 Touch water

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 Sensitivity of the sensors will be reduced when spattered or dipped in water.

1.5 Freezing
Do avoid icing on sensor’s surface, otherwise sensing material will be broken and lost sensitivity.
1.6 Applied higher voltage
Applied voltage on sensor should not be higher than stipulated value, even if the sensor is not
physically damaged or broken, it causes down-line or heater damaged, and bring on sensors’ sensitivity
characteristic changed badly.
1.7 Voltage on wrong pins
Pin 1&3 is heating electrodes and the heating voltage should be 0.9V±0.1V DC, higher voltage may
destroy the sensor. Pin 2&1 or 2&3 should be supplied 3.0 ±0.1V DC testing voltage.
2 .Following conditions must be avoided
2.1 Water Condensation
Indoor conditions, slight water condensation will influence sensors’ performance lightly. However, if
water condensation on sensors surface and keep a certain period, sensors’ sensitive will be decreased.
2.2 Used in high gas concentration
No matter the sensor is electrified or not, if it is placed in high gas concentration for long time, sensors
characteristic will be affected. If lighter gas sprays the sensor, it will cause extremely damage.
2.3 Long time storage
The sensors resistance will drift reversibly if it’s stored for long time without electrify, this drift is
related with storage conditions. Sensors should be stored in airproof bag without volatile silicon
compound. For the sensors with long time storage but no electrify, they need long galvanical aging
time for stability before using. The suggested aging time as follow:
Stable2.
Storage Time Suggested aging time
Less than one month No less than 48 hours
1 ~ 6 months No less than 72 hours
More than six months No less than 168 hours

2.4 Long time exposed to adverse environment

No matter the sensors electrified or not, if exposed to adverse environment for long time, such as high
humidity, high temperature, or high pollution etc., it will influence the sensors’ performance badly.
2.5 Vibration
Continual vibration will result in sensors down-lead response then break. In transportation or
assembling line, pneumatic screwdriver/ultrasonic welding machine can lead this vibration.
2.6 Concussion
If sensors meet strong concussion, it may lead its lead wire disconnected.
2.7 Usage Conditions
2.7.1For sensor, handmade welding is optimal way. The welding conditions as follow:
 Soldering flux: Rosin soldering flux contains least chlorine
 homothermal soldering iron
 Temperature： 250℃
 Time：less than 3 seconds
2.7.2 If users choose wave-soldering, the following conditions should be obey:
 Soldering flux: Rosin soldering flux contains least chlorine

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  Speed: 1-2 Meter/ Minute
 Warm-up temperature：100±20℃
 Welding temperature：250±10℃
 One time pass wave crest welding machine

If disobey the above using terms, sensors sensitivity will be reduced.

Zhengzhou Winsen Electronics Technology Co., Ltd

Add: No.299, Jinsuo Road, National Hi-Tech Zone,
Zhengzhou 450001 China
Tel: +86-371-67169097/67169670
Fax: +86-371-60932988
E-mail: sales@winsensor.com
Website: www.winsen-sensor.com

TEL: +86-371-67169097 / 67169670 Email: sales@winsensor,com