EC Sense TB600B&C / Smart Digital Gas Detection Modules
Smart digital gas detection modules covering 19 gas types, 38 models and 108 order numbers. Built-in temperature and humidity sensing, UART and I²C interfaces, and factory calibration with standard gas — power it up and it works, with no secondary gas calibration. Built on German solid-polymer electrochemical technology with a -40 ℃ to +55 ℃ operating range and a lifetime beyond 3 years.
A bare cell outputs a nanoamp-level analog current. To turn that into a usable concentration reading you have to build your own amplifier, temperature compensation, ADC stage and calibration rig. The TB600B&C integrates all of it and hands you a digital concentration value instead.
| Aspect | Bare Sensor Cell | TB600B&C Smart Module |
|---|---|---|
| Output Signal | nA – µA analog | ppm + temperature + humidity, UART / I²C digital |
| Calibration | Build your own rig, gas calibration required | Factory-calibrated with standard gas, data stored in flash |
| External Circuitry | Custom amplifier, temp compensation, ADC, firmware | Integrated — just supply 3.3 – 5.5 V DC |
| Integration Effort | Weeks to months | Power up and read — days |
| Temp / RH Compensation | Implemented by you | Built-in sensors plus on-board algorithm |
| Best For | High-volume instrument makers with in-house calibration | Fast product launch, small-to-mid volume, battery & IoT devices |
Selection Guide
There is no universal gas detection module. Work through the five steps below and most projects narrow down to one or two models in ten minutes.
Decide what you are measuring, then what else is present on site. Background gases drive interference risk: if you are measuring VOCs in the presence of high CO or NO₂, metal-oxide approaches are largely ruled out. Our electrochemical modules optimise electrode chemistry and bias per target gas, and cross-sensitivity data is published in each datasheet.
The usual mistake is buying the widest range available. Wider range means coarser resolution. A practical rule: pick a range two to five times your alarm setpoint. For H₂S, where occupational limits sit around 10 ppm, choose 0 – 10 ppm or 0 – 100 ppm — not 0 – 5000 ppm.
Electrochemical, metal-oxide (MOS), PID and infrared (NDIR) each have hard boundaries — none covers everything. The table below compares them on resolution, speed, selectivity, power, lifetime, maintenance and price. VOC detection is where all four compete most directly.
For the same gas and range, the TB600B&C ships as a UART version and an I²C version — identical hardware, different interface firmware. Choose UART for a single module or active upload; choose I²C when several gases share one bus. See the interface comparison below.
Confirm the site stays within -40 ℃ to +55 ℃ and 15 – 95% RH (non-condensing), that supply voltage is between 3.3 and 5.5 V DC, and whether your project needs RoHS documentation. The full range is RoHS certified (No.A2230090158101001) with a 12-month warranty.
VOC detection is where selection goes wrong most often — a PID module typically costs several times an electrochemical one. The table below puts all four technologies side by side so you can judge where the money should go.
| Specification | EC Sense Solid-Polymer Electrochemical | MOS Metal-Oxide Semiconductor | PID Photoionisation | NDIR Infrared |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resolution | 0.01 ppm (10 ppb) and finer | 1 – 10 ppb (IAQ class) | < 1 ppb | Low ppb |
| Response Time | < 3 s (T90 < 80 s) | 15 – 30 s | 1 – 2 s | 1 – 10 min |
| Selectivity | High — optimised per target gas | Low — reports one total VOC figure | Broad, but blind to methane and some halogenated compounds | High, limited to IR-active gases |
| Power Draw | 12.5 mW @ 5 V (UART) | Higher — heated element | Medium to high | Medium to high |
| Service Lifetime | > 3 years | 3 – 5 years | 2 – 3 years (UV lamp 6 – 18 months) | 5 – 10 years |
| Maintenance | Factory calibrated — no re-calibration needed | Occasional recalibration | Monthly calibration plus lamp replacement | Infrequent recalibration |
| Typical Module Price | $50 – 150 | $20 – 80 | $200 – 600+ | Medium to high |
| Best Suited To | Industrial safety, leak detection, IAQ, battery-powered devices | Consumer-grade IAQ trend monitoring | Industrial hygiene surveys and HAZMAT response | Fixed online monitoring of a specific gas |
Price bands are public market references at module level; actual quotes vary with range, package and volume. The EC Sense column reflects this module's published specifications; the other columns are industry-typical ranges.
The two interface versions of the same gas share identical hardware — only firmware and order number differ. Picking the wrong one costs you an order-number change, not a model change. There is a single deciding question: does this module own its own communication line, or share a bus with others?
Best for: single-gas instruments, portable devices, and IoT nodes where the module pushes data on its own.
Best for: multi-gas instruments, several modules sharing one internal bus, and compact devices with tight wiring space.
When several modules share one I²C bus, confirm the address assignment scheme. Refer to the relevant datasheet for address definitions and electrical timing.
19 gas types across 38 models, from ppb-level detection up to 10,000 ppm and 5% VOL. Click any model to open its detail page and download the datasheet.
All 108 order numbers grouped by target gas. Use the filters below to narrow down by gas and Interface.
| Target Gas | Model | Range | Interface | Order No. | Datasheet |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen Sulfide | TB600B-H2S-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-H2S-10-01 | |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | TB600B-H2S-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-H2S-10-I2C-01 | |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | TB600B-H2S-2 | 0 – 2 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-H2S-2-01 | |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | TB600B-H2S-2 | 0 – 2 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-H2S-2-I2C-01 | |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | TB600C-H2S | 0 – 100 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-H2S-100-01 | |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | TB600C-H2S | 0 – 500 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-H2S-500-01 | |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | TB600C-H2S | 0 – 5000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-H2S-5000-01 | |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | TB600C-H2S | 0 – 100 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-H2S-100-I2C-01 | |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | TB600C-H2S | 0 – 500 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-H2S-500-I2C-01 | |
| Hydrogen Sulfide | TB600C-H2S | 0 – 5000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-H2S-5000-I2C-01 | |
| Hydrogen | TB600C-H2-1000 | 0 – 1000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-H2-1000-01 | |
| Hydrogen | TB600C-H2-1000 | 0 – 1000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-H2-1000-I2C-01 | |
| Hydrogen | TB600C-H2-5% | 0 – 5% | UART | 04-TB600C-H2-5%-01 | |
| Hydrogen | TB600C-H2-5% | 0 – 5% | I2C | 04-TB600C-H2-5%-I2C-01 | |
| Hydrogen | TB600C-H2-5000 | 0 – 5000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-H2-5000-01 | |
| Hydrogen | TB600C-H2-5000 | 0 – 5000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-H2-5000-I2C-01 | |
| Ozone | TB600B&C-O3 | 0 – 50 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-O3-50-01 | |
| Ozone | TB600B&C-O3 | 0 – 100 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-O3-100-01 | |
| Ozone | TB600B&C-O3 | 0 – 50 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-O3-50-I2C-01 | |
| Ozone | TB600B&C-O3 | 0 – 100 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-O3-100-I2C-01 | |
| Ozone | TB600B-O3-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-O3-5-01 | |
| Ozone | TB600B-O3-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-O3-5-I2C-01 | |
| Nitrogen Dioxide | TB600B&C-NO2 | 0 – 50 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-NO2-50-01 | |
| Nitrogen Dioxide | TB600B&C-NO2 | 0 – 100 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-NO2-100-01 | |
| Nitrogen Dioxide | TB600B&C-NO2 | 0 – 1000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-NO2-1000-01 | |
| Nitrogen Dioxide | TB600B&C-NO2 | 0 – 2000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-NO2-2000-01 | |
| Nitrogen Dioxide | TB600B&C-NO2 | 0 – 50 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-NO2-50-I2C-01 | |
| Nitrogen Dioxide | TB600B&C-NO2 | 0 – 100 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-NO2-100-I2C-01 | |
| Nitrogen Dioxide | TB600B&C-NO2 | 0 – 1000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-NO2-1000-I2C-01 | |
| Nitrogen Dioxide | TB600B&C-NO2 | 0 – 2000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-NO2-2000-I2C-01 | |
| Nitrogen Dioxide | TB600B-NO2-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-NO2-5-02 | |
| Nitrogen Dioxide | TB600B-NO2-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-NO2-5-I2C-02 | |
| Arsine | TB600B-AsH3-1 | 0 – 1 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-AsH3-1-01 | |
| Arsine | TB600B-AsH3-1 | 0 – 1 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-AsH3-1-I2C-01 | |
| Ethylene Oxide | TB600B-ETO-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-ETO-10-01 | |
| Ethylene Oxide | TB600B-ETO-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-ETO-10-I2C-01 | |
| Ethylene Oxide | TB600C-ETO | 0 – 200 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-ETO-200-01 | |
| Ethylene Oxide | TB600C-ETO | 0 – 1000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-ETO-1000-01 | |
| Ethylene Oxide | TB600C-ETO | 0 – 200 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-ETO-200-I2C-01 | |
| Ethylene Oxide | TB600C-ETO | 0 – 1000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-ETO-1000-I2C-01 | |
| Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) | TB600B-TVOC-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-TVOC-10-01 | |
| Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) | TB600B-TVOC-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-TVOC-10-I2C-01 | |
| Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) | TB600C-TVOC | 0 – 500 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-TVOC-500-01 | |
| Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) | TB600C-TVOC | 0 – 2000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-TVOC-2000-01 | |
| Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) | TB600C-TVOC | 0 – 500 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-TVOC-500-I2C-01 | |
| Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC) | TB600C-TVOC | 0 – 2000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-TVOC-2000-I2C-01 | |
| Phosphine | TB600B-PH3 | 0 – 20 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-PH3-20-01 | |
| Phosphine | TB600B-PH3 | 0 – 2000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-PH3-2000-01 | |
| Phosphine | TB600B-PH3 | 0 – 20 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-PH3-20-I2C-01 | |
| Phosphine | TB600B-PH3 | 0 – 2000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-PH3-2000-I2C-01 | |
| Carbon Monoxide | TB600B&C-CO | 0 – 100 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-CO-100-01 | |
| Carbon Monoxide | TB600B&C-CO | 0 – 500 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-CO-500-01 | |
| Carbon Monoxide | TB600B&C-CO | 0 – 1000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-CO-1000-01 | |
| Carbon Monoxide | TB600B&C-CO | 0 – 10000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-CO-10000-01 | |
| Carbon Monoxide | TB600B&C-CO | 0 – 100 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-CO-100-I2C-01 | |
| Carbon Monoxide | TB600B&C-CO | 0 – 500 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-CO-500-I2C-01 | |
| Carbon Monoxide | TB600B&C-CO | 0 – 1000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-CO-1000-I2C-01 | |
| Carbon Monoxide | TB600B&C-CO | 0 – 10000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-CO-10000-I2C-01 | |
| Carbon Monoxide | TB600B-CO-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-CO-10-01 | |
| Carbon Monoxide | TB600B-CO-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-CO-10-I2C-01 | |
| Carbon Monoxide | TB600C-CO-10000-SMOKE | 0 – 10000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-CO-10000-SMOKE-01 | |
| Carbon Monoxide | TB600C-CO-10000-SMOKE | 0 – 10000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-CO-10000-SMOKE-I2C-01 | |
| Smoke | TB600C-SMOKE-100 | 0 – 100 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-SMOKE-100-01 | |
| Smoke | TB600C-SMOKE-100 | 0 – 100 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-SMOKE-100-I2C-01 | |
| Sulfur Dioxide | TB600B&C-SO2 | 0 – 50 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-SO2-50-01 | |
| Sulfur Dioxide | TB600B&C-SO2 | 0 – 100 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-SO2-100-01 | |
| Sulfur Dioxide | TB600B&C-SO2 | 0 – 1000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-SO2-1000-01 | |
| Sulfur Dioxide | TB600B&C-SO2 | 0 – 2000 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-SO2-2000-01 | |
| Sulfur Dioxide | TB600B&C-SO2 | 0 – 50 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-SO2-50-I2C-01 | |
| Sulfur Dioxide | TB600B&C-SO2 | 0 – 100 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-SO2-100-I2C-01 | |
| Sulfur Dioxide | TB600B&C-SO2 | 0 – 1000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-SO2-1000-I2C-01 | |
| Sulfur Dioxide | TB600B&C-SO2 | 0 – 2000 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-SO2-2000-I2C-01 | |
| Sulfur Dioxide | TB600B-SO2-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-SO2-5-01 | |
| Sulfur Dioxide | TB600B-SO2-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-SO2-5-I2C-01 | |
| Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) | TB600B-IAQ-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-IAQ-10-01 | |
| Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) | TB600B-IAQ-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-IAQ-10-I2C-01 | |
| Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) | TB600B-IAQ-200 | 0 – 200 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-IAQ-200-01 | |
| Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) | TB600B-IAQ-200 | 0 – 200 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-IAQ-200-I2C-01 | |
| Chlorine | TB600B-Cl2-50 | 0 – 50 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-Cl2-50-01 | |
| Chlorine | TB600B-Cl2-50 | 0 – 50 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-Cl2-50-I2C-01 | |
| Chlorine | TB600B-Cl2-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-Cl2-5-01 | |
| Chlorine | TB600B-Cl2-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-Cl2-5-I2C-01 | |
| Methyl Mercaptan | TB600B-CH4S-100 | 0 – 100 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-CH4S-100-01 | |
| Methyl Mercaptan | TB600B-CH4S-100 | 0 – 100 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-CH4S-100-I2C-01 | |
| Methyl Mercaptan | TB600B-CH4S-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-CH4S-10-01 | |
| Methyl Mercaptan | TB600B-CH4S-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-CH4S-10-I2C-01 | |
| Formaldehyde | TB600B-HCHO-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-HCHO-5-01 | |
| Formaldehyde | TB600B-HCHO-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-HCHO-5-I2C-01 | |
| Formaldehyde | TB600B-WQ-HCHO-1-OS | 0 – 1 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-WQ-HCHO-1-OS-01 | |
| Formaldehyde | TB600B-WQ-HCHO-1-OS | 0 – 1 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-WQ-HCHO-1-I2C-OS-01 | |
| Formaldehyde | TB600C-HCHO-100 | 0 – 100 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-HCHO-100-01 | |
| Formaldehyde | TB600C-HCHO-100 | 0 – 100 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-HCHO-100-I2C-01 | |
| Odor Gas | TB600B-SMELL-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-SMELL-5-01 | |
| Odor Gas | TB600B-SMELL-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-SMELL-5-I2C-01 | |
| Odor Gas | TB600C-SMELL-500 | 0 – 500 ppm | UART | 04-TB600C-SMELL-500-01 | |
| Odor Gas | TB600C-SMELL-500 | 0 – 500 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600C-SMELL-500-I2C-01 | |
| Hydrogen Cyanide | TB600B-HCN-50 | 0 – 50 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-HCN-50-01 | |
| Hydrogen Cyanide | TB600B-HCN-50 | 0 – 50 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-HCN-50-I2C-01 | |
| Hydrogen Cyanide | TB600B-HCN-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-HCN-5-01 | |
| Hydrogen Cyanide | TB600B-HCN-5 | 0 – 5 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-HCN-5-I2C-01 | |
| Ammonia | TB600B-NH3-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-NH3-10-01 | |
| Ammonia | TB600B-NH3-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-NH3-10-I2C-01 | |
| Ammonia | TB600B-NH3 | 0 – 50 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-NH3-50-01 | |
| Ammonia | TB600B-NH3 | 0 – 100 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-NH3-100-01 | |
| Ammonia | TB600B-NH3 | 0 – 50 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-NH3-50-I2C-01 | |
| Ammonia | TB600B-NH3 | 0 – 100 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-NH3-100-I2C-01 | |
| Outdoor Air Quality (AQI) | TB600B-AQI-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | UART | 04-TB600B-AQI-10-01 | |
| Outdoor Air Quality (AQI) | TB600B-AQI-10 | 0 – 10 ppm | I2C | 04-TB600B-AQI-10-I2C-01 |
No. Every module is professionally calibrated with standard gas before shipment and the calibration data is stored in its on-board flash chip, so it outputs a usable concentration value as soon as it powers up — no secondary gas calibration. The calibration gas and cross-sensitivity data are listed in each model's datasheet.
The full range covers 19 gas types — CO, H₂S, H₂, NH₃, O₃, NO₂, SO₂, Cl₂, HCHO, HCN, PH₃, ETO, AsH₃, CH₄S, TVOC, odour gases, smoke, IAQ and AQI — across 38 models and 108 order numbers. Gases such as CO, H₂S, O₃, SO₂ and NO₂ are available in multiple ranges.
Under specific conditions, yes — but the boundary matters. If the gas profile is known, you need a total-VOC trend or threshold alarm, and cost and power matter, electrochemical is the better value: typically under a third of PID module cost, with no UV lamp to replace. But if you need broad-spectrum ppb-level scanning, compound identification, or you are measuring methane or halogenated VOCs that only a PID responds to, a PID remains irreplaceable. We will not oversell it — tell us your application and we will give you a straight answer.
Yes. The UART version draws 12.5 mW at 5 V in operation and 4 mW in sleep mode, and with a warm-up time measured in seconds it suits portable instruments and wireless sensor nodes. The I²C version draws slightly more — 23.5 mW active and 4.5 mW in sleep at 5 V.
Operating temperature is -40 ℃ to +55 ℃, humidity 15% – 95% RH (non-condensing), and pressure atmospheric ± 10%. The built-in temperature sensor covers -20 ℃ to +70 ℃ (± 0.2 ℃ typical) and the humidity sensor 0 – 100% RH (± 2% typical).
Every datasheet is downloadable from its product page on this site. For samples and volume pricing, send us the target gas, range, interface version and annual volume through the contact form or by email, and we will quote the matching order number with lead time.
Send us your target gas, range requirement and interface preference — we will match the order number and quote it. Datasheets for all 19 gas types are available to download now.
