Last month, we manufactured the first batch of SFA-1 sensors, which are based on the Swiss SFA30 and have quite good performance (at least according to the manufacturer). The most attractive feature is its resistance to ethanol interference, which means that spraying perfumes and other substances will not cause the readings to become confused or “poisoned.”
We have optimized the firmware, adjusted some display parameters, and included a card for easy viewing of 24-hour formaldehyde levels.
I think this could be an interesting sensor, but the first batch we manufactured has not yet been received. Currently, only we are testing it. We welcome you to join us, and we plan to manufacture more. This question might be interesting: what's the use of measuring formaldehyde? We find it hard to answer, much like our carbon dioxide sensor—some people find it interesting (e.g., carbon dioxide indicates indoor air freshness), while others see no use for it (we can always breathe).Regarding formaldehyde, the general consensus is that it is absolutely harmful when levels are elevated. New furniture (especially wooden items) or paint can increase formaldehyde levels indoors. Opening windows to ventilate can help dissipate it (though it will continue to evaporate slowly from the original source). Families with children or pregnant women may find it more useful. We believe every sensor is worth exploring, and this expensive Swiss sensor is no exception. We made it, and we hope to continue exploring it.
In summary, based on our tests, indoor formaldehyde levels seem to be quite good.
We spent a significant amount of time on the casing design, aiming for simplicity—extreme simplicity, with no screws and no unnecessary components. We sought to minimize temperature interference from the ESP32-C3 by designing a shielding plate (though some influence remains), using the best 3D printing quality we could achieve. We struggled to maintain a 0.1mm tolerance, and the final result looks promising.We really like this enclosure and hope you do too.
As always, we will document the development process on our website:
