Rank: Forum user 
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What's the difference, or are they the same?
I'm looking to purchase one, I have a very limited budget and would ask the forum for advice please. Under £100. I see the price varies dramatically between units and I can only find one with datalogging facilities within my budget. Does anyone have any personal experience using this? it is a CEM Sound Level Meter USB Datalogger - DT-8852.
I'm looking to undertake some spot checks i.e. measuring sound levels of the fire alarm in certain locations, e.g. cupboards, wcs.
I may also be looking at some of our production tasks, especially those in resident's houses where we may be drilling for short periods. Possibly some areas of the factory.
How would I best tackle measurements over say a working day without datalogging facilities on a meter.
We already have controls in place but these were set up by the previous incumbent; alas there is no data to show whether the controls are correct.
Lastly - not withstanding L108; does anyone know where I can get some good practical information from, books, net etc. SAadly I have no budget for a noise assessment course.
Thanks
Paul
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Paul, I suggest that they are all one of the same. I don’t have experience of that particular meter but if undertaking a noise assessment I would expect to use a type 2 meter and a calibrator. You can use the HSE noise calculator spread sheet, one of the many noise resources on their website. You would enter the leq level and the length of time of the exposure (if necessary for each different exposure) in order to get an idea of the lepd.
I went on a Bilsom course some years ago and found this invaluable in understanding the nature of noise, and carrying out, understanding and interpreting noise measurements and putting together a robust noise assessment that would stand up to reasonable scrutiny. Bilsom also used to provide some excellent free resources but they are sadly no more, I suspect they may now be part of another company (Dalloz?) but my search of the www doesn’t really reveal too much of any use to you.
At the risk of getting shot down but some, I do urge you to make sure that you fully understand what you are doing, before you embark too much further. I don’t really know in what direction to point you other than the HSE website, but perhaps Steven Karmy at SJK Scientifics (Hampshire) and to say that Colchester is home to a number of noise consultants
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Rank: Forum user
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If you have a smart phone such as an iphone then you can download a free app to measure dba as well as frequency. I use this instead of a metre and have proved that they are reasonably accurate...
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Rank: Super forum user 
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Very quickly - you will not get a device of decent quality for <£100.
Devices capable of of +/- calibration and weighting changes (A), (C) etc are available across the range but as with anything you get what you pay for.
Nothing wrong with them for doing snap shots but I would not use one for a site survey where the data was critical and +/- 1dB(A) was a big deal.
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Rank: Super forum user 
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http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l108.pdf
See page 87 - What instruments do I use to measure noise?
If you have a budget of less than £100 it's probably best to pay someone else to do it (Although this will cost more than £100)
Calibration often costs more than £100!
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Rank: Forum user
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Thank you very much for your comments.
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