Labkotec is a Finnish manufacturer of measurement and alarm equipment whose separator alarms are among the most widely specified devices for monitoring oil, grease and sludge in separators. Vesmaco supplies Labkotec alarm systems to designers, contractors and operators in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, and matches them with the separators and tanks we build in Tallinn.
Labkotec: Finnish measurement know-how since 1964
The company was established in 1964 by Aate A. Virtanen, and its name goes back to the words “laboratory equipment”. Over the following decades it moved into industrial level measurement and developed alarm devices for oil separators. In 1998 it launched the LabkoNet remote monitoring system, and since 2007 it has been part of the Swedish Indutrade Group.
Headquarters and production are in Pirkkala, Finland, with sister companies in Sweden and Germany. Besides separator alarms, the export range covers level switches and level measurement for liquids and solids, leakage monitoring, ice detection systems and the LabkoNet cloud service. Full product information is available on the official Labkotec website.
Labkotec alarm devices for oil separators
The European separator standard EN 858-1 and EN 858-2 requires oil separators to be fitted with alarms, and this requirement also forms part of the basis for the CE marking of the separator itself. Labkotec builds its oil separator alarms around a common digital platform: a control unit plus one to three sensors, chosen according to what has to be monitored.
The current range includes several control units for different sites and power situations:
- idSET-34 – a new-generation, wall-mounted 230 V AC unit with clear LED status indicators and four relay outputs, one per sensor plus one for faults.
- idSET-32M – a wall-mounted unit with an integrated display, local configuration over WLAN through a browser-based interface, alarm logging and an internal modem. It is offered for 100–240 V AC mains or as a 12 V DC battery version.
- idSET-OTM – a unit for continuous measurement of oil layer thickness in the range 0–400 mm, with a four-line backlit LCD display.
- idOil-30 – a wall-mounted unit for mains or battery operation with two fully configurable relays.
- idOil-D30 – a compact version for mounting on a DIN rail inside an existing control cabinet.
All of these units accept up to three idSET and idOil sensors. Sensors are connected polarity-free, recognised automatically and taken into use with a single push-button commissioning step. This shortens installation time and reduces cabling work on site.
Sensors for liquid level, oil and sludge
Three sensor functions cover the typical monitoring tasks in an oil separator. The idOil-LIQ sensor alarms when the liquid level rises too high, for example because the outlet is blocked. The idOil-OIL sensor detects when the oil storage volume of the separator is full. The idSET-SLU sensor watches the sludge layer at the bottom and alarms when it reaches its maximum height.
For sites that want measurement rather than a single alarm point, the idSET-OTM sensor delivers real-time oil layer thickness. Ready packages simplify ordering: the idSET-34 LOS set combines the control unit with level, oil and sludge sensors, a cable connector and mounting kits, while the idSET-OTM LTS set does the same around the oil thickness sensor.
Off-grid models. Many separators sit in places with no mains supply, such as parking areas or roadside sites. For these locations Labkotec offers idOil Solar, a solar-powered alarm with a beacon light, and idSET Solar, which includes an internal modem for remote notifications and can also be supplied with a beacon. Both are built around the idSET-32M or idOil-30 control unit.
Grease separator alarms from Labkotec
Grease separators in kitchens and food processing need a different approach, because the grease layer floats on the water surface and builds up over time. The GA-1 alarm uses a GA-SG1 sensor to indicate when the grease layer has grown thick enough that the separator must be emptied. The GA-2 adds a GA-HLL1 high liquid level sensor, so blockages and overflow risk are detected as well.
The newer GA-1M and GA-2M are battery powered and send their alarms through the LabkoNet cloud service, which makes them practical where no power or wiring is available near the separator. Note that the GA family is not ATEX approved and is therefore intended only for grease separators, never for oil separators. For oil separators, Labkotec also offers the OMS-1 alarm device, which indicates when emptying is due.
LabkoNet remote monitoring
LabkoNet is a cloud-based service for collecting, visualising and transferring measurement data. It runs in a web browser, with a mobile-friendly interface, so no local software is needed. Many measurement points can be managed from one account, and the number of users is not limited.
Data is transferred by Labcom communication units, most of which use a GSM modem; the SIM data connection is included in the service fee. Mains-powered units stay online continuously, while battery-powered units wake up on a schedule, measure and send. The Labcom 442 also has two relays for remote control of devices such as pumps or valves. Several idSET devices are “LabkoNet Connected” and link to the service automatically during commissioning.
With the oil thickness data from idSET-OTM, operators can plan emptying based on the actual condition of the separator instead of a fixed calendar, which avoids unnecessary service visits.
Applications, standards and approvals
Labkotec lists the following as the most common sites for its oil separator alarms:
- petrol stations and fuel terminals
- garages and car washes
- airports, motorways and parking lots
- oil terminals and industrial yards
Grease separator alarms are used in restaurants, commercial kitchens and the food industry. In practice, a Labkotec alarm belongs in the same design package as the separator itself, whether the system treats surface runoff from paved areas or wastewater from a kitchen. Read more about our grease separators and stormwater treatment solutions.
Separators collect flammable liquids, so the sensors inside them must be safe in explosive atmospheres. Labkotec oil separator alarms carry ATEX approval under directive 2014/34/EU as well as IECEx and UKEX certification. The control units are classified II (1) G [Ex ia Ga] IIB, which means the intrinsically safe sensor circuits may be installed in zone 0.
The devices are designed for fail-safe operation and support the EN 858-1&2 requirement for alarms in oil separators. Further features on the idSET-32M include a downloadable time-stamped log of alarms, resets, power breaks and maintenance events, a free-text service diary, an adjustable alarm delay per sensor and an optional alarm repeat after 24 hours if the cause has not been removed. Technical data for each model is collected in the Labkotec separator alarms brochure (PDF).
Why buy Labkotec through Vesmaco in the Baltics
Vesmaco has designed and manufactured GRP tanks and separators in Tallinn since 2000, so we see the alarm question from the separator side. That helps when choosing the right Labkotec configuration for a given project:
- Technical selection – we match control unit, sensors and power option to the separator type, its size and the conditions on site.
- Design support – we help designers specify alarms that meet EN 858 requirements and fit the project drawings.
- Complete deliveries – alarms can be supplied together with our separators, tanks and pumping stations, or separately for existing installations.
- Local contact – one supplier for Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, with communication in the regional languages.
Whether you are upgrading an older separator with remote monitoring or designing a new fuel station drainage system, we can help you put together a solution that is easy to install and maintain.
Send us the separator type, dimensions and site conditions, and we will propose a suitable alarm system and LabkoNet setup. Contact Vesmaco for technical selection, quotations and delivery to the Baltic states.
