Very odd problem with $this->db->set

[eluser]blasto333[/eluser]
I am having a really really odd problem using the $this->db->set function. I am using the latest version of codeigniter. Here is the isolated code.

Code:

function save($item_data,$item_id=false)
{
    $this->db->set($item_data);
    
    if (!$item_id or !$this->exists($item_id))
    {
        return $this->db->insert('items');
    }
    
    $this->db->where('item_id', $item_id);
    return $this->db->update('items');        
}

var_dump of $this->ar_set in the CI_DB_Active_Record_Class

var_dump occurs JUST BEFORE

Code:

$sql = $this->_insert($this->_protect_identifiers($this->dbprefix.$table), array_keys($this->ar_set), array_values($this->ar_set));)

array(6) {

["`name`"]=>

string(41) "'Duracell AA Alkaline batteries - 4 pack'"

["`category`"]=>

string(13) "'Electronics'"

["`item_number`"]=>

string(14) "'041333015330'"

["`buy_price`"]=>

string(2) "''"

["`unit_price`"]=>

string(6) "'4.95'"

["`tax_percent`"]=>

string(3) "'8'"

}

Code:

function save($item_data,$item_id=false)
{
    
    if (!$item_id or !$this->exists($item_id))
    {
        return $this->db->insert('items',$item_data);
    }
    
    $this->db->where('item_id', $item_id);
    return $this->db->update('items',$item_data);        
}

var_dump of $this->ar_set in the CI_DB_Active_Record_Class

var_dump occurs JUST BEFORE

Code:

$sql = $this->_insert($this->_protect_identifiers($this->dbprefix.$table), array_keys($this->ar_set), array_values($this->ar_set));)

array(11) {

["`name`"]=>

string(41) "'Duracell AA Alkaline batteries - 4 pack'"

["`description`"]=>

string(41) "'Duracell AA Alkaline batteries - 4 pack'"

["`category`"]=>

string(13) "'Electronics'"

["`item_number`"]=>

string(14) "'041333015330'"

["`buy_price`"]=>

string(2) "''"

["`unit_price`"]=>

string(6) "'4.95'"

["`tax_percent`"]=>

string(3) "'8'"

["`sale_markdown_percent`"]=>

string(2) "''"

["`employee_markdown_percent`"]=>

string(2) "''"

["`quantity`"]=>

string(2) "''"

["`reorder_level`"]=>

string(2) "''"

}

THIS IS THE EXPECTED OUTPUT!! I AM NOT SURE WHAT IS HAPPENING THAT IS CAUSING FIELDS TO JUST DISAPPEAR
FROM $this->ar_set.