Gas alarms

[homer2911]

What is the current thinking on lpg gas alarms? I have a Pilot fitted, but it is playing up. Is there an alternative, less sophisticated gas alarm that is reliable?

[journeyperson]

What is the current thinking on lpg gas alarms? I have a Pilot fitted, but it is playing up. Is there an alternative, less sophisticated gas alarm that is reliable?

 

I've got one of those £12 Lidl ones connected to my 12v supply. It went off when I tested it originally and it gives three little beeps whenever I turn on the boat electrics. It hasn't gone off otherwise, but I haven't had a gas leak either.

[Keeping Up]

IMHO they are so important that I wouldn't skimp on the quality. Only once have they saved my boat from blowing up, but that is often enough for me to think they should be a mandatory item on all boats.

 

Mine is a Seath-Haztec which is a similar price to the Pilot.

 

ETA: it may be worth talking to the manufacturer. Yours may merely need recalibrating, or perhaps a replacement sensor. When our sensor got overloaded by dog farts, Seath-Haztec replaced the sensor and recalibrated the unit free of charge.

Edited March 23, 2010 by Keeping Up

[Giggetty]

I've got one of those £12 Lidl ones connected to my 12v supply. It went off when I tested it originally and it gives three little beeps whenever I turn on the boat electrics. It hasn't gone off otherwise, but I haven't had a gas leak either.

 

I built one from a kit supplied by Conrad similar to this: gas alarm kit. It cost about £30. The instructions were all in German, however and they presupposed expertise with a minature soldering iron. I also had to box it up with an additionally purchased enclosure from Maplins. An interesting learning experience.

 

It runs off 12v and triggers before I can smell gas, so probably OK.

[WJM]

I would love to have a gas alarm (I love a good gadget) but they all seem to draw power from the boat supply. Are there any stand alone battery powered gas alarms?

[blackrose]

I would love to have a gas alarm (I love a good gadget) but they all seem to draw power from the boat supply. Are there any stand alone battery powered gas alarms?

 

Not that I know of. Maplins do a battery powered pen shaped gas detector, but it's not an in-situ alarm.

 

It would be nice to have a 9v battery powered gas alarm, like the CO or smoke alarms. Having said that 12v gas alarms generally only draw about 150-200 mA, but since they're on 24 hours a day the power draw does make a difference.

 

I think Practical Boat Owner magazine did a test of gas alarms a few years ago. If you google PBO test gas alarms you might find it. (I'm on my phone so it's a lot of work, sorry!)

Edited March 23, 2010 by blackrose

[WotEver]

I think Practical Boat Owner magazine did a test of gas alarms a few years ago. If you google PBO test gas alarms you might find it. (I'm on my phone so it's a lot of work, sorry!)

I've failed to find the article but I did find one quote from the article: "”If choosing an alarm on merit alone the Nereus WG1000 wins” "

 

Tony

[Keeping Up]

I've failed to find the article but I did find one quote from the article: "”If choosing an alarm on merit alone the Nereus WG1000 wins” "

 

Tony

I should hope it is good, at twice the price of the equivalent model from anybody else.

 

I found that, and the article, by googling "nereus wg100" - you can download the article for £6.95 so I don't exxpect it's available free anywhere.

[paulcatchpole]

Are there any stand alone battery powered gas alarms?

 

They don't tend to run off batteries 'cause they use a hot-wire detector which will works by getting lots hotter in the presence of gas burning off its surface, changing its resistance.

 

So a small heating current is used all the time it's running - not really a battery application.

 

PC

[jelunga]

I've got one of those £12 Lidl ones connected to my 12v supply. It went off when I tested it originally and it gives three little beeps whenever I turn on the boat electrics. It hasn't gone off otherwise, but I haven't had a gas leak either.

that is good to hear. I bought one of those as well, will be installing soon. I intend to test after eating lots of Baked beans and Chana bahjees. Will that be a good enough test?

 

K

[Grace and Favour]

We are now very close (indeed) to getting our wee boat - - - - - and I appreciate the logic of having gas alarms (**) - and cannot help but wonder how many boaters have them fitted - for I've seen precious few threads on them . .

 

 

(**) though I hope it doesn't mean I have to tone down my Lamb Vindaloos and Chili con Carne)

[journeyperson]

that is good to hear. I bought one of those as well, will be installing soon. I intend to test after eating lots of Baked beans and Chana bahjees. Will that be a good enough test?

 

K

 

Seal doors and windows first and allow your loved ones to be on the outside.

[journeyperson]

They don't tend to run off batteries 'cause they use a hot-wire detector which will works by getting lots hotter in the presence of gas burning off its surface, changing its resistance.

 

So a small heating current is used all the time it's running - not really a battery application.

 

PC

 

Do you have any idea what the power consumption is likely to be?

[blackrose]

I've failed to find the article but I did find one quote from the article: "”If choosing an alarm on merit alone the Nereus WG1000 wins” "

 

Tony

 

Here it is:

 

www.jeanneau-owners2.com/HTMLobj-4085/gas-alarms-on-test-0306.pdf

 

It's worth a read. Perhaps it could be pinned by one of the moderators for future reference?

 

Edit: Although the author says it's better to fit any of the alarms in the tests than none at all, some have disagreed with this statement on the basis that the sensors of some alarms (especially those which are moisture-sensitive), gradually deteriorate over time. If this degraded alarm function were to engender a false sense of security, then it could be argued that no alarm is better than one that doesn't work properly.

 

I think this all points to the conclusion that like any alarm, a gas alarm should never take the place of safe practice.

Edited March 24, 2010 by blackrose

[WJM]

"So a small heating current is used all the time it's running - not really a battery application"

 

 

You lost me there - if a small heating current is used, that current must come from somewhere - a battery perhaps?!

 

My question was; Is there a stand alone gas alarm available? ie: a single contained unit like a smoke or CO alarm, ie: one that does not require a feed from boat's 12v supply.

[blackrose]

"So a small heating current is used all the time it's running - not really a battery application"

 

 

You lost me there - if a small heating current is used, that current must come from somewhere - a battery perhaps?!

 

My question was; Is there a stand alone gas alarm available? ie: a single contained unit like a smoke or CO alarm, ie: one that does not require a feed from boat's 12v supply.

 

As I said, not that I know of. I was looking at gas alarms a couple of years ago, so unless one has come out since then the answer is no.

[WotEver]

"So a small heating current is used all the time it's running - not really a battery application"

 

 

You lost me there - if a small heating current is used, that current must come from somewhere - a battery perhaps?!

 

My question was; Is there a stand alone gas alarm available? ie: a single contained unit like a smoke or CO alarm, ie: one that does not require a feed from boat's 12v supply.

I think Paul meant that it was "not really a job for a small battery like a PP3". With an element being permanently heated it needs a nice big beefy supply such as you'd get from your boat batteries. Hence there aren't any self-contained ones.

 

Here it is:

 

www.jeanneau-owners2.com/HTMLobj-4085/gas-alarms-on-test-0306.pdf

Great find, Blackrose. Now saved to this pee-cee's hard drive.

 

T

[Theo]

"So a small heating current is used all the time it's running - not really a battery application"

 

 

You lost me there - if a small heating current is used, that current must come from somewhere - a battery perhaps?!

 

My question was; Is there a stand alone gas alarm available? ie: a single contained unit like a smoke or CO alarm, ie: one that does not require a feed from boat's 12v supply.

 

The point is that the current drawn is sufficiently high to flaten a battery in an unacceptable time.

 

N

 

Here it is:

 

www.jeanneau-owners2.com/HTMLobj-4085/gas-alarms-on-test-0306.pdf

 

It's worth a read. Perhaps it could be pinned by one of the moderators for future reference?

 

Edit: Although the author says it's better to fit any of the alarms in the tests than none at all, some have disagreed with this statement on the basis that the sensors of some alarms (especially those which are moisture-sensitive), gradually deteriorate over time. If this degraded alarm function were to engender a false sense of security, then it could be argued that no alarm is better than one that doesn't work properly.

 

I think this all points to the conclusion that like any alarm, a gas alarm should never take the place of safe practice.

 

I think that a pinning is a good thing but this will sit more comfartably in "Equipment". I will leave a link here, though.

 

N