Can heat trigger the carbon monoxide alarm?

[Alan de Enfield]

17 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I understand that several boats are still failing for not having CO alarms

I guess its like just turning up for an MOT not having checked your washer bottle is full, the wipers and lights work and the tyres 'look' legal.

 

Some folk have no idea about preparation.

[Alan de Enfield]

12 minutes ago, WotEver said:

Which, I guess, proves the need for it to be mandatory. 

The problem is the widespread feeling that the BSS 'justification' is weak.

 

The BSS cannot mandate something because of a danger to the boat owner / occupants, they can only mandate against any action that can / will affect 'outside third parties'.

The argument for the introduction of CO alarms was that 'it could escape from the boat, and creep up on unsuspecting people walking down the towpath', or ' it could escape from the boat and creep down the tow path until it comes to another moored boat, where it could sneak in and affect unsuspecting boaters sat watching TV in their own boat'.

 

Now boats have an alarm installed those tow-path walkers will be forewarned.

 

 

Why do I need to be protected by a carbon monoxide alarm?

Appliances and engines on your own boat can cause CO, but you can and should take steps to stop that by having good installation, regular maintenance and using equipment as the manufacturer intended - prevention is always better than detection. 
But a boat crew has no means to control or prevent CO from external sources such as the exhaust fumes of adjacent craft and nearby equipment. The only protection from outside sources of CO is a warning alarm and this is the reason why the BSS has introduced the new requirements.
The presence of CO is a creeping danger that needs an immediate alert. People are at most risk when asleep as they may not become aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning until it’s too late.
 

 

 

 

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RYA - Ryal Yachting Association »News & Events »News » BSS requirements for carbon monoxide alarms approved

BSS requirements for carbon monoxide alarms approved

December 18, 2018

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Mandatory CO alarms on BSS boats to be introducd in April 2019

Following public consultation on proposed changes to the Boat Safety Scheme (BSS), the BSS Management Committee has decided that new BSS Requirements for carbon monoxide (CO) alarms on boats will be introduced from next April.

Strong support for the changes was demonstrated in the responses to the consultation with 84% in favour of introducing a requirement for suitable working carbon monoxide (CO) alarms.

All boats with accommodation spaces subject to the BSS will see mandatory checks introduced for suitable CO alarms in good condition and in appropriate locations. The requirements are designed to keep people on and around boats safe.

Stop the silent killer

As well as protection from neighbouring boats, the CO alarms are also expected to prevent death or injury to boat owners from their own boat engines or appliances.

The alarms will warn people in the area about immediately dangerous levels of CO. They can also alert craft occupants to moderate levels of CO, which can be a long-term threat to health if left undetected.

BSS Manager, Graham Watts says: “We want to thank all the contributors to the consultation. Your comments and views have been exceptionally valuable and have caused us to reflect a little longer before publishing the checks in order to ensure that the wording is entirely clear. The BSS will be publishing the new checks in detail in January/February 2019 on its website.

Edited May 31, 2020 by Alan de Enfield

[cuthound]

22 hours ago, Mad Harold said:

It's a Honeywell a few months old and gives a double "beep" every five seconds or so.

 

No battery charger,however there is a small (10 watt) solar panel fitted with no controller and wired direct to the battery.

I have been told that being only 10 watt a controller wasn't necessary.

I did check the battery and it's voltage and with the solar panel connected I got a reading of 16.4 volts,and disconnecting the solar panel from the battery got a reading (after about an hour) of 13.6 volts.

Although the battery was cool to touch,it's possible I suppose that it may have been releasing gas.

Thank you both for you replies.

 

The good news is that you have successfully performed an equalising charge on your batteries, which will have equalised charge levels between each cell and reduced any sulphation.

 

The bad news is that you will have shortened their life because holding them at an elevated voltage corrodes the plates.

 

Edited May 31, 2020 by cuthound
To remove a duplicate post.

[Mad Harold]

2 hours ago, cuthound said:

 

The good news is that you have successfully performed an equalising charge on your batteries, which will have equalised charge levels between each cell and reduced any sulphation.

 

The bad news is that you will have shortened their life because holding them at an elevated voltage corrodes the plates.

 

Checked the battery today,and the voltmeter read 12.8V after reading 13.4V about twenty hours ago.

Putting the meter onto the solar panel conections it read 19.4 volts with the full sun on it dropping to 13 volts when a bit of cloud obscured the sun.

Rather than fitting a charge controller I have fitted crocodile clips to the solar panel wires,and will only clip them onto the battery when I am aboard.

Not being tight fisted about buying a charge controller,but I would worry when I wasn't aboard about the thing working as advertised.As I have learned (thanks to CWF) an overcharged battery as well as giving off gas,is also a fire risk.

If anyone thinks 19.4 volts is too much to put into a 12V battery,I will simply remove the solar panel and charge the battery with the engine or take the battery home to charge it.

[ditchcrawler]

1 minute ago, Mad Harold said:

Checked the battery today,and the voltmeter read 12.8V after reading 13.4V about twenty hours ago.

Putting the meter onto the solar panel conections it read 19.4 volts with the full sun on it dropping to 13 volts when a bit of cloud obscured the sun.

Rather than fitting a charge controller I have fitted crocodile clips to the solar panel wires,and will only clip them onto the battery when I am aboard.

Not being tight fisted about buying a charge controller,but I would worry when I wasn't aboard about the thing working as advertised.As I have learned (thanks to CWF) an overcharged battery as well as giving off gas,is also a fire risk.

If anyone thinks 19.4 volts is too much to put into a 12V battery,I will simply remove the solar panel and charge the battery with the engine or take the battery home to charge it.

Its the voltage on the solar panel  when it IS connected to the battery you need to watch not the open circuit voltage. More people forget to switch things off than controllers failing. If its not connected when you are not there how will it maintain your batteries

[Mad Harold]

16 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Its the voltage on the solar panel  when it IS connected to the battery you need to watch not the open circuit voltage. More people forget to switch things off than controllers failing. If its not connected when you are not there how will it maintain your batteries

It obviously won't maintain when I am not aboard.But I am thinking more of safety as originally I said that my CO detector was going off when I visited my boat yesterday due to the battery gassing through overcharging.

I did check the battery voltage with the solar panel connected and got a reading of 12.8 volts and the 19.4 volt reading was obtained by putting the multimeter on the solar panel connections.

Thanks for your input.