Carbon Monoxide Alarm Bleeping

[Midnight]

Asking for a friend (Really) Just added two new carbon monoxide alarms and both started bleeping. Nothing on except the battery charger and fridge (240v) nobody so the boat fire's out. Took the alarms outside and they stop take them back in and bleep, bleep.

 

Can't figure out what's the cause - any ideas?

[Higgs]

1 minute ago, Midnight said:

Asking for a friend (Really) Just added two new carbon monoxide alarms and both started bleeping. Nothing on except the battery charger and fridge (240v) nobody so the boat fire's out. Took the alarms outside and they stop take them back in and bleep, bleep.

 

Can't figure out what's the cause - any ideas?

 

Take one closer to the batteries, and see if it goes mad. Best if at least one has a readout screen.

 

 

Edited December 16, 2021 by Higgs

[Midnight]

30 minutes ago, Higgs said:

 

Take one closer to the batteries, and see if it goes mad. Best if at least one has a readout screen.

 

 

Thanks I'll tell him to try that. Can't think what else it could be

 

[nbfiresprite]

Some aerosol cans when used can set off the alarms due to the propellant (CO2) used.

Edited December 16, 2021 by nbfiresprite

[Alan de Enfield]

Mine went off due to the barreries having an internal short.

 

Long story short - middle of the night beeping, eventually investigated and battery so hot couldn't tough it, it was shaped like a Rugby ball and I reckon another few minutes and it would have exploded scattering acid and plastic all over the engine room.

 

Keep an eye on the water levels in each battery.

Keep feeling the battery temperatures

 

And - you should get an early warning.

[Jen-in-Wellies]

CO alarms are sensitive to Hydrogen being evolved from batteries, either being charged hard, or overheating. Also check any boats moored nearby. Is there a generator going, or smokey stove flue blowing towards "your friends" boat?

Jen

[Tony Brooks]

I think they will react to Hydrogen sulphide that is produced when cells run dry or short internally.

[Chewbacka]

I think they are sensitive to fuel gasses, and being typically mounted high up react to CO and Hydrogen, lpg being heavy tends to stay low down below the alarm and you smell it and fix the leak.

[MtB]

2 hours ago, Midnight said:

Can't figure out what's the cause - any ideas?

 

Now lemme think. A carbon monoxide detector, making a beeping noise. 

 

Nope, sorry. No idea!

[Tracy D'arth]

39 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

I think they will react to Hydrogen sulphide that is produced when cells run dry or short internally.

Indeed they do.  Hydrogen sulfide stinks like eggs and is TOXIC.  Check where it is coming from, do not sleep in the boat until you have sored this out.

[Midnight]

2 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Mine went off due to the barreries having an internal short.

 

Long story short - middle of the night beeping, eventually investigated and battery so hot couldn't tough it, it was shaped like a Rugby ball and I reckon another few minutes and it would have exploded scattering acid and plastic all over the engine room.

 

Keep an eye on the water levels in each battery.

Keep feeling the battery temperatures

 

And - you should get an early warning.

 

That's my thoughts but he won't be down until tomorrow to check.

 

1 hour ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

CO alarms are sensitive to Hydrogen being evolved from batteries, either being charged hard, or overheating. Also check any boats moored nearby. Is there a generator going, or smokey stove flue blowing towards "your friends" boat?

Jen

 

He just added the alarms after a survey last Monday. Its at the Club no boats near are occupied.

 

 

58 minutes ago, MtB said:

 

Now lemme think. A carbon monoxide detector, making a beeping noise. 

 

Nope, sorry. No idea!

 

Never mind I'm sure it will come to you in the fullness of time. Let me know when it does.

 

 

57 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Indeed they do.  Hydrogen sulfide stinks like eggs and is TOXIC.  Check where it is coming from, do not sleep in the boat until you have sored this out.

 

There's no smell reported, but it's got to be something to do with the batteries.  Watch this space!

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Midnight said:

That's my thoughts but he won't be down until tomorrow to check.

 

1 hour ago, Midnight said:

There's no smell reported, but it's got to be something to do with the batteries.  Watch this space!

 

 

I'd suggest that you disconnect any mains supply / switch off any battery charger.

 

If you can get on board, have a feel around each battery - is there any heat in any of them ?

Have a good look at the shape of the batteries - are the ends bowed/blown outwards ?

 

There was absolutely no smell with mine - until I actually went into the 'underfloor engine room space' and, as I opened the hatch, the fumes hit me in the back of my throat then my eyes began to sting. As I tried to disconnect the battery link-cables my throat started to 'seriously burn' and I was choking ............... STILL NO SMELL ! and the "alarm was going wild"

[magnetman]

I binned my CO monitors as the bleeping was giving me a terrible headache. 

[Jen-in-Wellies]

34 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

There was absolutely no smell with mine - until I actually went into the 'underfloor engine room space' and, as I opened the hatch, the fumes hit me in the back of my throat then my eyes began to sting. As I tried to disconnect the battery link-cables my throat started to 'seriously burn' and I was choking ............... STILL NO SMELL ! and the "alarm was going wild"

Hydrogen Sulphide disables your sense of smell in higher concentrations. No rotten eggs, but still doing damage. Nasty stuff.

[Machpoint005]

Beat me to it, Jen.

We were told on North Sea installations where sour gas was present to be especially aware of this.

 

H2S kills - and it starts by killing your sense of smell.

[TheBiscuits]

25 minutes ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

Hydrogen Sulphide disables your sense of smell in higher concentrations. No rotten eggs, but still doing damage. Nasty stuff.

 

Anything that turns into sulphuric acid in your lungs has only positive health benefits, Shirley ...

[Jen-in-Wellies]

8 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

Anything that turns into sulphuric acid in your lungs has only positive health benefits, Shirley ...

Burns away all the tar in your lungs from the smoking. Clears your sinuses a treat. 😀

[Midnight]

13 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

I'd suggest that you disconnect any mains supply / switch off any battery charger.

 

If you can get on board, have a feel around each battery - is there any heat in any of them ?

Have a good look at the shape of the batteries - are the ends bowed/blown outwards ?

 

There was absolutely no smell with mine - until I actually went into the 'underfloor engine room space' and, as I opened the hatch, the fumes hit me in the back of my throat then my eyes began to sting. As I tried to disconnect the battery link-cables my throat started to 'seriously burn' and I was choking ............... STILL NO SMELL ! and the "alarm was going wild"

 

I rang him last night after looking at all the answers above. He's going to check the batteries today and let me know. He did say he had trouble with his starter battery recently so my money is on your diagnosis being correct.

[Mad Harold]

Fitted a small (10W) trickle charge solar panel,and the advice I got suggested it didn't need a solar controller as it would only keep pace with the natural discharge rate of the battery.

This advice proved wrong,as one day visiting the boat the carbon monoxide alarm was going off.

The battery was grossly overcharged the multimeter gave a reading of 16.4 V,and had been gassing setting off the alarm.

Fitted a cheapie solar controller,and no further problems.

[Naughty Cal]

1 hour ago, Midnight said:

 

I rang him last night after looking at all the answers above. He's going to check the batteries today and let me know. He did say he had trouble with his starter battery recently so my money is on your diagnosis being correct.

I would put my money on it being the batteries, or more likely one of the batteries as well.

[dmr]

I believed that CO alarms are also sensitive to H2S. I note that my CO alarm always detects a bit of something when I equalise the batteries but I have never smelled any H2S so maybe it is the hydrogen that they detect?

[Laurie Booth]

21 hours ago, Midnight said:

Asking for a friend (Really) Just added two new carbon monoxide alarms and both started bleeping. Nothing on except the battery charger and fridge (240v) nobody so the boat fire's out. Took the alarms outside and they stop take them back in and bleep, bleep.

 

Can't figure out what's the cause - any ideas?

Take the batteries out 

 

[MtB]

58 minutes ago, Laurie Booth said:

Take the batteries out 

 

 

Or just as good, keep them outside.