Nearly a Very Long Doze

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On the basis that the more times these 'events' are shared, the more likely it is that boaters will fit and maintain their smoke and CO alarms, here is a salutary tale:

 

I awoke this morning to the usual Scottish sub-zero temperatures at around 7.00 and nipped down to the other end of the boat, to resurrect the coal stove in the boatman's cabin which I riddled, opening up the chimney damper and firebox air inlet.

 

The boat's gentle rocking, as I scooted back to my warm cosy bed under the tug deck, could be heard breaking the ice that had formed around the hull over night. I had promised myself a wee 15 minute doze before pulling on clothes, emptying the ash pan and shoveling a fresh charge of smokeless into the Epping.

 

About 10 minutes into my now dreaming state, the persistent, repeating three beeps of the CO alarm started to penetrate into my unconsciousness, demanding my attention - which I was only too willing to give it once my befuddled brain struggled into gear.

 

Now for the facts: The boat is about three months into its latest BSS; probably has twice as much ventilation as the regulations require + a lot of unwanted air ingress from poorly fitting hatches (all 6 of them!). The alarm is about 5 months old and once I'd dealt with the problem, it happily went back to sleep - so not a malfunction. I should add that none of this ventilation is blocked up and the offending stove is approximately 48ft from where I was dozing, close to the combined smoke and CO alarm. (Who says Ecofans don't shift air/fumes around a boat efficiently!?)

 

I guess the moral is clear. I've also made a pact with myself to remember to test it regularly and replace it after about 5 years - kinda cheap really when you consider what it's already achieved!

[trackman]

Very glad to hear this ended safely.

We've 3 CO alarms in our cabin. I don't trust just one to be reliable enough, plus we have a diesel stove up front and a solid fuel right at the other end in the back cabin.

I do have an issue with false alarms caused by battery charging fumes occasionally. Some research on line suggests this is due to hydrogen sulphide production. This gas can trigger both CO and LPG alarms, and certainly our LPG one usually goes off first, when the batteries are well charged.

I will tolerate the odd inconvenience like this, though, if it keeps us alive when there's a real problem.

Now to establish why the batteries are making fumes like this!

[FidoDido]

Hydrogen sulfide is a lot more toxic than carbon monoxide.. But it smells terrible so you should detect the tiniest amounts. Anyway, your alarm is doing a good job!

[Ange]

A reminder that we need to buy another one - thank you.

[Greedyheron]

My c02 alarm went off with my old batteries on charge- a few weeks later I came home to a cabin full of fumes and the batteries bubbling so much they were rocking side to side- the new ones are fine on the same charger. It may be time to check the batteries if they are setting off the alarms.

Upside down- glad it ended well for you, wouldn't be without my c02 alarm, absolute life savers

[keble]

And don't forget 'testing Tuesday' as suggested by Rob BSS on here.

I've started doing it (testing the alarms) but not every Tuesday I have to admit!

[tree]

Thank you for sharing, and glad that you are ok. On my boat I had 3 smoke alarms and 2 Co2 alarms, and shes only 38ft ... might be a bit over the top, but the only thing that I am scared of is fires. So IMO better be safe than sorry and this post is a good reminder to keep a check on these things. I will adopt the same regime when she is finished.

[ChimneyChain]

There's something about those Eppings I just don't trust. What with the ill fitting inspection door on the smoke box and if you have the damper shut down a bit on a windy night the smoke just seems to find its way out of the two plates on the top of fire.

 

Darren

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There's something about those Eppings I just don't trust. What with the ill fitting inspection door on the smoke box and if you have the damper shut down a bit on a windy night the smoke just seems to find its way out of the two plates on the top of fire.

 

Darren

You're spot on there Chimney Chain. The castings are all shamefully poor, the three top plates have distorted so that they don't sit flat and that "ill fitting inspection door" keeps wanting to fall out altogether. The last mentioned, in conjunction with the very cold and absolutely still air, was the culprit in this instance. If only I'd had the opportunity to inspect it on delivery ............

 

However, I do feel the need to point out that this stove has had a somewhat chequered career having been manufactured by a variety of companies over the past 15 years or so. This one dates from 1999 and the condition of the castings from new are shameful.

 

Brenmarl Engineering now own the patterns and sell these stoves I believe, and the quality of their brassware and the spares I have purchased for the stove demonstrate that they are only interested in quality engineering. It would be quite wrong for the stove, in its present incarnation, to be dismissed for any of the defects that I have experienced - dating from a time when the patterns were in less competent hands.

[Zayna]

I have missed something here... What set the alarm off?

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I have missed something here... What set the alarm off?

Fumes leaking from the ill fitting chimney inspection door.

 

As the chimney was cold and the air was very still there was minimum draw on the stove. As the almost dead fire began to glow and then re-ignite the gases from the few remaining partially burnt ovoids, the fumes initially found the easiest path out of the stove.

 

Without the aforementioned draught up the cold chimney this path was through the chimney door and around the poorly fitting top plates.

 

Usually the slightest draught up the chimney will overcome any leaks in the stove and the fumes go where they are intended. So, as is so often the case, it's a combination of factors co-inciding that generates the potential for a 'one-off' calamity.

[Zayna]

Thank you for that information.

 

We have 2 smoke and 2 carbon monoxide alarms on the boat and we do have good ventilation but you never ever know what's round the corner. Knowledge is power imho.

 

I've not 'fixed' my alarms up properly yet, they're sitting on shelves at the moment and one smoke alarm is on top of the wardrobe, another co2 alarm is gunwale height on a shelf... got to get them fixed up but they're all in working order and I'm just a little bit ocd about them to be honest.

 

Thanks again and glad you're ok.

[ChimneyChain]

I must admit me and my wife sleep in the back cabin and our CO Alarm went of about 3.00 in the morning once, all I could put it down to was the smoke box inspection door. As soon as, I cemented the door shut cause you don't really need it and so far so good touch wood.

 

Darren

[MaryP]

wouldn't be without my c02 alarm, absolute life savers

 

One saved my daughter's life in her student flat!

[Mike Todd]

I trust that those who claim to have a CO2 alarm rally have a CO alarm - otherwise they may be disappointed with their effectiveness!

[Zayna]

I trust that those who claim to have a CO2 alarm rally have a CO alarm - otherwise they may be disappointed with their effectiveness!

 

I was never very good at chemistry.

[Rod a mod from Tod]

I trust that those who claim to have a CO2 alarm rally have a CO alarm - otherwise they may be disappointed with their effectiveness!

 

 

I was never very good at chemistry.

 

Never mind. I bet you can spell really though.