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CO alarms mounting height

Daiboy

By Daiboy
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The instructions on our alarm, translated from Chinese I suspect, were hard work to follow and the dimensions didn't work on the boat - not enough clearance between windows and ceiling. We did our best though - it's all you can do. Ours is head height opposite the stove. Top of my shopping list (and something we really must do particularly in light of another thread on the forum where a man and his dog died presumably of Carbon monoxide poisoning) is another alarm to place just above our bed at the back of the boat.

 

I actually don't think the height placement in such a confined space would make a life or death difference. Just my opinion which I'm sure someone will disagree with :)

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blackrose Veteran II

blackrose

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I'm losing the will to bloody live...

 

Anyway here goes.

 

http://www.boatsafet...cing-co-alarms/

 

 

Why the exasperation? It seems like a reasonable question for the OP to ask. huh.png

 

After 7 years on the forum I've learned that many topics come up again and again. That's just the way it is.

 

Anyway, I think there are various recommendations on the location of CO alarms which don't necessarily concur, so it is worth discussing. For example, according to Energy UK, the optimum location for the CO alarm is the ceiling, which seems to contradict the recommedations given in your link. However, whether it's different for spaces which typically have low ceilings such as boats I don't know.

 

http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/heating-water-and-electricity/guides/carbon-monoxide-detectors/

 

 

This guide doesn't specify either wall or ceiling mounting.

 

http://www.carbon-monoxide-survivor.com/co-detector-placement.html

Edited by blackrose
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Why is that? It seems like a reasonable question for the OP to ask. huh.png

 

After 7 years on the forum I've learned that many topics come up again and again. That's just the way it is.

 

Anyway, I think there are various recommendations on the location of CO alarms which don't necessarily concur, so it is worth discussing. For example, according to Energy UK, the optimum location for the CO alarm is the ceiling, which seems to contradict the recommedations given in your link. However, whether it's different for spaces which typically have low ceilings such as boats I don't know.

 

http://www.which.co.uk/home-and-garden/heating-water-and-electricity/guides/carbon-monoxide-detectors/

 

Because when ever somebody asks it what normally follows is a load of potentially misleading and dangerous information about where they should be sited. It's not an area that requires a great deal of discussion, the BSS advice is clear and your link for example does not appear to take account of the issues associated with fitting one in a boat.

 

The definitive and best (safest) answer is to follow the advice of the BSS office which I linked to.

Edited by The Dog House
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blackrose Veteran II

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Because when ever somebody asks it what normally follows is a load of potentially misleading and dangerous information about where they should be sited. It's not an area that requires a great deal of discussion, the BSS advice is clear and your link for example does not appear to take account of the issues associated with fitting one in a boat.

 

The definitive and best (safest) answer is to follow the advice of the BSS office which I linked to.

 

I disagree with you and I'd like to discuss it if that's ok. If you're not interested you don't need to participate.

 

I'm afraid that the BSS guide isn't the definitive guide - if it was then it would explain the particular issues associated with CO alarms on boats which you mention. I'm not convinced there is a difference. Plus you seem to forget that the BSS don't get everything right. If they did then surely CO alarms would be mandatory on boats in the first place!

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I disagree with you and I'd like to discuss it if that's ok. If you're not interested you don't need to participate.

 

I'm afraid that the BSS guide isn't the definitive guide - if it was then it would explain the particular issues associated with boats which you mention.

 

OK you discuss away Mike, if you or anybody else think they know better than the BSS office or the people that design and make these things then fairy nuff.

 

It is the definitive guide because it's the only authoritative source, unlike the links you posted which are of dubious authority when it comes to boats.

 

The BSS basically say - 'follow the manufacturers instructions where you can' and then gives 'best practice' advice about what to do if you find this difficult to do on a boat. I fail to see what is wrong with any of that.

 

Until somebody comes along with a device specifically for use on a boat with detailed specific associated fitting instructions it clearly remains the best advice. The blanket advice in your link to 'fit them on a celling' is basically wrong for the vast majority of CO alarms I have seen instructions for.

Edited by The Dog House
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blackrose Veteran II

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OK you discuss away Mike, if you or anybody else think they know better than the BSS office or the people that design and make these things then fairy nuff.

 

It is the definitive guide because it's the only authoritative source, unlike the links you posted which are of dubious authority.

 

The BSS basically say - 'follow the manufacturers instructions where you can' and then gives 'best practice' advice about what to do if you find this difficult to do on a boat. I fail to see what is wrong with any of that.

 

Until somebody comes along with a device specifically for use on a boat with detailed specific associated fitting instructions it clearly remains the best advice. The blanket advice in your link to 'fit them on a celling' is basically wrong for the vast majority of CO alarms I have seen instructions for.

 

It's not me who thinks I know better - it's simply that other guidance gives different recommendations. Despite what you say these do incude authoritative sources such as this HSE guidance which does not specify wall or ceiling mounting but instead recommends that manufacturer's guidelines for installation are followed.

 

http://www.hseni.gov.uk/co_detector_advice.pdf

 

I think you need to read my posts again. I didn't say there was anything wrong with the BSS guidance, I just said that it wasn't the definitive advice. Neither did I say that the advice recommended by Energy UK was definitive - but you're wrong to say it's incorrect. The vast majority of CO alarms I've seen certainly recommend ceiling mounting as one option.

 

In short, discussing this issue does not lead to people giving potentially misleading and dangerous information as you stated earlier. That's just nonsense!

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So what do the HSE advise when you cannot follow the instructions on a boat? anything/nothing?

That is what makes the BSS the definitive guide for boats because the generic guidance supplied by the likes of the HSE and Energy UK are primarily aimed at residential properties.

As to the vast majority of CO alarms requiring ceiling mounting then you have certainly seen a whole different range to me as nearly all the ones I have seen require wall mounting - often because you need to read an indicator light or increasingly commonly a digital display.

I disagree that discussing mounting instructions can lead to misleading and dangerous information because for example somebody might now go off and fit their alarm in line with Energy UK's advice believing it must be correct when in fact it may be entirely at odds with what the CO alarm fitting instructions say. I have seen some seriously dodgy advice as to fitting in previous 'discussions' on this subject.

Edited by The Dog House
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ditchcrawler Veteran II

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I only have one CO alarm, its mounted in the lounge/galley area near the exit to the sleeping quarters. I will not give exact dimensions or you will all start shouting.

 

Last night if I had had a second in the bedroom I am sure it would have gone off due to the fumes from the boat behind's stove chimney. I don't know if he made the fire up in the early hours or just a weather change but we felt the result.

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Loafer Veteran

Loafer

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My info says keep the CO monitor away from corners. That is, away from the cabin top/side corners, and away from bulkhead/side corners. Mine is at head height near my bed, and another similarly placed in other cabin. If it goes off, it throws me out of bed from noise shock and onto the floor, where I'd quickly get up and open the windows.

 

The only thing that ever set it off was a Cobb barbecue, which we threw into the cratch area, having not quite gone out. Both my alarms went off in the night. The BBQ, on inspection, had gone out by then, and some fresh air sorted it.

 

They are incredibly sensitive and well worth their expense!

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Geoff Taylor Collaborator

Geoff Taylor

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The instructions on the one I fitted recently stated wall fitting away from a strong source of ventilation (window opening) and between appliances capable of emitting CO, so we placed ours halfway between the gas cooker and solid fuel stove and most importantly bear in mind that most devices have a warning lable stating the date/year that they need replacing.

Our replacement was an exact model of the old one and has a life of 4 years,I kept the old one in service out of curiousity and after 6 months of its expiry date it started to flash the fault light.

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Daiboy Community Regular

Daiboy

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Sorry Blackrose and Doghouse to start a "conversation" between you pair. I have found the answer after reading the thread about the unfortunate Man and Dog death.

 

I should have realised that RTFM takes precedent but the link to the BSS site was actually quite informative.

 

Thanks to all for information and guidance (and the link to Amazon. A couple now on order.......

Daiboy

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Sorry Blackrose and Doghouse to start a "conversation" between you pair. I have found the answer after reading the thread about the unfortunate Man and Dog death.

 

I should have realised that RTFM takes precedent but the link to the BSS site was actually quite informative.

 

Thanks to all for information and guidance (and the link to Amazon. A couple now on order.......

Daiboy

 

You will find in practice that it will be quite difficult (if not impossible) to fit a CO alarm exactly as per the fitting instructions on your average boat hence the BSS link. Ours for example is a little nearer a CO generating appliance (oven) than I would ideally like but I had to compromise somewhere.

 

The other thing to think about, in a sleeping area in particular, is locating it so that the little flashing LED that says 'hey I'm working' is not in your line of sight when in bed or sat in your comfy chair watching TV. Not a problem during the day but in the pitch black in the dead of night it can be a right royal nuisance.

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

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You will find in practice that it will be quite difficult (if not impossible) to fit a CO alarm exactly as per the fitting instructions on your average boat hence the BSS link. Ours for example is a little nearer a CO generating appliance (oven) than I would ideally like but I had to compromise somewhere.

 

The other thing to think about, in a sleeping area in particular, is locating it so that the little flashing LED that says 'hey I'm working' is not in your line of sight when in bed or sat in your comfy chair watching TV. Not a problem during the day but in the pitch black in the dead of night it can be a right royal nuisance.

Little bit of black stick tape. I know you wont be able to see its working but when you are asleep you can't see it anyway.

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Little bit of black stick tape. I know you wont be able to see its working but when you are asleep you can't see it anyway.

Actually a little blob of blue tac might be better as you could remove and replace it more easily and just stick it to the outer case during the day.

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