Which CO Alarm?

[MunkeyBoy]

I have just bought a co2 alarm rated with the appropiate numbers only to find a little image on the back saying no suitable for boats!

Is there somewhere that sells a boat specific co2 alarm or anything else I need to take into consideration?

Where exactly should these alarms be placed in the boat?

Thanks.

[MuddyWater]

Would have thought a Chandlers would sell boat specific items. Not sure where to place them thou.

 

EDIT -

http://www.canalshoponline.co.uk/

http://www.midlandchandlers.co.uk/Catalogue/ProductList/detectors-alarms?catalogueLevelItemID=6c4ad6e3-9263-4344-a332-62fc96b4e0aa

http://www.echandlery.co.uk/narrow-boat-equipment-86-c.asp

Just a few i found

Edited March 19, 2014 by MuddyWater

[Guest]

Where to place a co alarm.

 

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe/carbon-monoxide-(co)/placing-co-alarms/

[p6rob]

This isn't meant as a rant or nitpicking pedantry, rather to help you find what you're looking for. IT'S A CO (CARBON MONOXIDE) ALARM NOT CO2 (CARBON DIOXIDE) Unless you're trying to put he fizz back into a soft drink.

 

Argos sell at least one carbon monoxide monitor that is usable on boats. Midland Chandlers definitely sell a boat friendly one too.

 

Have a look at the Kidde website to find a boat safe model http://www.kiddesafetyeurope.co.uk Argos, Midland Chandlers and, I think, Calcutt stock this brand.

Some people suggest getting two alarms of different model and preferably even a different make. The idea being if both alarms sound you've definitely got a problem.

Some CO alarms can display, amongst other things, the peak CO level, this could be useful to spot early signs of a problem. I've got a relatively cheap one, from Midland Chandlers. It's gone off a few times in the past, this was before I realised keeping the ash bucket inside the cabin was a bad idea.

 

I was going to get a fancy one with digital display to find out what the peak values were, however, since keeping the ash bucket outside, I haven't had an alarm, so keep spending any 'spare' money on more pressing boaty products.

 

Rob

[MunkeyBoy]

Many thanks for the info everyone much appriciated.

[trackman]

We have 2 CO alarms, both with digital displays, that came from B&Q. They work fine on our boat.

I'm off the boat for a short while so can't verify this, but iirc they are Fire Angel ones.

I find the display really helpful as it will tell you what has happened while you weren't there as well as giving the current info. So if something caused high CO and an alarm while nobody was on the boat, the highest CO level detected gets recorded for you to check on return. With a solid fuel stove going this can be a useful function.

 

Edited to confirm that they are indeed Fire Angel units.

Edited March 20, 2014 by trackman

[Speedwell]

I am intrigued as to what makes a CO alarm unsuitable for a boat.

Arthur

[Machpoint005]

Me too -- good question. Is there a special form of nautical carbon monoxide, perhaps?

(JOKING)

[BruceinSanity]

I am intrigued as to what makes a CO alarm unsuitable for a boat.

Arthur

High ambient humidity? Or maybe just no BSI standard so the manufacturer can't claim compliance.

[Guest]

BruceinSanity, on 20 Mar 2014 - 09:00 AM, said:

High ambient humidity? Or maybe just no BSI standard so the manufacturer can't claim compliance.

 

It is interesting because if you google about you will often see 'only fit a CO alarm suitable for use in a boat or caravan' and you will see a different BS standards for such alarms, what you can't elicit is exactly what is different.

 

Given it talks about boats and caravans together I suspect you are not that far away in making a link to ambient humidity.

 

I'd be interested in what the BSS bods have to say on the subject.

[Keeping Up]

A device which is specified as unsuitable for boats, covers the manufacturer's backside better.

[MunkeyBoy]

 

It is interesting because if you google about you will often see 'only fit a CO alarm suitable for use in a boat or caravan' and you will see a different BS standards for such alarms, what you can't elicit is exactly what is different.

 

Given it talks about boats and caravans together I suspect you are not that far away in making a link to ambient humidity.

 

I'd be interested in what the BSS bods have to say on the subject.

My thinking is that caravans and motorhomes have floor ventillation so the air movement is different but I may be way off the mark!

[Rob@BSSOffice]

High ambient humidity? Or maybe just no BSI standard so the manufacturer can't claim compliance.

Certainly higher levels of humidity, but other differences relevant for alarms between boats and buildings include

• vibrations
• wider temperature variations
• the likelihood of being knocked or jolted
• ambient chemicals such as salt (the standard includes boats used on the coast)

 

The latest international standard incorporates tests for these factors hence the small section at the end of the standard

 

The industry and BSS advice is to fit alarms approved as meeting BS EN 50291-2; these are best suited for boats.

 

Alarms with life-long batteries are available. However whether they are replaceable batteries of lithium, lifetime sort, you may find that batteries do not last as long as they might in the same circumstances in a building.

[Androo]

I have a CO2 alarm about a meter from the floor and approx 2 meters from the wood burning stove. I was always led to believe that CO2 was a heavy gas and for that reason it's not advisable to place the alarm high up on the wall?

 

Please, if I am wrong let me know. I just followed the alarm instructions.

 

Anyway, I always sleep with the bedroom/Bathroom windows open every night for ventilation.

[Guest]

I have a CO2 alarm about a meter from the floor and approx 2 meters from the wood burning stove. I was always led to believe that CO2 was a heavy gas and for that reason it's not advisable to place the alarm high up on the wall?

 

Please, if I am wrong let me know. I just followed the alarm instructions.

 

Anyway, I always sleep with the bedroom/Bathroom windows open every night for ventilation.

Please just read post three.

 

The Bss office just say fit in line with the manufacturers instructions and if you cannot follow them 'to the line' on a boat use their guide.

 

CO is not a 'heavy' gas. LPG however is.

[Grace and Favour]

I have a CO2 alarm about a meter from the floor and approx 2 meters from the wood burning stove. I was always led to believe that CO2 was a heavy gas and for that reason it's not advisable to place the alarm high up on the wall?

 

Please, if I am wrong let me know. I just followed the alarm instructions.

 

Anyway, I always sleep with the bedroom/Bathroom windows open every night for ventilation.

I assume you mean a CO alarm, and not a CO₂?

[Geoff Taylor]

Hi, The usual instructions for the location of the device is to position it away from sources of airflow and not too close to cookers and stoves. Personally,we have two installed in different places (cost is immaterial to a life saved).

It is important to check the expiry dates as not all sensors last forever. The ones we have are rated ok for 4 years and will flash a fault lamp soon after their time has expired.

[Ssscrudddy]

Mine also had a picture of a boat crossed out. I couldnt find out much info, but eventually I came across an American boat website.

It would seem the idea of a boat CO alarm, is that it measures the CO over a longer period of time. You could legitimately get a CO spike, eg another boat coming alongside with its engine going, leading to a spike in your CO levels, so a non boat alarm would go off whereas a boat 1 wouldnt, assuming those levels dropped again

[Speedwell]

I have a CO2 alarm about a meter from the floor and approx 2 meters from the wood burning stove. I was always led to believe that CO2 was a heavy gas and for that reason it's not advisable to place the alarm high up on the wall?

 

Please, if I am wrong let me know. I just followed the alarm instructions.

 

Anyway, I always sleep with the bedroom/Bathroom windows open every night for ventilation.

CO2 is indeed a heavy gas - same density as propane, but , as has been said, it's CO that is poison and that is about the same density as air.

[Bettie Boo]

I can contribute which CO alarm NOT to go with, and that's the one we have. The bloody thing has a habit of going off at least once a week (always around 3 AM) and stays bleeping for upwards of 45 minutes some nights; the problem with this is simply I don't trust it - on one occasion it sounded with a reading of 77 ppm and then the next night it goes off at 35 ppm, and the next time it goes will be another different reading.

 

I don't understand why it doesn't seem to have a standardized point of ppm that would trigger the alarm?

 

Another thing I don't understand is if we move it out to the cratch or outside (when it's not so late to wake our neighbors) and the alarm clears, we bring it back in and place it back in the corridor and it's quiet for the rest of the night??