CO alarm activation

[MtB]

 

The one I have just bought is I think the one recommended by the BSS for fitting on boats and has 3 dry cells in it.

Kidde 7DCO Carbon Monoxide Alarm Digital Display 10 Year Sensor and Warranty

 

 

 

http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/advice/fit_a_gas_alarm.aspx

 

 

Being recommended by BSS is not the same as complying with EN 50291 and having the British Standards' Kitemark.

Best not to confuse BS (British Standards) with BSS (Boat Safety Scheme)...

Even so, I get your point. Few if any EN 50291 CO alarms are recommended for boats.

[by'eck]

I had an LPG converted generator running outside in the open well deck, with the front doors firmly closed. After an hour or so the CO alarm went off. I cancelled the alarm and moved detector towards the back of the (60 foot) boat. After another twenty minutes it went off again. No wind was blowing and front doors remained closed. Surprised but pleased how sensitive they are.

[ditchcrawler]

 

 

http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/advice/fit_a_gas_alarm.aspx

 

 

Being recommended by BSS is not the same as complying with EN 50291 and having the British Standards' Kitemark.

Best not to confuse BS (British Standards) with BSS (Boat Safety Scheme)...

Even so, I get your point. Few if any EN 50291 CO alarms are recommended for boats.

I didn't know about the BS thing or even this one had dry cells until it arrived, I bought it because its recommended for boats and a (IMO) respected make of alarms.

[trackman]

Methane is in the same family of gases as the usual LPG gases, propane & butane. It therefore triggers LPG alarms.

 

Charging batteries produce hydrogen, when gassing they also give off hydrogen sulphide. This is the rotten egg smell, and it's toxic.

 

I've experienced gassing batteries on our boat setting off the LPG and CO alarms. It happened when our alternator controller began to fail and the charging voltage went way too high.

 

Whatever the cause, if batteries give off lots of hydrogen sulphide it's worth being alerted to it since as I say, it's poisonous!

 

I imagine hydrogen in large amounts might also set off alarms, but don't have direct experience of this.

[Emerald Fox]

CO alarms need to be renewed every 7 years I believe - the chemicals that make them work get old y'see.

Edited October 2, 2015 by Emerald Fox

[ditchcrawler]

CO alarms need to be renewed every 7 years I believe - the chemicals that make them work get old y'see.

Mine said 5 the new one is 10 years

[ditchcrawler]

 

 

BS-compliant CO monitors have sealed in batteries and a 'whole appliance' expiry date. The battery is designed to work well beyond the expiry date.

 

But I can't answer your question as I've never encountered one past it's expiry date yet!

I have just checked ant the one I bought with replaceable batteries is kite marked EN50291- 2010 and EN50291-2 2010 The second which gives approval for boats I believe. Also there is a list of detectors here that comply that have replaceable batteries.

[Sea Dog]

How does the CO detector know it's on a boat? Or, to put it another way, what's special about boaty ones or, to put it yet another way, what does the non-boaty one do/not do when it finds itself in a boat?

[cuthound]

It doesn't, but marine ones are designed to cope with the load temperatures, dampness and vibration often experienced in boats.

[Sea Dog]

Ah. So conditions likely to be found in the marine environment but not really appertaining to the average narrowboat then. So it would seem it's not really a no-no to fit a decent alarm / monitor without the appropriate boaty spec for practical reasons. Is there a rule it would be breaking?

[Rob@BSSOffice]

Ah. So conditions likely to be found in the marine environment but not really appertaining to the average narrowboat then. So it would seem it's not really a no-no to fit a decent alarm / monitor without the appropriate boaty spec for practical reasons. Is there a rule it would be breaking?

 

Even narrowboats have vibration; occaisional sudden jolts; wider temperature range that the average domestic house; and higher humidity than many houses. The alarms meeting the leisure accommodation vehicle/boat standards have undergone tests for the more rigorous standards.

 

We have published the list of alarms suitable for boats produced by the various members of CoGDEM - see the link on this page http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe/carbon-monoxide-%28co%29/co-alarms-save-lives/

[Sea Dog]

Sudden jolts? Surely not!

 

Thanks for the info and the link Rob!