carbon monoxide poisoning

[tglass]

Don't really know alot about the detectors. Carbon monoxide alarm. Have one that runs off batteries and hear there is one that runs off 120V with a battery backup. Anyone have one of these and if so how do you know when the batteries need replacing. And what about the cost other than the usual what what is your life worth salesman classic. If they exist, how are they priced?

 

[firedog]

I have two that are 120v (one has battery backup). Not really sure how long the batteries last since I change them when we reset the clocks. Cost is about $70 & up.

 

[brain55]

I tried to put a battery powered one in my trailer that I use as a mobile shop. It is too sensitive for my use, I have too many chemicals on hand. I think my solvent tank sets it off. I would really like to have one.

I did nearly kill myself about 8 years ago. I had my air compressor mounted inside the trailer and had the exhaust routed to the outside. Typically I ran it with the doors open, but it was cold, so I was running it with the doors closed. I thought I would be okay with the exhaust being ran outside. I didn't notice that the muffler had a crack in it. I started to feel light headed and went outside and sat down. I have no idea how long I was unconscience but when I came to, I realized that I had pissed myself at some point. I am lucky I went outside when I did.

Brian

 

[adjusterr]

Don't underestimate carbon monoxide, years ago, I would spend weekends on a boat on the Potomac River in Western MD. One Fall, the temp dropped considerably in the evening so I brought an almost burned out charcoal grill into the small cabin, and hit the bunk. I was found by a friend, on the river bank the next morning, about 50 yards from the boat. I don't recall ever being more sick. Be careful.

 

[magicheater]

Nasty stuff for sure, got a bit myself finishing a floor in a basement with a power trowel, had the windows open but wasn't enough. They are a common accessory for wood stoves as they choke the fire down and are more prone to it. I have had no problems with masonry stoves which burn full on until done but then still use only an 80% damper for the safety factor.

 

[Bird]

When we were full time RVers, both of the RVs we lived in had battery powered CO monitors in the bedroom. When the batteries needed changing, the monitor would start to chirp, which can be annoying in the middle of the night.:laughing: So I decided to just change them every 6 months before they started chirping.

 

[rekees4300]

Don't really know alot about the detectors. Carbon monoxide alarm. Have one that runs off batteries and hear there is one that runs off 120V with a battery backup. Anyone have one of these and if so how do you know when the batteries need replacing. And what about the cost other than the usual what what is your life worth salesman classic. If they exist, how are they priced?

A carbon monoxide alarm save my life. Few years ago the air intake/exhaust for the furnace was drifted shut by snow. The furnace repeatedly attempted to start and then would shut off. That caused carbon monoxide to build up indoors (not suppose to happen but did) setting the alarm off. Happened at night so without the alarm it's likely wife and myself would have been history! We have the First Alert 120V alarms that just plug into outlets (no battery backup). As I recall they were around $40/each and got them at Home Depot. Have one on each floor.

 

[F1520]

Wow, surprising to hear how many people have been saved by their CO detectors or nearly killed by CO!

I have a few Kidde Nighthawks:

Amazon.com: Kidde KN-COPP-3 Nighthawk Plug-In Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Battery Backup and Digital Display: Home Improvement: Reviews, Prices & more

I've had others of various brands, but many were too sensitive, would give false alarms, or had problems after a year or two. This one was highly recommended by a firefighter friend who says he has never found one to give a false alarm-- not in his home or on a call for CO detector activation. So these are what I use now.

They run on AC power but also have a replaceable 9v battery inside in case of a power outage.

 

[Sigarms]

Dumb question, if you've got no power, what's going to produce the CO?

 

[F1520]

Dumb question, if you've got no power, what's going to produce the CO?

Wood burning stove. A wood fire in the "coals" stage, as it might be during an damped-down overnight burn, produces the most CO.

The propane-fired stove/oven in the kitchen can produce CO also, and with no electricity, the exhaust fan would not be running.

 

[Bird]

Dumb question, if you've got no power, what's going to produce the CO?

Since the CO results from a fire or combustion of some kind, I'm sure that many homes now would not have a furnace going if the electric power is off. But if you have a wood burning stove or fireplace, or a gas burner not controlled by electricity, or as in our RVs, the furnace was controlled by electricity alright, but it was the 12 volt battery power. And of course internal combustion engines running, whether cars, lawnmowers, or others would generate CO without electric power being on.

Some years ago one of my aunts, living in a Dallas suburb, phoned her sister (another aunt) in Dallas, one Monday morning. The one in Dallas answered but the conversation made no sense, so the one in the suburbs, and her husband, drove into Dallas and found the aunt in Dallas, and her husband, barely conscious. They were sent to the hospital via ambulance and the fire department found some insulation had fallen over the vent for the gas furnace in the house. The aunt and uncle thought they had just taken a brief nap on Saturday and didn't realize they'd been out more than 48 hours. A slightly higher concentration of CO and they'd have both been dead.

Of course, I've personally had some experience with suicides by CO with car engines left running on purpose to produce the CO. I don't recommend suicide, but I do belief if a person were going to do it, that's got to be the best way I've seen.