CO Detector

Kushtaka · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 3:03 pm Post subject: CO Detector

I have two boats at work that are rigged with CO detectors straight to the battery. These draw enough amperage to be a hassle in this configuration. I see no reason why they need to be wired this way when we seldom use the heaters, and the heaters on these boats require the electronics system to be turned on. So, why can't I have the CO detector wired to my switched bus instead of my battery? It seems to be a standard configuration to wire straight to the battery, but it only works with the boat that lives plugged into shore power.

Somebody please give me your blessing to wire this to the electronics bus?

ssobol · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 3:55 pm Post subject:

There are other sources of CO besides the heater(s) on your boat. Also, if you are in a marina (or rafted) there are sources of CO on the nearby boats.

My boat has a wired in CO detector and a Kidde detector with its own batteries. I have been woken in the middle of the night from the wired CO detector sounding when the house battery voltage drops too low.

Now, I have a Victron 602 battery monitor that allows me to check the house battery charge and top it up if necessary before retiring so that there are no more low voltage alarms at night.

P.S. My Kidde battery operated CO detector says that the device only lasts so long and will eventually give an end of life alarm. The wired one says nothing about the life of the unit. For the price of the wired detector I can get 3-5 of the battery operated ones.

BrentB · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 4:02 pm Post subject:

It seems reasonable to me to be on when the key is on. It needs to be periodically tested (atleast twice a year) and it might have an expiration date, if not expect 5 years of use and I prefer digital units, Some folks pull the unit after boating keep it in their boat stuff bag for the next trip. Big thumbs up, just for having one. Often people dont know they are seriously ill until it is too late. It is sad reading about so many deaths reported in the US esp since it is preventable. Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobulin but the effects are reversible with fresh air, pure oxygen or better with a hyperbaric chamber.\\m2cw

Sunbeam · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 4:36 pm Post subject:

Another idea is to go to a battery powered CO detector. At first thought it probably sounds "chintzier" than a hard-wired one, but actually even at "better" boat yards on bigger boats this is becoming common. For one thing, CO detectors have a finite life and this makes it easier/more likely to be replaced. Also, oftentimes the wired location is not optimum for detecting (head height when sleeping, for example).

Not saying a hard-wired one is bad, but just that a battery-powered one is not considered inferior, from what I know.

I have a battery powered digital-readout type in both the boat and my RV. I like the readout because instead of just alarming at 100 (for example), I can see if it's at 0 or 35 or 99.

Also of course no electrical draw on your house bank.

Kushtaka · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 4:41 pm Post subject:

This is a little off topic, but funny (because everyone was okay). I had a lead technician at a remote field camp have the CO detector go off in the main cabin, and he picked it up and read the back which stated: "if alarm sounds move to fresh air." So he took the alarm outside to the fresh air and went back in the cabin.

He emailed me and we straightened out what he should do before anyone got sick, but still, having a working detector is only half of the equation!

BrentB · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 5:03 pm Post subject:

LOL

I was thinking he wanted to reuse the hard wired units and suggested they will be live when the boat has started.

Battery powered units are easy to find and install

I agree with other comments. good discussion

Safety first, now if more folks wore life jackets.... another day

Aurelia · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 6:03 pm Post subject:

Timely for us. Our battery unit has been giving a periodic alarm that seems faulty so I already have a new one ready to go up the next time we take the boat out. For the cost, they are worth simple replacement when mis-behaving even mildly.

Greg

thataway · Posted: Tue Sep 13, 2016 9:45 pm Post subject:

We replaced ours before this trip; Kiddie 3 AA bat type about $20 at Walmart. Manual says good for 10 years... We usually replace every 5 yrs...better to be safe. Never figured out reason for expensive 12v units which are not as good as cheaper digital read out units. Something about "marine or RV"!

One at head level by helm; the other head level in the bunk. Engines, other boats, gensets, stoves heaters etc. no run down batteries!