Carbon Monoxide Detectors?

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maple1

maple1

Minister of Fire
Sep 15, 2011
11,083
Nova Scotia
Time to replace ours - actually past time. It's been unplugged for a while, started doing wonky things in the heat of summer when the humidity was high (absolutely no sources of CO going during those times BTW). Anyway - have a question. I see some now have digital displays. Don't think that was available when we got the first one (which was a long time ago, it's a Garrison). How accurate are the displays? Are certain brands/models known to be more accurate than others? I'd like the ability to see if below-alarm levels are present, and also maybe be able to move it around to places where you suspect might be a source but want to be sure isn't. (Like, for example, a barometric damper or near stove pipe joints or the like). Or I guess maybe that could come under tracing down a source if low levels are displayed.
 
They are all UL listed...... Just mount them according to the instructions, as in location.....
 
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bobdog2o post: 1880590 said:
They are all UL listed...... Just mount them according to the instructions, as in location.....
Click to expand...

Yes, sure. But I'm interested here in the ppm display aspect.
 
Mine has always read 0 until it alarmed at 300ppm. I'm concerned only about an alarm, a candle burning poorly can cause a rise in co.
 
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The UL 2034 listing is worthless. They do not alarm until you are already poisoned. They are slightly better than nothing but will not protect you from chronic low level poisoning.

A low level monitor is a much better choice since it will actually alert you before you are poisoned.

Go here and read. (broken link removed to http://coexperts.com/co-alarm-truths/)

Also www.stopcarbonmonoxide.com

I actually prefer the NSI3000 but it is only available to NCI certified dealers so are much harder to find than the CO experts model.
 
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Part of the UL 2034 listing requires the alarm to display zero until the CO level is above 30 ppm. This makes their digital display worthless.
 
Chuckcrj said:
The UL 2034 listing is worthless. They do not alarm until you are already poisoned. They are slightly better than nothing but will not protect you from chronic low level poisoning.

A low level monitor is a much better choice since it will actually alert you before you are poisoned.

Go here and read. (broken link removed to http://coexperts.com/co-alarm-truths/)

Also www.stopcarbonmonoxide.com

I actually prefer the NSI3000 but it is only available to NCI certified dealers so are much harder to find than the CO experts model.
Click to expand...

UL only is a body that certifies that the device will do no harm, it was started by the insurance companies, as in Underwriters Laboratories. UL testing simply proves that the device does what it says. CODE standard is NFPA 720. Read that. The intent of the code is to protect as best as possible while preventing false alarms. A device that constantly alarms at 10 ppm will most likely just get thrown out where a device that alarms at the set standard will stay installed and save lives......
 
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You are mistaken about the UL 2034 listing friend. It is very specific as to what levels and lengths of time it takes for the alarm horn to activate. Just off the top of my head some of the alarm conditions;
35 ppm for at least 30 days
70 ppm for 3 to 4 hours
100 ppm for 1 to 2 hours

If a low level monitor goes off constantly at 10 ppm there is a problem that needs to be fixed. Period. If someone throws it away because of that, well, I guess they are a candidate for the Darwin award.

Many studies have shown health problems with long term continuous exposure to less than 10 ppm. But even at a much higher level of 35 ppm the UL listing states that they can only alarm after 30 days at that level!! A UL listed alarm cannot protect you from chronic CO poisoning.

And code is no guarantee of anything. Code is a minimum standard not a maximum. In other words doing something to meet code is the crappiest way to legally do it.
 
And UL does not even test any alarms to prove that they work! So your statement that "UL testing simply proves that the device does what it says" is not based in fact.

Go ahead, read the links I posted, very educational.
 
Chuckcrj said:
And UL does not even test any alarms to prove that they work! So your statement that "UL testing simply proves that the device does what it says" is not based in fact.

Go ahead, read the links I posted, very educational.
Click to expand...
OK, you won new guy. And you missed my point.
 
Chuckcrj said:
You are mistaken about the UL 2034 listing friend. It is very specific as to what levels and lengths of time it takes for the alarm horn to activate. Just off the top of my head some of the alarm conditions;
35 ppm for at least 30 days
70 ppm for 3 to 4 hours
100 ppm for 1 to 2 hours

If a low level monitor goes off constantly at 10 ppm there is a problem that needs to be fixed. Period. If someone throws it away because of that, well, I guess they are a candidate for the Darwin award.

Many studies have shown health problems with long term continuous exposure to less than 10 ppm. But even at a much higher level of 35 ppm the UL listing states that they can only alarm after 30 days at that level!! A UL listed alarm cannot protect you from chronic CO poisoning.

And code is no guarantee of anything. Code is a minimum standard not a maximum. In other words doing something to meet code is the crappiest way to legally do it.
Click to expand...
I would have to agree - any reading of carbon monoxide is something that needs to be fixed. In my last house we had 2 pellets stoves and a wood stove along with 2 fire places and never had a reading in the detectors.... except one day I plugged one in the bathroom and got a reading.. weird and I thought must be the humidity. Wife came home and it went way up... turns out the contractor never put insulation or vapor barrier in the outside wall when the garage was built on... But that's another story.... anyway if you are getting an alert something needs to be fixed. As a side note most fire departments(at least here in the friendly north) have a monitor they will use on your house. They can tell quickly rather you have a problem or a bogus detector.... I think the companies want to see smoke detectors replaced every 2 years (excessive in my opinion) and monoxide detectors every 5 for some and 10 for others. I would have to agree. $30 for 5 years is cheap insurance in my opinion.
 
Smoke detectors ... replace every ten years.

Carbon monoxide detectors ... replace every three to seven years ... depends on manufacturer.
 
Kidde programs them to fail on a 7 year calendar, guaranteeing replacement. I've had 3 of them, and am about to give up. Kidde has honored the warrantee and replaced one for free.

They alarm for low power, false alarm, battery issues....everything but high CO.

Main problem at my house is the alarm is much too loud and piercing, (much more than the smoke alarms), and it makes the poor dogs into psycho-wackos. If you don't own a dog, you could play around with one of these things, but otherwise I intend to physically mute the alarm somehow.

Appears to be model KN-COB-LCB-A. Avoid it.
 
Chuckcrj said:
The UL 2034 listing is worthless. They do not alarm until you are already poisoned. They are slightly better than nothing but will not protect you from chronic low level poisoning.

A low level monitor is a much better choice since it will actually alert you before you are poisoned.

Go here and read. (broken link removed to http://coexperts.com/co-alarm-truths/)

Also www.stopcarbonmonoxide.com

I actually prefer the NSI3000 but it is only available to NCI certified dealers so are much harder to find than the CO experts model.
Click to expand...
So how can we get this model NSI3000 ??? Please dont say i unavailable...... Plumbing wholesaler etc Years ago only sold to Plumbers.............so did electricla supply houses.....
So...........
you know how persistant us women can be.........;);)
thank you Kind sirs
 
For trouble shooting furnace or stove rooms, hand-held monitors can be purchased in addition to installed models. Not sure of quality just a suggestion;) Fire Dept where Hubby works also does "house calls" for CO alarms. Their hand-held is a bit more expensive:)

http://www.ebay.com/bhp/carbon-monoxide-meter
 
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