My CO alarm went off!!

S

South of Heaven

New member
Guys, I woke up to a scare last night. My CO alarm went off at like 1am when I was sleeping! I jumped up and shut it off. Then I inspected the boat and opened a few windows.

I'm guessing it was a false alarm. I had no engine, generator or Wallas on. I did have the Wallas on for a few hours before I went to sleep but then I shut it off about an hour before I turned in for the night.

Any ideas? The detector and batteries are brand new....
 
Hmm, that would wake me up! Typically it would be by some combustion by-product. Any neighboring boats running engines, generators, heaters, or etc. and the exhaust could have come your way?

I see you said it's brand new, so expiration date is likely not the problem.

What is the placement? They should generally be at around head height while sleeping, since CO is basically neutral (doesn't rise nor fall in air). I've seen hard-wired CO detectors in some pretty "odd" locations. Or worse, combined with a detector for some other problem that is supposed to be mounted up high (smoke) or down low (propane).

Also....do you have a digital-display CO detector? If not, you might consider one. Reason I say that is this. IIRC, the alarm goes off at 100 (ppm?). If you have a non digital-display type of CO alarm, it's either going off or it's silent. Your CO could be at 99 and you'd never know it. Or 10 or 28 or...

I have a battery powered one with a digital display, and it normally shows Zero. But I have seen it at something like 25 once or twice. I was able to figure out why, so that was good information. I like knowing when it's between 0 and 99. The battery powered one is easy to mount in the correct location (height, plus they discuss where it should be in relation to stove, etc.), and easy to replace when the time comes.

This is the one I bought, for example. It was just under $25.

Kidde KN-COPP-B-LS 900-0230 Nighthawk Carbon Monoxide Alarm, Battery Operated with Digital Display

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001Q ... UTF8&psc=1
 
If it's the factory original like on my boat its wired to the boats 12 volt system; low voltage will cause it to alarm.
If in fact you have this unit I would remove and replace with a good combination battery smoke/co2 detector.
 
Mine went off at Lake Powell when I was slowly motoring along. A ditty bag had fallen up against it and I assumed that was the problem, not CO. With the cabin back open on the CD 16, it would be difficult to get very much CO in the V berth. I pulled the batteries to check for corrosion, reinstalled, moved the ditty bag, and all was fine. It seems that conditions other than just CO can trigger it.

Mark
 
In Jason's case, there I believe there was new flooring installed. There are any number of chemicals which can set off the alarm, especially if the boat is shut up tight, maybe with a change in temperature and humidity.

There are number of strong cleaning chemicals (such as citrus cleaners) which can set them off. Also high humidity, and cooking with alcohol can set them off. ("Not for use on a boat"..)

These chemicals have also been known to set off a CO detector:
acetylene, dimethyl sulfide, ethyl alcohol, ethylene, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, isopropyl alcohol, mercaptan, methyl alcohol, propane, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. A further list includes:Aerosols – (hair sprays, deodorizers, Lysol, etc…) Cleaning supplies – (Clorox, Bleaches, etc…), Gas from charging batteries
Paints Stripping, chemicals, Varnish,Silicon glue or compounds, Alcohol, Methane,
Toluene, Acetone, Nail polish, Nail polish remover, Sulfur compounds, Sewer gas, Vapors from baby diapers (other sources of methane?--such as human?), Cigarette smoke, Incense smoke, Ammonia, Carpet cleaning solutions, Sealants, Freon from air conditioners, Hydrogen, Nitroglycerin (usually from heart medication), High/Low temperatures, & High/Low Humidity

What model CO detector do you have--digital read out?--the digital read out is important in my opinion

Having a detector which has a digital read out helps--and in any case open the windows, turn on fans, and investigate to see what set it off.

In Jason's case, it could have been a heater near the new flooring, which caused some more vapors to be released from the flooring glue--especially in a tightly enclosed boat...You may need know...or you can spend the $$ and get the CO experts meter which shows low ranges, and is also not approved for boats (high humidity)--!
 
South of Heaven":3lxqkhjy said:
Guys, I woke up to a scare last night. My CO alarm went off at like 1am when I was sleeping! I jumped up and shut it off. Then I inspected the boat and opened a few windows.

I'm guessing it was a false alarm. I had no engine, generator or Wallas on. I did have the Wallas on for a few hours before I went to sleep but then I shut it off about an hour before I turned in for the night.

Any ideas? The detector and batteries are brand new....
Click to expand...

The good thing is you woke up. You were able to go through the environmental checks and get some fresh air flow on board.

As has been addressed. the device is new so it isn't a "time out -end of life alarm" that is built into the Kidde CO monitors. (I had mine go off one afternoon at a dock on Stuart Island in the San Juans. It was on the second night of a week long trip. Once I determined it was the end of life for the alarm (7 years, to the day and hour it was turned on originally), I went back down to Friday Harbor to get a replacement.

Sunbeam mentioned the digital scale. In my opinion, it is worth the few extra $'s.

As to why it went off: If the fresh air flow kept it off, (I am assuming you turned it back on after you got the fresh air going,) I would try to replicate the situation during the daytime and see where that gets you.

I would also replace the batteries with new, fresh dated batteries at the first opportunity and put the others into a non-essential flashlight.

I have had CO alarms maybe 5 times in 10 years. Always being able to find, rectify and watch the results on the digital display. (3 times due to slow speed cruise with the back door open and a light following breeze, One time due to a neighboring boat, up wind, running a Honda 2000 Generator on the swim step directly behind my boat, and one time due to a "monitor end of life" alarm.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

Friends_Cal_09_10_Oct.thumb.jpg
 
Thanks for the info, Sunbeam. Just ordered the same unit from Amazon. The unit I bought at Lowe's wouldn't even go off when placed near my truck tailpipe. Test what you buy. Your life may depend on it.
 
The unit I bought at Lowe's wouldn't even go off when placed near my truck tailpipe. Test what you buy. Your life may depend on it.
Click to expand...

Testing by putting in automotive exhaust is not recommended. It can damage the sensor. There are high concentrations of materials, which can contaminate the sensor if putting into the exhaust stream of a car or truck.

There are containers with known amounts of CO available to use to check a CO detector if you need to. One can blow out a match or candle, and bring this in proximity to the meter; incense or cigarette smoke--or similar at some distance, and gradually approach the detector will also set it off.

There are other digital read out CO detectors (non alarm) which are available, from auto supply stores and even Walmart for just a little over $100.
 
I dont have a digital readout type BUT after this scare I will buy a good one (although the one I bought was considered good).

A couple of other pieces of info:

--- I mounted it at head level, above the Wallas area. Near the bathroom wall.

-- It was very humid last night, raining actually.

--- The Wallas was running for a few hours before i went to bed.

--There were definitely no other boats or generators running nearby last night. 100% CERTAIN OF THAT.

-- Bob had mentioned fumes from the new teak floor. Maybe? But that was installed almost a month ago.

Ill buy a new digital setup and report back. In a way Im actually glad it happened! More real boating experiences. These are all things that I'll need to deal with next year when I start doing my long distance cruising.
 
Way to go Jason, and mount the new one at close to the same level as your head will be when sleeping, with some proximity, if possible. As Dr Bob says, test the new one with just a little smoke from an incense stick or a smoldering match or more. It's a CO monitor so it takes a bit of time for it to build to the appropriate level.

If you tested with a car exhaust, it might be worth retesting. I did mine in a cardboard box with a candle.

Harvey
SleepyC :moon

IMGP0247.thumb.jpg
 
Ideally there should be two CO detectors in our boats--especially if we sleep overnight in them. One should be close to the area and level of the driver's head. The other should be near the heads in the bunk. I put mine, just in back of the GPS on the dash, and in a net bag, just a few inches from my head in the bunk. Having two is somewhat redundant, but does give greater validation and safety.

It is very possible that the high humidity set off the alarm--this has been known to happen. I happen to like the slightly cheaper Kiddie digital battery operated CO detector. I got mine at Walmart for about $20, but there was tax, so close to the Amazon price.

Be safe.
 
South of Heaven":1sfem8nt said:
A couple of other pieces of info:

--- I mounted it at head level, above the Wallas area. Near the bathroom wall.
Click to expand...

When you read the instructions that advise where to place the alarm, you realize that there's no way to honor them all on a boat (unless it's the size of a destroyer!). But still, I don't think I'd mount it right over the Wallas/galley area. One of the guidelines is as follows:

• Do not install within 5 ft. of heating or cooking appliances. (Kidde recommends 15 ft. to prevent nuisance alarms).

Granted, the Wallas is a vented appliance, but still I put mine "across the hall" from the galley.

Not saying this caused your alarm, due to the long time between shutting off the Wallas and the alarm, plus the Wallas is vented, but still maybe move it a bit?
 
My dog was sleeping next to a carbon monoxide detector in a trailer and she set it off twice in one night. We moved her and peace resumed. Not sure which end of her set off the alarm :lol:
 
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