Carbon Monoxide Alarms

supermonkey

Hi all,

Am about to get Carbon Monoxide Alarms and wondered if the portable ones are anywhere near as good?

I'm definetaly going to have a permanent one downstairs where the gas appliances are, but I was thinking a portable one upstairs would be helpful and I could take it on holidays too.

Looking at
http://www.one-4.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=65&products_id=228

But seen it cheaper

garfield413

Hi,
My CO detector manual says that you shouldn't put near gas appliances and it definately can't be in the kitchen. I checked with the local fire brigade for advice on where to put it. Advice was to put it on the landing upstairs.

Hope this helps

1984ReturnsForReal_2

garfield413 wrote: »

Hi,
My CO detector manual says that you shouldn't put near gas appliances and it definately can't be in the kitchen. I checked with the local fire brigade for advice on where to put it. Advice was to put it on the landing upstairs.

Hope this helps

I hope they didnt tell you to put it on the ceiling?

Its supposed to go at knee height as the gas is heavier than air & you would be well & truely dead by the time it sounded..

(THIS REFERS TO THE OPS POST & SUBSEQUENT COMMENT ON AN UPSTAIRS INSTALATION AWAY FROM APPLIANCES THAT OMIT CO..
PLEASE CHECK THIS OUT YOURSELF & DO NOT RELY ON MY STATEMENT &)

AdrianW2

1984ReturnsForReal wrote: »

I hope they didnt tell you to put it on the ceiling?

Its supposed to go at knee height as the gas is heavier than air & you would be well & truely dead by the time it sounded..

You might want to think about this a bit. North Yorks Fire & Rescue, for example, say place the detector high up - but then they've just copied and pasted from something they read on the web.

As it happens, CO isn't heavier than air, but the masses of CO and other constituents of air are so similar that I'd expect other factors to dominate.

supermonkey

so much conflicting info on this stuff! Some say do put it in kitchen others say dont. they quote differing distances from gas applicances. and the recommend hight varies!

But does anyone know if the travel ones are just as good?

andrew-b

You put it where the risk is greatest (in the room of a gas burning appliance) and where it protects you the most (such as near bedrooms). An open-flued gas fire or flueless gas fire are generally a higher risk than a sealed flue appliance like a boiler.

As for the advice to position a carbon monoxide low down something needs to be said as that advice is WRONG.

Let's consider some proper scientific data though ...carbon MONOXIDE is actually marginally lighter than air though not by much! The specific gravity of CO relative to air is 0.9657 (where air at 20C, 1atm is 1). Google if you wish to verify this.

Carbon DIOXIDE is heavier than air (specific gravity 1.5189) which perhaps is what the previous poster is getting confused by!

Warm air is lighter than cold air and so warm air rises (hence why a hot air balloon or chinese lantern rises!). If the CO is contained in the warm air coming from a combusition appliance (gas fire, boiler flue etc) then the CO will rise together with the warm air.

If you've followed the basic theory then you will see why you should fit the detector high up and NOT low down. This agrees with all the advice to position a carbon monoxide detector high up from instructions supplied with CO alarms and the fire service and organisations such as CORGI /Gas Safe Register.

Saying to put a CO detector low-down is IMHO downright dangerous advice to follow.

I would suggest always following the instructions supplied with the carbon monoxide alarm on where to position it rather than taking advice from a forum.

Should probably also mention i have a degree in chemistry so have a clue what i'm talking about!

GT60

Our last CO detector was placed on top of the boiler in the cupboard up stair's by british gas when they fitted the boiler.

At christmas 2006 the co detector went off and when BG came out they tested the boiler etc and condemed the cooker as it was this giving off CO.
just a though Niall

1984ReturnsForReal_2

It seems we have conflicting information from all sources so I have amended my statement.

Please feel free to check this out yourselves.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

AdrianW2 wrote: »

You might want to think about this a bit. North Yorks Fire & Rescue, for example, say place the detector high up - but then they've just copied and pasted from something they read on the web.

As I was told this by Oxfordshire Fire Service you may want to question who is correct.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

http://www.kiddesafetyeurope.co.uk/utcfs/ws-401/Assets/9CO5%20Data%20Sheet_2.pdf - Wall

http://www.sfdetection.com/madebymauve/product/productpdfs/36.pdf - Wall

http://www.fireangel.co.uk/Uploads/Products/UserManuals/CO-808S%20Manual.pdf - Remote from appliances - In the breathing zone

Andrew B - --


It seems you have forgotten that we were talking about an upstairs installation. The place where beds are.

And when you lie down to sleep or take a bath a monoxide detector is not low down if it is installed at knee/waist height, it is precisely the height of you face while you are sleeping, it would be the height of the air you are breathing in.....

Anyways, I have gone on to the HSE website & emailed the authority they list on there for clarification on upstairs installations.

I will publish it when I receive a reply.

Canucklehead

Good morning: advice on gas safety related issues (including carbon monoxide) is available here.;)

HTH

Canucklehead