The Dispatch | Expert | Scudo Hub

OAT

Member

From: Borders/Dales

Registered: 2017-01-03

Posts: 903

CO false alarm?

After leaving my van for an hour or so I returned to hear the CO alarm.
It was reading 78 which is the highest I have seen even when using two burners and a catalytic heater.  But there was no gas running.

The only thing oñ was a battery charger.  The charger was reading 14.1v but the battery settled to 13v when I switched it of.  It wasn't hot and I don' t think it was gassing.  I don't think a CO  alarm detects battery gasses anyway.

The alarm is a good quality Kidde one, 3 years into a 10 year battery.  Any ideas why it might have triggered?

Anchor1979

Member

From: Congleton, Cheshire

Registered: 2016-04-02

Posts: 160

Website

Re: CO false alarm?

Hi OAT, I've known heat to set them off but very rare to be honest. Theoretically it shouldnt detect battery gases.

Take it and put it in fresh air, as you had nothing burning gas or diesel at the time I would suspect it was a blip in its operation.

Once its stopped beeping and the reading is back to zero give it another try, with no gas or diesel burning and see what happens.

https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/help- … poisoning/

Only way to tell for sure would be to have the interior checked using a calibrated analyser, usually carried by gas engineers. An appropriately approved engineer could carry out an ambient atmospheric test and confirm if there is any CO present.

OAT

Member

From: Borders/Dales

Registered: 2017-01-03

Posts: 903

Re: CO false alarm?

It did clear soon after opening doors.

Baffles me as to what triggered it though.  Possibly as you say Anchor, a confused chip. 

At one point I even suspected my bunch of bananas!  I had a vague recollection of them giving of gasses during ripening.  I had already noticed that this bunch had a particurlaly strong banana scent.  On googling it though it turns out that they give of ethylene, not CO.

Last edited by OAT (2020-07-08 17:25:06)

Anchor1979

Member

From: Congleton, Cheshire

Registered: 2016-04-02

Posts: 160

Website

Re: CO false alarm?

It is strange, if had a few over the last 10 yrs or so that alarm for what appears no particular reason. Had one that alarmed and the customer rang national grid as they were at the time, when they came out they only found a gas leak at the boiler! Only thing was, the CO detector was in the living room near the unused gas fire, and the boiler was in the garage two walls away.

Strange old world. I should probably mention I'm a gas engineer.

tee_cee

Member

Registered: 2016-03-18

Posts: 574

Re: CO false alarm?

Slightly embarraed to mention that my feet sometimes sets the alarm off

Anchor1979

Member

From: Congleton, Cheshire

Registered: 2016-04-02

Posts: 160

Website

Re: CO false alarm?