I can say my wife is also very sensitive to CO. People fail to understand as OP stated that people can easily get sick way before any "CO alarm" goes off. I would never consider any unvented gas appliance safe in a residence or one that is "hacked" into trying to vent it.
Improper placement of generators and carbon monoxide poisoning
- Thread starter McKravitts
- Start date
Pinto Yates
About 2 steps from off-grid
Thank you for such valuable safety information! A gentleman I know died from carbon monoxide poisoning last year. Don’t know all the details but he was in an RV and running a portable generator outside. He was a very smart guy and understood the potential dangers. It just takes a small margin of error to kill you with things like that. And apparently the margin is smaller than I realized. I own 4 generators and try to be extremely, overly cautious when using them. Will be upgrading my 3 Cheapo alarms ASAP.
McKravitts
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That is not entirely true. Although dead blood cells in one of the pathways it isn't the only one.
Carbon monoxide in your body leaves through your lungs when you breath out (exhale) [1], Although Oxygen has only about 1/5 the affinity of CO to hemoglobin, there is power in numbers and if someone does get a very high dose, there are treatments. Hyperbaric tratments can save lives. Experiments have shown that the half-life of the CO is about 300 minutes, but if the patient is on a non-rebreather, with high flow oxygen, this is reduced to 90 minutes, and under hyperbaric oxygen conditions, 100% oxygen at three atmospheres absolute pressure, the half-life is about 30 minutes. [2].
So if you or someone you know gets exposed to a high dose of CO, get them to a hospital ASAP.
[1] Toxicological profile for Carbon Monoxide
[2] Hyperbaric treatment of carbon monoxide toxicity
Ok... yeah, IF you are aware of exposure, medical treatment can reduce the time you are contaminated...
But that stupid alarm isn't getting you treatment if it doesn't alarm...
McKravitts
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More interesting reading for those with medical, or chemistry backgrounds.
Factors Contributing to CO Uptake and Elimination in the body: A Critical review
Carbon Monoxide poisoning
The following is a really good article meant for the general public:
Carbom Monoxide: Knowing the answer to these six questions could save your life
Factors Contributing to CO Uptake and Elimination in the body: A Critical review
Carbon Monoxide poisoning
The following is a really good article meant for the general public:
Carbom Monoxide: Knowing the answer to these six questions could save your life
I have these throughout the house :
My smoke detectors have carbon monoxide digital displays and alarms.
I have two CO2 detectors but I actually don't remember what rooms they are in
My smoke detectors have carbon monoxide digital displays and alarms.
I have two CO2 detectors but I actually don't remember what rooms they are in
wopachop
New Member
Went to supercross at the coliseum and man those exhaust fumes are brutal. We had cheap seats high up. I wonder if its worse the higher you go?
I also wonder how much CO the racers are exposed to during a race. Breathing all heavy with a 190 heartbeat.
This thread is great. I know what im getting my mom for xmas. Low sensitivity CO meter!!!
I also wonder how much CO the racers are exposed to during a race. Breathing all heavy with a 190 heartbeat.
This thread is great. I know what im getting my mom for xmas. Low sensitivity CO meter!!!
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Now I gotta do a DIY test.
Propane torch, home CO alarms, inverted fish tank.
Observe readings on digital display, see what steps it makes (likely not 1 ppm/step)
If only I had the quadrapole atomic mass spectrometer (RGA, smog check machine) I designed for prior employer, I could have more fun showing gas peaks.
Propane torch, home CO alarms, inverted fish tank.
Observe readings on digital display, see what steps it makes (likely not 1 ppm/step)
If only I had the quadrapole atomic mass spectrometer (RGA, smog check machine) I designed for prior employer, I could have more fun showing gas peaks.
These don't seem that expensive to get calibrated CO meters: https://www.forensicsdetectors.com/collections/carbon-monoxide-co
I have these throughout the house :
My smoke detectors have carbon monoxide digital displays and alarms.
I have two CO2 detectors but I actually don't remember what rooms they are in
And this...
Does Your Carbon Monoxide Detector Work? | PV Heating, Cooling
Got a carbon monoxide detector? If you do, that's great. But is your model sensitive enough to protect your family from CO poisoning?
www.pvhvac.com
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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"I found the display won't show less than 30 ppm, to prevent false alarms and calls to gas company ..."
This is the unit I have. Set it off once, leaving oven on all night (back when I didn't have a vented range hood; recirculated was installed by previous owner.)
"After a few tries, it showed 40 ppm"
Touche', Supervstech!
CO alarm has been required in California for a decade or so now, only for homes with either gas appliances or attached garage.
This is the unit I have. Set it off once, leaving oven on all night (back when I didn't have a vented range hood; recirculated was installed by previous owner.)
"After a few tries, it showed 40 ppm"
Touche', Supervstech!
CO alarm has been required in California for a decade or so now, only for homes with either gas appliances or attached garage.
Peak shows 15Have you ever pushed the peak button?
And this...
Does Your Carbon Monoxide Detector Work? | PV Heating, Cooling
Got a carbon monoxide detector? If you do, that's great. But is your model sensitive enough to protect your family from CO poisoning?
This particular one has been in my computer room for 3 years as of this month.
McKravitts
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Probably a stupid question but are you aware of any mass spectrometers that are cheap?
Hedges
I See Electromagnetic Fields!
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Never a stupid question, especially on a DIY forum?
Back when I was working for a startup developing them, Halted Specialties had a complete mass spec for $1000. My boss said likely the turbo pump would need rebuild.
Inficon Transpector is commonly used to monitor vacuum equipment. The sensor, electronics, and software I saw listed new on eBay around $3000 at one point. Right now I'm seeing various new/used/for parts listings from a few hundred to a few thousand. Not including vacuum system.
Using it to test gas at ambient pressure as we were doing, difficult to meter the right amount. I got a micrometer needle valve but too sensitive. I felt that if sample was first metered through an orifice to roughing pump vacuum, then a needle valve could bleed that into the sensor's area of high vacuum. you also need to think about latency when incoming gas mixture changes.
Here's a used MKS bundle for a grand. https://www.ebay.com/itm/145326549735
I'm also seeing RGA sensors for a couple/few thousand, complete systems for several thousand.
You may do better on vacuum hardware at liquidation auctions, presumably the source for these resellers.
Back when I was working for a startup developing them, Halted Specialties had a complete mass spec for $1000. My boss said likely the turbo pump would need rebuild.
Inficon Transpector is commonly used to monitor vacuum equipment. The sensor, electronics, and software I saw listed new on eBay around $3000 at one point. Right now I'm seeing various new/used/for parts listings from a few hundred to a few thousand. Not including vacuum system.
Using it to test gas at ambient pressure as we were doing, difficult to meter the right amount. I got a micrometer needle valve but too sensitive. I felt that if sample was first metered through an orifice to roughing pump vacuum, then a needle valve could bleed that into the sensor's area of high vacuum. you also need to think about latency when incoming gas mixture changes.
Here's a used MKS bundle for a grand. https://www.ebay.com/itm/145326549735
I'm also seeing RGA sensors for a couple/few thousand, complete systems for several thousand.
You may do better on vacuum hardware at liquidation auctions, presumably the source for these resellers.
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Just an anecdote that may be relevant to folks on an AE forum.
Some years ago (maybe 15) our CO detector started to alarm. I spent a long time trying to find the source, turned off gas appliances, stopped using the wood stove, nothing seemed to help, the CO level reported and the alarm remained. Finally I called the meter hotline and told them about the problem. After going thru all the usual stuff, they asked me if I was charging any batteries in the house. Well I was; I had brought a dying car battery (FLA) into my basement and had it on a charger. That could be it they said. Seems H2 could trick the CO sensor in the meter and trigger an alarm. I took the battery back outside and sure enough the CO alarm quieted down and readings went back to normal. Interesting thing was this was a 10A 12v charger, I wasn't pushing a ton of current into this battery.
Not sure how many folks still are using FLA or other LA batts, but most of us have car batteries which can find their way into the house for repair at times. Might be useful to know that charging them can trigger a CO detector.
Some years ago (maybe 15) our CO detector started to alarm. I spent a long time trying to find the source, turned off gas appliances, stopped using the wood stove, nothing seemed to help, the CO level reported and the alarm remained. Finally I called the meter hotline and told them about the problem. After going thru all the usual stuff, they asked me if I was charging any batteries in the house. Well I was; I had brought a dying car battery (FLA) into my basement and had it on a charger. That could be it they said. Seems H2 could trick the CO sensor in the meter and trigger an alarm. I took the battery back outside and sure enough the CO alarm quieted down and readings went back to normal. Interesting thing was this was a 10A 12v charger, I wasn't pushing a ton of current into this battery.
Not sure how many folks still are using FLA or other LA batts, but most of us have car batteries which can find their way into the house for repair at times. Might be useful to know that charging them can trigger a CO detector.
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