Carbon Monoxide Alarms

[Captain.rick]

I have been told that all CO alarms are unsafe after 2 years. The chemicals in the sensor degrade and are unreliable after two years. The scary bit is when the test button is pressed it only indicates battery status not the ablity of the unit to detect CO. There is no reliable way to test as cans of CO are not available. Is this right and if so all CO alarms should be stamped with a dispose of date. Rob Foster aka centralheatking

I have read something a while ago about that.
There was a big question over how they can offer a 5/7/10 year life span.
The recommendation for testing is to buy a can of carbon monoxide and spray it into the sensor

 

[TMHM]

I have read something a while ago about that.
There was a big question over how they can offer a 5/7/10 year life span.
The recommendation for testing is to buy a can of carbon monoxide and spray it into the sensor

That sounds a bit overkill, when they are supposed to react to xPPM, not flooded by the stuff?

 

[Welder]

That sounds a bit overkill, when they are supposed to react to xPPM, not flooded by the stuff?

'Back in the day', when we used to do FA checks, we'd use a special can & cup on a long pole.
The cup covered the sensor and the can dispensed a 'solution' of gas and air at the correct concentration. Unf no idea about now!

 

[Ric2013]

Fairly sure one that I have installed says something in the MIs about the fact that you could resonably test with a lit stick of incense or lighted *** that would smoulder and produce CO as a result. Although it isn't the recommended method due to danger involved with using a burning object to carry out the test bla bla bla.

 

[Best]

I suppose it would be a belt and braces approach to fit an extra one or two smoke or CO testers

 

[Rob Foster]

That sounds a bit overkill, when they are supposed to react to xPPM, not flooded by the stuff?

its a special cowl that comes with it and gets the mixture as near real , dead world as poss.
centralheatking

 

[Welder]

Fairly sure one that I have installed says something in the MIs about the fact that you could resonably test with a lit stick of incense

How about I use my healing crystals? Any good? 😀

 

[Rob Foster]

I suppose it would be a belt and braces approach to fit an extra one or two smoke or CO testers

quite right but legislation only requires one, I am now fitting two different ones inneachnof my properties centralheatking

 

[Rob Foster]

How about I use my healing crystals? Any good? 😀

will they fix my back ? got a second hand engineering lathe yesterday for my workshop, 4 man lift onto the pick up same off...I am sore. chking

 

[Ric2013]

How about I use my healing crystals? Any good? 😀

Kinesiology could be used instead of a test kit. Just push to mush and lengthen to strengthen and then the human subject could be used a CO alarm. Any good? 😉

 

[Tim Court]

Truth is both smoke and CO detectors have a shelf life - around 10 years and 5 years respectively.
And (very) good practice is to renew the batteries, where fitted, every 12 months.
Next time you buy, make sure you are not buying old stock!
You can get good branded but cheap units on eBay that are 2, 3, 4 years old...
God help Average Joe and his old mum...

 

[Tim Court]

What I meant by the eBay reference is that it is entirely possible that Average Joe could buy a perfectly good brand on eBay at a seemingly great price not realising the thing is 2, 3, 4, years old - which is the reason it is so cheap...

 

[Captain.rick]

exactly where I was coming from....centralheatking

Yeah I agree.