CO Detectors Going Off

bbwhitejr

Well-Known Member
Apr 14, 2013
4,300
Lake Lanier GA
Boat Info
2003 420DA, 6CTAs
Engines
NA
Dock mate has just purchased a ‘05 Meridian 341 Sedan Bridge. It has 3 “built in” CO detectors. They purchased 3 more from HD-Kiddie Brand. They use the boat on the weekend with all 6-CO detectors in place without issue. Close the boat up and go home and leave all 6-CO detectors on board. 6-12 hours later the 3-Kiddie Brand detectors sound off and will not stop. One of them has the digital read out and will register 80ppm. Detectors are taken outside, aired out, and stop going off.

This same thing has happened twice-each of the past two weekends. The built in units are brand new and just replaced when the boat was purchased.

Any ideas? I am completely stumped.

Bennett
 
Battery gassing will set them off.
 
Here’s an article with more info on other reasons for the CO detector to alarm.

https://www.fireengineering.com/art...tor/other-gases-may-set-off-co-detectors.html

Edit: looks like you need a subscript to read this article, so here is an excerpt.....

Interfering gases of similar molecular size and chemical reactivity may produce false positive response. Major interferents that can affect CO detectors are acetylene, dimethyl sulfide, ethyl alcohol, ethylene, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, isopropyl alcohol, mercaptan, methyl alcohol, propane, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide.
 
Last edited:
CO alarms sound for different reasons. To just say they are sounding off - is not the whole story.

We were in St. Petersburgh city marina one night. Woke up at 2 in the morning alarms going off.

Could not understand why - but out of caution relocated to a couch just inside an open stern door that I opened.

After some research - and understanding that the alarm signals are different - I had a low power alarm. I had left a breaker off which was the house battery charger - which provided the power the alarms.

The alarm was not for CO - but rather that its power source was failing. Turned the breaker on - - reset the alarms - everything good.

Not minimizing a CO alarm event- they should always be treated with respect. But saying understand what the alarm is identifying - then take action.

Mark
 
Dock mate has just purchased a ‘05 Meridian 341 Sedan Bridge. It has 3 “built in” CO detectors. They purchased 3 more from HD-Kiddie Brand. They use the boat on the weekend with all 6-CO detectors in place without issue. Close the boat up and go home and leave all 6-CO detectors on board. 6-12 hours later the 3-Kiddie Brand detectors sound off and will not stop. One of them has the digital read out and will register 80ppm. Detectors are taken outside, aired out, and stop going off.

This same thing has happened twice-each of the past two weekends. The built in units are brand new and just replaced when the boat was purchased.

Any ideas? I am completely stumped.

Bennett
Dock mate has just purchased a ‘05 Meridian 341 Sedan Bridge. It has 3 “built in” CO detectors. They purchased 3 more from HD-Kiddie Brand. They use the boat on the weekend with all 6-CO detectors in place without issue. Close the boat up and go home and leave all 6-CO detectors on board. 6-12 hours later the 3-Kiddie Brand detectors sound off and will not stop. One of them has the digital read out and will register 80ppm. Detectors are taken outside, aired out, and stop going off.

This same thing has happened twice-each of the past two weekends. The built in units are brand new and just replaced when the boat was purchased.

Any ideas? I am completely stumped.

Bennett
If they are hardwired may be voltage drop.
 
Dock mate has just purchased a ‘05 Meridian 341 Sedan Bridge. It has 3 “built in” CO detectors. They purchased 3 more from HD-Kiddie Brand. They use the boat on the weekend with all 6-CO detectors in place without issue. Close the boat up and go home and leave all 6-CO detectors on board. 6-12 hours later the 3-Kiddie Brand detectors sound off and will not stop. One of them has the digital read out and will register 80ppm. Detectors are taken outside, aired out, and stop going off.

This same thing has happened twice-each of the past two weekends. The built in units are brand new and just replaced when the boat was purchased.

Any ideas? I am completely stumped.

Bennett
Dock mate has just purchased a ‘05 Meridian 341 Sedan Bridge. It has 3 “built in” CO detectors. They purchased 3 more from HD-Kiddie Brand. They use the boat on the weekend with all 6-CO detectors in place without issue. Close the boat up and go home and leave all 6-CO detectors on board. 6-12 hours later the 3-Kiddie Brand detectors sound off and will not stop. One of them has the digital read out and will register 80ppm. Detectors are taken outside, aired out, and stop going off.

This same thing has happened twice-each of the past two weekends. The built in units are brand new and just replaced when the boat was purchased.

Any ideas? I am completely stumped.

Bennett
If hardwired, may be voltage drop.
 
Here’s an article with more info on other reasons for the CO detector to alarm.

https://www.fireengineering.com/art...tor/other-gases-may-set-off-co-detectors.html

Edit: looks like you need a subscript to read this article, so here is an excerpt.....

Interfering gases of similar molecular size and chemical reactivity may produce false positive response. Major interferents that can affect CO detectors are acetylene, dimethyl sulfide, ethyl alcohol, ethylene, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, isopropyl alcohol, mercaptan, methyl alcohol, propane, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide.
Hydrogen sulfide would the batteries out gassing.
 
Gentleman we have reached the summit......plant the damn flag!
 

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