Running with generator on?

Good words, Comsnark. To vent my 250 while parked on the trailer, I used to leave the porthole in the head open. It could rain in, but heck - it's a shower. The door had slots cut in it. Also, I left the porthole in the mid cabin berth open. Just like most others, it opens to the passageway in the cockpit, under the helm seating. This was covered by a cockpit cover.

Once I started leaving those open, my moisture problems went away. I used to leave the cabin door upen until some kids drank my liquor.

In my 340, I run the A/C on heat, or A/C, or de-humidify on shore power when at the dock.
 
Last edited:
I started three times a post to this thread. But, in short, a sufficient answer will simply require more effort than I want to expend. It's your life. Spend it as you will.

Best regards,
Frank C
 
Uplate said:
Jack-

Can you point me to something that suggests lifespan of the OEM CO Detector products? I do not want to pay for something I may not need.

Thanks for your input.
Click to expand...

The instructions with the CO detectors I bought recommended throwing them away after 3 years. I also saw program on CO detectors that showed how they work and described what it was about them that was likely to degrade after about 3 years. Can't remember the details - probably was drinking beer.
 
Last edited:
comsnark-

I do not see this as a rant, but rather an intelligent reply to a very important issue that concerns all of us...with Gennys anyway.

I ordered my second layer today. Still looking to find info on the practical lifespan of OEM detectors. do they wear out? do they get dirty? Are there electronics iffy? I am unable to find out anything on that question.

Thanks for the input.
 
http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingswork/a/codetectors.htm

Edit: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/article/0,,1132218,00.html

Edit 2: http://www.firstalert.com/faq/CO_Al...e-detector-life-How-long-will-a-CO-alarm-last

Edit 3 - Para 4.8: http://www.wyfp-panel.org.uk/minutes/Final CO research report_1.pdf

Edit 4 - What is the life span of the CO1224T CO
detector?
The electrochemical sensor operates at full strength for
approximately six years. Its built-in timer will signal the
control panel when the detector needs to be replaced.
©2008 System Sensor. A05-0404-001 • 8/08 • #2001
continued ➥

http://www.systemsensor.com/pdf/A05-0404.pdf
 
Last edited:
Knowing now that CO detectors only have a life span of 2-3 years, I'm surprised surveyors don't note that they should be replaced in thier reports...at least not in any of the 4 survery reports I've had. In fact, afer reading the link from Hampton, when the surveyor hits the test button, he's only testing the alarm, not the detectors ability to detect CO.
 
The CO detector in my salon went out 2 years ago and I replaced all (4) of them at that point (they were 4 years old). I know they are bad when my wife's exploration with cabbage dinners don't set them off.
 
Four Suns said:
The CO detector in my salon went out 2 years ago and I replaced all (4) of them at that point (they were 4 years old). I know they are bad when my wife's exploration with cabbage dinners don't set them off.
Click to expand...

That's funny. Is that while cooking, or a couple of hours after eating them? (Your fault or hers?)
 
Hampton said:
1 - No

2 - Not practical enough for us

3 - I've read to replace them every 3 years.

Many say not to run a gas genny at night while you sleep. That being said, we do it frequently. We leave the blowers on. We have 3 CO detectors with 3 different power sources. They are LOUD! Your genny could affect others in the area. Other people's genny could affect you. Run some trials during the day with the cabin door closed and you outside. Utilize battery operated CO detectors with digital readouts so you know the affects of your system (this is how you test it). Be advised, you can never be too safe.
Click to expand...

John, since our boats are similar, can you help me understand the blower while the genset is running at night thing? This may be a dumb question, so forgive me in advance.

The B-Blower pulls air into the EC then blows it back out to circulate air. I remember my dad always scaring me as a kid (in our ChrisCraft cruiser) that we would "blow up" if we didn't. I get the air circulation thing to vent "gas fumes" etc., but how does this help with the genset issue?

Since the blower intake is not very far from the gen set exhaust outlet, how does this help in the CO issue. I feel I'm missing something really obvious, so help me out here.
 
Four Suns said:
The CO detector in my salon went out 2 years ago and I replaced all (4) of them at that point (they were 4 years old). I know they are bad when my wife's exploration with cabbage dinners don't set them off.
Click to expand...


The "bunk of funk", now cooking cabbage in the boat? Your boat has to have a very unique smell to it....
 
Sometime when you are at a dock where you have access to both sides of the boat, run your a/c. Then check each of your clam shell covers on the hull. One of them will be venting air from the cabin. That air is replaced by a vent somewhere else on the hull. I believe this is the reason the CO detectors will go off when you are on the hook on a still summer night. The boat slowly swings on the hook, eventually going through the genny's CO plume, and CO is sucked into the cabin.

On our boat, the genny exhausts on the port side beneath the swim platform. The cabin air exhausts on the port side at the base of the cockpit side window. Make up air comes in on the starboard side just opposite of the cabin air exhaust. Still, when conditions are just right (the cheese holes line up) we trigger both CO alarms down below.
 
Good theory, I'll check it out.

Ours has been going off like mad lately. It takes us about 10 minutes to get out of our harbor at no wake speed- soon thereafter the alarm starts going off below which drives me insane. I'm thinking, because of the cold weather, we are starting the genny right after we pull shore power to keep the heat going. Since I am in a single slip with fingers on both sides, coupled with the cold air causing the CO to sink closer to the water, I think it's building up already by the time we get two minutes out of our slip.
 
Right. The weak link is the sensor which over time basically wears out such that it won't alarm at the right level of CO.

Back in the 2000-2003 time frame, the replacement interval for our personal CO monitors was 1 year (these are clip on models which start beeping if you walk into an area with more than 15ppm CO). More recently, I have not dealt directly with the CO monitors. . they may have improved

Personally, I would not want to use any CO monitor without a digital readout. I would react VERY differently to 10ppm vs 75ppm CO. You also want to know if whatever you are doing to ventilate the area is working. . .and that is hard to do without knowing the level of contamination.
.
Given a 3 year replacement cycle, I would NOT have all the monitors the same age. Buy one now. Buy another next year. Basically, if you have three, buy one every 12 monthes so that you never have more than one on the verge of wearing out.

Regarding Cabbage: Are you sure you aren't using CG (combustible gas) detectors? These are what you want in the engine room.
 
Chris R said:
Good theory, I'll check it out.

Ours has been going off like mad lately. It takes us about 10 minutes to get out of our harbor at no wake speed- soon thereafter the alarm starts going off below which drives me insane. I'm thinking, because of the cold weather, we are starting the genny right after we pull shore power to keep the heat going. Since I am in a single slip with fingers on both sides, coupled with the cold air causing the CO to sink closer to the water, I think it's building up already by the time we get two minutes out of our slip.
Click to expand...

CO naturally neither sinks nor rises in air. The natural density is basically the same as air. Having said that, if the CO is in hot exhaust, the CO will be warm (like the exhaust) and will rise just like warm air will rise.

If CO is building up in the bilge of a boat. . then to my retarded way of thinking . . .you have to have an exhaust leak. CO is the result of incomplete combustion. . and logically it should be expelled with the rest of the engine exhaust. The "station wagon effect" could then drag CO (and exhaust) back up into the boat after exhausted off the stern of the boat.
 
Chris,

With regard to running the blowers with the genny on, you're not missing anything of which I'm aware. I believe it is a gas fume/explosion issue as opposed to a CO issue. It's just all part of the procedures to stay safe while operating a genny.
 
Last edited:
comsnark said:
CO naturally neither sinks nor rises in air. The natural density is basically the same as air. Having said that, if the CO is in hot exhaust, the CO will be warm (like the exhaust) and will rise just like warm air will rise.

If CO is building up in the bilge of a boat. . then to my retarded way of thinking . . .you have to have an exhaust leak. CO is the result of incomplete combustion. . and logically it should be expelled with the rest of the engine exhaust. The "station wagon effect" could then drag CO (and exhaust) back up into the boat after exhausted off the stern of the boat.
Click to expand...


Ok, my mistake, I thought I saw someone say to put the detectors in the lower areas to help detect the gas. My degree is in geology, never was any good at chemistry.

We're going out this weekend, so I'm going to play detective and see if we are doing anything to help trigger the alarm in the cabin. When we were running the AC in the summer, it never seemed to be an issue...
 
Lots of great info here, and should probably be a sticky thread for those interested in keeping their CO monitors up to date.

So I am understanding here that I should replace both of my berth stock CO detectors simply because of age.

So now is the question is to get the exact OEM units so that it is plug and play (screw holes and wiring, SR Dealer), or should I not worrry about OEM and get one of the Xintex units like

http://www.buy.com/prod/xintex-carbon-monoxide-det-12v-co-sentinel/q/loc/111/208917119.html

Obviously I am concerned about existing screw holes or new ones needed.

what to you guys use as replacements when the OEM units get retired?

thanks.
 
Uplate said:
Lots of great info here, and should probably be a sticky thread for those interested in keeping their CO monitors up to date.

So I am understanding here that I should replace both of my berth stock CO detectors simply because of age.

So now is the question is to get the exact OEM units so that it is plug and play (screw holes and wiring, SR Dealer), or should I not worrry about OEM and get one of the Xintex units like

http://www.buy.com/prod/xintex-carbon-monoxide-det-12v-co-sentinel/q/loc/111/208917119.html

Obviously I am concerned about existing screw holes or new ones needed.

what to you guys use as replacements when the OEM units get retired?

thanks.
Click to expand...

Mine are 4 1/2 years old, and I haven't replaced them, but my new ones are portable, and battery operated.
 
John - what kind of portables do you have?

My 270 didn't have any installed when I got it so I currently have a First Alert smoke and CO which talks as well as beeps. I don't have a generator and do not use the camper enclosure so I haven't really worried about it much. I do want to get one which has the digital readout as I agree with the previous posts as I'd like to understand what my total ppm is and if my actions to reduce are working. I did run across this during a search - the interesting thing is it wirelessly connects to other units and will set them all off if one goes off. Nice feature if one is on deck and the other is in the cabin...

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs...Id=10053&productId=100606954&N=10000003+90401

Thoughts on home versions? If I'm going to replace every couple of years anyway will these suffice?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Forum statistics

Threads
113,215
Messages
1,428,736
Members
61,111
Latest member
OhanaTime
Back
Top