We have a mains powered CO tester in the same room as our log burner.
However I am wondering if there is a sensitive portable CO tester which is good.
The main question is if these detectors are more accurate/sensitive than the ones designed for permanent installation.
Any recommendations based on experience most welcome.
Cheers
Dave R
"2. Safety Information" "Do not use the meter as a personal safety monitor."
CO is rather insidious toxin. It's not a simple above a certain level you'll likely die. True enough the higher the concentration the quicker you die but long exposures to low levels can also kill and/or be bad for your general health. The CO binds very tightly to your haemoglobin and stops it being able to carry oxygen around your body. The tight bonding means that even low levels can build up high levels of carboxyhaemoglobin.
We have a FireAngel with a digital display which happily sits there showing anything 20-odd ppm when others indicate nothing because they are designed to start /sounding/ warnings only at levels above 50. Model is no longer available but I think it likely current digital ones from FireAngel and from other makers (eg Kidde) with digital displays would do likewise.
Canary?
I think they detected methane (was called firedamp then) rather than CO.
... and was this a recommendation "based on experience"? :-)
Probably about the same.
Mine is a FireAngel CO-828 and is very loud if you test it. I hardly ever see a reading on it in normal use of the woodburner and have to deliberately waft smoke at it to see a reading. I think mine will indicate in multiples of 5ppm but can't be sure. Most of the time it sits at 0. I have to deliberately provoke with smoke it for a full test.
I think both.
If so I hope (with an eye to the RSPCA's enthusiasm for prosecutions) it was with means to resuscitate the canary on the lines of
The Aico devices with a display will show lower levels (above 10ppm) and show pre-triggering with a flashing LED and display icon before the audio alarm is triggered.
The audio alarm will trigger after a certain time based on the concentration of CO2 although the visual pre-trigger indication is immediate.
After approx 70 minutes at a concentration of 40 to 80 ppm After approx 18 minutes at a concentration of 80 to 150 ppm After approx 40 seconds at a concentration greater than 150 ppm
Lidl have a battery CO alarm on offer from next Thursday - £13.
There are 'personal gas detectors', eg:
(for a similar reason, I don't buy unbranded smoke detectors from ebay)
A randomly selected one:
Type of sensor:electrochemical, specifically for CO. Calibration of the sensor:calibrated by the manufacturer with asource at 205 ppm. Measuring range :Nominal: from 0 to 1000 ppm (2000 ppm for amaximum period of 5 minutes). Accuracy:+- 5% of the reading +- 5 ppm (from 0 to 1000ppm). Response time:< 70 seconds to 90% of the measurement Long-term drift:<5% per year, depending on the frequency of use
Theo
Cheapest is about £130 (didn't check for VAT and shipping). Wondering if a cheapo one would be "good enough". That is, not accurate enough to certify a gas boiler after service or give a detailed read out but to enough to discriminate between:
Not very much
Hmmmm.....
Oh, shit!
It is making a wall mounted one with a read out (not just warning beep) look like a potential option.
Cheers
Dave R
I'd go with one of the ones with a display from a brand like Aico or Fire Angel. You know those have been certified to UK regs and have some degree of quality control behind them.
I imagine they're OK to use in 'portable' mode if you treat them as if they are fixed - don't wander around with them, leave them resting somewhere for some minutes to acclimatise, paying attention to the instructions about how they should be 'mounted' (which you aren't doing, of course, but will still affect the reading).
Theo
Something that is used to officially to certify a gas boiler would need a calibration certificate and regular calibration to check that it was still in tolerance. A one off calibration is unlikely to be cheap.
Why do you need something more sensitive or accurate than a fixed room mounted device? Instantaneous readings are possibly not as important as the average value over a period of time. All the devices will sound off quickly when levels get to life threatening levels and after a longer time if levels stay above the acceptable limit.
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