Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 09-16-2022, 11:58 AM   #1
Veteran Member
 
City: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 54
Carbon Monoxide

Question for the group, I've been having an issue on our boat with our carbon monoxide alarms going off. It's when we aren't running and haven't been for some time. What possibly could be generating CO? I open the windows, vent the boat when this happens but I need to figure out a root cause. Appreciate any ideas anyone may have.
floatingmick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2022, 12:01 PM   #2
Guru
 
hmason's Avatar
 
City: Stuart FL
Vessel Name: Lucky Lucky
Vessel Model: Pacific Mariner 65
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,760
Are you using a CO monitor designed for marine use? Home models often false alarm on a boat. Don’t know why but they do.
__________________
Howard
Lucky Lucky
Stuart, FL
hmason is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2022, 12:17 PM   #3
Guru
 
Cigatoo's Avatar
 
City: Narragansett Bay
Vessel Model: Grand Banks 36 Classic #715
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,857
Nearby boats with gasoline engines running? I have been told that a battery / batteries that are over charging will set them off.
__________________
Carl
Cigatoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2022, 12:18 PM   #4
Moderator Emeritus
 
ksanders's Avatar
 
City: SEWARD ALASKA
Vessel Name: DOS PECES
Vessel Model: BAYLINER 4788
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 6,267
Home CO detectors are just fine in my opinion, but they do have a lifespan. Yours may be nearing the end of it's liferspan.

Another thing I have seen is that battery gasses from a hot cell or overcharging can cause a CO sensor to alert. Perhaps that is the issue?
__________________
Kevin Sanders
Bayliner 4788 Dos Peces
Seward, Alaska - La Paz, Baja California Sur
https://maps.findmespot.com/s/XLJZ#history/assets
ksanders is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2022, 12:36 PM   #5
Guru
 
psneeld's Avatar
 
City: Ft Pierce
Vessel Name: Sold
Vessel Model: Was an Albin/PSN 40
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 28,149
After 12 years aboard with home detectors...

They will sound definitely for overcharging batteries....

And it seems like when the air is cool and damp they tend to sound off as well...not sure if that's because of low battery charge or not.
psneeld is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2022, 12:49 PM   #6
Veteran Member
 
City: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 54
Huh. They are home detectors. Battery charger is on, could be overcharge I suppose.
floatingmick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2022, 01:57 PM   #7
Moderator Emeritus
 
Comodave's Avatar
 
City: Au Gres, MI
Vessel Name: Black Dog
Vessel Model: Formula 41PC
Join Date: Jul 2015
Posts: 21,191
If the dector is older replace it and also check your batteries, off gassing can cause an alarm.
__________________
Boat Nut:
If you are one there is no explanation necessary.
If you aren’t one, there is no explanation possible.
Comodave is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2022, 03:42 PM   #8
Veteran Member
 
City: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 54
Quote:
Originally Posted by Comodave View Post
If the dector is older replace it and also check your batteries, off gassing can cause an alarm.
I've replaced my entire bank of 3 8ds this summer, wonder if there is an issue with the charger.
floatingmick is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2022, 03:59 PM   #9
Guru
 
jleonard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 5,037
Quote:
Originally Posted by psneeld View Post
After 12 years aboard with home detectors...

They will sound definitely for overcharging batteries....

And it seems like when the air is cool and damp they tend to sound off as well...not sure if that's because of low battery charge or not.
True. Mine used to go off the first weekend in the spring when the batteries were getting their initial charge from winter.
jleonard is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2022, 04:27 PM   #10
Guru
 
City: New England/Michigan
Vessel Name: N/A
Vessel Model: N/A
Join Date: Aug 2020
Posts: 533
In addition to batteries gassing off, and this may not be your problem, but gas fired stoves, ovens or heaters will set of alarms if there is not enough air circulation. Same can occur with fresh paint, varnish, carpet or anything with VOC emissions. This was explained to me by an ABYC tech a few years ago who said they may be working on this for an upcoming supplement however I’ve not seen it yet. VOC’s can also gum up the circuitry I’m told

Rick
garbler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2022, 06:44 PM   #11
Guru
 
ofer's Avatar
 
City: Homer, Ak
Vessel Name: Unicorn
Vessel Model: 1970 50' DEFEVER OFFSHORE CRUISER Timber
Join Date: Apr 2020
Posts: 526
I had at least two of the main reasons mentioned happened to me last month.

1 a truck running nearby for a long period of time triggered them and it took me a while trying to figure it out.

2 batteries where getting overcharged through my inverter charger when i looked at the voltage was at 14.8 and i could actually smell foul.

took all detectors dunked them in a 5 gal bucket.

bottom line i will not get the combined detectors anymore.
ofer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-16-2022, 07:35 PM   #12
Guru
 
Cigatoo's Avatar
 
City: Narragansett Bay
Vessel Model: Grand Banks 36 Classic #715
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 1,857
Quote:
Originally Posted by ofer View Post
I had at least two of the main reasons mentioned happened to me last month.

1 a truck running nearby for a long period of time triggered them and it took me a while trying to figure it out.

2 batteries where getting overcharged through my inverter charger when i looked at the voltage was at 14.8 and i could actually smell foul.

took all detectors dunked them in a 5 gal bucket.

bottom line i will not get the combined detectors anymore.
1. The truck was emitting carbon dioxide. It was finding its way into your boat The detectors where doing their job.
2 Did you fix your over charging problem?

Don’t kill the messenger.
__________________
Carl
Cigatoo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-17-2022, 06:48 AM   #13
Guru
 
ranger58sb's Avatar
 
City: Annapolis
Vessel Name: Ranger
Vessel Model: 58' Sedan Bridge
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 7,088
Quote:
Originally Posted by floatingmick View Post
Question for the group, I've been having an issue on our boat with our carbon monoxide alarms going off. It's when we aren't running and haven't been for some time. What possibly could be generating CO? I open the windows, vent the boat when this happens but I need to figure out a root cause. Appreciate any ideas anyone may have.

Most CO detectors have a shelf life (~5 years, IIRC), and sometimes sounding off is the warning to you that they need to be replaced.

And/or, sometimes sounding off is meant to signify a low battery condition.

Or there's the battery off-gassing thing folks have mentioned.

-Chris
__________________
Chesapeake Bay, USA
ranger58sb is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2022, 12:46 PM   #14
Guru
 
backinblue's Avatar
 
City: Stratford, CT
Vessel Name: Blue Moon
Vessel Model: Mainship Pilot 355
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 3,937
+1 for batteries. The only time I had an alarm was when plugged in for a while at a marina and I assume batteries were getting highly charged and off-gassing. If it happens, try venting the cabin then unplugging and see if it happens again.
__________________
“In my walks, every man I meet is my superior in some way, and in that I learn from him.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
backinblue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2022, 03:17 PM   #15
Member
 
City: Loganville, GA
Vessel Name: TBD
Vessel Model: TBD
Join Date: Feb 2020
Posts: 15
The way I understand it, marine carbon monoxide detectors are made differently than land-based (home) detectors. They use what they call a "Time Weighted Average" to avoid false alarms. They also cost 4 times what a land-based detector costs so you have to decide what's more important to you: saving $ or avoiding annoying false alarms.

Bob
Bobby Lex is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2022, 03:20 PM   #16
Guru
 
City: Rochester, NY
Vessel Name: Hour Glass
Vessel Model: Chris Craft 381 Catalina
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 7,554
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bobby Lex View Post
The way I understand it, marine carbon monoxide detectors are made differently than land-based (home) detectors. They use what they call a "Time Weighted Average" to avoid false alarms. They also cost 4 times what a land-based detector costs so you have to decide what's more important to you: saving $ or avoiding annoying false alarms.

Bob
Good land based detectors use TWA as well. The marine detectors usually have a wider operating temperature range and may last longer in a corrosive, salty environment though.
rslifkin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2022, 04:05 PM   #17
Guru
 
Flatswing's Avatar
 
City: Windmill Harbour, Hilton Head Island, SC
Vessel Name: River Girl
Vessel Model: 2004 DeFever 49 RPH
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 573
I have both a hard-wired marine unit and 2 battery operated home CO monitors aboard. All 3 will sound with excessive battery charging as well as if the holding tank is full of urine and starts to overflow!
__________________
Jeremy
Flatswing is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2022, 04:46 PM   #18
Guru
 
sbu22's Avatar
 
City: New Orleans
Vessel Name: Panache
Vessel Model: Viking 43 Double Cabin '76
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 1,253
I employ many types of direct reading instruments in my profession. CO sensors are available in three basic flavors: electrochemical, metal oxide, and colorimetric. Each have positive and negative characteristics. ALL direct reading instruments, by their very nature of ingesting the target atmosphere, suffer from degradation due to ambient temperature, humidity, and possibly the target compound.

You would think that the manufacturers are holding nuclear secrets when trying to get a simple and straight answer as to the sensor type provided. All I can get from the manufacturers of “marine” units is that their units “better resist the adverse effects of temperature and humidity.” Better than what? I don’t think it’s the sensor type. On my boat I use reasonable quality “home” CO detectors and swap them out every couple of years or at the first sign of erratic behavior.

For all types of CO detectors, any gas of similar molecular size and chemical reactivity can produce a false positive (alarm). Common CO detector interferents include acetylene, dimethyl sulfide, alcohols (ethyl, isopropyl, methyl), ethylene, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, mercaptan, propane, nitrogen dioxide, sulfur dioxide, and probably some others.
sbu22 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2022, 05:00 PM   #19
Guru
 
hmason's Avatar
 
City: Stuart FL
Vessel Name: Lucky Lucky
Vessel Model: Pacific Mariner 65
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,760
So there you are. Thanks for that excellent explanation.
__________________
Howard
Lucky Lucky
Stuart, FL
hmason is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-26-2022, 08:50 PM   #20
Veteran Member
 
City: Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Join Date: Sep 2019
Posts: 54
Thanks everyone, i think it's a winter investment in better CO2 detectors.
floatingmick is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:11 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012