Smoke/CO detector madness

[McDan]

If an alarm is good enough for the house...I believe its good enough for the boat as far as safety.

A small furnace leak can be exactly the same as a small boat engine exhaust leak....or any other scenario for that matter. Yes there are different detection methods...but after some study of both types of detectors, I feel both are suitable if they trigger when supposed to and false alarm only occasionally or by "other" events.

I understand your point of view, and also that lower levels of CO (below what lesser detectors trig on) over time have deleterious effects, hence the monitoring of ‘exposure over time’.
I also have a diesel, but other boats around me do not and when traveling- who knows? Generators are also sources.
It seems you have a good combination of protection, and that’s what matters most.

 

[psneeld]

I believe home detectors are designed to keep you safe just like marine detectors.

Concentrations of CO can develop on a vessel at the same rate and amount they can in a home and vice versa.

I have no clue why the detectors trigger fundamentally differently, but who is to say the marine defectors are better or not?

The chance of air exchange is greater on a typical size boat or you getting fresh air....so the low level long term exposure method to me is a guess at best or worst ( nearly impossible) case scenario.

My research didn't reveal anything conclusively.

 

[Jimintheair3]

Swap

Swap out the two you have, see if the alarm goes off again. Up, it's a bad alarm! Lower (aft) you have a problem!

 

[Sidclark]

So, three days now and no false alarms. First day I ran the engine blower all day and night. Second and third days the weather was nice enough to open up the boat. This leads me to believe that more than likely it's the off gassing of the batteries. I'll probably bite the bullet and order "marine" detectors. They do work a little differently then home units so I'm hoping this will reduce any false alarming...

 

[psneeld]

If your detectors are alarming from off gassing of batteries...its NOT the detectors problem, you have a battery situation going on.

If its not the batteries, then its something else. With 11 years living aboard with modern battery CO and smoke and combo alarms bought at box stores...never had an issue with the detectors...work perfectly as advertised....over a dozen, probably 2 of different brands and models....never an issue.

I would be looking elsewhere.

 

[murofrelwart]

When I had this problem I researched the battery charging correlation and sure enough this is well documented for golf cart batteries charging in garages. Here is a link to one article:

https://www.firehouse.com/rescue/article/10518243/the-unexpected-golf-cart-hazard

 

[dhays]

A niece and her husband are new owners a 32' sailboat. They have 0 experience with anything but dinghies. They called me asking why their CO alarm was going off. After a few questions I then asked what type of batteries they had on board. They didn't know and didn't even know where they were located....


Sure enough wet cells with little water and one battery was getting warm to the touch....