Carbon Monxide detector positioning (1 Viewer)

[Ridgeway]

What's the thinking on the positioning of a CO detector within a MH ?

I'd always thought that CO is heavy and that a detector should be low down or perhaps it should be near the heater ?

Any thoughts on this ?

 

[chrisgreen]

i fitted mine at 90cm above the floor:thumb:

 

[Ridgeway]

i fitted mine at 90cm above the floor:thumb:

Near the heater or just in the habitation ?

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[Reallyretired]

High up, only gas detector low down reel:

 

[chrisgreen]

Near the heater or just in the habitation ?

near the hab/bed area about 1mt away from heater,fitted as recommended on the packageing:thumb:

 

[pappajohn]

Carbon Monoxide is heavier than air, but only just.

the warm air convection currents from the heat source will carry the CO to a high level so the detector should be positioned at high level.

my factory installed CO detector/auto gas shut-off controller is around 1.4mtrs above floor level in the bedroom.



unburnt LPG (leaking gas pipe/joint etc) is much heavier than air so will always sink to the lowest point, so an LPG detector should be installed as low as possible.

the factory installed LPG detector/auto gas shut-off controller is at floor level in the kitchen area.

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[chrisgreen]

allways follow the manufatorers guidelines on the packageing as not all co2 detectors are the same
some requie fitting high up some lower,mine is lower:thumb:

 

[Ridgeway]

Yeah that's why I asked as mine came without any location recommendations...

 

[JeanLuc]

Sorry to contradict Pappajohn, but I believe CO is slightly lighter than air:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide
Therefore the detector should be fitted higher, rather than lower. The earlier comments about convection currents apply too.
The instructions that came with mine said it should be fitted away from flame sources and if in a bedroom at around head height.
In the event I fitted it in the main habitation area on a vertical wall just below ceiling height. I felt this was a reasonable compromise.

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[chrisgreen]

in laboratotry conditions CO is indeed lighter than air just ,but when LPG burns it gives off water vapor ,mix that in with CO it then becomes heavier than air,its not pure CO that kills you in a motorhome, it a very dirty CO mixed in with a load of other chemicals that kills you.
hence the need to have a CO detector no higher than 1800mm,or six foot and no lower than 900mm or 3 foot.

 

[GJH]

When I bought CO detectors for house and van a couple of years ago they came with fitting instructions from the manufacturers. When I bought a combined CO/smoke detector for the current van this year it too came with fitting instructions from the manufacturer.

I simply followed those instructions as closely as possible. It's always a slight compromise in a van with a product which is primarily designed for house use but not difficult at all.

 

[stagman]

What's the thinking on the positioning of a CO detector within a MH ?

I'd always thought that CO is heavy and that a detector should be low down or perhaps it should be near the heater ?

Any thoughts on this ?

Instructions that come with a CO detector are mainly for household use ,and the requirements can't always be used in a motorhome due to it's far smaller size therefore Papajohn would be pretty much correct ,also check this out Link Removed . :thumb:

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[dave newell]

Carbon Monoxide (CO not CO2) has approximately the same density as air. however as its presence in a motorhome will be a direct result of gas combustion it will be warm and therefore slightly lower density than the surrounding air and lighter. The most likely appliance to cause CO inside the motorhome is a gas powered fridge that is burning dirty (more common than many people realise) and not room sealed, most are like this. So a CO detector should be positioned around 1.5-1.8 metres high and near to the fridge position but not close to a hob or oven.

D.

 

[Ridgeway]

OK thanks for all the replies. In the end I did find the fitting instructions in the packaging, they were very well hidden...

As mentioned by many people the instructions are for homes and therefore I wondered what people had done in their MH, looks like the 1500 - 1800mm height seems good and also near fridge but not too near hob etc

Will be done today !

 

[camper]

keeping warm

The heating in my van needs an electric hookup.
I asked my dealer what to do if no elec supply and he said just turn a gas ring on.
I wasn't happy with this and generally shiver if it's the only alternative.
But why is it any worse than having the gas on for cooking.I open the roof vent when I'm cooking but is this enough? I know I could open windows but that seems a bit daft when you're trying to get warm- or is a slight opening enough to dissipate fumes?
When I stayed on a Cand C site recently, I noticed they hand out calor gas heaters-quite small with small gas cylinder on the back- to people staying in wooden pods.Is this risky too because there;s no flue?

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[Reallyretired]

[HI]The heating in my van needs an electric hookup.[/HI]
I asked my dealer what to do if no elec supply and he said just turn a gas ring on.
I wasn't happy with this and generally shiver if it's the only alternative.
But why is it any worse than having the gas on for cooking.I open the roof vent when I'm cooking but is this enough? I know I could open windows but that seems a bit daft when you're trying to get warm- or is a slight opening enough to dissipate fumes?
When I stayed on a Cand C site recently, I noticed they hand out calor gas heaters-quite small with small gas cylinder on the back- to people staying in wooden pods.Is this risky too because there;s no flue?

Are you sure. I have never come across a motorhome with only electric heating. Some are gas only, some gas or electric.

 

[camper]

electric only

yes, definitely.There;s just a fan heater arrangement set under passenger seat,

Is it different because it's a campervan not a motorhome?

 

[Barclaybasher]

The heating in my van needs an electric hookup.
I asked my dealer what to do if no elec supply and [HI]he said just turn a gas ring on.[/HI]
I wasn't happy with this and generally shiver if it's the only alternative.
But why is it any worse than having the gas on for cooking.I open the roof vent when I'm cooking but is this enough? I know I could open windows but that seems a bit daft when you're trying to get warm- or is a slight opening enough to dissipate fumes?
When I stayed on a Cand C site recently, I noticed they hand out calor gas heaters-quite small with small gas cylinder on the back- to people staying in wooden pods.Is this risky too because there;s no flue?

Absolutely not!!

Gas rings used for heating campers have killed.

I would only use a catalytic gas heater in a confined space - no flame - and importantly one with an oxygen depletion device which will automatically switch off the fire if the oxygen levels in the van fall too low.

Using a gas ring will not only give off CO but uses up the oxygen in the van.


If you have to - stay cold - and alive !!


Catalytic heater at

Link Removed

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[camper]

burstner

But why is it ok to use the gas ring for cooking?Surely it only gives off the same fumes.

I'm not disagreeing with you but wonder why there aren't multiple deaths from this.When you think of all the caravans and motorhomes that use gas rings and there must be plenty of occasions when there's little ventilation.Surely there needs to be a warning in every vehicle that's sold because it sounds more lethal than not wearing a seat belt and look at all the publicity about that.

 

[camper]

edit of my post

yes, definitely.There;s just a fan heater arrangement set under passenger seat,

Is it different because it's a campervan not a motorhome?

I mean in that maybe they don't fit alternative heating, not that I think the fumes are less dangerous

 

[Barclaybasher]

Do not use gas rings for heating

A friend of mine was delivering a yacht over night, under sail, before CO detectors. The only 12v power he had he used for the navigation lights, he used candles for lights in the cabin. It started to get cold so he put on the gas rings on the cooker to keep warm, after a while he noticed that the candles slowly dimmed and then went out. The candles would not re-light and he realised what was happening, opened the cabin door and switched off the gas rings.

Back to MHs - my 8 year old van still has a warning sticker on the underside of the glass lid telling you to open a window near the hob, oven or grill when being used.

All gas fires sold in the UK for domestic use have to have an Oxygen Depletion Sensor which will cut off the gas supply if the oxygen levels drop too low. Because gas fires are fitted (mostly) close to ground level the fire will cut out very quickly if needed.

All burners using a naked flame need oxygen, so you should always have some ventilation.

This sensor is in addition to the thermocouple which cuts off the supply if say the gas burner is blown out by a gust of wind.

Deaths from the mis-use of gas rings probably occur when gas rings are left on at night - the unfortunate occupants just never wake up.

Using the gas rings for cooking is diferent - only used for a short time, with ventilation.

If this post alarms anyone - then good ! - stay safe !

As previously stated the safest gas heaters are catalytic - no naked flame and with an Oxygen Depletion Sensor - such as :

Link Removed

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[GJH]

Are you sure. I have never come across a motorhome with only electric heating. Some are gas only, some gas or electric.

Our son's vintage camper van doesn't have any heating. If/when he uses it in winter he will be on EHU so will use a small oil filled radiator or fan heater. I've cautioned him against using the gas ring.

 

[camper]

thanks

A friend of mine was delivering a yacht over night, under sail, before CO detectors. The only 12v power he had he used for the navigation lights, he used candles for lights in the cabin. It started to get cold so he put on the gas rings on the cooker to keep warm, after a while he noticed that the candles slowly dimmed and then went out. The candles would not re-light and he realised what was happening, opened the cabin door and switched off the gas rings.

Back to MHs - my 8 year old van still has a warning sticker on the underside of the glass lid telling you to open a window near the hob, oven or grill when being used.

All gas fires sold in the UK for domestic use have to have an Oxygen Depletion Sensor which will cut off the gas supply if the oxygen levels drop too low. Because gas fires are fitted (mostly) close to ground level the fire will cut out very quickly if needed.

All burners using a naked flame need oxygen, so you should always have some ventilation.

This sensor is in addition to the thermocouple which cuts off the supply if say the gas burner is blown out by a gust of wind.

Deaths from the mis-use of gas rings probably occur when gas rings are left on at night - the unfortunate occupants just never wake up.

Using the gas rings for cooking is diferent - only used for a short time, with ventilation.

If this post alarms anyone - then good ! - stay safe !

As previously stated the safest gas heaters are catalytic - no naked flame and with an Oxygen Depletion Sensor - such as :

Link Removed

This is excellent.Thanks for the explicit info.

And thanks to others for infne of the brilliant features about this site is that when you ask a complete novice question you get pleasant,polite guidance and not arrogant condescension.
cheeers.
Dealers, please start mounting warnings about this concern on your vehicles.

 

[camper]

oil filled radiator

Maybe this could be useful but I'm thinking of situations where there's no electricity.
I don't really like generators because I would expect that they produce fumes.(I'd be delighted if someone could put me right on that one!) I can cope on the road where petrol or diesel fumes are dissipated but I tend to get wheezy if I'm near fumes of any kind.I even have to be wary of barbecues but open fires are a big no-no for me.

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[GJH]

Maybe this could be useful but I'm thinking of situations where there's no electricity.
I don't really like generators because I would expect that they produce fumes.(I'd be delighted if someone could put me right on that one!) I can cope on the road where petrol or diesel fumes are dissipated but I tend to get wheezy if I'm near fumes of any kind.I even have to be wary of barbecues but open fires are a big no-no for me.

I know what you mean, having asthma caused by several allergies :Sad: The way our Rob and his family are looking at it (early days as they have just got the van back on the road) is that the camper will be a tin tent in those circumstances so jumpers and fleecy blankets will be needed I'll tell him about those catalytic heaters as shown in the previous response though. They look the business.

 

[Reallyretired]

Catalytic heaters still produce carbon dioxide and water vapour and in a state of oxygen depletion will produce carbon monoxide (thats what the oxygen depletion system is to prevent by shutting off if this happens).
Catalytic heaters will still require ventilation, though the fixed ventilation in a motorhome may be adequate as long as a previous owner hasn't blocked anything off, though condensation may still be a problem. The only really safe heating is one that takes its air from outside and vents it's exhaust the same way such as a properly fitted caravan heater (Truma etc or Eberspacher diesel heating)
Otherwise you may be stuck with sites as you cannot run a generator all night without risking 'friction' with those around you.
Generators do produce fumes of course but at least they're outside.
I still find it hard to beleive that anyone markets a motorhome without gas/diesel heating, unless it is a classic camper.