More Carbon Monoxide deaths...

[Janine]

So sad.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30924202

 

[Wickolad]

I agree, what a waste of life for the sake of £20. It is time that a smoke alarm/ carbon monoxide alarm was made compulsory. In motorhomes they should incorporate it into the MOT and Both MH and caravans, part of the insurance requirement, just as hitch locks and wheel clamps for example. It is hard to comprehend that people will gamble their lives for the sake of a £20 smoke/ carbon monoxide unit, yet spend hundreds of pounds on awnings and gadgets they could actually do without. Its beyond me, so tragic and yet so avoidable.
Spend £20 and live to enjoy what you have worked for. Sleep safely at night.

 

[dave newell]

Adding CO/smoke alarms to the MOT is utterly ridiculous. The MOT test is to ascertain that a vehicle meets certain safety criteria for use on the road, not for living in.

D.

 

[DBK]

Adding CO/smoke alarms to the MOT is utterly ridiculous. The MOT test is to ascertain that a vehicle meets certain safety criteria for use on the road, not for living in.

D.

What's ridiculous about it? But my guess is the caravan in question was probably a static and even if not caravans are not subject to an MOT. The caravan club were quite vocal in their opposition to that idea I seem to recall.

 

[dave newell]

You've answered your own question DBK, its ridiculous because the MOT has nothing to do with the living side of things.

D.

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[DBK]

You've answered your own question DBK, its ridiculous because the MOT has nothing to do with the living side of things.

D.

But it could with very little effort. But the problem is caravans are exempt the MOT and are much more numerous.

 

[gus-lopez]

Adding CO/smoke alarms to the MOT is utterly ridiculous. The MOT test is to ascertain that a vehicle meets certain safety criteria for use on the road, not for living in.

D.

I'd normally agree but having read of quite a few Funsters who use the gas heating system whilst travelling , it does throw up the possibility, however remote, that you could be overcome whilst driving ?

 

[DBK]

I'd normally agree but having read of quite a few Funsters who use the gas heating system whilst travelling , it does throw up the possibility, however remote, that you could be overcome whilst driving ?

I used our diesel heating system on the move only two days ago. But homes aren't subject to annual checks so the same could be said for motorhomes. Rented property is different but does that apply to rented statics?

Not trying to hijack this thread and detract from the sad deaths, the circumstances of which I know nothing but it does raise issues worth considering.

 

[scotjimland]

I'd normally agree but having read of quite a few Funsters who use the gas heating system whilst travelling , it does throw up the possibility, however remote, that you could be overcome whilst driving ?

A gas appliance in good working order does not produce CO ..it produces CO2 .. if it has a blue flame.. No CO is produced.

CO is produced when either the heater is not working correctly and has a YELLOW flame , or the atmosphere becomes low on O2 due to lack of ventilation.. the reason why you should NEVER block gas drop out vents or roof vents designed to allow ventilation.

So in your scenario, the heater would either need to be faulty and or the van air tight. ..ie .. no air vents open and all other fixed vents blocked.

Back to the OP>> a CO monitor is of course a very good investment but more importantly education.. ie.. what causes CO gas to be produced and how to prevent CO poisoning happening to you..
don't depend on alarms.. have your appliances checked and serviced, recognize the signs of a poor combustion, and please, do not block gas drop out vents or roof vents ..

 

[dave newell]

I'd normally agree but having read of quite a few Funsters who use the gas heating system whilst travelling , it does throw up the possibility, however remote, that you could be overcome whilst driving ?

I don't disagree with that but it still doesn't give a reason why CO alarms should be part of the MOT.

D.

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[Dave and Ginny]

I have a a CO alarm and smoke detector, decent ones with good batteries. Last year during extended use in Scotland with fridge on gas, I got an unpleasant wiff and it was time to clean out the flue. Out of curiosity I placed the CO detector close to the fridge and nothing? Dirty flue normally means yellow flame at burner and carbon monoxide but I was expecting the detector to go off.

 

[scotjimland]

I got an unpleasant wiff and it was time to clean out the flue. Out of curiosity I placed the CO detector close to the fridge and nothing?

CO is a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas so you didn't smell it..

what you may have smelt is a whiff of unburned LPG that escaped before ignition took place..

 

[Dave and Ginny]

CO is a colourless, odourless, tasteless gas so you didn't smell it..

what you may have smelt is a whiff of unburned LPG that escaped before ignition took place..

No, it wasn't LPG, the smell was only very slight in the van near to the fridge area and when I had a good sniff outside at the vent it was much more evident. The flue was sooty and in need of a clean, once done it was fine again.

 

[dave newell]

When fridge burners are dirty and burning badly they very often do give off an unpleasant smell. It obviously isn't CO that you smell but is a by product of improper combustion, you often get a lot of sooting and dark marks around the flue outlet.

D.