goeasy123
Well-Known Member
What went on here? Their CO monitor detected a duff battery. Was the battery producing CO or did the detector find some other gas.... Cl, H2S or something else?
'Battery' Gas Monitor?
- Thread starter goeasy123
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Mistroma
Well-Known Member
I haven't looked at the video yet but assume they are talking about flooded lead acid batteries. The batteries won't be producing CO. It is well known that CO sensors are sensitive to hydrogen, hydrogen sulphide and other gases. It is pretty common to hear reports of CO alarms being triggered when flooded lead acid batteries are being charged nearby. It sometimes alerts people to a battery issue but can happen in normal circumstances if the sensor is close to the batteries.
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Plum
Well-Known Member
Quite right. I've had the same problem with a CO detector one metre away from my batteries. It was not the batteries, it was the rather old charger causing excess gassing of the batteries. Once I replaced it with a modern multistage charger (CTEK) the problem went away.
Www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk
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MattS
Well-Known Member
I have two CO monitors on the boat for redundancy, next to each other - different brands, different ages. I was working on board the other day, and several times over a few days one of them started beeping with the other doing nothing.
Both were testing fine, and don't appear to have low batteries... I assumed one was faulty - but now wondering if it might have been picking up something else!
I was using contact adhesive, which obviously gives off some fumes, so maybe it picked something up there?
Certainly will be checking over batteries etc. next time on board though!
Both were testing fine, and don't appear to have low batteries... I assumed one was faulty - but now wondering if it might have been picking up something else!
I was using contact adhesive, which obviously gives off some fumes, so maybe it picked something up there?
Certainly will be checking over batteries etc. next time on board though!
Mistroma
Well-Known Member
It could well have been the glue if it was a solvent based contact adhesive. The sensors in most cheap CO detectors will detect a fairly wide range of things. In fact, several things will actually produce part of the same chemical reaction within the sensor. I believe solvents, alcohols and a wide range of unsaturated hydrocarbon vapours can trigger an alarm.
I wouldn't be surprised if you struggle to find any battery fault.
Plum said "It was not the batteries, it was the rather old charger". It is possible that the wiring on his charger was cooking and producing fumes. I suspect he meant that the batteries were the source of the gas detected but not the underlying cause. I'd bet the old charger was sitting at too high a voltage for too long, causing excessive gassing.
The new charger will be dropping to float voltage sooner.
LittleSister
Well-Known Member
Mistroma
Well-Known Member
I normally try to transfer it from glass to mouth with zero spillage. The odd really good joke has resulted in a cross-saloon spray but I've never managed to set off the CO alarm.That could be tricky!
Spirit (of Glenans)
Well-Known Member
May be a little off piste, but , as they seem to be sensitive to a selection of gases, do these devices react to excessive flatulence? 
starfire
Well-Known Member
Yes, after a particularly heavy night in cowes once, I slept on the saloon sofa, I woke up to someone leaning over me to try disable the co alarm. I'd been farting in my sleep & had set it off.
srm
Well-Known Member
On a similar theme I had an LPG detector low down under the cabin sole and near a lead acid battery. The gas alarm would trigger, and shut off the supply, when the batteries were being charged. The LPG detector also sounded the alarm when it got wet due to a stern gland leak.
thinwater
Well-Known Member
Just google sensor error. Nothing new here.
Sensor Type Sensor Type
Carbon monoxide Propane (LEL)
Gas correction factor(%) Gas correction factor(%)
Carbon monoxide 100 CO 20-40
Carbon dioxide 0 CO2 15-30
Hydrogen sulfide 10 H2S 20-40
Sulfur dioxide 0 SO2
Nitrogen dioxide -5 to -20 NO2
Chlorine -10 Cl2
Chlorine dioxide 0 ClO2
Hydrogen cyanide 15 HCN
Hydrogen chloride 3 HCl
Hydrogen 25 to 60 H2 60-120
Ammonia 0 NH3
Acetylene 150 to 200 Acetylene large
Alcohols 50 to 120 Alcohols 30-120
Water condensation large Water condensation large
Freon 75-200 Methane 100
Methane <15
Sensor Type Sensor Type
Carbon monoxide Propane (LEL)
Gas correction factor(%) Gas correction factor(%)
Carbon monoxide 100 CO 20-40
Carbon dioxide 0 CO2 15-30
Hydrogen sulfide 10 H2S 20-40
Sulfur dioxide 0 SO2
Nitrogen dioxide -5 to -20 NO2
Chlorine -10 Cl2
Chlorine dioxide 0 ClO2
Hydrogen cyanide 15 HCN
Hydrogen chloride 3 HCl
Hydrogen 25 to 60 H2 60-120
Ammonia 0 NH3
Acetylene 150 to 200 Acetylene large
Alcohols 50 to 120 Alcohols 30-120
Water condensation large Water condensation large
Freon 75-200 Methane 100
Methane <15
