Pilot Gas Detector

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RestlessL

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I have a Pilot Gas Twin Detector, with one sensor in the gas locker and the other under the stove. It is wired to the house supply without a switch so it is always on when the boat is in use. It behaves fine, except....

When the power has been off for a week or so, one or both, of the sensors will alarm when the power is first switched on. If I leave the alarm sounding for a few minutes, then switch the power off and back on they eventually behave, after which I have no problem with the system.

I suspect this may be due to condensation, or the sensors needing time to get up to a working temperature. I can live with this, but it is very annoying.

Is it just me, or do others experience similar problems.

John
 
Any chance that it is sensing other vapours? They are not calibrated for but will detect other things eg petrol and diesel have you tried ventilating the boat thoroughly before switching on the power.

If it was anything to do with sensors warming up, which I am quite certain it isn't, the same would happen after switching off for an hour or so.

If it's condensation then it won't happen in hot dry weather.
 
I fitted one of these damn things and it kept waking me up at night. I tried switching the gas off at the bottle and it still did it. It also did it when there was any "spike" in supply like the fridge switching on and off so it wasn't me farting wot did it. I kept the solenoid which is now independantly switched, and threw the rest away. I haven't blown up yet....
 
Mine does exactly the same thing! After a couple of minutes (depending on temperature) everything warms up and there are no further problems, even if the detector is left on for days or weeks. Agree it's bloody annoying!
 
I arrived at my boat today and as I opened the washboards the gas alarm was going off. The unit is a single sensor Pilot unit and the sensor is low down in the main cabin. The gas was not connected and the bottle is in a sealed unit in the cockpit. I was there yesterday for several hours and the unit was working normally.

Anyway I opened all the hatches, tested the alarm(worked OK) and waited. The alarm sounded a couple of times and then stopped and went back to its normal waiting mode.

I wondered if there was any gassing from the batteries, but inspection showed they were normal. I had left the battery charger on overnight but the reading showed normal (floating charge). I did leave the cover off the battery locker whilst checking the gas alarm so I could eliminate that source.

After about 20 minutes everything returned to normal so if anyone has any ideas let me know thanks.
 
The sensors have to heat up to burn off any contaminents. I have the nasa gas alarm. It just ticks for a while when first switched on until the heater is up to temperature. It takes about 10 to 20 seconds then goes into full operation.
When you turn yours off you are resetting the alarm after the heater has reached temperature.
 
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