Smoke alarm

[moonshine]

Is there a marine version of the typical 'domestic' smoke alarm.

I had a First Alert alarm, with a non-serviceable 10yr battery, fitted 3 yrs ago. A few days ago a call from the marina staff, 'an alarm is going off in your boat'. Sure enough the smoke alarm beeping continuously.

On removal I looked at the warnings on the back face, 'exposure to prolonged high or low temperature, or high humidity will reduce battery life' !! Device is now at home and is completely dead.

Any suggestions for an appropriate replacement ?

A

 

[VicS]

Is there a marine version of the typical 'domestic' smoke alarm.

I had a First Alert alarm, with a non-serviceable 10yr battery, fitted 3 yrs ago. A few days ago a call from the marina staff, 'an alarm is going off in your boat'. Sure enough the smoke alarm beeping continuously.

On removal I looked at the warnings on the back face, 'exposure to prolonged high or low temperature, or high humidity will reduce battery life' !! Device is now at home and is completely dead.

Any suggestions for an appropriate replacement ?

A

I was not aware of smoke alarms with non replaceable batteries. CO alarms yes but not smoke alarms

What you say sounds like the snags with CO alarms. Maybe you have a combined smoke and CO alarm ????

There are basically two types of smoke alarm. Ionisation and optical or photoelectric.

The Boat safety scheme expalins the differenece and suggets the optical type for boats but recommends one of each

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe/fire-safety-for-boats/smoke-alarms-for-boats/

Alarms combining both type of detector are available I believe


If you fit a CO alarm make sure it is one stated to be suitable for boats and caravans

 

[moonshine]

Thanks for your input and the website.

I got the make wrong, it is Fire Angel, and it most definitely is a non-replaceable battery, ionisation device. It has the warnings on the base as stated. I have a separate CO alarm which I will check out more thoroughly.

As you suggest I'll search for specific boat alarms

A

 

[KellysEye]

I used a domestic smoke and CO alarm with no problems.

 

[VicS]

I used a domestic smoke and CO alarm with no problems.

Good news I am sure but what makes and models ?

My domestic CO alarm is a FireAngel Model CO 9D. The Instruction manual confirms that it is suitable for boats and caravans. Not all are. The BSS gives the relevant specification numbers of those that are.

My newest smoke alarm is an Ei Electronics optical type, model number EI105B. The older ones are BRK Electronics ionisation type.

The instruction leaflets do not indicate if they are suitable for boats and caravans or not but there is a limit on the lowest temperatures, 4C and 40F respectively, for which they are suitable.
The BSS warns of reduced battery life if used in humid areas

Some advice from the Fire Industry Association here http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/273659/D1-FACT-FILE-SMOKE-ALARMS-IN-BOATS-FIA-FINAL.pdf

 

[KellysEye]

>Good news I am sure but what makes and models ?

I can't remember the make or model numbers but I bought them at B&Q, so basic domestic ones.

 

[prof pat pending]

I can't recommend it as such, but based on reviews and function, I'm looking at putting one of these on my boat for next season.

http://www.superlecdirect.com/p-10s...Dbh8kb1EVvIEaffpcNAQf-BDw2r3o652_AaApaP8P8HAQ

 

[PabloPicasso]

I used a domestic smoke and CO alarm with no problems.

Yes me to. But I used the ones with a replaceable batty. The CO alarm was replaced this year. They're cheap enough.

How damp is your boat? Mine is on a mooring with no power and no added vents. Seems fine. CO and smoke alarms are cheap expendable devices. Just replace them every couple of years

My dishwasher element stopped working. It seems the element and motor are one unit so repair of modern dishwashers is uneconomic. Very cynical ploy by the manufacturers. But CO n smoke alarm replacement is cheap, so treat them as expendable items. Can't see any advantage in buying more expensive ones. Just get the cheapest and replace.

The CO alarms with non-replaceable batteries are for rented houses where tenants remove the battery when they start beeping and never replace them. So the legislators have added this to the landlord's list of responsibilities. You'd think tenants would want to protect themselves from CO poisoning but all too frequently they seem not to.

Anyway. I'd not realised there were marinised CO alarms. Are they chandlery expensive compared to domestic units?

 

[VicS]

Anyway. I'd not realised there were marinised CO alarms.

Are there ? I'd not realised that either

 

[PabloPicasso]

Didn't you ( VicS) say some are rated for boats and others are not? I wonder what the difference could be? Perhaps a more knowledgable person than me might be along soon to explain the difference.

 

[macd]

Didn't VicS say some are rated for boats and others are not? I wonder what the difference could be? Perhaps a more knowledgable person than me might be along soon to explain the difference.

I regret that I am not that knowledgeable person. But if there is such a thing the difference will probably be found between " and % on your keyboard.

 

[VicS]

Didn't you ( VicS) say some are rated for boats and others are not? I wonder what the difference could be? Perhaps a more knowledgable person than me might be along soon to explain the difference.

Yes but I did not say "marinised."

As i understand it the old standard BS 50291:2001 was superseded in 2011 by a new standard divided into two parts which are

BS EN 50291-1:2010 + A1:2012, " Electrical apparatus for the detection of carbon monoxide in domestic premises. Test methods and performance requirements."

BS EN 50291-2:2010," Electrical apparatus for the detection of carbon monoxide in domestic premises. Electrical apparatus for continuous operation in a fixed installation in recreational vehicles and similar premises including recreational craft. Additional test methods and performance requirements."
This defines the additional testing needed, and the expected performance criteria for CO detectors which are likely to be subject to movement or vibration during their lifespan.
It can be considered that alarms conforming to this standard are more robust.

 

[TheEcho]

Marinised CO alarms don't seem to be more expensive than ones not so marked - our home unit happens to be OK for boats. It is one of these:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Kidde-Monox...TF8&qid=1449954630&sr=8-1&keywords=Kidde+7dco

 

[GrahamHR]

Are there ? I'd not realised that either

There are; Xintex. Expensive in the UK, if you can find them. I had one on my last boat. There were 2 on my current boat. Standard OEM fit. All connectd to a permanent 12V supply. So far, so good.

All were unreliable; sensitive to the slightest voltage drop so false alarms were very common.

So, all were replaced by stand alone units with batteries. For my last boat I changed it after 5 years as a precaution. They are so cheap and give a warning if the battery voltage is low, it's pointless using hard wired 12V ones.

 

[PabloPicasso]

Yes but I did not say "marinised."

As i understand it the old standard BS 50291:2001 was superseded in 2011 by a new standard divided into two parts which are

BS EN 50291-1:2010 + A1:2012, " Electrical apparatus for the detection of carbon monoxide in domestic premises. Test methods and performance requirements."

BS EN 50291-2:2010," Electrical apparatus for the detection of carbon monoxide in domestic premises. Electrical apparatus for continuous operation in a fixed installation in recreational vehicles and similar premises including recreational craft. Additional test methods and performance requirements."
This defines the additional testing needed, and the expected performance criteria for CO detectors which are likely to be subject to movement or vibration during their lifespan.
It can be considered that alarms conforming to this standard are more robust.

Ok you got me, I was paraphrasing, perhaps " marinised" was not the best term. But you gave a good explanation, which was what was needed. Thank you for that.

So the advice is check the BS standard when one buys, or are all alarms now to the newer/higher standard?

 

[moonshine]

Thanks to VicS, his link gives a list of sensors suitable for boats.

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/273659/D1-FACT-FILE-SMOKE-ALARMS-IN-BOATS-FIA-FINAL.pdf

A

 

[VicS]

Thanks to VicS, his link gives a list of sensors suitable for boats.

http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/media/273659/D1-FACT-FILE-SMOKE-ALARMS-IN-BOATS-FIA-FINAL.pdf

A

That refers to smoke detectors. Although the original question was about them much of the above discussion has been about CO detectors.

 

[BSSOffice]

That refers to smoke detectors. Although the original question was about them much of the above discussion has been about CO detectors.

This page has a link to CO alarms http://www.boatsafetyscheme.org/stay-safe/carbon-monoxide-%28co%29/co-alarms-save-lives/ Hope it helps.

 

[mlines]

There are; Xintex. Expensive in the UK, if you can find them.

Also, in common with a lot of sensors, the Xintex ones have a finite life. Some newer ones alarm when this life is reached in order to tell you to replace it. Older ones seem to just become less and less reliable to the point where the one on our boat sounded nearly continuously every trip (and before anyone states the obvious, this was on a boat with no cooking, heating been off for months , engine been off for hours and with the doors and windows open). We put a Kidde battery one for caravans in and it has been silent.