CO Alarm at 1:00 a.m.

ruwallydog

This was a really strange event early this morning. Both CO detectors alarmed about 4 minutes apart in the lower cabin. We reset the detectors ... a few minutes later...they go off again. Not wanting to risk it we packed the kids up and went home. The admiral and I are headed back to the boat today?

The only thing on in the boat was the A/C and a small fan. Any ideas on what could cause them to alarm?

I had all the batteries replaced recently. That's the only variable in the equation that's any different.

Thx

Handymans342

A huge fart will set them off. Lol. Could be a lot of things. Bad batteries??

Black_Diamond

Low voltage. Cleaners.  Fumes from cleaners. 

CO detectors do have a life span too. Usually 5 years then you need to replace. They can be wired in series too, so one sets them all off too. 

ruwallydog

The CO detectors are Brand spanking new. We are at the boat and we were able to duplicate the issue, but unfortunately still scratching our head to understand the cause.

CO detected is reading 179 ppm on the display.

J3ff

how did you duplicate the issue?

Black_Diamond

I like to run a tube from the exhaust back in. lol

to be serious. Was the engine or genny on when this happened?  Neighbors with genny on?  Propane grilling?  That number is significant. 

Don't underestimate antifreeze, holding tank fumes, etc. I had my home one going off from a leaking geothermal pump, the alcohol based flyid tripped it off. 

randy56

@ruwallydog, We are all curious, what you find, you did the right thing by going home.  

Dude_Himself

I have 2 CO monitors as well as the built-in CO detector - Amazon has them. They run off a 10-year lithium battery, and have an on/off switch on the back. Plus they show the temperature with a backlight when you push the button. Very helpful in determining if you have a low-level CO leak. But if the engine/genny were off, and there weren't other boats nearby, were you charging your batteries? Hydrogen gas can trigger them. Personally, anytime we've made chicken marsala it's set off the one in our house - right when we add the wine. As Black_Diamond stated - other chemicals can cause false-positives as well:

acetylene, dimethyl sulfide, ethyl alcohol, ethylene, hydrogen cyanide, hydrogen sulfide, isopropyl alcohol, mercaptan, methyl alcohol, propane, nitrogen dioxide, and sulfur dioxide. Isopropyl alcohol - what you use in the stove - is the only false positive we've had on the boat. It wasn't lit - kids just played with the knobs and left it uncapped.

ruwallydog

Thanks for the responses....much appreciated!

We were able to duplicate the issue again today. Closed up the cabin...only the A/C and portable fan were on....and an hour later we had alarms on three different CO detectors. 

I'm leaning towards thinking the detectors are being triggered from fumes from the batteries being charged. That said I'm not 100% certain that's the root cause, but I can confirm that when we activated the blower the CO readings in the cabin returned to normal.

So hopefully once the batteries are fully charged all will return to normal. Hopefully someone on here will have additional thoughts or insight.

Best!!!

Black_Diamond

Are the batteries full of water?  Correct charger for the type?  

Sounds like the batteries are dry/overcharging to emit fumes enough to trigger the CO alarm. 

J3ff

But you weren't charging them during the first time right? 

ruwallydog

@J3. They were charging both times. I had the new batteries installed a few weeks before, but they never turned on or forgot to turn on the charger at the panel. I turned on the charger when I got to the boat late Saturday afternoon.

@BlackDiamond. I'm worried about the same...the batteries are sealed so not a water issue, but worried they are overcharging. I'm headed up to the boat tomorrow to take another look. So if that's the case Im thinking I may either have a defective battery or the charger is on its way out. Does that make sense or should I be looking somewhere else?

thx

Black_Diamond

I'd be looking at those batteries.  See if they feel hot - they should not if normal. 

ruwallydog

Thx. I will check that for sure. 

If they are hot would that point to a bad battery(s) or charger? 

Handymans342

Depending on what charger you have you can set it to match the battery type IE: Flooded, Gell, etc. And it must be correct.

Dream_Inn

Please let us know what you figure out.  Glad you did the right thing and just go home.  I think BD might be on track with the battery or charger.