chemqueries wrote:
Main Man wrote:
Dont know which country you're in but you want 1 with long term
stability of CO cell; many don't.
The HSE (UK Govn't body} only found 2 satisfactory.
1 was "SF" brand, 1 "Kidde"; latter available both sides of pond.
http://www.kiddesafetyeurope.co.uk/C...e+Alarms.shtml

Hi. Thanks for your reply. I'm in the United States. The brand I
bought is a Kidde, but apparently Kidde makes many different models.
The one I bought is a combined carbon monoxide and smoke detector.
Now I hear that it is not advisable to have the two combined in one
device. Supposedly, the carbon monoxide detectors should be intalled
at a much lower level than the smoke detectors. The smoke detectors
should be installed on a ceiling, whereas the CO detectors should be
at about the level of an electrical outlet or not more than five feet
above the floor.

I have heard this one both ways. While I would think that most sources
of CO will be be heat producing sources and as such the warm air would force
the CO to rise quickly. CO is lighter than air and will tend to rise.

I have had one personal encounter with CO. In that case the CO
concentrations were decently greater at five feet than at four feet and
greater at four feet than one foot. We had a number of people. Many
sleeping on the floor, some sitting upright, some standing. Those standing
where first to be effected and suffered the most during the next few days.
Those sitting also experienced problems, but not as severe. The first
couple who were sitting stood up and were quickly effected. The others
seeing that did not stand up but got to their hands and knees and were less
effected and were able to help the others and alert those sleeping. In the
end there were no lasting injuries.

I have mine mounted about five foot up just outside the bed room area on
the second floor and another mounted at outlet height on the first floor.

BTW the one upstairs is of a new design and can record and display
levels that are too low to set off the alarm, but may be a good early
warning.

I was told that CO may not rise as high as the
ceiling fast enough to be detected. By the time the CO reaches the
ceiling-mounted detector, a person will have breathed in a
substantial amount while lying in a bed that is much closer to the
floor. The one I bought is only battery operated. I hear that they
make CO detectors that can be plugged into an electrical outlet but
they have battery backups in the event that there is a power failure.

--
Joseph Meehan

26 + 6 = 1 It's Irish Math