Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detectors

[WillieC]

What are you using? I am, but shouldn't be, mildly stunned at the prices for properly listed marine devices.

We have an A25 and the aft cabin is used only for storage. One of each will do, a combo would be nice but I haven't found one. I understand the permanently wired units are preferred but seems a bit overkill for our boat. With 7 year units available with non-replaceable battery, that seems reasonable since a lot can happen in 7 years.

Thanks for weighing in.

[Ambler27FC]

I tried using hardware store CO sensors on my boat, but the aft cabin sensor kept going off randomly. When I say randomly I mean it would go off 3 days after the engine had been run, but not after an 8 hour cruise. There is no gasoline on the boat. The Diesel engine is new and dialed in with zero leaks and a spotless bilge - but not sure that this matters. A real puzzler for me.

The marine sensor has had no issues at all. I was satisfied with the battery only option. Figure it will yell at me when it is end of life.

[WillieC]

Good info, thanks Ambler.
What brand are you using?

[dkirsop]

Some CO sensors are sensitive to off-gassing of paints that have not yet fully cured. The CO sensor in our house kept going off each time I fired up our wood stove for several weeks until the paint cured. Might be the same for a new diesel engine.

I have not installed one on my boat but I remain paranoid about making sure both cabins are well ventilated when under way or being slept in. There is no propane or gasoline on the boat but exhaust could still enter if wind conditions were right.

[WillieC]

The driver for us is the new Chinese heater. Unless we are breaking ice we probably will not leave it on while sleeping. Its main use will be to warm the cabin to the Starfleet Commander's liking in the morning and maybe before bedtime in the evenings. Early morning departures would be nice with a little heat too. When we were on our way to Toba inlet it must have rained two inches that night and I nearly drowned trying to set a stern tie in a little hideaway bay close to the entrance of Toba. Just a little dryness and a teensy bit of heat would have been heavenly.

[Ambler27FC]

My new CO/smoke detector was made by Xintex. But this was not a purchase I researched. The decision making process was:
1) Alarm goes off at 2AM, as it would.
2) Move sleeping arrangements to the deck, because - even skeptical - you are going to be thinking about it otherwise.
3) Drink your coffee and head straight to the nearest marine store and buy whatever they have because the issue needs to be solved.

In the last straw event described the engine had been off for ~10 hours, and the cabin was well ventilated during and after the cruise.

[Tree]

I’ve got a normal household one - mounted right next to the thermostat of the heater. That would in theory be about 2’ above my head when sleeping.

[JBrooks]

I installed two Safe-T-Alert 62 series in April of this year. Model is 62-541. 53.99 each. They are 12volt.