Carbon Monoxide detector advice

Over a year ago I purchsed a new Kidde Nighthawk Premium plug-in CO detector (Model 900-0076 AC) for my house. Initially it seems to work fine, but after several weeks it started giving single beep every hour or so.

At first I thought the battery was dead so I replaced it with a new one. It didn't help.

So, I called Kidde who, based on the error code on the LED display, immediately sent me a new unit (didn't even ask for the defective one to be returned).

Then the story repeated itself after several weeks. I called Kidde again and again they sent me another new unit.

Then the story repeated itself after several weeks... At this point I gave up on Kidde, realized that they have an inferior product marketed cleverly and decided not to buy any CO detector for the home until I find something that I am convinced works (I used to have the excellent AIM

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but when its battery died before the 5 year warranty ended, I discovered that the company went out of business).

So time went by (and we are still alive) and I discover that finally there is some home for a better alternative: Model CO851 by American Sensors.

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The marketing for it says "Voted top alarm in the USA!!!" - and it sure is priced higher than the Nighthawk - but before going ahead and purchasing it, I am curious to know whether anyone here had experience with it and if so, does it really live to its expectations?

I also just found the following interesting article:

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and wondering again: Have I found the best carbon monoxide detector in the market?

Thanks! Sam

Reply to
silenceseeker2003
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Most of the people in this group are installation companys. The products you are describing are retail products. I don't know of any installation company that would install any of the devices that are generally available to you over the counter. Devices that we would sell are wired into alarm panels and are not self contained.

Reply to
Jim

Jim, thanks for your quick reply. I wasn't aware before of what you said. Do you happen to know which newsgroup has the right people?

BTW, while researching for an answer to my question(s), I found the following amazing article which I think could be of interest not only to installation companies, but also to ordinance writers:

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It is basically saying what I have learned the hard way: there is no CO detector/alarm in the market that really works (except, maybe, for the one made by "CO Experts").

Thanks, Sam

Jim wrote:

Reply to
silenceseeker2003

But further exploration reveals that it seems that "CO Experts" may be a disguise to "AIM" - a company that promised 5 years warranty for the CO alarm I purchased (described in my original posting) - and disappeared from the horizon after a short time. Which rendered my warranty useless (and which of course was needed, because that CO detector died after a year).

Notice this:

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And notice this:
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(referencing "George Kerr AIM")

Ah, what an interesting world.

So, is there a CO detector that really works?

Sam

snipped-for-privacy@yahoo.com wrote:

Reply to
silenceseeker2003

I am aware of what the first website had to say. Regarding your old detector, what ever it says isn't important now, since it's no longer available.

But ...... as far as me recommending a CO detector. No, I can't/wont. I don't offer CO detectors with my installations. Mainly because of what you've just learned about them. There is no place that they can be mounted that can be considered the "best" place. The types that are available to us, draw a lot of current and because of their short comings, it's not worth it to have to install and additional power supply to power something with doubtful usefulness. The fact that they are going to go dead and have to be replaced in a few years, is not usually acceptable by the client and who's going to remember to test them to see if they're still working? It's bad enough that people don't test their smoke detectors. or as a matter of fact, even test their alarm systems. There are other issues with CO detecrots that I have about if the fire department should be notified if a CO detector trips. All and all there's just too much doubt on my part to feel comfortable offering it to my clients.

If they ** reeeeealy** want them, I tell them that in order to be sure that they are going to be well protected because of the inability to know exactly at what level to mount them, they should probably have about 6 or 8 of them installed around the house and at $185.00 each, that I think it would be much less costly if they were to go to Home Depot and buy a dozen of them and put them all over the house ..... themselves.

In my area, in new construction, electricians are required, by the building department, to install CO detectors that are wired to 110VAC. The indecision by everyone in the industry about where to mount them was answered by by the bureaucrats by requiring them to be mounted on wall, half way between the floor and the ceiling. This way no one can be blamed for mounting them to high or too low ..... I'm .... guessing.

No reporting to central station is required.

I have plug-ins in my home.

Reply to
Jim

Jim, thank you so much for your detailed answer. It certainly helped me realize that I am not deluding.

Still, I noticed that despite your doubts you did install *something* at home (plug-ins). Which plug-ins (brand and model number) did you go for?

Thanks, Sam

Reply to
silenceseeker2003

This answer is going to be absolutely no help to you at all.

Ummmmmmm ............. Kidde Nitehawk ........... heh heh heh.

Reply to
Jim

Heh heh heh... I had a feeling that would be the answer. :-)

And you mounted them half way between the floor and the ceiling, right? :-)

I can understand one or two defective units by coincidence, but when the company keeps sending me units (4 in total) that keep exhibiting the same exact problem, I know that there is something wrong in an entire production line - or even the design itself.

Even more interesting is that... I was not the only one encountering the problem. I just discovered this after your first answer. Read here:

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I think I will go for the "American Sensors CO920" - except that I have never heard of that company. I couldn't even find their web site. Does that company really exist? Or is it the same "Kidde NiteHawk" just branded differently?

Regards, Sam

Reply to
silenceseeker2003

Actually, I live in a ranch style house. No attached garage. Heating source is in the basement. I have the CO detectors mounted in outlets. My main concern in at night when I'm sleeping. With the CO source in the basement, I figure with the detectors mounted in outlets, the CO with reach them before it reaches me in bed.

Now days, you never know who is private labling for who.

But hey, did you ever think about taking your "defective" units to someone elses house and see if they react the same way in another location? Could be you have some fumes from something in your home that's setting the units off. They're not exclusively sensitive to only CO. Had a situation a while ago in my area where a doctor ( believe it or not) kept having to reset his home CO detector so he disabled it and the whole family died of CO poisioning.

Good luck

Reply to
Jim

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