CO Detector Location Question

close to bedroom

The ceiling will work, but you'll be able to see it better if you mount it on the wall around 5ft (or your eye level) above the floor... Regards, Russ

Uh, why do you need to look at it? It should work fine on its own up near the ceiling (no less than one foot away, like a smoke det.) where it should go.

It does have a built in relay for an alarm or a built in siren if battery powered, right? And not one of those pieces of junk that have a 'cool' LCD display and plugs into an outlet one foot above the floor that won't trip until you're dead from CO poisoning.

Gotta wonder about manufacturer's who don't even tell you how to install their products. Oh, wait - Kidde - I guess that explains it.

Julian

Hi Julian:

Thanks for reply.

Read it with quite a bit of interest, as I am about to return this Kidde Nighthas unit and buy another one.

Yes, it's AC powered, has that pretty LCD display, has a battery backup, and I do have it plugged into the wall socket near the floor.

Have been driving us crazy, as every day, perhaps (only) once or twice a day it gives a single chirp. No idea why; battery is brand new.

Why do you feel that a location into an outlet near the floor is to be avoided ? (I'm just trying to learn)

Any thoughts on the single chirp ?

Are First Alert CO detectors "better" ?

Thanks again for help, Bob

No idea, return it for a new one.

CO is slightly lighter than air, so where do you think would be the best place to detect it? That's right, no at outlet level, but higher on the wall or on the ceiling (as in the dual smoke/CO detectors).

References:

If there is a small amount of CO (normail with most homes), it can and will easily mix with the surrounding air, especially if there is air movement (eg. breeze from open window). If there is a larger concentration of CO (due to faulty heating/cooking equipment), it will rise to the ceiling and build up, which is why you want a detector placed high on the wall or on the ceiling.

Better? Better? Hah! Get one from a reputable manufacturer, install it correctly and don't get the cheapest one. Like my Chinese grandfather used to say:

Good Stuff No Cheap Cheap Stuff No Good

No problem, but be careful with the info you read on the internet. I found many pages that were just dead wrong about CO, saying it is heavier than air. CO2 (carbon dioxide) is heavier than air, so I think that is the source of the confusion.

And I have to wonder about companies who manufacture CO detectors that plug into AC outlets. They are giving people a false sense of security, since the units likely won't trip until the amount of CO is fatal to a person.

JMHO

Regards,

Julian

Someone else already said this but they gave the wrong reason. Mount Carbon Monoxide detectors at "breathing height" -- about 5 feet off the floor on a wall. This will give optimum response time. On the ceiling they may take longer to respond.

Most detector manufacturers suggest placing the detector outside the bedrooms so that sleeping occupants will be awakened. You might want to consider installing an additional detector in the vicxinity of the source of CO -- furnace, gas hot water heater, etc.

Regards, Robert L Bass

Actually, CO mixes readily with air and the mixture is so close to the density of air that stratification is not a factor. However, being a product of combustion, it is usually warmer than air and tends to rise. A detector located near the floor may take significantly longer to respond than one at the prescribed height of 5' above the floor.

"Mount the CM-15/15A at the height that people breathe--four to five feet above the floor. Mount the unit vertically on a wall, so the information on the front of the CM-15/15A can be read in a normal manner. The word TOP on the internal cover indicates the normal mounting position of the detector." -- Macurco

Not quite right. CO in any quantity will mix readily with air. Proper placement is 5 feet from the floor.

I've used Macurco detectors for many years. They perform well. I never used First Alert so I can't say for certain about them.

If the unit carries the UL listing it has been tested and certified to detect CO and warn occupants early enough to provide a reasonable degree of protection. There's no lesser standard for 110VAC models.

Regards, Robert L Bass