Club 80-90 Forums

Hi, since owning my Aircooled t25 i have been advised to buy a carbon monoxide detector, has anyone got one and what do you recommened ?

Thanks for your help

woody

We have a Chubb CO monitor/alarm which has a digital read-out as well as an alarm. I would strongly urge everyone to buy one NOT the stupid card discs. The emergency services use those to tell them what killed you.

You also need a smoke alarm.

Ian.

Thanks Ian, where do a buy one from ?

woodys wrote:Thanks Ian, where do a buy one from ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/KIDDE-CARBON-MONO ... 286.c0.m14

My mistake our's is like this a Kidde not a Chubb

Ian

Just bought one ! thanks for your help

woodys wrote:Just bought one ! thanks for your help

No worries, we'll sit in a field one day and talk rubbish about old vans and how great they are

Ian.

Where is the best positioning site for the alarm in a high top camper?

Cruz wrote:Where is the best positioning site for the alarm in a high top camper?

Follow the manufacturer's instructions.

woodys....what are you running that makes you think you need a CO detector? The only reason for needing one of these is either you use a gas hob or propex/ebberspacher to heat the van at night. A fridge simply does not use enough gas to produce CO in dangerous quantities.
Martin

I was told if the heat exhangers were no good then the fumes would leak into the vents in the cab , i do have a gas hob too

Not sure of what to say.....heat exchangers shouldn't allow exhaust fumes into the vehicle for starters but if they did you could be overcome by fumes without the CO detector even going off (exhaust fumes are made up of lots of different gases) besides....you are moving, your blowers are working and you sure can smell exhaust fumes..hmmmm then the gas hob....with all the doors sealed and both rings going it could be possible I guess for the vents in the vehicle not to be able keep up with the oxygen being burnt...but to be honest, only really a problem if you were to leave the rings on for heating and go to bed.
I guess what I am trying to say is that there is a lot of paranoia and miss information going around, all of a sudden eveyone camping NEEDS to have a CO detector. Think of it this way, in your vans long 28 year life it has been used by dozens of owners, been on thousands of camps and THIS will be the FIRST time anyone fitted a CO detector.
Just trying to keep things in perspective, fit it, it is never going off but £15 for peace of mind....hmmm
Martin

I have CO monitor/alarm with digital display. During the summer with windows open, etc, the display reads zero or very low levels of CO when using the hob. Its during the winter evenings when doors and windows tend to be left shut, curtains drawn when I rely on the roof vent or high top windows for ventilation that the CO level climbs quite rapidly when using the hob. I mainly bought it for peace of mind as I have a catalytic gas heater for emergency heating in the event of a power cut. Only had to use it once and had it on for about 4 hours, the CO display never budged from zero. A lot more re-assuring with it installed.

Red Westie wrote: paranoia and miss information going around, all of a sudden eveyone camping NEEDS to have a CO detector. Think of it this way, in your vans long 28 year life it has been used by dozens of owners, been on thousands of camps and THIS will be the FIRST time anyone fitted a CO detector.
Just trying to keep things in perspective, fit it, it is never going off but £15 for peace of mind....hmmm
Martin

not sure that this counts as the most sensible advice i have ever read on here - everyone should have a CO detector. if you live in an old house the chances are it has gone a lot of years with neither a smoke detector nor a fire, but i assume you would still fit one.

A local York man died only this year in his caravan dur to CO poisoning after going for a nap witht he heater on and just not waking up. obviously keep things in perspective - the chances are that you will be fine and not need it, but the heating/gas systems are not getting any younger on our vans, and may have probably not had a gas safety check any time recently.

i am sure you have a set of tools in your van in case of a breakdown that are worth more than 15 quid, despite not intending to break down, so there is no harm in fitting a CO and smoke detector, despite not intending to gas youself...

lecture over!

Olly

'Not sure wether this counts as the most sensible advice you have read on here' whats that then? what was I advising exactly?
All I said was; lets not get too paranoid.
Martin