Monox (CO) detectors are important if you have any potential CO sources.
Any combustion fired devices, vehicles, etc. are a potential source.
If you get really, really lucky you might notice a weak source, if you
are awake and the levels are rising slowly by the fact you are getting
sleepy and getting a headach...If you are already asleep, or the levels
rise rapidly...GoodBye.
Other fun bits...
As I understand it, the sensors to not have a unlimited lifespan, good
idea to replace every X years (check with maker docs on lifespan).
Location is important, CO pools in low places, these things need to be
located _low_. Normal outlet height is a good place, why most CO
detectors are made to plug straight in to an outlet.
Now...Outlets are not always near the floor, often in furnace
rooms/utility rooms garages, etc they are much higher.
Take a close look at the back of the CO detector... While some of the
smaller ones are one piece, many of the ones about the size of a
paperback or larger have a removable wall-wart.
I just replaced a pair of Kiddie Nighthawks (10 years old) with newer
Kiddie units. In both the Nighthawks and the new units, power is from a
wall-ward that is snapped into a section of the case.
If you have low outlets you can just plug in...
If you have higher outlets you are supposed to unsocket the wart, and
remote mount the CO detector (mounting provisions on back).
This is a std wart with a 6ft ish cable, and is perfect for wrapping
around a toroid.
I always place CO detectors in potential sources and connected living areas.
My garage has one, both because it is a garage and because NatGas heater
and water heater is there. Outlets are at the 5ft level... Detector is
at 18" level on the wall with the wart up at the outlet. There was
enough to place a 2.4" type 31 toroid at the wart (with its own support
so the weight is not pulling on the wart).
There is another in the living area, downstairs hallway where the living
room, kitched, laundry and garage entrance meet. Outlets are low there,
but did the same thing with the remotable wart to put a toroid on it.
CO detector is about 18" to the right of the outlet.
Key point is to make sure the AC connection is well protected from
getting tugged/etc.
Far as RF trigger... Both the old NighthHawks and the new ones are
triggered by conducted RF. Attic antenna w/ 100watts... 160 - 10 will
trigger. Remote antenna, still triggers 160 - 40 if running more than
400watts.
The toroids take care of that.
Looking at the datasheet for KN-COP-DP-LS, it is the smaller direct to
outlet type without the removable wart, for use only where you have low
outlets.
You might look at
KN-COEG-3
KN-COPP-3
These are both larger units with a remotable wart.
On 10/23/13 1:10 PM, dalej wrote:
Just a heads up.
I purchased a Kidde NightHawk CO2 detector model KN-COP-DP-LS, it is
designed to plug into a wall outlet plus it has a 9 v. battery backup
and LED readout. While transmitting on 80 meters after a while it
starts audible warning, very loud. I called the company tech support
line and they did not have any solution. As an experiment I plugged
the detector into a two wire extension cord and wrapped the extension
around a #31 mix snap-on, then tested and it did not go off. The
tech support said not to use an extension cable with the detector.
So if you are looking for a CO2 detector be aware of this problem
with 80 meter RFI tripping the detector. I went to strictly battery
powered CO2 detector and that works fine.
Dale, k9vuj _______________________________________________ RFI
mailing list RFI@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi
_______________________________________________
RFI mailing list
RFI@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/rfi