IMO they also fail from airborne contamination from spray cleaners. Once when I couldn’t find the source of co I left them on while alone at the dock and sure enough after a few hours they went off, I dont think the chili and beer had anything to do with it.
Gas generators
- Thread starter 27boat27
- Start date
I cover mine every winter with a brown bag and seal around them with blue painters tape making sure the glue doesn't get into the cover for the detectors. The one's located in the ER and in front of the fresh air intake for my salon AC unit I leave uncovered. They do get powered down when the boat is out of the water for the short Winter layup.
David when you find an AC ignition protected blower please let me know. I would consider one off the generator to run in the cockpit ER when the Genset is generating AC.
My Kohler also has a built in sensor that will shut the unit down if it detects CO at it's remote in the salon.
Bill
David when you find an AC ignition protected blower please let me know. I would consider one off the generator to run in the cockpit ER when the Genset is generating AC.
My Kohler also has a built in sensor that will shut the unit down if it detects CO at it's remote in the salon.
Bill
Our CO detectors have gone off from the main engines more than the generator.
When we are running around on short trips with no generator, we normally leave
the cabin door open. All the CO detectors start going off soon after.
We have to keep all windows and doors open or no windows and doors.
Station wagon effect.
When we are running around on short trips with no generator, we normally leave
the cabin door open. All the CO detectors start going off soon after.
We have to keep all windows and doors open or no windows and doors.
Station wagon effect.
RWS that is because diesels put out much lower levels of CO than gassers.
Same with my boat it's either all windows open or all closed due to the station wagon effect. In fact the manufacture has warning labels above CO above all the salon windows and rear sliding door.
Bill
Household CO detectors don't have to run on 12VDC or need filtering, also anything marine rated you can add a 0 to the end of the price. With that being said I wouldn't use anything but marine rated units for liability reasons. I'm not saying a battery powered home unit wouldn't work in a boat just I wouldn't count on them as my sole source of CO detection in a boat. Read the instructions or the label on home units they have an expiration date stamped on them. However a pair of home units in a boat are better than no units in a boat.
Bill
Bill
- Joined
- Aug 5, 2008
- RO Number
- 30499
- Messages
- 6,405
"Household CO detectors don't have to run on 12VDC or need filtering"
Alarm system CO sensors are designed to work on 12 volts, I was thinking of replacing mine this season with GE CO sensors but I plan to call for tech support first to see what they have to say about it.
"My Kohler also has a built in sensor that will shut the unit down if it detects CO at it's remote in the salon."
Many years ago my father picked up a CO sensor with a built in relay used to kill the genny if it tripped. I installed it in the 80 or early 90s I don't know why more boats don't have them.
I once had an impeller go on my last boat which caused my exhaust to go dry it melted the exhaust hose and filled the engine room with smoke, this happened during the day and it scared the heck out of me so I would never run a genny over night.
Alarm system CO sensors are designed to work on 12 volts, I was thinking of replacing mine this season with GE CO sensors but I plan to call for tech support first to see what they have to say about it.
"My Kohler also has a built in sensor that will shut the unit down if it detects CO at it's remote in the salon."
Many years ago my father picked up a CO sensor with a built in relay used to kill the genny if it tripped. I installed it in the 80 or early 90s I don't know why more boats don't have them.
I once had an impeller go on my last boat which caused my exhaust to go dry it melted the exhaust hose and filled the engine room with smoke, this happened during the day and it scared the heck out of me so I would never run a genny over night.
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2004
- RO Number
- 15005
- Messages
- 601
I once had an impeller go on my last boat which caused my exhaust to go dry it melted the exhaust hose and filled the engine room with smoke, this happened during the day and it scared the heck out of me so I would never run a genny over night.
Onan ( and I would think all other brands do too) generators have a high temp switch on the exhaust elbow that shuts the genset down, to prevent this from happening. I check mine with a heat gun every so often to make sure it is working correctly.
I normally run my genset all night as it is too hot without ac on the boat most of the year. Just use a little common sense and a few safety precautions. I usually crack a window or open a hatch a little to let a little fresh air in anyway.
Onan ( and I would think all other brands do too) generators have a high temp switch on the exhaust elbow that shuts the genset down, to prevent this from happening. I check mine with a heat gun every so often to make sure it is working correctly.
I normally run my genset all night as it is too hot without ac on the boat most of the year. Just use a little common sense and a few safety precautions. I usually crack a window or open a hatch a little to let a little fresh air in anyway.
We overnight a lot in all kinds of weather. Warn still nights will allow the CO detector go off. I've even had it go off when we've had thunderstorms and the boat is swinging on the anchor in a high wind. It only takes one or two of these situations to cause you to turn off the genny at night. Fortunately our climate allows this without discomfort.
Never had one CO issue while on anchor.
When we had the Kohler gen., we had to run the blower or we would get a CO alarm.
Not with the Westerbeke, but I feel more comfortable running the blower when any
engine is online.
When we had the Kohler gen., we had to run the blower or we would get a CO alarm.
Not with the Westerbeke, but I feel more comfortable running the blower when any
engine is online.
No CO alarms from my Kohler but it is one of the newer Low CO units the 7.3ECD.
It's hard to believe but I get compliments on how quiet it is even under heavy load. Perhaps it's the water lift muffler that helps with the sound issue.
Bill
It's hard to believe but I get compliments on how quiet it is even under heavy load. Perhaps it's the water lift muffler that helps with the sound issue.
Bill
While I like the newer Genserator it has far too many protections that can cause the generator to shut down. When I open the book to review the error codes it is almost 2 full pages any one will cause the generator to shut down. That includes a bad sensor. But they really build a ton of protections into the newer units I suppose to limit liability issues.
Bill
Bill
When using your gen I have a hard wire and a co battery home that more senstive to carbon monixide Do not anchor out with another boat along side of you Do not use stern anchor open up your bow hatch just a little bit and a side window just enough so you can feel a breeze also if you have a bilge vent on the side of your boat turn the one towards the bow facing foward so the little breeze you get air circulating in the bilge on your boat with the aft cabin I would have aleast 4 co monitors around also on your bridge and aft deck I would open up the canvas so air would pass threw just remember co is heavy than air so it will travel to lower part of your boat if contain Happy boating and be safe