Reminder: Check your CO detector

[matt.mackinnon]

It came in the wee hours of the morning. What was that thing beeped. Checked the alarm clock. No not that. Guess I will have to get out of bed to see what it is.

Out in the hall, that dang carbon monoxide detector is going off. OK. Check the furnace and gas fireplaces to make sure the pilot light is not blown out. All is ok.

So why is this thing going off. Press the test button. Still going off. Must be broken. Pull it out the wall, but just to be on the safe side, I should go check the other rooms to make sure all it well.

WOW, this thing might have just saved my families life.

Turns out the UPS that my computer runs on, the batteries inside had caught on fire. The unit was very hot to touch, and a slight smell of burning plastic. Who knows what dangerous gasses this thing was leaking, but the detector sensed them and woke me up.

Opened all the windows to get fresh air into the rooms. about 6 minutes later, I plugged the CO detector back in, and it starts to read 87ppm.. then down to 71ppm, then 52ppm then zero.

Thankyou technology for your little blessings.

Matt.

[Wayne - Oakville]

Great to hear that things worked out.

I had long forgotten, but recently found out that CO detectors should be replaced every 5 years (smoke detectors every 10 years?). Although this time frame sounds like a ploy to sell new detectors, I did throw out my 12 year old model, and bought a new First Alert.

...Wayne

[Al the woodworker]

Matt,

You should have left the house to be entirely safe until the monitor stopped beeping. That is a very poisonous gas! Good to know that no one was hurt.

[matt.mackinnon]

Matt,

You should have left the house to be entirely safe until the monitor stopped beeping. That is a very poisonous gas! Good to know that no one was hurt.

You are probably right.. but as it's winter and well below the freezing mark, I figured that I'd take a look around first. Seems that the voltage regulator on the unit had failed and it was over charging the batteries.

Now I need to order a new UPS.. so I guess no more tools for me for a bit.

[mreza]

Glad to hear you are Ok.

What I'd do is to notify the manufacturer or the store I bought from or wherever there is a possibility they would look into this brand or notify other owners or...
If these things are happening with this particular device they have to do something about it (don't think you are the only one who has had this experience).

[billh]

Thanks for sharing the story. They certainly detect more than just CO or gas. I had a rare intermittent alarm for no good reason with mine. Turns out I had plugged in a plastic 1 to 3 electrical outlet converter in the receptacle above it. The plastic converter was several years old and I guess the plastic was breaking down and giving off some chemical. Replaced the converter and all is well.

billh