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Experimental Carbon Monoxide detectors

NYTOM

NYTOM

Well Known Member
Hear me out here. I got my hands on a tiny "First Alert" CO detector. I removed the circuit from plastic case which includes a LED indicator and a piezo annunciator. The unit could easily be panel mounted with a test and alarm acknowledge button. After silencing the alarm the LED keeps blinking till the CO is removed.
Runs on a pair of 1 1/2 volt AA batteries. Any of you electrical guys know of a source for a very small 12 to 3 volt step down transformer to hard wire it? Would a few resistors in series be acceptable to lower the voltage? This thing is very sensitive.
 
The batteries are good for a year. Just change them during your inspection.............
 
Yep, go with the batteries.

Step down transformer wont work on D.C. anyway, will need something a bit fancier.
 
As pointed out, a transformer is useless in the Direct Current world. A Zener diode, on the other hand...
 
OR

Just fly LOP all the time..then there is no CO and a detector is not needed..:)
 
When rich of peak there is an oxygen deficiency, when lean of peak there is an oxygen excess. So (I'm guessing this is what Frank means) when lean of peak it's more likely that all of the fuel is being completely oxidized into CO2, which can't happen when rich of peak.
 
NYTOM said:
Hear me out here. I got my hands on a tiny "First Alert" CO detector. I removed the circuit from plastic case which includes a LED indicator and a piezo annunciator. The unit could easily be panel mounted with a test and alarm acknowledge button. After silencing the alarm the LED keeps blinking till the CO is removed.
Runs on a pair of 1 1/2 volt AA batteries. Any of you electrical guys know of a source for a very small 12 to 3 volt step down transformer to hard wire it? Would a few resistors in series be acceptable to lower the voltage? This thing is very sensitive.
Click to expand...

Yep... http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=114

Just change one resistor if 3.3V is too much.
 
what model?

What model of First Alert?

I love the battery idea, change at annual . . ..I even have the panel space.

Rick 90432
N183RC reserved
 
Not according

Geico266 said:
Frank, what are you basing this on? Anytime you burn fuel you are going to get CO. What am I missing?
Click to expand...

to accepted wisdom..Although I have not tested this myself.Note to self for another experiment.

But the "wisdom" is if you burn fuel with excess O2 then all the hydrocarbons turn onto C02 and not CO.

Wouldn't be hard to test..I have an industrial portable detector at work..Just need samples of Ex gas at cruise..Hmmm..

Frank
 
I'll certainly try to post photos, I takes me a while

sprucemoose said:
Yes, share the details. This is an intriguing project.
Click to expand...

I'll get some photos and the model numbers and post them.
I guess the independent battery idea really is good. Why didn't I think of that? :rolleyes:
 
Here it is!

Model number of the unit is CO400. It runs on two AA batteries and warns you when the batteries are low.
img3715r.jpg
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I know this thread is a little old...but this didn't seem worth starting a new one. For anyone considering building a CO detector into the panel (battery powered or otherwise) Parallax is offering CO modules that could be pretty easily integrated to other custom systems:

Sensor Only
605-00007-M.jpg


Module
27931-M.jpg


...although, when I say "easy" I mean from a microcontroller level. (The Parallax "Basic Stamp" is a great intro started into that world too...and the Propeller is just a cool concept, that works well.)

Have fun! :)
 
You do realize the pre-heat time of that sensor is 48 hours.
If you do adapt a home CO unit, I would suggest one that displays the ppm reading so you can make a determination about the severity of the situation. The FAA published a paper back in the 80's about CO levels in aircraft and gave some recommendations about levels. (FAA-AM-82-15 and TSO-C48a)
 
fl-mike said:
You do realize the pre-heat time of that sensor is 48 hours.
If you do adapt a home CO unit, I would suggest one that displays the ppm reading so you can make a determination about the severity of the situation. The FAA published a paper back in the 80's about CO levels in aircraft and gave some recommendations about levels. (FAA-AM-82-15 and TSO-C48a)
Click to expand...

Just a note....the MQ-7 unit above should take about 90 seconds. (I know you were referring to the home unit.)
 
Anybody ever pull apart one of the CO Experts units? I've been thinking of gettin one of these based on the avweb report, but the things are way too big (something like 6" x 3.5" x 1.75") to easily put anywhere in the RV where they could easily be read. I was wondering if the innards are actually small enough that one could modify it and mount in the panel or a smaller box.

greg
 
exhaust system.......

also, give your exhaust system a looking over on a regular basis, every time the cowl is off. preventative maintenence.:rolleyes:
 
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