We all know the dangers. So I bought a bunch of CO detectors and put them all over the place. One day I put 4 of them in my attached garage and started my car with my fob. On purpose. With the garage doors closed. After 30 minutes none of the CO detectors alarmed and the 2 with the digital read outs were still below the limit considered dangerous. Weird. A canary would have survived in there. My cars shut off after 10 minutes if you start them with the remote. I suspect most are like that. So I had to remote start them 3 times. Anybody else had this experience? I detected no CO in the house. Just wondering why some folks are so concerned over bbqing in the garage with the doors open when I get these results with the doors closed???
carbon monoxide
- Thread starter Mike99
- Start date
Consumer CO detectors are designed to only alarm if the level is over a certain point for a length of time, this is done to prevent people from taking them down do to "false" alarms. You can get CO poisoning even with a working CO detector if the level is low enough, it builds up over time in your blood stream.
A low level CO detector is available that will catch these situations but it will not be UL listed.
A low level CO detector is available that will catch these situations but it will not be UL listed.
Falcon67
Well-known member
I did that with one of the race cars and the 16' door open. The detector went off in under a minute and never shut up until I yanked the batteries.
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I have an explosive gas detector in my kitchen. Very sensitive... accurate.
However... Lysol air freshener spray sets it off...
However... Lysol air freshener spray sets it off...
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finn
Well-known member
Try that with pretty much any car built before the 70s and you’ll get different results.
kwschumm
Well-known member
Those combustible gas sensors are indeed very, very sensitive. The Macurco one in our laundry room, which is the entry from the garage, goes off from engine exhaust if you open the door too soon after parking.
MUD DAWG
Well-known member
CO alarms don't work with electric cars 
Every year when it gets cold the local stations talk about how dangerous it is running a car in your garage and people can get so overworked about it. I've run my vehicles 5-10 minutes in the garage and never had a issue as opening the door moves the air out fast.
Ole Slewfoot
Well-known member
Carbon DIOXIDE wont kill you, but in its presence you may easily die from asphyxiation.
that is found aplenty in new car exhaust, but not detected by home alarms.
Carbon MONOXIDE it a colorless odorless poison that will kill you dead, but is generally catalyzed in a special exhaust component before leaving the tailpipe. This is the stuf detected by the home alarm.
that is found aplenty in new car exhaust, but not detected by home alarms.
Carbon MONOXIDE it a colorless odorless poison that will kill you dead, but is generally catalyzed in a special exhaust component before leaving the tailpipe. This is the stuf detected by the home alarm.
laser3kw
Well-known member
I have one (CO) with the readout also. I bought it to monitor my propane heater as reassurance. I have never (in 4 years) seen it rise above single digit after hours of burning.
I routinely monitor it when working on gas engines. I have had a single cylinder run for a couple of minutes and then shut off. About 10 minutes later the CO detector sounds, I check the display - 450!. Open the doors and leave for an hour.
I have had other things raise the level such as spray paint and heavy cleaners (carb spray etc)
I routinely monitor it when working on gas engines. I have had a single cylinder run for a couple of minutes and then shut off. About 10 minutes later the CO detector sounds, I check the display - 450!. Open the doors and leave for an hour.
I have had other things raise the level such as spray paint and heavy cleaners (carb spray etc)
While modern cars do produce less CO .........they still produce some which causes the problem. At one time the air going into a modern catalyst car in LA was “dirtier” than air coming out.
In earlier posts I mentioned the keyless cars FOB, as of 2016 there were 16 deaths and 25 close calls caused by leaving a modern car running in an attached garage.
As far a unvented propane heaters and CO and other fumes and detectors.........the spray paints and other solvents passing through the flame produce far more toxic gases than CO. The CO detectors may or may not go off or be tricked because of these other gases.
Most shop or work areas use a far more sensitive CO detectors than ones available for Home or RV use. We had a 40 car shop full exhaust system, with make up air etc and one very modern car without the exhaust system connected would set the alarm off after some time idling.
An article on CO about spot detection and large shop and work environments:
https://riskconfidence.com/2015/04/...n-monoxide-control-a-false-sense-of-security/
In earlier posts I mentioned the keyless cars FOB, as of 2016 there were 16 deaths and 25 close calls caused by leaving a modern car running in an attached garage.
As far a unvented propane heaters and CO and other fumes and detectors.........the spray paints and other solvents passing through the flame produce far more toxic gases than CO. The CO detectors may or may not go off or be tricked because of these other gases.
Most shop or work areas use a far more sensitive CO detectors than ones available for Home or RV use. We had a 40 car shop full exhaust system, with make up air etc and one very modern car without the exhaust system connected would set the alarm off after some time idling.
An article on CO about spot detection and large shop and work environments:
https://riskconfidence.com/2015/04/...n-monoxide-control-a-false-sense-of-security/
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Modern cars are designed to produce much less CO. What you have found with your test is pretty typical for any modern car.
It's still not a good idea to run a car inside an enclosed space, but it's nowhere near as dangerous as it used to be.
It's still not a good idea to run a car inside an enclosed space, but it's nowhere near as dangerous as it used to be.
Brian_WK
Well-known member
I used the fresh air setting on my furnace combustion analyzer and checked mine out the other day... I had to use my propane grill and mess with the airflow to get any sort of a reading. CO is caused by incomplete combustion. Can't get my car in the garage currently so I wasn't able to check it that way... I just hung it back on the wall.
I should go put it above the neighbor's chimney I can smell that that is spewing CO when it runs I have told them about it and even offered to tune it up as it stinks up the whole block when it is calm outside.
Brian
I should go put it above the neighbor's chimney I can smell that that is spewing CO when it runs I have told them about it and even offered to tune it up as it stinks up the whole block when it is calm outside.
Brian
When you reduce the amount of oxygen in a garage you will produce more CO as you will get incomplete combustion.
My son the last time he slept at Grandpa's was taken to a hospital because grandpa left the car running in the garage.
This is not the type of thing to test or play with.....
My son the last time he slept at Grandpa's was taken to a hospital because grandpa left the car running in the garage.
This is not the type of thing to test or play with.....
Did you place them at ground level, or up high. We recently moved into a different house. The previous owner had all of the CO detectors mounted high, like a smoke detector. CO detectors need to be mounted low, near the ground. CO is heavier than air.
I was taught the same thing but apparantly it distributes all over the room fairly evenly with the air currents from vents and exhaust pipe. Never the less I put 1 on the ground right underthe tail pipe and the rest on the work bench. I think the highest number I saw was 100 before I gave up. I believe it was designed to alarm around 120.i would need to double check on that but the numbers are easily available on google. I bet my 65 falcon would have set it off a lot sooner.
laser3kw
Well-known member
no, it is not. "less dense" = slightly lighter
wiki/Carbon_monoxide link
mine is on an open shelf, about shoulder height
Thirdyfivepickup
Well-known member
I'm honestly surprised we're all still alive, we've been using gas stoves and ovens in the house for my entire life and never once opened a window! Thanksgiving should have killed us all...or maybe the danger is slightly overrated...Yeah...........that safety **** is for sissies.........now where’s my cigar and flip flops so I can get back to work.
no, it is not. "less dense" = slightly lighter
wiki/Carbon_monoxide link
mine is on an open shelf, about shoulder height
Well, I stand corrected then. Thanks for the info.
Couldn't have said it better myself! Too many Elmers out there. Remember him? I think it was a him.
You might have been thinking of carbon DI-oxide, which is heavier than air.
bushmechanic
Well-known member
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- Mar 17, 2014
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- 4,820
I'm beginning to think this is about the last place to send someone for garage advice; or advice of any kind, for that matter.
laser3kw
Well-known member
It's not the advice you are given, it's what you do with it.
There is a whole internet out there to confirm or deny what is presented. People just need a starting point.
OH_Varmntr
Well-known member
I work around extremely high levels of CO. We wear personal CO monitors due to levels of CO that can make you unconscious, kill you in a very short amount of time, and levels that will explode if oxygen is introduced into the furnace atmosphere. As stated above, CO usually is less dense than air. However we have encountered situations where it has become more dense in relation to the surrounding atmosphere and has created pockets of concentrated CO in trenches and low lying areas. In an industrial setting we have ways to deal with that if we need to work in those areas.
CO is no joke.
That said, your average home heating equipment or modern vehicle isn't going to produce enough CO in a short period of time to knock you out within a few seconds, but it's still something to take seriously and be prepared for.
CO is no joke.
That said, your average home heating equipment or modern vehicle isn't going to produce enough CO in a short period of time to knock you out within a few seconds, but it's still something to take seriously and be prepared for.
The one in my house will go off if I pass by with the push mower outside. With the windows shut. My house is very old, I am sure exhaust can get it, but I wouldn't think it should be enough to set off the alarm.
That detector is pretty old though, it might be getting electronics dementia.
That detector is pretty old though, it might be getting electronics dementia.
Get a Fireboy CMD5 Marine CO detector and wire it up to 12 VDC.
My new one (thanks to MN law) will go off wile idling down the no wake zone or warming up the engines at the marina in my boat
. When my digital battery one will read 0. Kind of a PITA, but I guess i know it works.
My new one (thanks to MN law) will go off wile idling down the no wake zone or warming up the engines at the marina in my boat
. When my digital battery one will read 0. Kind of a PITA, but I guess i know it works.Brian_WK
Well-known member
The highest reading I have ever seen in a house was 650 ppm. A furnace that is spewing C0 has a smell to it very acidic. This house has a gas pressure issue and at some point the PVC vent broke fell out and was sending CO into the house while they were away at work. When they got home the CO detectors were going off so they called 911. The Fire Dept had already shut the gas off to the house and opened doors. I was only a few blocks away. I could smell it as I walked up to the house. Once the house got down to a safe level I went and found the culprit a glue joint that let loose (and a unsupported pipe) . My combustion analyser reads up to 1500ppm and it was above that coming out of the exhaust. The family's pet cat and hamster didn't make it.
Brian
OH_Varmntr
Well-known member
Brian, I’m assuming it had a high pressure problem causing rich combustion? Either way, it produced a bunch of CO over the day. Another reason why detectors are of utmost importance.
In the winter our homes are locked up tight to keep the heat in. Problem is it keeps other stuff in too!
Sorry to hear about the pets, glad the family was okay!
In the winter our homes are locked up tight to keep the heat in. Problem is it keeps other stuff in too!
Sorry to hear about the pets, glad the family was okay!
Sorry to hear about the pets. Im glad I have a bunch of theses detectors, not that they would save pets while you're away but certainly while you’re home. Isn't it odd how everyone spouts how dangerous CO is because it has no odour yet its painfully obvious that something is not right by the smell of the bi products of combustion. Thats my first clue. Duh.
Im sure someone can help me here. What produces CO in a house in concentrations strong enough to kill that doesnt produce a smell to alert the occupants that something is amok. Yes I know CO is odourless and colorless. Comeon. Everyone knows this. Why do some people feel compelled to write it. Its easily googled. Fuk I knew this before google.
TractorJeff
Well-known member
Mount CO Detectors at all 3 levels to catch any potential issues! We heat some winters with Coal and if there is/was a leak a house will fill with CO in a short time. It is warm it will rise, as it cools it will settle.
Most of the people that die from the generator in the basement, die because the engine gets less and less Oxygen causing poor combustion which speeds up the process of producing CO.
Same idea as having to different sensing types of smoke detectors!
Most of the people that die from the generator in the basement, die because the engine gets less and less Oxygen causing poor combustion which speeds up the process of producing CO.
Same idea as having to different sensing types of smoke detectors!
bushmechanic
Well-known member
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- Mar 17, 2014
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Clearly everyone doesn't.
6768rogues
Banned
I have a digital CO detector in the enclosed room in my barn. When I start the mower which is outside the room and drive it out, the CO detector in the room will pick up 3 to 4 PPM of CO. It alarms at 100 PPM.
Dragfluid
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Now that we've had 2 pages worth to say the same thing, let's just sum it up:
CO is dangerous. Don't **** around with it. Nobody here needs to think that they're macho and run the car in the garage just to prove a point. Maybe you don't give a **** about about what happens to you, but think about your family.
As a mechanic, I've been around it all my life, and although I've always tried to be careful, **** happens, and sometimes the people in the same work area may not have been as careful. I hate to think about how much of that **** has built up in my system over the years.
CO is dangerous. Don't **** around with it. Nobody here needs to think that they're macho and run the car in the garage just to prove a point. Maybe you don't give a **** about about what happens to you, but think about your family.
As a mechanic, I've been around it all my life, and although I've always tried to be careful, **** happens, and sometimes the people in the same work area may not have been as careful. I hate to think about how much of that **** has built up in my system over the years.