C02 alarm help

[Tatguy]

Ok I have a 40ft narrowboat I had the c02 alarm go off a few days ago so I went to my brothers for the night came back cleaned stove chimney replaced the door rope which I noticed had gone a little flat and gen gave it a good clean 

Again the c02 alarm went off I've just replaced the alarm as I don't know how long it' been up 

Again new one is  going off again 

Any ideas on what I should do next 

Thanks 

[rusty69]

23 minutes ago, Tatguy said:

Ok I have a 40ft narrowboat I had the c02 alarm go off a few days ago so I went to my brothers for the night came back cleaned stove chimney replaced the door rope which I noticed had gone a little flat and gen gave it a good clean 

Again the c02 alarm went off I've just replaced the alarm as I don't know how long it' been up 

Again new one is  going off again 

Any ideas on what I should do next 

Thanks 

 

1.Get out of the boat and ventilate.

2.Gets some smoke pellets and do a smoke test, see if there are any leaks.

 

ETA. Check there is no crap on top of the backboiler or baffle plate

Edited December 3, 2017 by rusty69

[NB Lola]

Added to Rustys good advice and sadly not great advice but, no more fire until you fix the problem.

[Paringa]

Presuming it is a false and you have checked as Rusty has mentioned above...

Are any of your domestic batteries on charge and gassing? Hydrogen gas can upset detectors and trigger false alarms...

Edited December 3, 2017 by Paringa
Presuming we are talking about Monoxide not Dioxide

[Murflynn]

I've never heard of a CO2 alarm, apart from the oxygen deficiency meters used in deep excavations.

[Murflynn]

Just now, Murflynn said:

I've never heard of a CO2 alarm, apart from the oxygen deficiency meters used in deep excavations.

 

 

I admit to being a grumpy old man but technical inaccuracies like this lead to misleading information which casts a fog over the real issue.  (e.g. CO - carbon monoxide).

 

  last night on BBC4 Sue Perkins asserted that some dams being built on the Mekong River 'will generate 15,000MW 'which is enough to light London for 3 years'.  The mind boggles.  

[cereal tiller]

50 minutes ago, Tatguy said:

Ok I have a 40ft narrowboat I had the c02 alarm go off a few days ago so I went to my brothers for the night came back cleaned stove chimney replaced the door rope which I noticed had gone a little flat and gen gave it a good clean 

Again the c02 alarm went off I've just replaced the alarm as I don't know how long it' been up 

Again new one is  going off again 

Any ideas on what I should do next 

Thanks 

Check thatFlue/Chimney is clear and the Baffle Plate in the stove does not have Mound of Soot and Debris Blocking the Fire's Exit

[Alan de Enfield]

51 minutes ago, Tatguy said:

Any ideas on what I should do next 

 

23 minutes ago, Paringa said:

Are any of your domestic batteries on charge and gassing? Hydrogen gas can upset detectors and trigger false alarms...

Yup - had this a few weeks ago, check you batteries, clues of problems are:

1) Battery water is very low/dry

2) Battery is warm/hot to the touch

3) The 'ends' of the battery case could be 'bowed' (swollen) outwards.

[Tony Brooks]

Replace the batteries in the alarm!

[MtB]

1 minute ago, Tony Brooks said:

Replace the batteries in the alarm!

Yes, or throw it away and get an alarm that doesn’t sound repeatedly! 

[Paringa]

He's on his second...

[Tatguy]

Ok had the fire brigade out as advised by there website they tell me it' defiantly  the fire and to get it checked out !! 

In the meantime stop using the fire .

So my question is does anyone know of anybody around Birmingham that  services stoves and can come check out?

[rusty69]

Sorry, I misunderstood your original question,I thought you were after suggestions of what you could do, didn't realise you wanted a professional.

[cereal tiller]

5 minutes ago, rusty69 said:

Sorry, I misunderstood your original question,I thought you were after suggestions of what you could do, didn't realise you wanted a professional.

Bodie or Doyle?

[rusty69]

1 minute ago, cereal tiller said:

Bodie or Doyle?

He's in Birmingham, not Cowley

[Tatguy]

Ok just realised my mushroom vents are closed 

Would this effect it? 

I'm thinking ventilation issue?

[LadyG]

open up all doors and windows, fill boat with fresh air.

then determine if there is any carbon monoxide build up or other gas, before you light the fire,

what did the fireman actually do ?

buy more alarms but not the cheapos, and not from same batch

are the inlet vents blocked as well. 

Edited December 3, 2017 by LadyG

[ditchcrawler]

8 minutes ago, Tatguy said:

Ok just realised my mushroom vents are closed 

Would this effect it? 

I'm thinking ventilation issue?

My mushroom vent even when wound fully down are not sealed

[Tatguy]

The firemen took readings and said it was around the fire as nothing else on boat is on or has been on today 

They said get the stove looked at for cracks leaks ECT 

So was looking for someone local to bham that would be able to do this 

[mross]

• You can go to Screwfix and buy some smoke pellets.  Close the air controls on the stove and put something over the top of the flue.  Then put a lit smoke pellet in the door and close it tightly.  Look for smoke escaping through any cracks.
• Alternatively, put a bright camping light inside the fire when the fire is cold and it's dark outside and turn of the lights, then look all around the stove for chinks of light.

Method one is superior as the smoke can work its way around corners and light is strictly 'line of sight'  

You can get some chimney sweeps to attend a boat.  We suspect the stove needs to be dismantled internally, to remove the baffle and see if a lot of soot is blocking the flue.  You can do this yourself and save a hundred quid or so.  It does not need a professional, just someone a bit 'handy'.  You can find a handy man at most marinas/boatyards.

[LadyG]

I tend to agree with above, if you are in the least technologically minded you should do a bit of research and get to the stage of understanding the problem, and how to go about finding a solution.

In Ye Olden Days almost everyone could change a car wheel, because it was a regular problem, and every kid could repair a bicycle puncture. I used to service my 1949 Morris minor.

I astounded the local lawnmower specialist by saying I could service a one cylinder four stroke petrol engine.

... and without overfilling the oil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I took my Honda125 to a "garage", stopped after 100 yards to see if the oil was NOW green or black, THERE WAS NO OIL.

More recenty I hired a car from Enterprise, for a long fast journey, at Carlisle, I stopped to add screen wash and I checked the oil, which was below minimum. as in  just touching the dipstick.

OK I used to do a lot of miles, but only needed Green Flag type insurance with modern vehicles.

 

Never rely on some random guy who may or may not know more or less than you.

Edited December 4, 2017 by LadyG

[LadyG]

11 hours ago, Tatguy said:

Ok just realised my mushroom vents are closed 

Would this effect it? 

I'm thinking ventilation issue?

ventilation is simple, air comes in, air goes out.

Edited December 4, 2017 by LadyG

[bizzard]

Aluminium car wheels can be a devil to get off. They can be stuck on with corrosian, aluminium and steel are not very compatible together, and  often need whacking from behind with a sledge hammer to remove them. They are horrid things, I think they look awful on most cars especially ridiculous on so called prestige cars like Rolls Royce and Bentleys, which makes them look  totally silly in my opinion, like a wealthy boys boy racer. who wants to see through them to view dirty rusty and dirty old brake calipers and discs. Big business though, having them re-furbed ect.

[ditchcrawler]

Just pushing a brush down your chimney is not good enough unless you are doing it very regularly, I have seen chimneys so bunged up its needed a steel rod and a scraper to get them clear of very hard crud, usually caused by burning wood that is not seasoned or on a very low fire.

[GUMPY]

As has been said crap on the baffle plate, especially if you have been sweeping the chimney with the plate in situ.