Personal CO detectors/monitors/alarms

Mark Eatherton

Question, How many folks here use a personal CO detector, and if so, what brand and what did you pay for it and where did you purchase it? (I know the rule about talking price, but I don't think anyone here is selling personal CO detectors, so it doesn't apply)



If you do work with fired appliances and you don't own one, why not?



Mine is a Rattler by Industrial Scientific. It cost $200 from WW Graingers, and is guaranteed for 2 years. It starts alarming at 35 ppm. It clips on my belt. <a href="http://www.indsci.com/T40/">http://www.indsci.com/T40/</a>



Let's see, thats $200.00 divided by 730 days of protection, that means it costs me $0.27 per day.... I consider that a worthwhile investment.



And it HAS gone off numerous times when I wouldn't have normally considered myself to be in jeopardy. Like walking the isles of Home Despot, in a casino near an open hearth gas log fire place, in my mother in laws kitchen (oven).



What's yours?



ME

MikeyB

Personal Detector

I was thinking about getting the Testo CO Stick, I believe it runs for about 200 dollars or so. Whats the purpose/advantage to having both a single CO detector (Testo Stick) and a combustion analyzer that measures ambient CO (Fryrite Insight) Does it make sense to carry both around? Does it give you extra Insurance?

Tim McElwain

I have been carrying

recently the Testo 317-3 for $199.00. It alarms at 9PPM which is just what I want.



When I was doing a lot of traveling it used to go off a lot when I entered a hotel room that was close to the mechanical room. I was always given a first floor room as I was lecturing and that is protocol for hotels. Rule: never stay in a room next to or above the mechanical room. Also stay away from indoor pools with little brick building inside the area, the pool heater is in that little building. If you are on the second floor overlooking the pool you get fumes.



I have been carrying personal protective detectors for over 20 years now from several different companies. Most of them are $200 or less and no more cumbersome than a cell phone.

Wayne_16

Industrial Sientific

That's the brand I carried when doing service work.  I reset the factory settings to the first alarm at 15 ppm , with a chirp, and alarm at 9 ppm.  The best part of the one I carried, was the unit was measuring co all day long, I could check the reading any time i wanted to see the co level, and did not have to set up a test to and reference to outdoor air.  The unit was small and was designed to clip to a hard hat and hang on.  No switch, no reset, nothing, always working once activated.



Those that do not believe how much co we are exposed to should carry one for a month, you will be surprised.  The amazing part was when people that should know & I presumed would care did not see the need to make corrections or put much validity in the alarm.   It seemed, (at least to me) if it was not requiring a hospital visit, there is no problem.  They would have reacted to a small scratch much faster than the co detectors alarm and reading



Minnesota Wayne

MikeyB

CO Detector

Just received my Testo 317-3, in the mail, going to walk on Madison Ave in NYC and see what the air is like

Tim McElwain

Don't stand behind any

buses!

MikeyB

CO Reading

I agree Tim, but that's a bit hard on the streets in Manhattan, especially on Madison Ave , I was out there for about a good 20 minutes and my highest reading on my CO detector was 4ppm, but would not hold steady at 4ppm for very long, it would drift between  4ppm and 0 ppm, I have to say its a good investment I am happy with my purchase of the tester and I'm quite sure i will be using it alot more in the future..

Tim McElwain

I can attest to

mine defintely saving me from exposure to CO in three different hotels as I traveled across the country. Without it who knows?

Larry (from OSHA)

We recently replaced

all of our personal CO monitors with the Rattler - same one that you have Mark.  Previously had the AIM 450 monitor which I liked a lot, but after 7 years, it was time to retire them.  Our industrial hygienists use something different that has data logging capability. 



Things I like about the Rattler include having 2 alarm points that are user adjustable and the relative ease of calibrating.  The main drawback for me is that the display is in front instead of on top like the AIM unit has.  It seems that all or most monitors are built this way now.  I like to be able to look down at my vest where it is clipped and see the readout.  Oh well.   The battery life is good and double A's are easy to find.



Larry

Plumdog_2

plumdog

Mine is a UEI CO71. Saved my butt one time. Set it on a ladder, went to work with hearing protectors on. Looked up momentarily and saw the red light blinking; screen said 750 ppm.