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Need recommendation for home CO detector, want ppm readout.

Leonard
Member Posts: 903
Looking for your recommendation for a replacement, want a ppm display to see how bad it is if it alarms.
Was thinking of going to Home Depot unless you know of something better. Not a heating guy so not really interested in a $300 pro model.
Last night my home CO detector failed and FALSE alarmed at 4 AM !!! Kiddie Night Hawk made in 2012. (Permanent alarm even when "aired out" for hour outside, and with new good bats. Other nearby CO detector did not alarm)
Was thinking of going to Home Depot unless you know of something better. Not a heating guy so not really interested in a $300 pro model.
Last night my home CO detector failed and FALSE alarmed at 4 AM !!! Kiddie Night Hawk made in 2012. (Permanent alarm even when "aired out" for hour outside, and with new good bats. Other nearby CO detector did not alarm)
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Comments
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I've had excellent results and no false alarms with the battery operated Kiddie w/display.
I've had them (four units) for two+ yrs now...
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004Y6V5CI/ref=sxr_rr_xsim_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=4518303533042278392&pd_rd_wg=jeOvW&pf_rd_r=E553XNR13QTME21TJH8X&pf_rd_s=desktop-rhs-carousels&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B004Y6V5CI&pd_rd_w=QiYx8&pf_rd_i=co+detector&pd_rd_r=682060ea-d239-454e-9635-e6048f79614f&ie=UTF8&qid=1527093610&sr=1-1 -
I can live with a false alarm failure every ~ 5 years or so . More concerned with getting good readings. Would be nice to get PPM readings even while it's not alarming. I know accuracy might not be that good at home detector pricing, but I can live with that.0
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The CO detector I mentioned above has always been very close to the readings I've seen on my professional grade CO detector (see below). It won't display or alert below 40ppm (IIRC) due to federal regulations, but it will display the actual low level ambient/peak CO amounts if you press the Peak button. My old boiler had a small CO leak... the Kiddie would indicate (by pressing the Peak button) maybe 12-16PPM in the basement if the boiler had been running for an hour or two. Sometimes I would double check it with the Sensorcon.. they were always within a few PPM of each other. It was pretty impressive for a $25 device.
For real time readings all the way down to 1ppm I use the Sensorcon Inspector.
https://sensorcon-sensing-products-by-molex.myshopify.com/products/portable-carbon-monoxide-detector-meter?utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=googlepla&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIwbzn7Kuc2wIVzSWBCh0Q1AwJEAYYASABEgIdnPD_BwE&variant=4193480964
Quite a few of the professionals here use the same CO meter on the job because they could potentially be walking in to a toxic boiler room, etc.
I leave mine on all the time in a prominent location just outside the kitchen. I've changed the battery once in 2+ yrs of use.
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Also, check the expiration date on your co and smoke detector. Most are only good for just a few years, but maybe the newer ones use different technology that gets more time out of them.
Rick0 -
https://www.trutechtools.com/installedco has the Defender LL6070 Low Level Carbon Monoxide Monitor and CO Experts models. I've had a number of the Defender models installed for 6 months with good results. Catches the low levels when oven is dirty. Also hit a button and it tells you the last CO reading, PPM level and how long it lasted. I used to use NSI but they made it available only via having to pay plumbers to install it.0
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co experts.comBob "hot rod" Rohr
trainer for Caleffi NA
Living the hydronic dream0
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