Universal CO, Propane and Natural Gas detector

[djenka2]

Hi,
I bought Kidde 3 in 1 detector (CO, Propane and Natural Gas) but it's
not what I was looking for. In the Kidde guide it says that human will
smell the gas before the detector gets activated which I don't like at
all, hmm what the point of having one then. It will activate the alarm
at 25% level where 30% is needed for explosion. I know there were some
universal 3-in-1 detectors that activates alarm at 5% but don't know
the brand anymore. The Kidde is loud but when the basement door is
closed I can hardly hear the alarm on main floor, not to mention one
floor up where all the bedrooms are.
Is there anything on the market (and what brand) that will do at least
CO and natural gas and that can be interconnected to one more unit (on
the main floor or first floor) that is not wirelles. I've heard there
are some units that can be interconnected thru 110V receptacles where
they are plugged in. If not, I don't mind even running wires.

Thanks

 

[Bob La Londe]

There are explosive gas detectors designed to be connected to an alarm
system.

 

[[email protected]]

Hi,
I bought Kidde 3 in 1 detector (CO, Propane and Natural Gas) but it's
not what I was looking for. In the Kidde guide it says that human will
smell the gas before the detector gets activated which I don't like at
all, hmm what the point of having one then. It will activate the alarm
at 25% level where 30% is needed for explosion. I know there were some
universal 3-in-1 detectors that activates alarm at 5% but don't know
the brand anymore. The Kidde is loud but when the basement door is
closed I can hardly hear the alarm on main floor, not to mention one
floor up where all the bedrooms are.
Is there anything on the market (and what brand) that will do at least
CO and natural gas and that can be interconnected to one more unit (on
the main floor or first floor) that is not wirelles. I've heard there
are some units that can be interconnected thru 110V receptacles where
they are plugged in. If not, I don't mind even running wires.

Thanks

I don't know of a 3-in-one that is adjustable to 5% of LEL. They may
exist though. Here's what I could dig up for you on single purpose
units:

1. Heating gas detector: Macurco's GD-1D has low and high level
triggers. The low level is sett for 10% of LEL. The high level
trigger is at 25% LEL.

2. Carbon monoxide detector: Macurco CM-S1 is a UL-listed CO detector
for use with fire and security alarms. It complies with UL standards
2075 and 2034. Instead of a fixed percentage of CO in the air, the new
standards require that the detector alarms based on gas content and
time duration. In other words, a low percentage of CO in the air for a
long time will trip the unit, but a high percentage will trip it in a
relatively short time. Since the affect of CO exposure is cumulative
over time, this makes more sense than having a single setting.

3. Propane and natural gas both trigger the GD-1D so you would only
need two detectors to fulfill your requirements -- not three. I
realise this isn't the ideal "all-in-one" solution but perhaps it comes
closer to what you need than the Kidde models.

Regards,
Robert L Bass
Bass Home Electronics
www.BassBurglarAlarms.com

 

[djenka2]

@Robert, this is good and I don't mind having two units but can anybody
tell if these can be interconnected so they can activate other units
upstaris and be heard while sleeping two floors up.

Tnanks

 

[Robert L Bass]

@robert, this is good and I don't mind having two

units but can anybody tell if these can be intercon-
nected so they can activate other units upstaris
and be heard while sleeping two floors up.

Unfortunately, none of the system type gas detectors with which I'm familiar are interconnectable in the same manner as 110V smoke
detectors. It certainly would be a good idea. The usual method is to connect them to an alarm system and use the alarm's sirens or
horn/strobes to alert the whole house.

It would not be difficult for manufacturers to engineer in the capability of interconnected audibles, using a reversing relay like
we do with system smoke detectors. One problem is that gas detectors already cost more than smokes and adding a few more dollars to
the unit price might make them even harder to sell.

--

Regards,
Robert L Bass

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Bass Home Electronics
4883 Fallcrest Circle
Sarasota · Florida · 34233
http://www.bassburglaralarms.com
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