Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
Moderators: User administrators, Moderators
- si macc
- Registered user
- Posts: 130
- Joined: 28 Apr 2009, 20:38
- 80-90 Mem No: 8124
- Location: South London
Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
The manual says between 50-90cm from the floor. I was thinking behind the drivers seat on the side of the kitchen block as it's near the leisure battery for wiring and not so visible. Wondering where other people have mounted?
T25 Westfalia Poptop 1.6TD JX
- itchyfeet
- Registered user
- Posts: 12427
- Joined: 23 Jul 2007, 17:24
- 80-90 Mem No: 12733
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
Co alarm I thoought was a co.pletely different technology from gas
mine are seperate
lpg is heavy it falls to the flor so as low as possible is what you want in my opinion
in your house natural.gas rises so you want it high up
in my van theco alarm is up higher with the smoke alarm
my lpg gas alarm is about 50mm off the floor behind the drivers seat in the main area where I am.
mine are seperate
lpg is heavy it falls to the flor so as low as possible is what you want in my opinion
in your house natural.gas rises so you want it high up
in my van theco alarm is up higher with the smoke alarm
my lpg gas alarm is about 50mm off the floor behind the drivers seat in the main area where I am.
- si macc
- Registered user
- Posts: 130
- Joined: 28 Apr 2009, 20:38
- 80-90 Mem No: 8124
- Location: South London
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
Apparently this one can do it all, hopefully it works! Seems to be popular so pretty confident
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
T25 Westfalia Poptop 1.6TD JX
-
- Registered user
- Posts: 44
- Joined: 05 Jul 2016, 06:13
- 80-90 Mem No: 16805
- Location: Romfod, Essex
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
Hi have you got a name or a link for the alarm it sounds good and an essential I'd say.
1989 1.6td westfalia california hightop
- bigherb
- Registered user
- Posts: 2579
- Joined: 27 Mar 2008, 13:50
- 80-90 Mem No: 5789
- Location: West Kent
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
Does it have two sensors or does it only detect natural gas and CO?si macc wrote:Apparently this one can do it all, hopefully it works! Seems to be popular so pretty confident
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
For CO you need a sensor high up and LPG at near floor level.
1982 Camper 1970 1500 Beetle Various Skoda's, Ariel Arrow
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
Yes coal gas was/is lighter than air but natural gas is heavier than air.
Wandering off topic slightly:
As a youngster I talked my dad into getting me a large weather balloon and then let him down rather badly by attempting to fill it with coal gas from the cooker. Obviously I had to do it when no one was in the house and it seemed too be taking ages so not thinking about safety I rigged up a Wolf electric drill to a pneumatic nut runner so as to speed things up. This simply made the meter run out faster and the balloon had to be hidden under my bed each time until the meter was fed with coins by grown ups (probably saving me from getting blown up). A neighbour - Mrs Osborn had already complained about me "messing about with stuff in bottles" after a particularly nasty explosion with a model anti aircraft gun and brown match heads. So after overhearing heated adult conversation regarding the hungry gas meter and having more and more difficulty in hiding the partially inflated weather balloon I reluctantly had to abandon the project.
Wandering off topic slightly:
As a youngster I talked my dad into getting me a large weather balloon and then let him down rather badly by attempting to fill it with coal gas from the cooker. Obviously I had to do it when no one was in the house and it seemed too be taking ages so not thinking about safety I rigged up a Wolf electric drill to a pneumatic nut runner so as to speed things up. This simply made the meter run out faster and the balloon had to be hidden under my bed each time until the meter was fed with coins by grown ups (probably saving me from getting blown up). A neighbour - Mrs Osborn had already complained about me "messing about with stuff in bottles" after a particularly nasty explosion with a model anti aircraft gun and brown match heads. So after overhearing heated adult conversation regarding the hungry gas meter and having more and more difficulty in hiding the partially inflated weather balloon I reluctantly had to abandon the project.
Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech.
"A quiet shy boy who took little part in games or sport"
88 High top 2.1 WBX
"A quiet shy boy who took little part in games or sport"
88 High top 2.1 WBX
- captain Byrne
- Registered user
- Posts: 1004
- Joined: 19 Mar 2009, 10:01
- 80-90 Mem No: 7107
- Location: Glasgow
- Contact:
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
Natural gas is actually slightly lighter than air and has a flammability range of 5 -15%. Each end of that scale being quite explosive given the right conditions.Mr Bean wrote:Yes coal gas was/is lighter than air but natural gas is heavier than air.
1983 LHD Westfalia poptop 1.9 DG petrol.
- itchyfeet
- Registered user
- Posts: 12427
- Joined: 23 Jul 2007, 17:24
- 80-90 Mem No: 12733
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
itchyfeet wrote:
lpg is heavy it falls to the flor so as low as possible is what you want in my opinion
in your house natural.gas rises so you want it high up
- 937carrera
- Registered user
- Posts: 3599
- Joined: 05 Apr 2015, 19:29
- 80-90 Mem No: 16333
- Location: N Yorks.
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
I have been off for a read of the internet: Density compared to air is as follows:
Propane 1.51
Butane 2.00
Natural gas 0.55
Carbon Monoxide 0.97 (so lighter than air, but not by much)
Apparently CO alarm location should not be based solely on height, as airflow and convection currents are significant factors in the distribution of CO in a space
Why do you guys fit CO detectors ? The CO source is going to be either the cooker, fridge or Propex type heater. Cooker you know if it is producing CO or not(on or off) . Fridges are vented externally which just leaves the heaters as the only potential source that will be running overnight, but again the exhaust is external AND the combustion oxygen comes from an external source so not depleting your personal O2 source, even assuming your T25 is airtight.
Bigger risk of higher CO blood levels from being in a traffic jam in a town centre I would have thought
https://www.elgas.com.au/blog/486-compa ... ne-lng-cng
https://www.elgas.com.au/blog/1688-buta ... roleum-gas
http://www.carbonmonoxidekills.com/carb ... placement/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21536403
Propane 1.51
Butane 2.00
Natural gas 0.55
Carbon Monoxide 0.97 (so lighter than air, but not by much)
Apparently CO alarm location should not be based solely on height, as airflow and convection currents are significant factors in the distribution of CO in a space
Why do you guys fit CO detectors ? The CO source is going to be either the cooker, fridge or Propex type heater. Cooker you know if it is producing CO or not(on or off) . Fridges are vented externally which just leaves the heaters as the only potential source that will be running overnight, but again the exhaust is external AND the combustion oxygen comes from an external source so not depleting your personal O2 source, even assuming your T25 is airtight.
Bigger risk of higher CO blood levels from being in a traffic jam in a town centre I would have thought
https://www.elgas.com.au/blog/486-compa ... ne-lng-cng
https://www.elgas.com.au/blog/1688-buta ... roleum-gas
http://www.carbonmonoxidekills.com/carb ... placement/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21536403
1981 RHD 2.0 Aircooled Leisuredrive project, CU engine
1990 RHD 1.9 Auto Sleeper with DF/DG engine
1990 RHD 1.9 Auto Sleeper with DF/DG engine
- itchyfeet
- Registered user
- Posts: 12427
- Joined: 23 Jul 2007, 17:24
- 80-90 Mem No: 12733
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
937carrera wrote:I have been off for a read of the internet
Why do you guys fit CO detectors ? ]
Thanks, no point quoting things if you didn't check the internet first.
Re CO alarm, I have a 30 year old Van, fridge and heater are 30 years old, anything could go wrong, if the flue breaks yes the exhaust should vent outside but who knows with the wind blowing into the vent it might come inside, the kitchen unit is not sealed well, again heater yes vented outside but perhaps something could fail.
Also I once had my CO alarm going off on the motorway, bad engine seal.
- captain Byrne
- Registered user
- Posts: 1004
- Joined: 19 Mar 2009, 10:01
- 80-90 Mem No: 7107
- Location: Glasgow
- Contact:
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
I have to agree with 937carrera.
For CO poisoning you need a yellow flame (incomplete combustion). If the flame is yellow, then you're producing carbon monoxide. If the flame is blue all you are producing is co2 and water vapour. There is absolutely no danger to your health if the flame is burning correctly.
As for incomplete combustion ie: a yellow flame, the chances of you to be affected by carbon monoxide poisoning is pretty much zero. Unless you block off all ventilation in the van, seal all doors and windows with tape, stick a tube over the said yellow flame & breath in the fumes then yes, but the amount of carbon monoxide produced by a fridge with a yellow flame is small. You will die of old age in the van before dying of CO poisoning.
For CO poisoning you need a yellow flame (incomplete combustion). If the flame is yellow, then you're producing carbon monoxide. If the flame is blue all you are producing is co2 and water vapour. There is absolutely no danger to your health if the flame is burning correctly.
As for incomplete combustion ie: a yellow flame, the chances of you to be affected by carbon monoxide poisoning is pretty much zero. Unless you block off all ventilation in the van, seal all doors and windows with tape, stick a tube over the said yellow flame & breath in the fumes then yes, but the amount of carbon monoxide produced by a fridge with a yellow flame is small. You will die of old age in the van before dying of CO poisoning.
1983 LHD Westfalia poptop 1.9 DG petrol.
- itchyfeet
- Registered user
- Posts: 12427
- Joined: 23 Jul 2007, 17:24
- 80-90 Mem No: 12733
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
captain Byrne wrote:You will die of old age in the van before dying of CO poisoning.
maybe but as said mine showed up a faulty hatch seal and with campers often other holes have been drilled
I'm keeping mine.
- si macc
- Registered user
- Posts: 130
- Joined: 28 Apr 2009, 20:38
- 80-90 Mem No: 8124
- Location: South London
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
The alarm is a trio gas mcr:
https://www.novaleisure.com/store/categ ... 50671.aspx
Have put it loosely by the fridge vent for now as seemed to be a good place to put it. More worried about the CO than natural gas
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
https://www.novaleisure.com/store/categ ... 50671.aspx
Have put it loosely by the fridge vent for now as seemed to be a good place to put it. More worried about the CO than natural gas
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
T25 Westfalia Poptop 1.6TD JX
- itchyfeet
- Registered user
- Posts: 12427
- Joined: 23 Jul 2007, 17:24
- 80-90 Mem No: 12733
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: Sensible location for a Gas (LPG/CO) Alarm in a Westy?
LPG in your van not Natural gas
unlesss you have been eating beans
unlesss you have been eating beans