Portable Carbon Monoxide recommendations

Kate Logan

Filing Flight Plan
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Sep 12, 2016
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Kate in Colorado
Does anyone have any recommendations for portable carbon monoxide detectors for planes? thanks!!!
 
Aircraft Spruce has a few options. I use a cheap 90 day stick on.
 
I use a commercial battery powered unit.
 
I bought a home unit that had a 110V built-in adapter and also a 9V battery "backup". I run it on the 9V battery which lasted me at least two years (dozens of flight hours).
And I specifically selected a unit that has an audible alarm, of course.
 
I bought an audible unit that is marketed towards fire/ems (they clip them to their bags) and it clips to the map pocket on the floor.
 
Call 911 and tell them you think there is carbon monoxide in your house. They will dispatch FIRE and EMS. They will get there REALLY quick. When they come all through your house with a little meter, just nicely ask them, hey what's that. Take down the make and model. Its obviously portable and reliable :)
 
Easy peasy. Digital display, battery operated, and audible alarm. A little velcro stickum and done.

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https://www.amazon.com/Kidde-KN-COP...=UTF8&qid=1477011382&sr=8-2&keywords=co+alarm
 
Can't find the reference, so won't stand by its validity, but a few years back when researching this topic there was concern that home CO detectors were unreliable at altitude. Any one else run across that?
<edit> found where this was related in an earlier post: https://www.pilotsofamerica.com/community/threads/carbon-monoxide-detector.91150/
You know, I did think of that before buying the Kidde unit. I rationalized that choice by realizing that this particular unit (a safety device from a reputable company) was not contraindicated for use at the altitudes I typically fly, and where a significant number of residences are situated. I also wanted active, audible notification of high co and a ppm indicator, and both not found in the pilot color dots.

For me, these outweighed the likelihood of me noticing the change in color of a little dot (maybe in the dark) while potentially partially incapacitated.

My device fortunately has never varied from 000 in flight, while it will alarm if held in an exhaust stream.

By the way, the link you referenced noted the sensitivity of the homeowner devices could increase at altitude and alarm at lower CO levels than indicated.
 
By the way, the link you referenced noted the sensitivity of the homeowner devices could increase at altitude and alarm at lower CO levels than indicated.
.....yes, as I noted in my comment at the end of that link.
 
There are a bunch of electronic detectors -- and I found nothing reputable under $120. The Pocket CO that @flight2000 mentioned is one of the best prices I found when I searched for a detector a few weeks ago. The Sensorcon detector is the other one I found at $119. All of the electronic detectors need calibration every few years which seemed expensive. So, I opted for the Chinese knock-off on eBay for under $20. (Search for "portable carbon monoxide gas detector")

I received my off brand "model 601" CO detector. I haven't tried it yet to see if it works.
 
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