CO and CO2 detectors

Reading time 2 minutes

CO-, as well as CO₂Detectors are often used in mobile homes or caravans to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and to encourage timely ventilation.

CO – carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide is produced by the – incomplete – combustion of carbon-containing substances, such as propane/butane gas.

Since it is a colorless, odorless and tasteless gas, it is not perceived by humans and can therefore easily cause symptoms of poisoning if the concentration increases imperceptibly to a critical level.

It binds to the iron atom of hemoglobin, preventing oxygen absorption and ultimately leading to suffocation.
Even low CO concentrations of just 0.1% in the breathing air lead to the deactivation of around 50% of the red blood cells due to the 250 - 325 times stronger hemoglobin binding ability of carbon monoxide (compared to oxygen)!

Warning signs include headaches, dizziness or flu-like symptoms.

CO2 – carbon dioxide

Carbon dioxide is contained in exhaled air and accumulates over time in the air of an unventilated room - initially imperceptibly. It is only when CO levels are higher that fatigue, lack of concentration and headaches ultimately occur.

Fresh air has values far below the air quality described as “good” with up to 800 ppm (parts per million), namely around 450 ppm. 800 to 1,000 ppm is classified as medium, 1,00 to 1,400 as “moderate” air quality, and above that as “poor” air quality.

Regular ventilation is therefore important if concentration is not to be clouded.

CO detector

There are various CO detectors available on the market. They are usually available as disposable products with a built-in 10-year battery.

Usually, several warning levels are implemented, which trigger an alarm after the respective threshold value is exceeded over a certain period of time. The higher the concentration, the shorter the time until the alarm. Commonly used are 50 ppm over 60 to 990 minutes, 100 over 10 to 40 minutes and 300 ppm over just 3 minutes.

This is the device I use PYREX XCO 100.

CO2 detector

The Technoline WL 1025 is a universal CO₂-Detector that not only shows the air quality, but also the course of the day, air temperature and humidity, and the time.

Pleasant: it can also be operated directly from a DC source, which saves you having to buy and replace batteries.

Unfortunately it is only available in black, otherwise it would be a matching color counterpart to the CO detector mentioned above...