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Who does not have a CO monitor?


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I've been the recipient of some positive MS karma lately, so it's time to pay it back a bit.

I bought a CO Experts monitor, which was on Mike Busch's recommended list.  It's a quality unit and it's super sensitive...but perhaps too sensitive.  It alarms at 10ppm and would go off in the runup area if there's anyone else nearby.  It has no external on/off switch, but it does have an internal toggle that turns it on or off when it's inserted into the bracket.  I didn't much like having to remove the sensor unit from the bracket to turn it off, so I relocated the toggle switch so it protrudes from the bottom.  You can mount the bracket and then just turn the unit on or off as desired.  This let me save battery life (since it doesn't have a replaceable battery) and avoid nuisance alarms.  I just turned it on in-flight.

I recently bought a Sensorcon unit, which has a programmable alert level and an on/off switch.  So, I'd like to pass the $190 CO Experts unit on to someone who doesn't already have a CO sensor. I'll pay the shipping...USA or international.  All I ask is that you make a small donation to the MS site. The amount is up to you, and completely private.  But this way we all win...I've already won with member karma, you get a great sensor that's just 6-months old, and the site gets a few dollars

This is what the unit looks like, but without the desk stand...and it has the toggle switch on the bottom now.

If you need a CO sensor/alarm, let me know and this is yours.  DM your address after you post, please.

Ross

Screen Shot 2020-06-13 at 8.51.43 PM.png

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Agreed he does earn the award!

Anyone who doesn't have a CO monitor is playing a scary game. Its a true safety issue that's a whole lot more prevalent than you think!

After Dan Bass's story and push to get everyone CO monitors, 8 or so pilots here on MS were reporting low levels of CO in the cockpit and asked if that was normal!!  It's not! Your CO reading should be 0 in cruise.

I've had two small CO issues in the past. One in my F and one in my current Missile. The Missile detected the issue during taxi on the ground, sometimes climb, and low/no power on final.  I made sure the door seal around the exhaust was good, and that helped somewhat, but the issue festered. I had the system looked over carefully recently and we found a hole in the exhaust - currently being overhauled.

Point is - there should be no CO in the cockpit. 

A small issue can become a big issue real quick.

-Seth

 

 

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  • 1 month later...

I did not have CO monitor in my first Mooney. This time around, I had a CO detector, an O2 bottle, and a pulse oxymeter before the first flight. I bought the TOCSIN 3 CO monitor from Sporty’s. It seems to be very sensitive. I am happy to report that it reads zero in cruise, even with the heater on.

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I bought a sensorcon unit after reading Dan Bass' account on how he passed out mid climb and woke up in a snowy field 2 hours later...

It reads 0 in cruise - the new thing that I noticed though when practicing low level commercial maneuvers is, if I open the little pilot window (because it's a billion degrees and i'm doing eights on pylons at 1500'), the CO levels quickly rise to 50-70ppm. I close the little window, it goes back down to 0-1 in seconds.

Anyone else had that happen to them? My friend thinks there's a hole somewhere and the vacuum created by opening the window is sucking exhaust fumes into the cabin. It's a good theory. You can actually SMELL it when it happens. I also though it could be the exhaust fumes somehow being swept up by the slipstream and getting "thrown in" through the little window - but I realize that sounds silly.

Thoughts?

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Technically, the side window... when open draws air out of the cabin... you will notice when the window gets closed, it is pulled shut...

Could be the bird’s internal alarm... flying low and slow isn’t her thing... she just wants you to know that...  :)

 

So....

If air is being pulled out through the side window... that air needs to be replaced by some air from somewhere else....

Be on the look out for any missing screws, or seals in the plane...

Any change of attitude will change how the exhaust exits the pipe and travels along the fuselage...

PP thoughts only, not a mechanic...

Best regards,

-a-

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I would check wiring pass throughs in the firewall and the slots for rudder controls in the floor.

And now I have to do some low-level maneuvers and pop the storm window open to see if I have the same issue! Thanks for the PIREP, and please let us know what you find.

I've tested my vehicles, gas stove and gas logs in the fireplace, too.  :D

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Thumbs up for CO monitoring....

My airplane is in the shop right now to correct induction leaks - turns out lots of tiny induction leaks.

I started seeing signs of it by CO drifting to higher than it used to during climb out, and not as low during cruise - like where it used to sit at 0 or 2ppm in cruise it started settling in at up to 8 or 10 in cruise.  Hmmm....

So the soap test - with the cowl off and engine running - they couldn't find anything.

So then pressurized the system externally with the engine not running - and sure enough lots of tiny leaks in many places - none of them big enough to see with all that prop windy action masking tiny leaks.  Some rubber tubing is being replaced, a full set of gasket seals and also there is one induction pipe the size of my forearm that was found to have a weld leak that is sent off to an aviation welding shop.  Normal wear and tear stuff that  we need to keep up with to keep the engine running safely and efficiently.  In this case instrumentation is what lead me too it rather than direct inspections - found before it became chronically dangerous.  Wohoo.

E

Edited by aviatoreb
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10 hours ago, Hank said:

I would check wiring pass throughs in the firewall and the slots for rudder controls in the floor.

And now I have to do some low-level maneuvers and pop the storm window open to see if I have the same issue! Thanks for the PIREP, and please let us know what you find.

I've tested my vehicles, gas stove and gas logs in the fireplace, too.  :D

Yep - sounds like I'm going to have to spend some time upside down with a flashlight and my legs dangling out the door of the plane :-)

Let us know if you can replicate the effect with your plane

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