Gas detector testing

[UKparafire]

Considering what I do for a living, I am concerned about gasses in my T6 that I am in the process of converting to a camper. My main concerns are: Hydrogen Sulphide from the leisure battery when charging, Carbon Monoxide from the diesel heater and engine running, gas leaking from my calor gas cylinder. Whilst I know the chances are low, I am going to sleeping in there with my wife and I wouldn't want to orphan my kids. My kids are also going to be sleeping inside and I wouldn't want to cut their lives short.

Long story short, I have just ordered this 4 gas analyser from Amazon which measures the 3 gasses mentioned as well as Oxygen. It's currently 30%v off, and there's a £15 discount voucher on screen bringing it down to £46.56. Amazon.co.uk

It's unlikely the van will be so airtight that the oxygen will go dangerously low whilst sleeping, and I will most likely sleep with the window open a crack anyway but the oxygen monitoring does give me a little more peace of mind.

Truth is I am a little sceptical that it will work for the price, but I plan to test it against the gasses we carry at work and will feed back my findings.

 

[Salty Spuds]

Hmm! Not sure that this is the best solution for your perceived needs TBH. We have a domestic type CO monitor fixed in the van, been there 5 years & still going strong. Not sure that H2S is a worry, you only get that if there's a fault with seriously overcharging a Lead Acid battery , if you have Lithium, it's a non-problem. A leaking calor gas cylinder should be dealt with by the drop out in the gas cupboard, so even though you may have a leak, the gas detector won't pick it up (false sense of security??). The Gas detector you linked to, is a rechargeable unit with a 12 hr run time, so you won't get a full day without recharging. Presumably it will also have a "confidence" bleep every minute or so, which could get annoying. If it's also a "proper" gas detector, it will need an annual test & calibration, which will cost more than the cost of the detector in the first place. At £61 I'm not convinced that I'd want to trust my life on it TBH. We used to use Crowcon & Dragers when I was "on the tools" & they cost much more than £60. I think you're using the wrong tool for the job, there are units that are aimed at the leisure market that would be much more suitable to the task, if that's something you want to do.
As always, just my 2 penneth.

 

[TrevorK]

Carbon monoxide is the killer.

Carbon monoxide dangers if camping, caravanning or boating

It's important to be aware of the potential dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning when staying in a tent, caravan, or in a boat cabin.

www.nidirect.gov.uk

Better to start with a quality CO detector.

So long as the Camping gas cylinder cabinet is ventilated you should be fine and you will smell the gas in the air.

Diesel heaters are sealed and can be mounted underneath.

Risks are really rare (with a little sense), or we would not sleep in our campervans.

 

[Bigsidavies]

Lithium battery
CO monitor/alarm
Gas locker drop out vent.
You can seriously overthink things.
That said, I don't sleep with the diesel heater on as a) a safety precaution and b) it's way too hot.

 

[UKparafire]

So far a bit of background, I am a specialist Paramedic, trained to work in high risk confined spaces (amongst other hazardous environments). I am well versed working with the Honeywell microalert 5 and impact pro, as well as the Draeger X-am series. I have also worked as a firefighter and car mechanic / auto electrician.

I have resuscitated many people with carbon monoxide poisoning, and have attempted (always unsuccessfully) to resuscitate several people with hydrogen sulphide poisoning. Some of these exposures were intentional but many were accidental.

I have also been to far too many fires caused by lithium batteries to want a lsrge one anywhere near my van!

I therefore decided the risk of a lead acid battery coupled with a hydrogen sulphide alarm is the lesser of the 2 evils.

My diesel heater is mounted under my van, and whilst I know the risks of Carbon monoxide poisoning from them are low, I just don't want to run the risk.

I was hoping that being so cheap this won't have a confidence chirp (but I will cross that bridge when I come to it). As for annual calibration, they only legally need it for commercial purposes, and speaking with the guy who does ours, they don't so much calibrate them, as test them and change the sensor if required. I can easily give him a drink and ask him to test mine, and I'll just bin it if ever sensor goes so far out it won't work. I don't need an accurate figure, just an alarm if something is wrong.

As for the flammable gas and O2, I didn't go looking for an alarm for this, I just thought it was an added peace of mind bonus.

It is USB rechargeable, and from what I have read, it works when on charge, so I intend to leave it charging all the time.

As I said, I don't absolutely know if it's the right thing for the job. I will feed back when it's delivered.

 

[CAB]

Lithium leisure batteries are LiFePO4. Little to no chance of a thermal runaway, they are a different chemistry to the explodey e-bike batteries.

Sulphide from a lead-acid, either you'll smell it, or the CO monitor will pick it up (apparently they usually do). Or go Lithium.

As said, do it properly and you will have gas drop-outs, LPG / Butane / Propane is heavier than air. Or go all-in Lithium + inverter + induction.

 

[Sasquatch]

You gotta weigh the potential consequences of something unpleasant happening against the actual likelihood if it happening in the first place.

You're 270 times more likely to have the van itself will go up over the chance of a properly installed quality lithium battery doing the same.

 

[Bigsidavies]

I have a friend who is a scientist. Sometimes you can know too much. He worries so much about the consequences of everything that it ruins his life. Genuinely prevents him from getting things done and causes so much worry it makes the mundane difficult.

 

[Sasquatch]

I majored on combustion and hypergolic fuels for my masters and sleep at night without thinking about the 2660 megajoules of energy in the tank a few centimetres beneath me.

As you say, if you have a bit of knowledge you either get hung up on it or else accept that the world is full of danger that you didn't give a sheet about before you understood the science. Fortunately I fall into the latter category.

 

[Stay Frosty]

I've decided that it's probably safer if I get rid of the leisure battery, diesel heater, gas bottle and even less stressful if the camper goes too, then the car, probably the house but what the heck am I going to do about the rest?
I'm probably over thinking this but how can I mitigate against literally everything that threatens my existence?
At this rate it's a non holiday trip to Switzerland or an enormous stray meteorite taking the decision out of my hands but another thought is maybe tape over the dashboard lights fit a basic gas alarm and sleep with the roof sides slightly open, could work?

 

[Farnorthsurfer]

I fitted a 12vdc gas alarm as my camping gaz bottle is internal to the cabinets and not in a locker. The alarm is always on when we sleep in the van and it seems to work well.
I would agree that it is easy to get hung up on the risks and not get anything done, a little common sense goes a long way.
The gas alarm gets tested quite often as it amusingly goes off if you fart while driving and also the smell of the screen wash sets its off when you squirt and wipe at 60mph, so I would say its sensitive enough.

 

[Salty Spuds]

In fairness to the OP, he’s an emergency worker, so deals with “when things go wrong” every day. This may cloud his view of the world, to the point where it could be very easy to become paranoid. In reality, for every disaster, there are thousands if not millions of occasions where everything is fine. As @Sasquatch says, it’s all about risk assessment & management. The risk is always there, what you have to consider is the likelihood of the risk materialising. “Likelihood” being the operative term.

 

[roadtripper]

I'll put myself in the overthinking category too - not quite at the paramedic fire level but long term first aid at work and fire marshall.

Personally the risks I would worry about is ventilation and ensuring there is air changeover. A CO alarm isn't a bad shout but we've had a lot of issues on the narrowboat with damp silently damaging them. Post pandemic a CO2 air quality monitor might be worth a punt to check ventilation is happening.

As for electrics the bigger risk to me is a fire due to poor wiring and protection, and any leisure battery can do that. For weekend trips and basic lights a lead acid system will be fine simple and cheap. Beyond that I'd certainly avoid non LFP cells and I'd not buy cheap. I'd also not pack in the biggest battery I can find unless I needed to.

It would certainly be interesting to see the performance of gas monitoring if you have the ability to semi formally test them @UKparafire as it's an area I suspect a lot of snake oil and dodgy electronics. I'd certainly be hyper suspicious of any marketed off the back of the "sleeping gas" risk.

 

[Farnorthsurfer]

I have edited my previous post to include a link to the gas alarm I fitted. From the spec it detects Butane / Propane, Narcotic Gas (i.e.. Ether based gases) and Carbon Monoxide. Which makes it pretty useful. The actual alarm is quite audible and irritating enough to make you take notice but it might not be loud enough for heavy sleepers. However it does have a facility for wiring in a siren or loud bell which should do the trick. Although having a siren go off when the Mrs farts in bed is probably against the law these days . And I wouldn't get much sleep!

 

[Salty Spuds]

I have edited my previous post to include a link to the gas alarm I fitted. From the spec it detects Butane / Propane, Narcotic Gas (i.e.. Ether based gases) and Carbon Monoxide. Which makes it pretty useful. The actual alarm is quite audible and irritating enough to make you take notice but it might not be loud enough for heavy sleepers. However it does have a facility for wiring in a siren or loud bell which should do the trick. Although having a siren go off when the Mrs farts in bed is probably against the law these days . And I wouldn't get much sleep!

Maybe the incorporation of a Wallace & Grommit "Ejectomatic" to the bed would be advantageous? If the alarm goes off, the rear door(s) open & the bed fires you out of the back. Could be embarrassing if you're in a pub car park & the missus has been on the Guinness.....