Check out some similar questions!

zbitner · Mar 7, 2009, 06:41 AM

I own a three flat and live in one unit. Over the past week I have woken to a few beeps from our hard wired ceiling Nighthawk carbon monoxide detector. It has happened two or three times, but only for one or two chirps and then it's off and green light. The three times it has happened at the same time of night around 4am. I woke again today at 4am with a more severe about of chips and the ceiling light that is on the same breaker was flickering like mad. I guess my big question is this even a carbon issue or is it most likely wiring? Has anyone heard of this happening before. By tenant downstairs (who's breaker box is wired for all the monoxide detectors) just told me he has been losing power once a day for the past three weeks. We had the panels replaced a few months ago due to 14 wires being plugged to 30 amp breakers. So now what was on a 30 is now on 15. Not sure if that helps but there are just so many variables here. None of the forced air gas heaters were running at the time except the upstairs top unit with high efficiency. Another oddity, the upstairs unit has a battery powered CO detector/smoke detector right next to the hard wired CO detector and it wasn't going off.

hvac1000 · Mar 7, 2009, 07:00 AM

Sounds more like a electric wiring or circuit problem than a detector problem. If the units are battery backup style then the battery could also be the problem.

Bentzle · May 4, 2009, 12:35 PM

Probably the best carbon monoxide monitor that you can buy today is a professional grade NSI3000 low level CO monitor. It is the only monitor that measures CO levels as low as 5ppm (parts per million) and alarms at 15ppm.
Levels above 35ppm are not a healthy environment and can be toxic for babies or elderly in poor health. Most UL Approved monitors do not alarm until you get to 100, 200 or 400ppm and stay at that level for hours before going off. This monitor is designed to protect your HEALTH the other ones Protect you from DYING ONLY.

Check the back of your monitor to see what your monitor is rated to alarm. You should evacuate your home at levels above 100ppm

zbitner · May 4, 2009, 12:40 PM

Thanks everyone. After many visits by my electrician and Commonwealth Edison the problem ended up being at the pole. It was a loose fitting to one of the hot wires. Really frustrating stuff. The building is wired such that all the CO detectors are on the same beaker so during a winding day or when CommEd switches power around at late night hours (causing a small gap in power, usually undetectable). Have some really old power lines up there too.

hvac1000 · May 4, 2009, 03:14 PM

In many areas the they are required to be fed from the same circuit especially if they are interlocked.

The professional grade NSI3000 low level CO monitor is a great detector but many areas have backround CO levels that may trip it. 5ppm is not much CO. We had a lady in a complex burning candles or something and it would set the detectors off then send a notification to the alarm company. We removed that unit an put in a different one that was not so sensitive in her unit.

Bentzle · May 4, 2009, 03:39 PM

The answer would have been to ventilate the room or stop burning candles to decrease the CO in the room. The NSI3000 monitor detects levels as low as 5ppm but it does not alarm until you get to 15ppm after 5-15 minutes. The ideal CO level is 0, the highest level accepted by EPA is 9ppm. A low level CO monitor tells you that there is too much CO in the room much better than anything else on the market before you are in danger. In my apartments, I do not permit burning candles or incense or smoking in the building because it is a potential disaster waiting to happen. Low level CO poisoning has the same symptoms as the flue and UL approved CO monitors do not protect you. What rating is the hard wired units? For more info on CO protection and NSI3000 monitors check out National Comfort Institute Inc. : Performance-Based Contracting

hvac1000 · May 4, 2009, 08:26 PM

This is a complex with 122 units. There is no way you can stop the smoking or candles if they want to do it. As a landlord myself I could never find that many non smokers to rent to and since a full house has always been my goal I do not care if they smoke or cook in there units since we just change out the detector to a less sensitive model if there is a problem. We also have to deal with the state law in this area when it comes to landlord tenant issues so a few times with a hired gun at 400.00 per hour can give a owner a very big headache if you have to many problems. We try to live and let live as long as they pay the rent on time and do not trash the place.