Carbon Monoxide Poisoning?

[SimonV]

Instillation of CO detector/s: Unlike smoke, which rises to the ceiling, CO mixes with air. Recognizing this, a CO detector should be located at knee-height (which is about the same as prone sleeping height). Due to the possibility of tampering or damage by pets, children, vacuum cleaners and the like, it may be located up to chest height. To work properly, a detector should not be blocked by furniture, draperies or other obstructions to normal air flow.

[shorebird]

Although CO poisoning is a very serious concern for boaters due to the confined space, use of generators, engines, heaters and who knows what else, I now conclude that in my case it was very unlikely. Since we returned with a CO detector, we spent many hours inside the cabin with no ill effects, and no alarms, while the heater ran for hours. It appears the episode is possibly a "transient global amnesia" which is considered a one time virtually harmless episode of unknown origin, or possibly a migraine related episode of some kind. I have no history of anything which would explain it, am otherwise healthy, and am both surprised and terrified such an event can occur with no warning and no known history. It may never happen again, but I have opted to see a neurologist for a consult, and see where to go from here. It certainly brought the dangers of CO poisoning to my attention, however, and I will be putting both CO and propane sniffers on the boat.

[Christian W.]

Please see my post under 'Provisioning-food and drink'. Although my CO alarm was sounding, I remember standing staring at it wondering how to turn it off, while gulping lungfulls of toxic smoke.Confusion is one symptom of CO poisoning! Somehow my body still had enough adrenaline left for me to throw myself abovedecks. I had a bad and unusual headache for two days.

[Rakuflames]

Originally Posted by Christian W.

Please see my post under 'Provisioning-food and drink'. Although my CO alarm was sounding, I remember standing staring at it wondering how to turn it off, while gulping lungfulls of toxic smoke.Confusion is one symptom of CO poisoning! Somehow my body still had enough adrenaline left for me to throw myself abovedecks. I had a bad and unusual headache for two days.

What caused it to go off?

[Christian W.]

The cabin was filled with smoke when the alarm went off, because of the CO embedded in it. The pamphlet for the alarm clearly states that the CO alarm is not a smoke alarm.