Suburban recall

[2foot6]

Suburban gas hot water units have a recall due to the danger of carbon monoxide gas entering the motorhome or caravan

https://www.coastrv.com.au/suburban-recall

[T1 Terry]

Hve to get me one of them, I can't seem to recall anything these days .....
But on a tad more serious note, bugger only knows who does the gas certificates for most of these LPG fuel water heaters, the exhaust outlet is just about always below an opening window and that is just not allowed because of the carbon monoxide problem .... but no one in the licencing board seem to care

T1 Terry

[supersparky]

Hmmm, always wondered about that too. But never said anything because ours is the same. We only turn ours on when required, then turn it off
after water is hot.

[T1 Terry]

Hmmm, always wondered about that too. But never said anything because ours is the same. We only turn ours on when required, then turn it off
after water is hot.

.... and make sure the window above the units exhaust is closed?

T1 Terry

[supersparky]

To be 100% honest, the window above the water heater, and usually all the others are always open. Even the main door as well. I have been going to fit an oxygen monitor at shoulder height and a replacement gas monitor at floor level for a while now. Maybe I should make that Xmas present to myself this year.

[T1 Terry]

Is an oxygen monitor like a carbon monoxide monitor? I've heard some people can suck the oxygen out of a room and send people to sleep just by talking
The carbon monoxide alarm is the real necessity in a motorhome/caravan that has gas appliances because this is the killer gas that sneaks up and kills brain cells until it finally kills the person carrying the brain around. An LPG sensor mounted in the foot well and under the bench top stove isn't a bad idea either because the vent hole in the cupboards leading to the stair well is often over looked in many RV builds.
Carbon monoxide is about the same weight as carbon dioxide and oxygen, so hard to say if head level when sitting or standing, the ceiling or at floor level is the best mounting spot, probably up high because it will be mixed with the hotter gasses initially before mixing with the surrounding air.

The signs a gas appliance could be in need of a service:
That half burnt gas smell is a sure sign the carbon monoxide levels will be high and a soft fluffy flame with no definite inner light blue cone will be the cause. The burner needs more air so check the air inlet at the burner where the gas nozzle is fitted isn't full of fluff etc, the most common cause of poor water heater or gas fridge performance. Look for a carbon build up that glows at the base of the flame, yet another sign there is more fuel than air getting into the burner ....

T1 Terry

[supersparky]

I'm not sure how most of those sensors work, but with all the confined space training that we have had thrust upon us over the years, the main thing is that the oxygen content is between 19.5 and 22.5 % If it goes out of that range, something has displaced it and the alarm needs to go off.
In the last 20 years or so, I have been exposed to H2S, or Hydrogen Sulphide. Most people would know it as sewer gas or rotten egg gas. Worst thing is, you get used to it and too much of it will knock you over quicker than carbon monoxide. Luckily for me that part of my life is done and dusted.

[pet-els]

Our meters for testing in confined spaces was 21% Oxygen, no give or take before we signed the clearance.

PeterH

[supersparky]

That was the same as ours Peter. The range that I stated was what they told was safe for a person to survive in. We weren't allowed access if the meter had not been recalibrated in the past 24 hrs.