CO Detection in cockpit

Any DA40 related topics

Moderators: Rick, Lance Murray

User avatar
Shodan01
2 Diamonds Member
2 Diamonds Member
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2020 1:03 am
First Name: Steve
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N475PS
Airports: KGMU
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 1 time

CO Detection in cockpit

Post by Shodan01 »

Hey All,

I have about 30 hours on my plane since pickup and all has been well so far! While on a X-country solo (requirement for insurance) my CO alarm on my Foreflight Sentry went off showing levels of around 75-90. I happened to be on short final at that airport, so non-issue and landed, checked everything out etc.

Did a run-up with vents open/closed, heater on/off, and had no detection so I went up in the pattern for around 30 min with no alarm. At that point thought it could be a bug, so proceeded on home. Alarm went off again about 1 mile from home airport, and I watched the levels like a hawk while flying, the alarm went off again as I landed etc.

Put a cheapo sticky detector on the dash for now, and my instructor went up. The Sentry went off again, but no change in sticker.

Regardless I have a suspicion that something came loose from the extensive annual / pre-buy but anything else I could be easily missing? I have it being dropped off w/ the local mechanic to inspect on Monday.
User avatar
Chris
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 935
Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2010 3:34 am
First Name: Chris
Aircraft Type: DA42NG
Aircraft Registration: N449TS
Airports: KHIO
Has thanked: 1050 times
Been thanked: 481 times

Re: CO Detection in cockpit

Post by Chris »

If it's the original CO detector, it may just need to be replaced. We had to replace one on our 2007 DA40XL after a few years when it started behaving like you describe, although ours seemed to be correlated with high temps. Hopefully it's just a loose connection from the recent service.
Chris
N449TS / DA42-NG / 42.AC049
KHIO
User avatar
astaib
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 616
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:00 pm
First Name: Arnaud
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: FGNJX
Airports: LFPX
Has thanked: 244 times
Been thanked: 51 times

Re: CO Detection in cockpit

Post by astaib »

Same alarm on sentry with same level of CO.
Same behavior of the sticky shitty co detector.

After inspection one riser was cracked...

Sentry is very accurate.
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
User avatar
astaib
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 616
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:00 pm
First Name: Arnaud
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: FGNJX
Airports: LFPX
Has thanked: 244 times
Been thanked: 51 times

Re: CO Detection in cockpit

Post by astaib »

Chris wrote: Wed Dec 30, 2020 8:03 pm If it's the original CO detector, it may just need to be replaced. We had to replace one on our 2007 DA40XL after a few years when it started behaving like you describe, although ours seemed to be correlated with high temps. Hopefully it's just a loose connection from the recent service.
Are you talking about the sticky co detector or the sentry ?
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
User avatar
Shodan01
2 Diamonds Member
2 Diamonds Member
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2020 1:03 am
First Name: Steve
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N475PS
Airports: KGMU
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: CO Detection in cockpit

Post by Shodan01 »

The Sentry looks to be working well - did a test in a bag with exhaust from car etc....I am certain that it is picking up those levels in the cockpit so hoping its an easy fix.

The sticker never showed anything.
User avatar
Colin
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 2006
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2010 8:37 pm
First Name: Colin
Aircraft Type: DA42
Aircraft Registration: N972RD
Airports: KFHR
Has thanked: 319 times
Been thanked: 527 times

Re: CO Detection in cockpit

Post by Colin »

It sounds like it is picking things up as you slow down, so I bet there is less airflow emptying the cabin. But if I were to guess I would say some CO is definitely getting in.
Colin Summers, PP Multi-Engine IFR, ~3,000hrs
colin@mightycheese.com * send email rather than PM
http://www.flyingsummers.com
N972RD DA42 G1000 2.0 s/n 42.AC100 (sold!)
N971RD DA40 G1000 s/n 40.508 (traded)
User avatar
Shodan01
2 Diamonds Member
2 Diamonds Member
Posts: 40
Joined: Thu Oct 01, 2020 1:03 am
First Name: Steve
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N475PS
Airports: KGMU
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 1 time

Re: CO Detection in cockpit

Post by Shodan01 »

So the mechanic swung by the hanger and at a quick glance didnt see anything that would cause this, but the lead mechanic is looking at it on Monday....more to follow.
User avatar
SKennedy
1 Diamond Member
1 Diamond Member
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Jul 20, 2017 1:28 am
First Name: Scott
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: CFXHO
Airports: CYYG
Has thanked: 1 time

Re: CO Detection in cockpit

Post by SKennedy »

Do you have the winter kit installed? Last spring, I had a similar experience where I was getting a CO indication from the electronic CO detector on the panel (I don't have a Sentry). I also have the CO sticker mounted on the panel and it has never given an indication of CO. I removed the winter kit and have never gotten another indication from either the card or the electronic detector.
User avatar
Boatguy
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 1828
Joined: Mon Jan 22, 2018 4:48 am
First Name: Russ
Aircraft Type: DA62
Aircraft Registration: N962M
Airports: KSTS
Has thanked: 1329 times
Been thanked: 1163 times

Re: CO Detection in cockpit

Post by Boatguy »

I have a Pocket CO detector on my keychain. It will indicate some CO just by raising my canopy after shutting down.

As always, believe the instruments. Cracked heat exchangers on the exhaust for cabin heating are common source of CO in airplanes with air cooled engines.
User avatar
Rich
5 Diamonds Member
5 Diamonds Member
Posts: 4592
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 12:40 pm
First Name: Rich
Aircraft Type: DA40
Aircraft Registration: N40XE
Airports: S39 Prineville OR
Has thanked: 145 times
Been thanked: 1180 times

Re: CO Detection in cockpit

Post by Rich »

Which of the 2 exhaust systems do you have? Based on the manufacture date of your plane it might be either one.
2002 DA40-180: MT, PowerFlow, 530W/430W, KAP140, ext. baggage, 1090 ES out, 2646 MTOW, 40gal., Surefly, Flightstream 210, Orion 600 LED, XeVision, Aspen E5
Post Reply