CO Detection in cockpit
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- Shodan01
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- First Name: Steve
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CO Detection in cockpit
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.
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.
- Chris
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Re: CO Detection in cockpit
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.
- astaib
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Re: CO Detection in cockpit
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.
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
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
- astaib
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Re: CO Detection in cockpit
Are you talking about the sticky co detector or the sentry ?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.
Arnaud
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
DA40 Star 180 / 40.026 / 2001
Wingtip, landing and taxing LED (Whelen)
Skitube
GNS430 NON-WAAS
Steam gauges
Non certified ADS-b
- Shodan01
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Re: CO Detection in cockpit
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.
The sticker never showed anything.
- Colin
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Re: CO Detection in cockpit
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)
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)
- Shodan01
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Re: CO Detection in cockpit
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.
- SKennedy
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Re: CO Detection in cockpit
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.
- Boatguy
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Re: CO Detection in cockpit
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.
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.
- Rich
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Re: CO Detection in cockpit
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