Oxygen sensor for Diesel Heaters

Discussion in 'Metal Boat Building' started by capefearboat, Feb 19, 2006.

  1. capefearboat
    Joined: Oct 2005
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    Location: wilmington, NC

    capefearboat Junior Member

    ABYC requires an ambient oxygen sensor for diesel heaters that use room air for combustion. Does anyone know how to retrofit stoves or stoves that have this option?
     
  2. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Stand alone battery CO2 indicator is as good (one tells you if theres no oxygen the other if theres too much CO2 either way you die if you stay there - this is not a good thing to happen)! If it's a Insurance requirement then you may have to go for the Oxygen sensor but if they make standalone CO2 sensors I'm pretty sure they'll produce the other! Finnding it is all!
     
  3. marshmat
    Joined: Apr 2005
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    Location: Ontario

    marshmat Senior Member

    Somehow I doubt that tweaking a car's O2 sensor would work?......
    If it's an ABYC requirement, someone somewhere must make the thing. Google turn up nothing for you?
     
  4. capefearboat
    Joined: Oct 2005
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    Location: wilmington, NC

    capefearboat Junior Member

    I have located portable sensors for oxygen ($300) but the ABYC requires one that turns off the fuel.
    I got an email from the heater manufacturer that said that if room oxygen became depleted the heater would go out. I think I remember that if one puts a candle in a sealed jar it will go out at 2% CO2 and 19% oxygen. I think 2% CO2 will make your hyperventilate and or pass out.
    Someone at ABYC told me that he might be right but why not provide a sensor for added insurance. Google isn't much help. Somebody makes a diesel heater that has a cut off, but who?
     
  5. safewalrus
    Joined: Feb 2005
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    Location: Cornwall, England

    safewalrus Ancient Marriner

    Or buy some wool and get knitting!
     
  6. solrac
    Joined: Feb 2006
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    Location: 34'54"35"47S - 56'07"48"98W

    solrac 100% sudaca

    search for "explosimeter" at google, there are about 19000 entries. for "gas detector, about 14:000.000

    the O2 sensor is the same device, it just senses (& measures) O2 in %, as also explosivity (gas concentration in air) as a %LEL (Lower explosivity Level)
    other more sophisticated models also measure H2S.
    another alternative, I've seen used by Gas Industries on LPG compressors the use of devices called "snifers", a kind of electronic device, based on a wheatstone bridge circuit, and some basic op amp circuitry to drive an electro-valve for extinguisher system activation

    a simple explanation on what is it:
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Explosimeter

    two well known world class providers I've worked with:
    http://www.msanorthamerica.com/catalog/product1084.html
    http://www.omniinstruments.co.uk/gasdetection/explosimeters.htm
     

  7. Wellydeckhand

    Wellydeckhand Previous Member

    look into Dradger of German gas detector, one of the best in the market
     
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