C

Captain Avgas

Well Known Member
I'm looking to purchase a CO (carbon monoxide) detector for my RV7A.

The model that appeals to me is the Guardian Avionics Aero 152WD. This model is a portable unit that plugs into the aircraft's cigarette lighter socket. Here is the URL to this device: http://www.guardianavionics.com/aero152wd.html

I've looked back through the archives but I cannot find any comments on this particular unit. Are there any RVers out there that have one and would care to comment on their experience.

Of course I'm interested to know if the device works reliably, but also interested to know if it has any propensity to want to back out of the cigarette lighter socket with all the aircraft vibration/movement.
 
I own two of them. The spare, gets loaned out to other owners on a seasonal basis... since they are too cheap to buy one. CO can be an insidious danger and needs to be tested. All of the Guardian products are well made. The owner had a close call and then started the business. Be aware that the sensor (at least on the panel mounts) needs to be replaced after five years.
Cracks and leaks can happen without warning, so you are smart to shop for a tester. Good luck out there.
 
Info

Not what you asked for but i too was looking for co detector.
Went to my local home depot, got a fancy battery operated, digital read out one. Takes 4AA. Velcrod it under my fire extinghisher/tunnel cover. Works like champ, batteries chirp they are low every 8 months or so. Digital read out of ppm and able to test with push button. For $30, cant imagine a better solution.
Just what works for me. Ymmv.
 
The problem with the home variety CO detectors, I've been told, is that they may take 20-30 minutes to actually read a change and give warning.
 
Rick,

Wondering if the $30 model alarms loud enough to hear it over the airplane sounds and through ANR headsets? Maybe a great solution if it is, but if the only warning I would be cognitive of is a digital readout that I would have to constantly monitor, I don't see how it's any better than the $5 peel and stick card.
 
I used the peel and stick for years in the 70's and 80's. Never noticed that they expired after a few months... So, I thought I was protected, but was not.
Anyway, I like the instantaneous response of the Guardian now. Have seen it tested in a chamber with CO.
 
SPO2 compatible?

I have the Guardian certified CO unit in my C-180A and feel very comfortable knowing it is sniffing the air. It reads real time CO on my MVP-50.
I plan on installing the remote unit in my -8 and would like to have it also monitor my O2 via the pulse oximeter built into my Apple Watch. This will provide full time monitoring instead of just when you stick your finger in a separate panel unit.
Does anyone know if the Bluetooth data from the Apple watch can be shared with the Guardian or directly with the EFIS and displayed on screen with an alarm?
 
flightlogic said:
I own two of them. The spare, gets loaned out to other owners on a seasonal basis... since they are too cheap to buy one. CO can be an insidious danger and needs to be tested. All of the Guardian products are well made. The owner had a close call and then started the business. Be aware that the sensor (at least on the panel mounts) needs to be replaced after five years.
Cracks and leaks can happen without warning, so you are smart to shop for a tester. Good luck out there.
Click to expand...

FWIW: I have a panel mount CO Guardian AERO 353-101 and it works great. The sensor should last between 5-7 years according to their documents. When I talked to them at Sun-N-Fun this year they told me that as long as it passes the power up self check there is no need to have the sensor re-calibrated. You can see it on the far right of my panel.
YSV15DME_zpsb39639b4.jpg


I also showed them how to connect it to a DYNON SkyView (unused EMS contact pin and CO Guardian DB9 Pin 4 or 6) so it provides an audio/visual alarm during the power up (self test) or an unsafe CO situation. Additionally, since the AERO 353-101 CO detector unit has an external test button, if you push the button SkyView records this event on the EMS data log file. This really helps in troubleshooting intermittent problems while flying. When the problem starts just push the button twice and again two times when the problem stops. Then when you download the file, look for the two CO detector pulses and you have the problem start/stop time. Now you can look at all other parameters SkyView recorded during that time frame to assist in the troubleshooting. This capability is really cool.

:cool:
 
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jdearborn said:
I plan on installing the remote unit in my -8 and would like to have it also monitor my O2 via the pulse oximeter built into my Apple Watch. This will provide full time monitoring instead of just when you stick your finger in a separate panel unit.
Does anyone know if the Bluetooth data from the Apple watch can be shared with the Guardian or directly with the EFIS and displayed on screen with an alarm?
Click to expand...

This is a great idea for SkyView users with the Bluetooth dongle. Maybe Dynon can make this happen.

:cool:
 
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The Apple watch does not have a pulse oxymeter. The sensor used for pulse rate in it is the same as a pulse oxymeter, but you cannot measure oxygen levels on your wrist, and the software does not support such a function.

--Ian
 
Cheap home depot version

The one i have is a kiddie i believe. Pretty fancy in that you can push a button for an immediate scan and a digital readout of ppm. The chirp is very shrill. One time on a long cross country during one leg we had a chirp...vented cockpit and started working it... Low battery signal.. haha.

Anyway, plenty loud. For $30 cant imagine why anyone would not have one in their plane. Cheap and decent quality insurance. CO has brought down several birds i believe.
 
Apple Watch

Here is a blurb on the Apple Watch oximeter. . . not a true oximeter, but a plethysmograph that can function as an oximeter.
"It would seem Apple Watch?s heart rate monitor is much more intelligent than Apple is letting on. Not only can it read your pulse, but it?s also capable of measuring blood oxygen ? a feature Apple could enable in a future Watch update." (software)
"iFixit suggests this could be due to FDA regulations, and if that?s the case, we could see the feature activated in a future Watch update once Apple has received the necessary approvals."Killian Bell 2015
I hope it does happen, full time oxygen monitoring would be nice. (YMMV)
 
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