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Our custom designed carbon monoxide detector test station. It’s one of the deadliest things we’ve ever put together in our product testing lab.
To test these detectors, we went into the lab and built a test rig designed to measure each unit’s response time to different concentrations of carbon monoxide, specifically at 250 ppm and 400 ppm. Our goal was to determine how effective each detector was at detecting potentially hazardous levels of carbon monoxide. To announce the winners, we also took into account features that add to the overall user experience, performance and cost-effectiveness of each unit.
For the 250 ppm concentration level, we are trying to simulate a situation in which carbon monoxide has begun to build up to dangerous levels. We test this concentration twice and get average results. At 400 ppm, we replicate the worst-case scenario, a potentially fatal situation, and give the units a pass or fail grade. Spoiler alert: They’ll all save your life, which goes to show how important it is to install carbon monoxide detectors on every floor of your home.
This is one of the most dangerous tests we have ever conducted. Exposure to carbon monoxide is no joke. It’s almost undetectable, and it’s absolutely deadly. We needed to create a safe way to test carbon monoxide detectors without risking the health and safety of our laboratory staff. So I took advantage of my rudimentary carpentry skills and built a testing station to detect carbon monoxide. Its components are:
Carbon monoxide detector room: Made using wood, plexiglass, silicone, tape and a set of finishing nails.
Carbon monoxide tank with gas flow regulator: A cylindrical tank contains carbon monoxide at 2,500 ppm and balances the air.
Testo 300 with ambient carbon monoxide sensor: Our controller for this experiment.
Two portable carbon monoxide alarms.
A look at the inside of CNET’s carbon monoxide detector tester.
The room contains two carbon monoxide detectors, a) the CO2 sensor portion surrounding our control device, the Testo 300, which is a combustion analyzer used by heating engineers who install and routine maintenance of industrial and residential heating systems, and b) the Unit Under Test, or UUT, which replaces every carbon monoxide detector we’ve tested for you. The chamber is sealed with foam but not airtight, because we are not particularly interested in making a carbon monoxide bomb.
We use a portable carbon monoxide alarm on the gas regulator to keep the nose out of leaks.
We installed a gas flow regulator on our tank to avoid high pressure, followed by a gas line to feed the gas mixture into the chamber. Two additional portable devices are used to detect carbon monoxide. One is near the valve to ensure there are no leaks and the other should be worn by the person doing the experiment to ensure carbon monoxide does not build up in the test station area. On top of all that, our respirator suits and well-ventilated site ensure we have a constant flow of fresh air at all times. This may all seem like a stretch, but it’s always good laboratory practice to put safety first, especially when you’re dealing with such a hidden and prolific killer.
We start by feeding our gas mixture into the chamber and closely monitor the carbon monoxide concentration in the Testo. Once the concentration inside our chamber reaches at least 250 ppm or 400 ppm, we stop feeding gas and start the timer. We want to evaluate how long it takes for carbon monoxide detectors to react to those conditions. You know, we wanted to limit our exposure to the virus while making sure that our results were reproducible.
Our results are summarized in the interactive chart below: