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These sensors require lots of electricity, so they generally plug into wall outlets rather than using batteries. The processor detects the change and causes the alarm to sound. When CO comes into contact with the circuitry, it lowers the electrical resistance. Metal oxide semiconductor sensors use circuits applied to a silica chip.
CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTOR TESTING PORTABLE
Biomimetic sensors can also be used on portable CO detector cards - if you see the disc on the card turn dark, there's a dangerous amount of CO in the air. Once a biomimetic sensor has changed color, it must be placed in a CO-free environment to reset itself. A separate sensor detects the color change and alerts the detector's processor to sound the alarm. In a biomimetic sensor, a gel changes color as it absorbs CO. Biomimetic sensor technology reproduces CO's effects on hemoglobin in the blood. CO detectors can use several types of sensors to sense carbon monoxide in the air. The alarm sounds at about 85 decibels (dB), just a little quieter than a typical lawnmower, but often very shrill. For example, the alarm will respond to concentrations of about 70 ppm in as little as an hour but will respond to concentrations of 400 ppm in as little as four minutes. The higher the concentration, the faster the alarm will respond. When the sensor detects dangerous levels of the gas, it sends an electronic pulse to the alarm. In the United States, sensors for home use are calibrated to detect CO concentrations according to Underwriters Laboratories (UL) safety standards. The CO sensor identifies and measures CO gas concentration in the atmosphere in parts per million (ppm).A detection chamber houses the CO gas sensor.A test/reset button lets you make sure the alarm is working.Wires to the building's electrical system or a battery provide power to the unit.Some detectors also have a liquid crystal display ( LCD) panel that shows a readout of CO levels. Light-emitting diodes ( LEDs) use lights to let you know how the unit is functioning and whether the battery needs to be replaced.The chip is fused to a copper-wired, integrated electronic circuit panel, which is the base for the unit. A small silicon microchip sends an electronic charge, a sort of "what to do" signal, to the other parts of the detector.Infants, the elderly and people with respiratory and circulatory illnesses are at an increased risk of fatal CO poisoning. If carbon monoxide begins to fill a home while people are sleeping, the exposure can be fatal before anyone realizes something is wrong. These symptoms are easily mistaken for other common illnesses, like food poisoning or the flu. Moderate levels of CO exposure can cause burning eyes, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, severe headaches, breathing difficulties and confusion. If you inhale small amounts of CO over a long period, the exposure might not be fatal, but it can cause permanent damage to the brain, lungs and heart. Your blood then carries the CO to your organs. Carbon monoxide enters red blood cells, quickly taking the place of the oxygen your body needs. And it doesn't take much fuel to be dangerous: Even small tools like chainsaws can release enough CO to make you sick. Without enough ventilation, the gas can build up to deadly levels. Just about anything you might burn in or around your home - whether it's gasoline, wood, coal, propane, natural gas or oil - can produce carbon monoxide in the right conditions. Known as "the silent killer," carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, tasteless, odorless gas that comes from the incomplete burning of fuel.
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