Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Carbon monoxide poisoning from 3D laser printer may have killed Berkeley couple

sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

191–200 of 228 posts

Re: Carbon monoxide poisoning from 3D laser printer may have killed Berkeley couple

#191

Post by WWLink »

JshWright wrote: post #105
pmoriarty wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What CO detectors would you recommend?

Any off the shelf product should be fine (there are standards they have to meet). Kiddie and First Alert are both well regarded brands. I use First Alert personally (they have model with Z-Wave integration that ties into my home automation system). We carry a few Kiddie smoke/CO detectors on the fire truck to install if we notice a home doesn't have one (or if the one they had failed).

In regards to the smoke detectors, I love that your department does that! I think what finally drove me to realize how important working smoke detectors are, is that video of a modern room flashing over in like 3 minutes.

For those who haven't seen it, here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDNPhq5ggoE

Re: Carbon monoxide poisoning from 3D laser printer may have killed Berkeley couple

#192

Post by sliken »

JshWright wrote: post #77
failrate wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

He indicates that the CO poisoning could have been gradual. This is not mutually exclusive with faster poisoning.

Leaving the house for a few hours a day would be sufficient to "reset" the COHb levels in the blood.

I'm seeing numbers like 320 minutes, 5.3 hours. Of course that's only enough halve it, not clear it completely. Leaving the house for "a few hours a day" sounds like dangerous advice to me.

Re: Carbon monoxide poisoning from 3D laser printer may have killed Berkeley couple

#193

Post by sliken »

JshWright wrote: post #102
phkahler wrote: post #92

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> About 2 weeks, IIRC. Does the CO actually get out or do the red blood cells die and get replaced?

It lets go on its own. The levels in your blood fall by half every few hours.

5.3 hours.

Re: Carbon monoxide poisoning from 3D laser printer may have killed Berkeley couple

#194

Post by nemo1618 »

tropo wrote: post #158

Having tried one, I wouldn't trust a detector. That was money not well spent. I could generate lots of CO, and nothing would register. Maybe flawed units are super-rare, but I'm more than tempted to assume the industry is a fraud. Why even bother? The device has one job, and it fails. All you get is a false sense of safety.

What most people miss about CO detectors is that they don't go off until CO levels have been elevated for a while. At low concentrations it can take multiple hours to trigger the alarm; at higher concentrations it can take 30 minutes. Even at dangerous concentrations it can still take 5 minutes to sound the alarm. So you can hold your detector in front of an exhaust pipe for a minute and it won't go off, but stick it inside an upturned pot with a candle inside and it will definitely go off eventually.

The reason for this is to prevent common false alarms like CO emitted due to cooking or smoking.

Re: Carbon monoxide poisoning from 3D laser printer may have killed Berkeley couple

#195

Post by zump »

pmoriarty wrote: post #34

Makers are often exposed to many toxic compounds, from toxins in salvaged electronics to PCB etching compounds to lead solder and solder fumes. Unfortunately, they rarely have much if any safety training or awareness of the dangers they are exposing themselves to.

saved

Re: Carbon monoxide poisoning from 3D laser printer may have killed Berkeley couple

#196

Post by justincormack »

agumonkey wrote: post #178
danshapiro wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm the CEO and cofounder of Glowforge - we're so saddened by this tragedy. Our product was not involved, but that doesn't make us feel any better about this loss. If you use a laser, ours or anyone else's, please go back right now and re-read the safety instructions. Accidents like this should never happen. My heart breaks for those affected by this.

Are there CO detectors to buy to react before it's too late ?

Many smoke alarms also measure CO now.

Re: Carbon monoxide poisoning from 3D laser printer may have killed Berkeley couple

#197

Post by DonRico »

justincormack wrote: post #196
agumonkey wrote: post #178

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are there CO detectors to buy to react before it's too late ?

Many smoke alarms also measure CO now.

Even if there were smokealarms with CO dedection it's really bad practice. Carbon monoxide dedectors need to be installed on to walls 100-150cm from the floor. In the bedroom I would recommend the height of bed. The reason for all that is the fact that CO molar mass is really similar to air molar mass AKA "that shit will reach the sealing when you're long dead".

Re: Carbon monoxide poisoning from 3D laser printer may have killed Berkeley couple

#199

Post by pixelbill »

DonRico wrote: post #197
justincormack wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Many smoke alarms also measure CO now.

Even if there were smokealarms with CO dedection it's really bad practice. Carbon monoxide dedectors need to be installed on to walls 100-150cm from the floor. In the bedroom I would recommend the height of bed. The reason for all that is the fact that CO molar mass is really similar to air molar mass AKA "that shit will reach the sealing when you're long dead".

Sorry, but what are you talking about?

Yes, CO is similar to air's molar mass (it's actually slightly lower), meaning it will diffuse evenly through the vertical space in the room. The concentrations at the ceiling will be the same as the concentrations on the floor.

Stop spreading misinformation.

Re: Carbon monoxide poisoning from 3D laser printer may have killed Berkeley couple

#200

Post by agumonkey »

pixelbill wrote: post #199
DonRico wrote: post #197

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Even if there were smokealarms with CO dedection it's really bad practice. Carbon monoxide dedectors need to be installed on to walls 100-150cm from the floor. In the bedroom I would recommend the height of bed. The reason for all that is the fact that CO molar mass is really similar to air molar mass AKA "that shit will reach the sealing when you're long dead".

Sorry, but what are you talking about? Yes, CO is similar to air's molar mass (it's actually slightly lower), meaning it will diffuse evenly through the vertical space in the room. The concentrations at the ceiling will be the same as the concentrations on the floor. Stop spreading misinformation.

But if sources are at human head level, by the time it reaches the ceiling, you already inhaled a fair amount of CO ? what did I get wrong ?
Post reply on HN