Kidde KN-COPP-3 Nighthawk Plug-In Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Battery Backup and Digital Display
by Kidde
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Tools and Hardware Reviews of Kidde KN-COPP-3 Nighthawk Plug-In Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Battery Backup and Digital Display
Customer Review: It worked!
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm not sure about some of the negative reviews, but I feel I need to post regarding this unit, which saved my family: This CO detector sounded one afternoon on the SECOND floor of my house where I had it plugged in. Note that I had just bought it two weeks prior. Although I initially thought it was broken, I called 911 and was able to give them the exact digital reading on the display (rather than just saying an alarm is sounding), and the speed at which the count was increasing. I was instructed to immediately open windows on the second floor and tell if the reading went lower -- it did.
When the fire department arrived, they found a large CO leak in the furnace on the first floor. I was informed that at the rate the CO reading was increasing, the situation was actually critical (it was at 55 when I called, 65 when I was chatting with 911, 70 when I started opening windows; the display went progressively lower after opening windows and fresh air circulated). Had I not had an alarm, I would have never known what was happening... an unsettling thought.
I was praised by the fire officials for having a unit that digitally displayed the level of CO in the house. This permitted the fire department to better assess the exact risk and rate of CO leakage. They also found a slight gas leak (even though I had just had the furnace "inspected" the month before... but that's a separate lesson about dishonest contractors). The end result was the furnace was shut off by the fire department and I had to replace the entire system.
Would another unit have worked just as well? Maybe. All I know is this one DID and my family made it through without injury. That's how this company gained my trust.
As a side note, I've only needed to replace the battery about once a year.
Customer Review: Hope It Works
Summary: 5 Stars
We've had this CO detector plugged in for over six years and the only time it ever sounded an alarm was when we had hardwood floors installed in our house. I'm not sure what triggered the alarm but it got everyone's attention. It's LOUD. There's no way anyone will sleep through this sound. You can hear the alarm outside when it's going off inside. Once the alarm sounds you have to power it off to silence it.
Since it's sort of difficult to tell if a particular CO detector is working properly, we've diversified by having three different models in our house. You should be able to test the Kidde Nighthawk unit (or any other unit with a digital readout) by placing it close to burning material, or next to the exhaust pipe on your car, but we haven't done that. During such a test, the digital readout would change from 0 to some higher number representing the amount of CO in the air in parts-per-million. Any reading around 30 or so means you need to figure out why your unit isn't reading 0, and that while you're not at risk for immediate death you're being subjected to continuous low levels of CO which is not good. Anything around 100 means immediate trouble. About 800 ppm and higher means you're going to die if you don't get things straightened out quickly. Around 12,000 corresponds to death in a minute.
CO detectors are required to be installed in new construction in some areas, and I'm sure that eventually most states will pass similar legislation requiring them.
Our CO detectors give us some peace-of-mind. The ones with the digital displays like this Nighthawk are a little more useful because you can see if they're detecting anything at all. I'd recommend you get a few no matter the make or model, even if they don't have digital displays.
Customer Review: So far so good...
Summary: 5 Stars
I have had this unit 2 months now. (Purchase: January 2010) I obtained it for an efficiency apartment that has a Williams 20000 BTU Hearth Vented Heater. Sq Footage is approx. 475 for this two room efficiency. I rent this apt. to college students and wanted to make sure the new heater setup was safe. I followed code in the install and venting, but since CO is colorless and odorless; I do not take chances with silent killers. (e.g. CO, Radon, High Blood Pressure, etc.)
So far ( 2mos.) the unit is performing well and no battery issues. My readings at different four different points in the apt., including 12 inches from the heater vent were all Zero. Peak readings also never rose above zero. I began to wonder if I had a defective unit, or just super safe air.
So I experimented...
I placed the CO Detector in my garage, closed the door and you guessed it...ran a vehicle. Within 5 minutes the detector started reading CO Gas. 17, 44, 76, 116, 220. After another 4 minutes and 17 seconds, the unit started screaming bloody murder. I turned off the vehicle opened the big door to the garage and took the unit outside (battery back up took over) for fresh air till the reading went back to zero. I then returned the unit to the garage with the bay door open and plugged it in again. The readings gradually rose back to 58, then over time fell; eventually back to zero as the residual CO was dissipating.
Infer what you want from this data. Me, I like the unit.
I will update this review after the Duracell battery runs down, giving the battery life as a back up all the while being plugged in. I will also indicate any power failures during that test period.
The test continues...
Customer Review: Every floor of your house should have one!
Summary: 5 Stars
One reviewer questioned if these really work... YES they do! I had a new furnace installed recently, and the installers made a mistake. Without detectors in the house I might never have known, and my family could have suffered greatly (ie somebody could have become ill or even died!). We had had them for years and they ALWAYS read 0. When we started seeing it detect CO we knew we had a problem. Occasional low readings (such as near your kitchen on Thanksgiving if you have a gas stove) are ok, but any consistant reading is cause for real concern particularly if it is away from any known source of CO (stove, fireplace, etc).
I strongly reccomend folks place a detector on each occupied level of your home. If something happens you may very well get different readings on different levels (I did).
When selecting a CO detector be sure to pick an electornic one with a digital readout. They cost more, but are well worth it. The only maintenance with a unit like this one is replacing the backup battery. (BTW, a backup battery is a really good idea. Each year many folks die because they used various types of gas heating devices during power outages with inadequate ventalation.) Also, the digital readout will help track down problems envolving lower levels of CO and may give you earlier warning of a malfunctioning heating system.
Finally, this particular unit has an advantage in that it can be placed directly over an outlet, or the included power cord can be used to allow higher wall mounting or placement on a table/shelf/etc.
Customer Review: Peace of Mind with a Superior Product
Summary: 5 Stars
-- I purchased 2 of these plug-in CO2 detectors, so that I'd have one for each floor of my house. They were RECOMMENDED by my local FIRE DEPARTMENT who agreed that they were the most reliable product on the market. The firemen assured me that there were back-up batteries in the event of a power failure. Meanwhile, I would not have to be concerned about constantly replacing batteries.
--I had originally purchased the battery-only product. It so happened that this malfunctioned within the warranty period. Kidde impressed me with its NO-HASSLE REPLACEMENT POLICY. This further convinced me to stick with the brand. For a few dollars more, I found the plug-in to be a sturdier, potentially more reliable product.
--I was also advised that it is best to place CO detectors toward the floor. Since my outlets are about 4 inches above the baseboard, the plug-ins work well. Also, I think that the DIGITAL is a bit LARGER on this model and certainly easier to read.
--In the event that there is a leak of carbon monoxide, it is helpful to have MUTLTIPLE UNITS so that technicians can faster determine the source.
-- Since I have 3 gas fireplaces and 2 gas furnaces (one above my bed), I am very concerned about this issue. I can relax now that I can see the blinking "0" which assures me that the air is monitored every 4 minutes. Wonderful peace of mind at such a reasonable cost!