Kidde KN-COB-LCB-A, KN-COB-DP-H User Manual

AC Powered

SIGNALING

LISTED

U

L

Carbon Mono xide

Alarm

User’s Guide

Kidde Direct Plug CO Alarm Models:
KN-COB-DP-H

Basic AC CO Alarm
KN-COB-LCB-A

Basic Alarm with Battery Backup and
Tamper-Resist Features.

For questions concerning your

Carbon Monoxide Alarm, please

call our Consumer Hotline at

1-800-880-6788

Please have the following

information ready when calling:

CO Alarm Model Number (Located on the back of alarm):

CO Alarm Assembly Number (Located on back of alarm):

Date of Manufacture (Located on back of alarm):

Date of Purchase:

Where Purchased:

ATTENTION: Please take a few minutes to thoroughly read this manual, which should be

saved for future reference and passed on to any subsequent owner. If you have any questions
about the operation or installation of your alarm, please call our toll free Consumer Hotline at
1-800-880-6788.

810-1852 REV. D

0905

Contents

Introduction
Quick Set Up Guide
Part One – Your Kidde CO Alarm

• About your CO alarm

• What CO alarms can and cannot do

• Where to install your alarm

• Where not to install your alarm

• How to install your alarm

• Normal operating characteristics

• Testing the electronics

• How to know if your alarm is malfunctioning

• How to care for your alarm

Part Two – Carbon Monoxide

• The effects of CO exposure

• Could your family be at risk for CO poisoning?

• Where CO comes from

• Protecting your family from CO posioning

• Home safety tips

Part Three – What You Should Know Before the Alarm
Sounds

• Understand the effects of carbon monoxide exposure

Part Four – What to Do When the Unit Alarms

• How to respond to the alarm

Part Five – Technical Information

• Product Specifications

• How the unit determines when to alarm

Limited Warranty

• Limited Warranty

Introduction

Keep the guide in a handy location and refer to it when you
have questions about your CO alarm, its functions, features, or
if you have questions about carbon monoxide. Please read this
guide in the sequence presented. You will then know how to
use your CO alarm wisely and to know how to react in the
event of an alarm

IMPORTANT

THIS CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM IS DESIGNED TO DETECT CARBON MONOXIDE
FROM ANY SOURCE OF IMPROPER OR MALFUNCTIONING APPLIANCES. IT IS NOT
DESIGNED TO DETECT SMOKE, FIRE, OR ANY OTHER GAS.

WARNING!

CO ALARMS ARE NOT SMOKE ALARMS. CO ALARMS DO NOT SENSE SMOKE OR
FIRE. FOR EARLY WARNING OF FIRE YOU MUST INSTALL SMOKE ALARMS, EVEN
THOUGH CARBON MONOXIDE CAN BE GENERATED BY FIRE. THIS CARBON
MONOXIDE ALARM IS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR INSTALLING AND MAINTAING AN
APPROPRIATE NUMBER OF SMOKE ALARMS IN YOUR HOME. FOR THIS REASON
YOU MUST INSTALL SMOKE ALARMS TO PROVIDE EARLY WARNING OF FIRE AND
TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FROM FIRE AND ITS RELATED HAZARDS.

THIS PRODUCT IS INTENDED FOR USE IN ORDINARY INDOOR RESIDENTIAL
AREAS. IT IS NOT DESIGNED TO MEASURE COMPLIANCE WITH COMMERCIAL AND
INDUSTRIAL STANDARDS. IT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR INSTALLATION IN HAZ­ARDOUS LOCATIONS AS DEFINED IN THE NATIONAL ELECTRIC CODE.

MODELS WITHOUT BATTERY BACKUP WILL NOT OPERATE DURING POWER FAIL­URE. MODEL KN-COB-DP-H WILL NOT WORK WITHOUT POWER. THIS CO ALARM
REQUIRES A CONTINUOUS SUPPLY OF ELECTRICAL POWER.

MODEL KN-COB-LCB-A REQUIRES A CONTINUOUS SUPPLY OF ELECTRICAL
POWER. DURING A POWER OUTAGE IT WILL WORK FOR AT LEAST 20 HOURS IF A
BATTERY WITH FULL CAPACITY IS INSTALLED PROPERLY.

THE INSTALLATION OF THIS DEVICE SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE
FOR PROPER INSTALLATION, USE AND MAINTENANCE OF FUELBURNING APPLI­ANCES, INCLUDING APPROPRIATE VENTILATION AND EXHAUST SYSTEMS.

I

NDIVIDUALS WITH MEDICAL PROBLEMS MAY CONSIDER USING WARNING
DEVICES THAT PROVIDE AUDIBLE AND VISUAL SIGNALS FOR CARBON MONOXIDE
CONCENTRATIONS UNDER 30 PPM.

:

CCAAUUTTIIOONN:

THIS ALARM WILL ONLY INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF CO GAS AT THE

SENSOR. CO MAY BE PRESENT IN OTHER AREAS.

1

Introduction

This Kidde carbon monoxide (CO) alarm is an important part of
your family’s home safety plan. As a new owner of a CO alarm,
there are some basic facts you should know for your protection
and convenience.

Many people think that CO alarms operate like smoke alarms. Like
smoke alarms, CO alarms monitor the air in your home and sound
a loud alarm to warn you of trouble.

The way you respond to a CO alarm is quite different than a
smoke alarm. That’s because a house fire and a carbon monoxide
problem are two distinctly different situations. If your smoke
alarm were to alarm, you would quickly be able to judge the level
of danger you were in with your senses. You can see and smell the
smoke, feel the heat, see, and possibly hear the fire burning. You
can also readily see if your smoke alarm is alarming in a non-emer­gency situation, for example toast burning in the kitchen. Because
your sense of sight, smell, hearing and touch give you informa­tion, you can almost instantly judge what action to take if you
hear your smoke alarm.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible, odorless, tasteless and non­irritating gas–completely undetectable to your senses. That’s why
it is so important to your safety that you have a carbon monoxide
alarm.

Please take the time to completely read this guide to familiarize
yourself with the facts about carbon monoxide, how your new
unit works, and what to do if it alarms. Find a handy place to keep
this manual so that it will be readily available when you have a
question.

Thank you for making Kidde a part of your complete home safe­ty program. With proper installation and use, your new Kidde CO
alarm will provide you with years of dependable service.

2

Quick Set Up Guide

We urge you to read this entire manual

in the sequence it is presented.

Listed below are five easy steps for setting up your Kidde CO
alarm. Please read the entire guide for complete information.

Setting up your CO alarm for first time operation:

Step 1

Determine the best location for your CO alarm(s). Usually this is
in or near bedrooms. Refer to Part One, Where to Install Your
CO Alarm for complete information.

Step 2

For model KN-COB-LCB-A remove the yellow pull-tab or install
the battery shipped with your unit

Plug the CO alarm into a standard, unswitched 120 volt AC elec­tric outlet.

Step 3

The green Operate light will come on and stay on showing the
CO alarm is receiving power.

Step 4

Next, test the alarm’s operation by pressing and releasing the
Test/Reset button. The unit will beep quickly 4 times – followed
by 5 seconds of silence – followed by 4 quick beeps. This is also
the alarm cycle in the event of a CO problem. Familiarize your­self and household members with this alarm pattern. The red
alarm light will come on when the alarm sounds.

Step 5

While testing the CO alarm, have someone else check that the
alarm can be heard easily from the sleeping areas. The CO alarm
should be located where it can wake you if it alarms at night.

Your Kidde CO alarm is now monitoring for the presence of car­bon monoxide.

3

Part One – Your Kidde CO Alarm

About Your CO Alarm

While many other CO alarms require costly sensors or a proprietary
battery pack replacement, there are no replacement parts on
Kidde CO alarms and they use standard alkaline batteries (if
equipped).

Kidde CO Alarm – front view

Green

Operate

Light

Red
Alarm
Light

Test/Reset

Button

Sounder

Alarm

4

Part One – Your Kidde CO Alarm

Kidde CO Alarm – rear view

Direct plug unit

(KN-COB-DP-H)

Tamper-Resist
Disable Switch

9Volt Battery Door

Tamper-Resist Activation Switch

See Normal Operating Characteristics

Direct plug unit with battery backup

(KN-COB-LCB-A )

Screw

(Used With Tamper-Resist Feature)

5

Part One – Your Kidde CO Alarm

This Kidde Alarm’s Unique Features

Test/Reset Button

This button has two functions:

1) Press this is the button to test the unit weekly.

2)

Press this button if the unit alarms to silence the alarm.
This will reset the unit and it will then start monitoring for
CO. If the CO concentration is above 70 ppm the alarm will
again sound within 6 minutes.

Sensor

The sensor is a highly sensitive, electrochemical sensor that is
CO-specific to help avoid false alarms.

Sounder Alarm

This is the loud 85 decibel pulsing alarm that will sound to
alert you to a potential problem.

9V Backup Battery (Model KN-COB-LCB-A only)

This CO alarm is not battery operated; the 9V battery is to sup­ply a short-term backup during a power outage. In the event
of a power outage, the 9V battery will continue operating the
alarm for at least 20 hours.

Low Battery HUSH®(Model KN-COB-LCB-A only)

By pressing the button on the CO alarm while it is in low bat­tery mode you can stop the alarm from producing a low bat­tery warning for up to twelve hours in order to maintain pro­tection without having to replace the battery at an inconve­nient time.

Tamper-Resist Feature (Model KN-COB-LCB-A only)

This is an alert to notify consumers the unit has been
unplugged or has come loose from the outlet. This feature is
not activated for two minutes after power is first supplied to
give you time to plug the unit in after activating the battery.
This feature is also disabled once the battery voltage has
reached a level to cause a low battery warning chirp. This can
be defeated for two minutes by pressing the Test button while
the unit is removed from the plug to allow the battery to be
changed without the 85dB alarm sounding. The feature can
also be disabled by pressing in the Tamper-Resist Activation
switch and moving the disable slide towards the switch. Use
the included screw to secure the battery cover and increase
tamper resistance.

6

Part One – Your Kidde CO Alarm

What Carbon Monoxide Alarms Can and Cannot Do

CO alarms are designed to sense unacceptable levels of CO from
malfunctioning furnaces, appliances, gas engines, or other
sources. This Carbon Monoxide alarm is not a substitute for
installing and maintaining an operational smoke alarm.

CO alarms provide early warning of the presence of carbon
monoxide, usually before a healthy adult would experience
symptoms.

This early warning is possible, however, only if your Kidde CO
alarm is located, installed and maintained as described in this
user’s guide.

CO alarms have limitations. Like any other electronic device, CO
alarms are not fool-proof.

CO alarms have a limited operational life. You must test your CO
alarm weekly, because it could fail to operate at any time. If your
CO alarm fails to test properly, or if its self-diagnostic test reveals
a malfunction, immediately have the alarm replaced.

CO alarms will not work without power. This CO alarm requires
a continuous supply of electric power. This CO alarms is designed
to act as a monitor, it is not designed for use as a short term test­ing device to perform a quick check for the presence of CO.

CO alarms can only sense CO that reaches the CO alarm’s sensor.
Carbon monoxide may be present in other areas without reach­ing the alarm. The rate at which CO reaches the alarm may be
affected by doors or other obstructions. In addition, fresh air
from a vent or open window or any other source may prevent
CO from reaching the sensor.

CO could be present on one level of the home and not reach a
CO alarm installed on a different level. For example, CO in the
basement may not reach a alarm on the second level, near the
bedrooms. For this reason, we recommend you provide com­plete coverage by placing a CO alarm on every level of the home.

CO alarms should not be used to detect the presence of natural
gas (methane), propane, butane, or other combustible fuels.

CO alarms are not a substitute for property, disability, life or
other insurance of any kind. Appropriate insurance coverage is
your responsibility. Consult your insurance agent.

7

DINING KITCHEN BEDROOM BEDROOM

BEDROOM

LIVING ROOM

Part One – Your Kidde CO Alarm

Where to Install Your CO Alarm

Your Kidde CO alarm should be mounted in or near bedrooms and
living areas. It is recommended that you install a Kidde CO alarm on
each level of a multi-level home. You may use the number and loca­tion of smoke alarms installed in your home according to current
building code requirements as a guide to the location of your Kidde
CO alarm(s).

RECOMMENDED LOCATIONS

UPPER LEVELS OF HOME

WHEN CHOOSING YOUR INSTALLATION LOCATIONS, MAKE
SURE YOU CAN HEAR THE ALARM FROM ALL SLEEPING AREAS.
IF YOU INSTALL ONLY ONE CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM IN
YOUR HOME, INSTALL THE ALARM NEAR BEDROOMS, NOT IN
THE BASEMENT OR FURNACE ROOM.

Two labels have been provided. Add the phone number of your
Emergency Service provider in the space provided on the labels.
Place one label next to the alarm and the other one near a fresh
air source such as a door or window.

Seven (7) years after initial power up, this unit will “chirp”
every 30 seconds to indicate that it is time to replace the
alarm. REPLACE IMMEDIATELY! IT WILL NOT DETECT CO IN
THIS CONDITION.

To help identify the date to replace the unit, a label has
been affixed to the side of the alarm. Write the “Replace
by” date (7 years from power up) in permanent marker on
the label.

CAUTION: This CO alarm will only indicate the presence of carbon
monoxide at the sensor. Carbon monoxide may be present in other
areas.

IMPORTANT: Improper location can affect the sensitive electron­ic components in this CO alarm. Please see the next section
describing where NOT to install this CO alarm.

8

Part One – Your Kidde CO Alarm

Where Not to Install Your CO Alarm

To avoid causing damage to the CO alarm, to provide optimum
protection, and to prevent unnecessary alarms, follow the direc­tions below where NOT to install this CO alarm:

It is recommended that you DO NOT install this CO alarm in
garages, kitchens or furnace rooms. Installation in these areas
could lead to nuisance alarms, may expose the sensor to sub­stances that could damage or contaminate it, or the alarm may
not be heard by persons in other areas of the home, especially if
they are sleeping.

In the garage, vehicle exhaust can contain some carbon monox­ide. These levels are higher when the engine is first started. CO
levels in a garage may not be sufficient to activate the alarm
immediately. Within hours of starting a vehicle and backing it out
of the garage, the levels present over time can activate the alarm
and become a nuisance.

In the kitchen and furnace room, some gas appliances can emit a
short burst of carbon monoxide upon startup. This is normal. If
your CO alarm is mounted too close to these appliances, it may
alarm often and become a nuisance. If you must install a Kidde
CO alarm near a cooking or heating appliance, install at least 5

feet away from the appliance.

Do not install in excessively dusty, dirty or greasy areas. Dust,
grease or household chemicals can contaminate or coat the
alarm’s sensor, causing the unit not to operate properly.

Do not obstruct the vents of the CO alarm. Place the CO alarm
where drapes, furniture or other objects do not block the flow of
air to the vents.
Do not install in dead air space, such as peaks of vaulted ceilings
or gabled roofs, where carbon monoxide may not reach the sen­sor in time to provide early warning.

Do not install in turbulent air from ceiling fans. Do not install
near doors and windows that open to the outside, near fresh air
vents, or anywhere that is drafty. Rapid air circulation from fans
or fresh air from outside may affect the unit’s alarm response
time.

Do not install this CO alarm in a switch- or dimmer-controlled out­let.

Do not install in areas where the temperature is colder than 40˚F
(4.4˚C) or hotter than 100˚F (37.8˚C). These areas include uncondi­tioned crawl spaces, attics, porches and garages. Extreme tempera­tures will affect the sensitivity of the CO alarm.

9

Part One – Your Kidde CO Alarm

Do not install CO alarm near deep cell large batteries. Large bat­teries have emissions that can cause the CO alarm to perform at
less than optimal performance.

The following conditions can result in transient CO
situations:

• Excessive spillage or reverse venting of fuel burning
appliances caused by outdoor ambient conditions, such as:

1) Wind direction and/or velocity, including high gusts
of wind. Heavy air in the vent pipes (cold/humid air
with extended periods between cycles).

2) Negative pressure differential resulting from the use
of exhaust fans.

3) Simultaneous operation of several fuel burning
appliances competing for limited internal air.

4) Vent pipe connections vibrating loose from clothes
dryers, furnaces or water heaters.

5) Obstructions in or unconventional vent pipe designs
which can amplify the above situations.

• Extended operation of unvented fuel burning devices

(range, oven, fireplace, etc.).

• Temperature inversions which can trap exhaust gasses near

the ground.

• Car idling in an open or closed attached garage, or near a

home.

How To Install Your Alarm
Direct Plug Unit (KN-COB-DP-H and KN-COB-LCB-A)

To install:

1. Choose a standard unswitched 120 volt out
let to plug the unit into.

2. For model KN-COB-LCB-A, pull the Yellow tab to activate the
battery

3. Plug the alarm into an unswitched wall socket.
CAUTION: Do not rotate unit while it is plugged into an outlet, as

damage to plug may result.

Normal Operating Characteristics

When you first power up the alarm, the red alarm light will
come on and the alarm will sound briefly, then the green operate
light will come on. This is to show that the CO alarm is receiving
power and that the alarm circuit is functioning.

Within a few minutes, your carbon monoxide alarm will start moni­toring for CO and will continue to do so as long as it receives
power.

10

Part One – Your Kidde CO Alarm

When the Model KN-COB-DP-H CO alarm is unplugged or
loses power, a fading alarm will sound briefly to alert you that

it has been disconnected from its power source. For example, this
fading alarm will sound in the event of a power outage. A brief
alarm will also sound to alert you when the power is restored.

THIS CO ALARM WILL NOT OPERATE WITHOUT 120V AC POWER.
When the Model KN-COB-LCB-A CO alarm loses power: If you

have a good 9V battery installed, the alarm will automatically
switch to its battery backup mode and you will notice the green
LED flashing approximately every 10 seconds. The unit will con­tinue to operate normally and detect CO for at least 20 hours.

When AC power is restored, the alarm will automatically switch
back to normal operating mode and the green LED will come on
continuously.

When the Model KN-COB-LCB-A CO alarm is unplugged: If the
unit is unplugged it will produce a constant tone until the bat­tery is removed or the unit is plugged back into the wall unless
the Tamper-Resist feature has been deactivated or disabled as
described in the feature section.

Testing the Electronics

You should test the alarm once a week, following the directions
listed below. If at any time you test the alarm and it does not per­form as described below, have it replaced immediately. See the
following section for a description of the characteristics of a mal­functioning alarm and what you should do if a malfunction
occurs.

Observe the CO alarm regularly to make sure the green operate
light is on, indicating normal operation.

If the green operate light is not on, unplug the CO alarm, then
plug it in again. This will clear the alarm for restart. If the green
operate light does not come back on, your CO alarm may be mal­functioning.

To test the CO alarm, press and release the Test/Reset button,
you will hear 4 quick beeps – followed by 5 seconds of silence –
followed by 4 quick beeps. Notice the Red Alarm Light flashes
when the unit alarms. The alarm will then return to monitoring
for carbon monoxide.

NOTE: Pressing the Test/Reset button tests the functions of the CO
alarm’s internal components, circuitry and micro-computer.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO PRESS THE TEST BUTTON TO TAKE A CO
READING.

Caution:

Continuous exposure to the loud 85 decibel alarm at close

range over an extended period of time may cause hearing loss.

11

Part One – Your Kidde CO Alarm

How to Know If Your Alarm is Malfunctioning

Your CO alarm performs an internal self-diagnosis every fifteen sec­onds to make sure that it is functioning properly. The CO alarm is
designed to alert you in the unusual event of a malfunction.

If the alarm malfunctions.

In the rare event that your alarm malfunctions, it will alert you
with one of these signal groups (depending upon the type of mal­function that occurs):

Malfunction Signal Group 1 - Component Failure

•

An intermittent “chirping” alarm will sound every 30 seconds.

OR,
Malfunction Signal Group 2 - Microprocessor Failure

•

The alarm will sound continuously, and

•

The alarm cannot be shut off by pushing the “Test/Reset”

button
Unplug the CO alarm immediately and return for warranty

exchange.

Low Battery Warning (Model KN-COB-LCB-A only)

If the 9V battery is missing or the battery’s power is low, the unit
will chirp every 15 second to indicate the battery must be replaced.
If the battery is depleted beyond point of having the capacity to
operate the unit, it will chirp every 30 to 45 seconds and will NOT
respond to the test button being pressed if operating on battery
power. THE BATTERY MUST BE REPLACED IMMEADIATELY!

Low Battery HUSH®CONTROL(Model KN-COB-LCB-A only)

When the battery needs to be replaced, the unit will produce a low
battery warning. The Low Battery HUSH
press the button on the alarm and disable the “chirp” for a ran­dom period of up to 12 hours. This gives you a chance to replace
the battery at a more convenient time without sacrificing your
safety by disconnecting the alarm from power. During this Low
Battery HUSH®period, your alarm is monitoring for CO.

What to do if you’re not sure...

PLEASE familiarize yourself with the malfunction alert, and do not
confuse these signals with an alarm. After reading the information
above, if you are still unsure whether your CO alarm is operating
properly, call the Kidde toll-free consumer hotline at 1 800-880-6788
to do a quick diagnostic check of the alarm over the phone. The cus­tomer service representative will be able to assist you and answer
your questions.

®

feature allows you to

12

Part One – Your Kidde CO Alarm

Never ignore a CO unit’s alarm. A true alarm is an indication of
potentially dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. CO alarms are
designed to alert you to the presence of carbon monoxide before
an emergency and before most people would experience symp­toms of carbon monoxide poisoning.

How to Replace the Battery in Your Model KN-COB-LCB-A

Remove the screw, if it has been used, that is holding the battery
door located on the bottom of the unit. Slide the battery door in
the direction of the arrows to release it. Remove the battery and
replace it with one of the following approved replacement batter­ies:

•

Energizer 522•Duracell MN1604

•

Ultralife lithium U9VL
Replace the battery door and re-install the screw if it is used.
Any of these batteries can be purchased where you bought the

alarm or at your local hardware store.
Constant exposures to high or low humidity may reduce battery

life.
We recommend you replace your 9V battery at least every six

months.

How to Care for Your CO Alarm

To keep your CO alarm in good working order, you must follow
these simple steps:

WHAT YOU SHOULD DO:

• Test the CO alarm once a week by pressing the Test/Reset but-

ton.

• Vacuum the alarm cover once a month to remove accumulated

dust. Use the soft brush attachment of your vacuum cleaner,
and unplug the CO alarm from the electrical outlet before vac­uuming.

• Instruct children never to touch, unplug or otherwise interfere
with the unit. Warn children of the dangers of CO poisoning.

WHAT YOU SHOULD NOT DO:

• Never use detergents or solvents to clean the CO alarm.

Chemicals can permanently damage or temporarily contami­nate the sensor.

• Avoid spraying air fresheners, hair spray, paint or other

aerosols near the CO alarm.

• Do not paint the CO alarm. Paint may seal the vents and inter-

fere with proper sensor operation.

Part One – Your Kidde CO Alarm

• Do not mount the CO alarm directly above or near a diaper
pail.

Note: If you will be staining or stripping wood floors or furniture,
painting, wall-papering, or using aerosols or adhesives for a do-it­yourself project or hobby, before you begin: Remove the CO

alarm to a remote location to prevent possible damage to or con­tamination of the sensor. You may wish to unplug the CO alarm

and store it in a plastic bag during the project.
The following is a list of substances which, at high levels, can

affect the sensor and may cause a nuisance alarm that is not a
carbon monoxide alarm.

Methane, propane, iso-butane, ethylene, ethanol, alcohol,
iso-propanol, benzene, toluene, ethyl acetate, hydrogen, hydro­gen sulfide, sulfur dioxides, most aerosol sprays, alcohol based
products, paints, thinners, solvents, adhesives, hair spray, after
shave, perfume, auto exhaust (cold start) and some cleaning
agents.

Part Two – Carbon Monoxide

The Effects of CO Exposure.

When you breathe carbon monoxide, it enters your bloodstream
through your lungs and attaches to red blood cells. These red
blood cells, called hemoglobin, carry oxygen throughout your
body. Carbon monoxide molecules attach to the red blood cells
200 times faster than oxygen, preventing the flow of oxygen to
your heart, brain and vital organs. As carbon monoxide accumu­lates in your bloodstream, your body becomes starved for oxy­gen. The amount of carbon monoxide in a person’s body can be
measured by a simple blood test, called a “carboxyhemoglobin
level” test .

The early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are often
mistaken for the flu – headache, dizziness, weakness, nausea,
vomiting, sleepiness, and confusion.

Could Your Family be at Risk for CO Poisoning?

Carbon monoxide is the number one cause of poisoning deaths
in the United States. According to the Mayo Clinic, at least 10,000
Americans are affected by CO poisoning each year.

While anyone is susceptible, experts agree that unborn babies,
small children, senior citizens and people with heart or respirato­ry problems are especially vulnerable to CO and are at the great­est risk for death or serious injury.

14

Part Two – Carbon Monoxide

Where CO Comes From.

Inside your home, appliances used for heating and cooking are
the most likely sources of carbon monoxide. Vehicles running in
attached garages can also produce dangerous levels of carbon
monoxide in your home.

A by-product of combustion, carbon monoxide can be a poten­tial problem from a number of common sources – automobiles,
furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, wood stoves, charcoal grills,
gas ranges, space heaters and portable generators.

When these appliances are in good working condition with
proper ventilation, lethal carbon monoxide gas is vented out­doors where it quickly disperses. But even the slightest malfunc­tion or misuse of any of these sources can lead to a build-up of
carbon monoxide in your home that can become deadly before
you’d know it’s there.

You don’t have to have ancient appliances to have a problem.
Today’s more energy-efficient, airtight home designs can trap
CO-polluted air inside where it can quickly build to lethal levels.

ProtectingYour Family from CO poisoning.

To be safe, know the possible sources of CO in your home. Keep
fuel-burning appliances and their chimneys and vents in good
working condition. Learn the early symptoms of CO exposure,
and if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning, move outside to
fresh air and get emergency help.

Your first line of defense is an annual inspection and regular
maintenance of your appliances. Contact a licensed contractor
or call your local utility company for assistance.

Problems can begin after an inspection is over, like a crack in a
furnace heat exchanger, or a leak in a water heater vent or a
bird’s nest blocking a flue or other sources that are nearly
impossible to detect. That’s why you need the 24-hour protec­tion provided by a CO alarm.

Home Safety Tips
What You Can Do...

• Buy only appliances approved by a nationally recognized
testing laboratory.

• Choose fuel-burning appliances that can be vented to the
outdoors, whenever possible.

• Make sure appliances are installed according to manufactur
er’s instructions and local building codes. Most appliances
should be installed by professionals and should be inspected
by the proper authority after installation.

15

Part Two – Carbon Monoxide

• Have the heating system, vents, chimney and flue inspected
and cleaned by a qualified technician every year.

• Follow manufacturer’s directions for safe operation of all
fuel-burning appliances.

• Examine vents and chimneys regularly for improper connec
tions, visible rust or stains.

• Open a window when a fireplace or wood-burning stove is in
use, and provide adequate outdoor air for furnace and water
heater.

• Notice problems that could indicate improper appliance oper­ation:

– Decreasing hot water supply
– Furnace unable to heat house or runs constantly
– Sooting, especially on appliances
– Unfamiliar or burning odor
– Yellow or orange flame

• Be aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:

– headaches, dizziness, weakness, sleepiness, nausea, vomit-

ing, confusion and disorientation.

• Recognize that CO poisoning may be the cause when family
members suffer from flu-like symptoms that don’t disappear
but improve when they leave home for extended periods of
time.

What You Should Not Do...

• Never burn charcoal inside a home, garage, cabin, RV or
camper.

• Never install, service, or convert fuel-burning appliances from
one type to another without proper knowledge, skills, and

tools.

• Never use a gas range, oven, or clothes dryer for heating.

• Never operate unvented gas-burning appliances, such as
kerosene or natural gas space heaters, in a closed room.

• Never operate gasoline-powered engines (like vehicles,
motorcycles, lawn mowers, yard equipment or power tools) in
confined areas such as garages or basements, even if an out

side door or window is open.

• Never ignore a safety device when it shuts off an appliance.

• Never ignore a CO alarm.

16

Part Two – Carbon Monoxide

Be Aware of the Warning Signs of Carbon Monoxide:
Clues You Can See...

• Streaks of carbon or soot around the service door of your
fuel-burning appliances.

• A yellow or orange flame may indicate a problem with
natural gas appliances.

• Excessive rusting on flue pipes or appliance jackets.

• Loose or missing furnace panel.

• Moisture collecting on the windows and walls of furnace
rooms.

• Loose or disconnected vent/chimney, fireplace or appliance.

• Small amounts of water leaking from the base of the chim­ney, vent or flue pipe.

• Rust on the portion of the vent pipe visible from outside
your home.

• The absence of a draft in your chimney (indicating blockage).

• Fallen soot from the fireplace chimney.

• Loose, damaged or discolored bricks on your chimney.

Clues You Cannot See...

• Internal appliance damage or malfunctioning components.

• Improper burner adjustment.

• Hidden blockage or damage in chimneys.

17

Part Three – Understand the Effects of
Carbon Monoxide Exposure

Understand the Effects of Carbon Monoxide Exposure

Concentration

of CO in Air

(ppm = parts

per million)

50 ppm

200 ppm

400 ppm

800 ppm

1 600 ppm

3 200 ppm

6 400 ppm

12 800 ppm

Reminder: The chart above relates to the exposure of healthy adults.

Approximate Inhalation Time

and Symptoms Developed

The maximum allowable concentration for con­tinuous exposure for healthy adults in any

8-hour period, according to OSHA*.

Slight headache, fatigue, dizziness, nausea
after 2-3 hours.

Frontal headaches within 1-2 hours, life threat­ening after 3 hours.

Dizziness, nausea and convulsions within 45
minutes. Unconsciousness within 2 hours. Death
within 2-3 hours.

Headache, dizziness and nausea within 20 min­utes. Death within 1 hour.

Headache, dizziness and nausea within 5-10
minutes. Death within 25-30 minutes.

Headache, dizziness and nausea within 1-2 min­utes. Death within 10-15 minutes.

Death within 1-3 minutes.

* Occupational Safety and Health Administration

18

Part Four – What to do When the
Alarm Sounds

Determine if anyone in the household is experiencing symptoms
of CO poisoning. Many cases of reported CO poisoning indicate
that while victims are aware they are not well, they become so
disoriented that they are unable to save themselves by either exit­ing the building or calling for assistance. Also young children,
older family members, and household pets may be the first
affected. The following symptoms are related to CARBON
MONOXIDE POISONING and should be discussed with ALL mem­bers of the household:

Common Mild Exposure Symptoms:

Headaches, running nose, sore eyes, often described as

Common Medium Exposure Symptoms:

Common Extreme Exposure Symptoms:

Unconsciousness, brain damage, death.

Become familiar with these common

If you experience even mild symptoms of CO

poisoning, consult your doctor immediately!

“flu” like symptoms.

Dizziness, drowsiness, vomiting

symptoms from CO poisoning.

19

W

Part Four – What to do When the

H

Alarm Sounds

A

T

Carbon Monoxide Alarm Procedure

T

O

WARNING: Actuation of the CO

Alarm indicates the presence of Carbon
Monoxide (CO) which can kill you.

D

If alarm signal sounds:

O

1) Operate the Test/Reset Button

W

2) Call your emergency services (Fire Dept. or 911).

H
E

3) Immediately move

N

H
E

A

A
R

M

S
O
U
N
D
S

to fresh air ­outdoors or by an
open door or window. Do a head count to check

T

that all persons are accounted for. Do not re­enter the premises nor moove away from an
open door or window until the emergency
services responders have arrived, the premises
has been aired out, and your alarm remaines in
it’s normal condition.

L

4) After following steps 1-3, if your alarm
reactivates within a 24 hour period, repeat steps
1-3 and call a qualified appliance technician to
investigate for sources of CO from fuel burning
equipment and
appliances, and
inspect for
proper operation of this equipment. If problems
are identified during this inspection, have the
equipment serviced immediately. Note any
combustion equipment not inspected by the
technician and culsult the manufacturer’s
instructions, or contact the manufacturer directly
for more information about CO safety and this
equipment. Make sure that motor vehicles are
not, and have not been, operating in an
attached garage or adjacent to the residence.

PHONE NUMBER

PHONE NUMBER

20

Part Five – Technical Information

Power:

Sensor:

Temperature:

Mounting:

Alarm:

How the CO alarm determines when to alarm

Your Kidde CO alarm uses advanced technology to monitor the
environment in your home and warn you of unacceptable lev­els of carbon monoxide. An internal microcomputer works
together with the carbon monoxide sensor inside the alarm to
determine the levels of carbon monoxide in the air and to cal­culate the rate that CO would be absorbed into the human
body.

The microcomputer is calibrated to trigger the alarm before
most people would experience any symptoms of carbon
monoxide poisoning. Because carbon monoxide is a cumula­tive poison, long-term exposures to low levels can cause symp­toms, as well as short-term exposures to high levels. Your Kidde
CO alarm has a time weighted alarm, so the higher the level of
carbon monoxide present, the sooner the alarm will be trig­gered.

120V AC units: 60 Hz, Current 60 mA max. 9V Battery
Backup for Model KN-COB-LCB-A

Sensor calibrated at 150 ppm (±25 ppm).

Operating range: 40˚F (4.4˚C) to 100˚F (37.8˚C).

Direct Plug-In: No mounting screws needed.

85+ dB at 10’ @ 3.4 ± 0.5 KHz pulsing alarm.

This CO alarm meets response time requirements as follows:

At 70 ppm, the unit must alarm within 60-240 minutes.
At 150 ppm, the unit must alarm within 10-50 minutes.
At 400 ppm, the unit must alarm within 4-15 minutes.

21

Limited Warranty

WARRANTY COVERAGE: THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTS TO THE ORIGINAL
CONSUMER PURCHASER, THAT THIS PRODUCT, EXCLUDING THE BATTERY, WILL
BE FREE OF DEFECTS IN MATERIAL AND WORKMANSHIP FOR A PERIOD OF FIVE
(5) YEARS FROM DATE OF PURCHASE. THE MANUFACTURER’S LIABILITY HERE­UNDER IS LIMITED TO REPLACEMENT OF THE PRODUCT. REPAIR OF THE PROD­UCT OR REPLACEMENT OF THE PRODUCT WITH REPAIRED PRODUCT AT THE DIS­CRETION OF THE MANUFACTURER. THIS WARRANTY IS VOID IF THE PRODUCT
HAS BEEN DAMAGED BY ACCIDENT, UNREASONABLE USE, NEGLECT, TAMPER­ING OR OTHER CAUSES NOT ARISING FROM DEFECTS IN MATERIAL OR WORK­MANSHIP. THIS WARRANTY EXTENDS TO THE ORIGINAL CONSUMER PURCHAS­ER OF THE PRODUCT ONLY.

Warranty Disclaimers: Any implied warranties arising out of this sale,
including but not limited to the implied warranties of description, mer­chantability and fitness for a particular purpose, are limited in duration
to the above warranty period. In no event shall the Manufacturer be
liable for loss of use of this product or for any indirect, special, inciden­tal or consequential damages, or costs, or expenses incurred by the con­sumer or any other user of this product, whether due to a breach of
contract, negligence, strict liability in tort or otherwise. The
Manufacturer shall have no liability for any personal injury, property
damage or any special, incidental, contingent or consequential damage
of any kind resulting from gas leakage, fire or explosion.
Some provinces do not allow limitations on how long an implied war­ranty lasts, so the above limitation may not apply to you.

Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of consequential
or incidental damages, so the above limitations or exclusions may not
apply to you.

Legal Remedies: This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you
may also have other rights that vary from state to state.

Warranty Performance: During the above warranty period, your prod­uct will be replaced with a comparable product if the defective product
is returned, postage prepaid, to Kidde, Customer Service Department,
1-800-880-6788 together with proof of purchase date. Please include a
note describing the problem when you return the unit. The replace­ment product will be in warranty for the remainder of the original war­ranty period or for six months, whichever is longer. Other than the cost
of postage, no charge will be made for replacement of the defective
product.

Important: Do not remove back cover. Back cover removal will void war­ranty.

Your Kidde Carbon Monoxide Alarm is not a substitute for property, dis­ability, life or other insurance of any kind. Appropriate insurance cov­erage is your responsibility. Consult your insurance agent.

24

1394 South Third Street, Mebane, NC 27302

Consumer Hotline: [phone]

www.kiddeUS.com