WHY DO WE NEED A CO₂ DETECTOR ?

Even if Sparxs burners have been tested for their natural combustion quality (poor combustion also creates unpleasant odor) they still incorporate a built-in CO2 detector.  This CO2 detector activates an emergency shutdown in case of oxygen depletion. Why do we need it?

Ethanol combustion products are H2O & CO2( carbon dioxide is what we normally exhale) . It could produce CO (carbon monoxide) which is odorless and dangerous in case of:

CO2 detector

Bad combustion due to poor burner or fireplace design which contribute to inadequate airflow

Inadequate oxygen for proper combustion (e.g. small confined room)

• Installation of a CO detector in the fireplace is a possible solution. However, at this time, independent laboratory testing shows that CO detectors are expensive, power hungry and more importantly unreliable over time

In the past , petrol heaters were confronted with the same problem and therefore the same solution has been made compulsory by the French norm authority:

• Make sure that “  (CO)N  content in steady-state combustion products  shall not exceed 0.01% namely 100 ppm”  (For this reason  the  design of  "Kleenex boxes”  shaped  burners are being abandoned

• Anticipate  oxygen depletion in the room by CO2 continual measuring  . The appliance is automatically shutdown if and when CO2 levels reach 0.8%