Stupid design decisions

[andrewducker]

I recently bought a Carbon Monoxide detector, on the grounds that I'm grumpy and stupid enough in the morning s to not need chemical assistance.  It comes with a leaflet detailing its operation and where you would need to install one.

It says that I should have one in the bedroom if I have a gas fire in there (which I do).

It mentions that the power light will flash once per minute.

And it also states that it should be placed about 15 cm from the ceiling.

So, they want me to have a flashing light in a prominently visible place in my bedroom.  _That's_ going to help me sleep better.

Tonight it's lying on the floor.  Tomorrow I'll tape over the light...

Comments

[rainstorm.livejournal.com]

I would really not be able to cope with that. Repetitive noises/lights/feelings make me feel all itchy and wrong inside my brain. Occasionally I've had to lie in really contorted positions just so I can't feel my own pulse when trying to sleep..

[andrewducker]

Yeah, it's just grating.

Have you ever been unable to sleep because of your own breathing?

[rainstorm.livejournal.com]

Yes, but only if I think about it. Of course, once I've thought about it I can't -stop- thinking about it. Mostly it's the pulse in my temple that gets me, softly beating against the pillow..

Sometimes I hate my mind..

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

I hate that too.

And clocks ticking drive me insssaaaanannnnne

[laserboy.livejournal.com]

Yes! Could never tolerate that.

[autopope.livejournal.com]

The light only blinks once a minute, if it's the model I'm thinking of. It's a power signal -- if it stops blinking, change the battery.

Can you bolt it to the wall somewhere where you won't see it? For example, if your bed's head-board is up against one wall, fasten the CO detector above your head so that it's blinking at the wall opposite, rather than at you. Or bolt it to a doorframe, or inside a cupboard with a slatted/screen door.

[andrewducker]

Yup, once a minute it is.

And it was on the wall above the fire - I can move it to being above my head instead (which is the only place reliably out of sight when I'm in bed), but the flash is pretty bright, and I'm worried that that'll still be visible.

The manual says that it'll chirp once a minute when the battery starts to go - but I suppose that relying on that would be silly - if the unit completely failed then I wouldn't be able to tell.

Hmmm. I'll try playing with the position tomorrow night. Thanks.

[channelpenguin.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. I'll try playing with the position tomorrow night.

*snurk*

[octopoid-horror.livejournal.com]

Aren't there blinking lights from computer gubbins right next to the head of your bed?

[andrewducker]

Good point - they're just behind the blind, so I can't see them.

The instructions do say to put the detector between 1 and 3m from the source, which makes things tricky from the 'hiding things' point of view. I'll try to find _somewhere_ I can put it that doesn't flash in my face in the middle of the night. Might just take some playing around.

[channelpenguin.livejournal.com]

You could take my solution. Live in a flat so draughty that there is NO way any carbon monoxide could possibly build up. (or heat, for that matter...)

Boats have gas detectors with the blinky-blinky though. Oh, and terrible fridges that sometimes leak and cause the alarm to go off ear-splittingly at 2am...

Do you know that one of the suggested methods of getting propane/butane out of the bilges (bottom of the boat) is by scooping it out with a bucket??? Must look pretty funny scooping buckets of (apparently) nothing ...

[dapperscavenger.livejournal.com]

I asked for one for christmas but I didn't get one