Kidde C3010D Review

My name is Jason Horton, I'm the Editor of CMDP, and this is currently my favorite carbon monoxide detector, and it has been for over 1 and a half years now, because the Kidde C3010D (also known as the C3010-D) has a built-in sealed lithium battery which lasts for 10 years of continuous operation!

If you're like me, then it always seems that batteries run out and need replacing right when you don't have any spare ones left. The huge advantage that the Kidde C3010D has over most of the other CO detectors currently available is the fact that you will never need to replace its batteries - once they run out the electrochemical sensors have reached the end of their life and the whole unit needs replacing.

Most other CO alarms only have a 5 to 7 year sensor life, making the 10 year manufacturer backed warranty for the C3010D the best in the market today.

Kidde C3010D Features

Kidde C3010D Dimensions

  • The built-in 10 year sealed lithium battery doesn't activate until the unit is attached to its mounting bracket.

  • The digital display updates the CO level readings every 15 seconds.

  • It has a Green LED which flashes every 30 seconds to let you know the unit is operating properly.

  • An Amber LED will flash every second if a fault is detected by its self diagnosis system.

  • A Red LED will flash, and an alarm will sound, when dangerous levels of CO are detected.

  • The alarm is triggered by:

    • 70 ppm after 60 to 240 minutes
    • 150 ppm after 10 to 50 minutes
    • 400 ppm after 4 to 15 minutes
  • When the alarm goes off it has 4 short beeps followed by 5 seconds silence, followed again by 4 short beeps with the Red LED flashing simultaneously. The pattern repeats for 4 minutes after which it continuously repeats the pattern twice per minute.

  • Operates between 10% and 95% relative humidity.

  • Weight 0.31 lb.

  • The 85 decibel alarm (as measured at 10ft) is more than loud enough to wake you from your sleep.

Pros

  • No wiring required - it runs entirely off its 10 year battery - this makes it very easy to install.
  • It will continue to operate during a power blackout - this can be a time of heightened risk when fossil fueled emergency heating and lighting is often used.
  • Because no mains power is required, it can be used outside the USA.
  • Its 10 year limited warranty lasts for the entire life of the unit.

Cons

  • Some people prefer an alarm which sounds at levels as low as 30 ppm of carbon monoxide concentration in the air, whereas this will only sound at 70 ppm, however the digital display does show levels as low as 30 ppm. It is a subject of debate between health experts as to when an alarm should sound for long term exposure, but the professionals agree that 70 ppm is certainly enough for alerting to emergencies (in fact many say between 100 ppm and 400 ppm depending of time of exposure - if you want to look in detail for yourself see the CDC's Research & Studies summary). The arguments center around the problem of "false alarms" at low peak levels which cause people to ignore warnings verse the risks of long-term low level exposure. In my opinion it is the immediate peak level that is most dangerous because it can lead to instant disorientation and death.

Summary

I believe that this is the most practical and cost effective CO detector currently available for home use.

Usually selling for under $50 it is more expensive than the cheapest models available, however when you factor in the 10 years of replacement batteries you will never need to buy, and the fact that its sensors and product life are 3 to 5 years longer than many other models, the total cost of owning and operating the Kidde C3010D make it effectively the cheapest model to own with a full set of features.

Click here to purchase the Kidde C3010D from Amazon.

Please ensure you have enough alarms to protect your entire home - more than one are needed in the vast majority of dwellings - see Places within the home where CO Detectors must be installed.