NEWSLETTER. December 2014

18,500) of those are electric.

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Lots of golf carts being charged, but why the CO detector activations? Lead acid batteries do not emit carbon monoxide. Lead acid batteries do, however, emit hydrogen, and research gave us both the answer and alerted us to another prob- lem. The typical CO detector is designed to activate when the unit detects 150 parts per million (ppm) of CO for 30 minutes. That same detector will also activate when exposed to 300 ppm of hydrogen gas for 30 minutes. The amounts of hydrogen gas produced during lead acid battery charging in golf carts far exceed 300 ppm. And, when that charging is done in a closed garage with the golf cart parked next to the heating system, the hydrogen is introduced into the home. Thus the alarm. So what’s the problem other than nuisance alarms? The dangers of hydrogen became readily apparent as the research continued. Those dangers include asphyxiation, fire, and explosion. Three conditions must exist to cause batteries and charging systems to form an explosive situation. First, there must be an accumulation of hydrogen gases. Second, a failure to detect the hydrogen gas must exist. Third, there must be a source of ignition. Hydrogen gas is odorless, and colorless, and its flammable limits are between 4% and 7%. The level of hydrogen which will produce an oxygen deficient environment is well within the flammable limits. This makes the possibility of fire and explosion very real. In addition, the potential of forming and igniting flammable mixtures is higher because the gas easily migrates through small openings, cracks, and crevices. Ignition sources such as electrical sparks, open flames, and static electricity are readily available and are quite common in the residential as well as commercial environment. Beyond the obvious danger of fire, explosion and asphyxiation, little data is available indicating the

So, why the significant carbon monoxide reading? A puzzle to be sure. But since the hour was late, the home was secure, CO levels had dropped to near zero after ventilation, and the residents felt fine (declining any treatment or transport), the call was terminated. The cart was unplugged and the homeowners were instructed to call 911 if there was any further problem. The call may have been concluded, but the problem wasn’t solved. The incident was recorded and logged with similar situations. In each of those similar situations, CO detectors had been activated in homes with electric golf carts being charged. It was time to do some digging. What was the correlation between golf cart charging and CO detector activation? Why would this be a problem in The Villages? The second question was the easy one to answer. The Villages, located in the heart of Central Florida, is the fastest growing retirement community in America. The current population is approximately 47,000. By 2012, the population is expected to be 104,000. Fire protection, fire prevention, and emergency medical services are provided by The Villages Public Safety Department, an entity of The Village Center Community Development District, a unit of "special purpose" local government established by Florida State Statute to oversee the growth of The Villages and provide municipal services. The community presents a lifestyle strongly centered around golf and recreation. As a result, the golf cart is viewed as an essential by many residents and has become the second family car. In some cases it is the only form of transportation. In addition, low speed vehicles (LSVs) are becoming a common sight as gasoline prices shoot upward. Survey data revealed that over 96% of households in The Villages have a golf cart. That’s nearly 22,300 golf carts in private residences. More than 83% (or

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December 2014