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Confused about carbon monoxide?

7

78mitsu

Registered User
not necessarily. if you run an incomplete combustion reaction.
2C3H8 +7 O2 >>6 CO +8 H2O +Heat

also, propane isn't pure, simular -tanes are hard to seperate. also there are sulfate and nitrate dies present that are cumbustables.
 
Corban_White

Corban_White

Well-Known Member
Location
Payson, AZ
Right. The problem is not combustion as pretty much any fuel when combusted completely produces CO2 and water, The problem is incomplete combustion, which happens quite often. Very sad story.
 
Herzog

Herzog

somewhat damaged
Admin
Location
Wydaho
I've had CO poisoning before... it's bad. The worst thing about it is that some people won't even know they are getting it and what you inhale stays in you, bonded to your red blood cells so that oxygen cannot attach.

So if you do get out of the area into the clean air, you will remain poisoned and it will stay in you for quite a while.
 
7

78mitsu

Registered User
Herzog said:
I've had CO poisoning before... it's bad. The worst thing about it is that some people won't even know they are getting it and what you inhale stays in you, bonded to your red blood cells so that oxygen cannot attach.

So if you do get out of the area into the clean air, you will remain poisoned and it will stay in you for quite a while.
Click to expand...

The treatment for severe Carbon Monoxide poisoning (assuming you survive) is a hyperbaric chamber saturated with oxygen at 3 ATM. The only way to get the hemoglobin to give up the CO molecule is to force it to. Even 100% oxygen therapy isn't always helpful.
 
K

KWight

Active Member
Location
Grand Junction, CO
Meat_ said:
Always use catalytic heaters!

Or better yet, buy a good sleeping bag.
Click to expand...

So the catalytic heaters are better? I have one of these in my Pop Up and have never given a second thought to running it all night when we are asleep. Not the case with the Kerosene Heater we have.

Also, Didn't Coleman make a catalytic heater. I still have two of these around and wonder if they are as safe as the Propane Catalytic heaters? I don't dare run them when we are asleep.

Kevin
 
lewis

lewis

Fight Till You Die
Location
Hairyman
Cherokeester said:
You have to factor in oxygen depletion as well when burned in an enclosed environment.
Click to expand...

This is why I was a little confused in the first place. I figured they should be reporting them being dead from asphyxiation rather then carbon monoxide poisoning. This still makes more sense than incomplete combustion.
 
Greg

Greg

I run a tight ship... wreck
Admin
Location
Grand Junction, CO
So I have a question based on this subject... we have a Mr Heater Buddy heater. It is propane powered and puts out radiant heat.

It has a low oxygen sensor and the manufacturer claims it's in-door friendly and won't harm you if left on for a long time. We use it in the RTT when it's really cold, lows in the 20's or less. Even though they claim it's safe inside, I have a hard time trusting it. I don't want to find out the hard way, like others have. :ugh:

I have been worried about using it for too long, so I run it for 15 min at a time, then shut it off until it gets cold again, then I fire it back up for another 15 min or so. Besides the CO2 concern, it puts out a lot of heat... enough to melt a tent. :eek: I'm alright with running it a bit at a time, just to keep from melting our tent.
 
lewis

lewis

Fight Till You Die
Location
Hairyman
I have the same problem. I'd rather be cold than dead. A guy at my work has one of those new mr.heater heaters that he uses in his work van to heat it up and it constantly shuts off on him. He figures it is the low oxygen sensor. Someone needs to come up with and oxygen montior (maybe there is one but I doubt its inexpensive) that the levels could be seen. That'd make me trust it a little better.
 
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