CO detectors in your ice shacks!

[Mainehazmt]

For my 3000th post I felt I should post something relating to health and safety Particularly Carbon Monoxide  and the dangers we face both on the ice and in our home.

4 years ago in my little shack that I was heating with a propane camp stove and lantern I became aware of this issue   It was the late part of the day and had only 3 beers  I and my step son received a wicked headache   Haven taught hazardous material response and also 29 years as a firefighter it dawned on me that the air was bad in the shack  I went to my truck and fired up my 4 gas meter.  It reads Oxygen   O2,  LEL  lower explosive limit, Carbon Monoxide CO  and hydrogen sulfide.  These meters are regularly calibrated so I knew it was good  (I usually checked calibration before each use)  I set the meter up in clean air out side the shack then went in    It was not long I had 2 alarms going off  14% oxygen and the carbon monoxide was  400+!  We could have become toast!    Well from then on I always had a meter with me but also bought a home carbon monoxide detector with me and mounted it at head level  at that time was about 40 –50 bucks (21$ today at lowes)I bought one that has the digital readout.  Same one I use in my house.  Plus I put in extra air holes to vent that shack and bought my first big buddy heater.
  The issues from carbon monoxide (CO) in my shack was there was not enough oxygen and it caused incomplete combustion of the stove   (stoves are for cooking not heating an enclosed space)

 Most indoor approved heating devices have an oxygen depletion sensor   It relies on the shift of a pilot flame away from a nozzle as the oxygen content of the combustion air decreases. A thermocouple is positioned so as to be in the flame during combustion at acceptable oxygen levels and in the unburned zone when the oxygen content is below an acceptable level. The large voltage difference between conditions of high and low oxygen content provide for a more reliable sensor  The pilot tube is a precision mechanism that creates a very stable flame as long as the room air contains the proper amount of oxygen. If the oxygen level in the room air drops even slightly, the pilot becomes unstable and lifts off of the thermocouple causing the gas valve and appliance to cease operation. This type of valve is very reliable, and there have been very few failures of this system - even with tens of millions in use worldwide) 

 That being said when we add those covers to the buddy heaters over the pilot flame or adjust the  thermocouple into the flame better are we corrupting the integrity of the ODS sensor?   

According to the EPA:
Carbon monoxide can cause harmful health effects by reducing oxygen delivery to the body's organs (like the heart and brain) and tissues. 
Cardiovascular Effects.  The health threat from lower levels of CO is most serious for those who suffer from heart disease, like angina, clogged arteries, or congestive heart failure.  For a person with heart disease, a single exposure to CO at low levels may cause chest pain and reduce that person's ability to exercise; repeated exposures may contribute to other cardiovascular effects.
Central Nervous System Effects.  Even healthy people can be affected by high levels of CO.   People who breathe high levels of CO can develop vision problems, reduced ability to work or learn, reduced manual dexterity, and difficulty performing complex tasks.   At extremely high levels, CO is poisonous and can cause death.

All in all Use only approved heating devices in our shacks and our homes Ventilate our shacks have vents both High and low
 
Install CO detectors and smoke detectors   Especially if your going to sleep in your shacks   Also do this in your Homes!   We spend 1000’s of bucks on our fishing equipment   Whats 50 bucks total for a smoke detector and Carbon Monoxide detector.

This year in our homes people will try all different methods to heat them      Another fantastic reason to install smoke and Co detectors!  Be safe! 
Most of these comments are my own thoughts / beliefs 

[mr.clean]

Hazmat,
   Thank you for the information very pertinent in today's society- economic situation. Where people will be using many different methods to heat their homes,etc.
   As a frequent poster you know many members have modified buddy heaters because the pilot light keeps going out.




 Steve

[Mainehazmt]

True very true  up untill when I started reserching on how the ods worked I was going to make one of those baffles for mine  now I know I wont

[pikeking]

That Buddy heater goes out fof a reason. To keep you safe. Open the door of the shack for a couple minutes and it won't go out. It needs good oxygen to stay running (hence the O2 sensor)

[swillerjig]

mr buddy heater is it safer than a white fuel lantern or it doesn't matter.  I always keep a roof vent and a window cracked anyway.

[jayswimmer09]

i love the buddy heaters!! keep me warm and safe

[Mainehazmt]

mr buddy heater is it safer than a white fuel lantern or it doesn't matter.  I always keep a roof vent and a window cracked anyway.

definitely safer always have ventilation though  with both

[Marcum Man]

Ok, so please give me an idea as to what i am suppose to do, i have a brand new shappell that i will be heating with a lantern, b/c i can not afford a buddy heater b/c i spent my ice money on the shappell and a new marcum. any suggestion will be appreciated

[Mainehazmt]

ventilate!   thats the best idea!

[jayswimmer09]

just be extreamly carefull. make sure it has some type of ventilation constantly!

[Mainehazmt]

Lots of heater questions so bumping it to the top

[mluther]

Thanks for the info! You give a lot of great info and hopefully it will keep some of us a bit safer this season!

[Iceassin]

I believe I added this in another post but safety can never be talked about enough... I heat my shanty with a buddy sunflower and take no chances. I have drilled 3" vent holes at the top/ends of the shanty for ventilation and crack the door from time to time for added fresh air. I also installed a battery operated CO detector in it. $20 at Home Depot; still a whole lot cheaper than a casket and cemetary plot not to mention an early departure from my family...do whatever it takes!

[Shack Man]

I posted this a while back.

Just a note on burning gas appliances, you need 1sq.in. of ventilation for every 1000btu's it burns.

Example a 9000btu propane heater needs 9sq.in's of ventilation to burn properly and safely!!!

Also Carbon monoxide is absorbed into the blood system 2 times faster than oxygen, and can take from 24hrs.-48hrs. to be removed from the blood stream.

[Mainehazmt]

I posted this a while back.


Also Carbon monoxide is absorbed into the blood system 2 times faster than oxygen, and can take from 24hrs.-48hrs. to be removed from the blood stream.

Actually... it is there till the actual red blood cells die unless you have medical intervention  the hemoglobin prefer the CO much more than the o2

[BojiHawk]

My carbon monoxide detector has different settings.  What is the longest I should set the snooze for?

[ice dawg]

Thirty seconds.

[Mainehazmt]

My carbon monoxide detector has different settings.  What is the longest I should set the snooze for?

huh???

[viciouscircle]

Conservation Officer detectors?....lol....now why would you want or need one of those....lol

[iceman1267]

Good time of year to reintroduce some very  good info lets stay safe guys

[Mainehazmt]

Wow looks like I was almost a genius back then. What happened....!

[da man cave shack]

BEER??