Fishnwire Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) I mentioned this in my ice hut build thread, but I think it's worth repeating. I spent the night in my shack using a propane heater because the wood stove isn't installed yet. The day I was going there I was a Lowe's and noticed CO detectors on sale and figured it was a good idea, so I picked one up. I had two windows cracked open and figured I'd be fine, but sure enough, in the middle of the night, the CO detector went off. I aired the place out with the door and both windows fully open, and then turned down the heater and left the windows open more than they were before. After that I was OK. The CO detector goes off before dangerous levels are reached, but there's a decent chance they'd continue to rise while I slept and maybe I never would have woken up. If I did wake up...it probably would have been with a heck of a headache. Most of you are reading this and thinking something along the lines of, "Well, duh", but I still just want to say that if you're going to spend the night (or pass out in the afternoon) in a propane heated shack...please, please, PLEASE have a CO detector. By the way, the CO detector (along with a smoke detector) will remain after the wood stove is installed. All fossil fuel combustion gives off CO. Safe shackin'! Edited February 7, 2012 by fishNwire Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capt bruce Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) The vast majority of carbon monoxide deaths and injuries have been caused by propane radiant heaters sold by the coleman company . Unlike some heaters of other manufacturers , Coleman heaters do not have safty devices to shut down the heaters when carbon monoxide levels rise . Most coleman heaters do not have a carbon monoxide warning on the heaters or in the instructions and warning documents . The coleman heater that almost killed me and some friends in a winter camping outing was called a POWERMATE .These heaters should NEVER be taken inside any enclosed area . Inside a enclosed tent , camper , or fish hut without a LOT OF VENTILATION a person may be dead from carbon monoxide within a a few hours . After that first year we bought heaters with carbon monoxide shut off ,now we allways leave a window open , a good sleeping bag rated for winter use and a heater with carbon monoxide shut off and just in case a carbon monoxide detector , better safe than DEAD .. Great Post dude like I said first year we thought COLEMAN has to be safe , theres no WARNING .. Lucky all we got was a really bad head ache and thru up a little .. Edited February 8, 2012 by capt bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercman Posted February 7, 2012 Report Share Posted February 7, 2012 Great post !!! We wouldnt think about not having these in our residence, why would we not have then in your recreational homes too. I bet there are lots out there, who dont have them in thier huts too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entropy Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Great post !!! We wouldnt think about not having these in our residence, why would we not have then in your recreational homes too. I bet there are lots out there, who dont have them in thier huts too. At home we have a CO2 detector with battery back-up. Is there one that you can buy that only runs on battery, for use in a hut, cabin, or tent? Entropy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodenboater Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 Just wanna clarify. I believe it's Co (carbon monoxide)that's deadly, not Co2 (carbon dioxide). Co2 is the main cause (or may not be, depending on your view) of global warming but carbon monoxide is what comes out of tailpipes and coleman heaters such as captbruce warns us about. A colleague died of Co poisoning when he fell asleep (drunk) in his car in a garage or something. Was ruled death by misadventure... either way, I avoid propane heaters like the plague (for tents, huts etc) and would do as fNw does and install a wood burner in my hut if I had one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mercman Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 At home we have a CO2 detector with battery back-up. Is there one that you can buy that only runs on battery, for use in a hut, cabin, or tent? Entropy http://www.walmart.com/ip/First-Alert-Battery-Powered-Carbon-Monoxide-Detector-CO400/10099176 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishnwire Posted February 8, 2012 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 At home we have a CO2 detector with battery back-up. Is there one that you can buy that only runs on battery, for use in a hut, cabin, or tent? Entropy Yes. That's the kind I have. They are a little harder to find than 120V units, but available at Lowe's or wherever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rizzo Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 I just bought a Coleman Stove this past summer and was going to use it to heat my portable ice hut. I'll admit the thought of CO poisoning crossed my mind, unfortunately with minimal ice around I haven't tested it out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike rousseau Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 My "buddy" heater has a detector built in and shuts off if there is unsafe balance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smally21 Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 great reminder...a saying for CO poisoning is it starts with a headache and ends without one. way too easy to fall asleep in the shack, especially when the heater is doing a good job., the better the heater and the better it is serviced the less CO it will give off, there should be little or no byproduct from clean combustion, but there is always something going on. improvisation, home builts, wood stoves made of coffe cans, etc., make their need greater. had an incident the other day with unconcious people in a house suffering from CO poisoning, im pretty sure they went home from the hospital by way of home depot..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TDunn Posted February 8, 2012 Report Share Posted February 8, 2012 (edited) Great post! I had 2 friends almost die 2 winters ago. Pilot light went out and gased them. They were in the building for more than 14 hours which included waking up, realizing something was wrong but passing back out. This happened several times! One guy got out the door finally and ditched his truck a few times going next door. He got help and they went and pulled the other guy and the dog out. Dog survived by jamming its nose down at the gap below the front door. They were in some serious trouble for the first little while but thankfully they both pulled through without to much serious damage to thier bodies or brains. Freaky....let me tell you I check the pilot light/propane everynight at camp before I go to sleep...... TDunn Edited February 8, 2012 by TDunn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GYPSY400 Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 I had an incident once too at a buddies Deer camp.. After a good night of limiting out on "brown trout" we all head to bed.. Being the new guy I get the top bunk.. When I wake up I notice that my head ache is more severe than it should have been for what I drank.. I immediatly blamed the propane fridge.. The guys pass it off as me not being able to handle my booze because I'm a wussy!! LOL... The following year, the camp owner ends up on the top bunk.. And the fridge was out on the deck the next morning!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeeter Posted February 9, 2012 Report Share Posted February 9, 2012 Like I have said in a lot of posts, I always have a co detector and a smoke detector in my hut. You can never be to protected. This year I'm going to get a 3 in 1 detector for the hut. It's the co-smoke and propane leak detector, I think it will be better then what I have already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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