CO & Low-O2 Alarm for Camping?
- Thread starter carbon60
- Start date
pugslyyy
Expedition Vehicle Engineer Guy
There are several good options for portable CO detectors, haven't seen the same for low O2.
This one even has a carry bag.
http://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-CO250T-Travel-Alarm/dp/B003NE69CS
I have a dual propane/CO alarm but it is wired into the camper. I don't think that they make portable ones.
This one even has a carry bag.
http://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-CO250T-Travel-Alarm/dp/B003NE69CS
I have a dual propane/CO alarm but it is wired into the camper. I don't think that they make portable ones.
That will work.
I'm not sure how important low-O2 really is in a space that has lots of gaps.
Now, why is that First Alert unit twice as expensive on Amazon.ca?!?!
Thanks for the link.
A.
dwh
Tail-End Charlie
If you're planning to use a catalytic heater, oxygen depletion can be MORE important:
https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/103972/CO03.pdf
"When the catalytic heater was operated in a closed room (ACH ~ 0), the oxygen was depleted from an ambient concentration of 20.9 percent to 8.8 percent. Because the catalytic heater can deplete the O2 concentration to such low levels, the heater poses a serious risk of hypoxia. The degree of hypoxia is further exacerbated by the moderate CO concentration and by an increase in the carbon dioxide concentration that accompanied the depletion of oxygen.
As the oxygen decreased in the chamber, the catalytic heater became less effective at converting the propane and oxygen to carbon dioxide and water vapor. This was reflected by an increase in the hydrocarbon concentration in the chamber, which ranged from 1,050 ppm to 13,440 ppm (5 to 64 percent of the lower explosion limit of propane in air). The unreacted propane further increases the degree of hypoxia."
https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/103972/CO03.pdf
"When the catalytic heater was operated in a closed room (ACH ~ 0), the oxygen was depleted from an ambient concentration of 20.9 percent to 8.8 percent. Because the catalytic heater can deplete the O2 concentration to such low levels, the heater poses a serious risk of hypoxia. The degree of hypoxia is further exacerbated by the moderate CO concentration and by an increase in the carbon dioxide concentration that accompanied the depletion of oxygen.
As the oxygen decreased in the chamber, the catalytic heater became less effective at converting the propane and oxygen to carbon dioxide and water vapor. This was reflected by an increase in the hydrocarbon concentration in the chamber, which ranged from 1,050 ppm to 13,440 ppm (5 to 64 percent of the lower explosion limit of propane in air). The unreacted propane further increases the degree of hypoxia."
troyboy162
Adventurer
I use these for low o2. I don't think there is anything cheaper
http://www.amazon.com/BW-Technologies-GAXT-X-DL-2-GasAlert-Measuring/dp/B00ANVCE3W
http://www.amazon.com/BW-Technologies-GAXT-X-DL-2-GasAlert-Measuring/dp/B00ANVCE3W
This is what I use as a backup in my camper, it does not test for low oxygen. I like it because it has a battery backup and will last about 3 days on just the battery. Good luck in your search.
http://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-G...d=1414934323&sr=8-6&keywords=propane+detector
http://www.amazon.com/First-Alert-G...d=1414934323&sr=8-6&keywords=propane+detector
mhiscox
Expedition Leader
I looked into the low oxygen measurement issue a while back and came to the same conclusion.
FWIW, the ventilation requirements are pretty low . . . the rule of thumb is one square inch of ventilation per thousand BTUs of heater capacity. Easily dealt with in my experience, assuming you remember.
I've come to the same conclusion. I'll pickup one of the small battery operated CO detectors. I never have anything completely closed up.
A.
GeezerMike
New member
Low Oxygen creates High Carbon Monoxide (CO) when burning propane.
Carbon Monoxide can occur in high Oxygen when Carbon Monoxide is leaking in from somewhere else.
Therefore, a Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector is the most important detector to have, as it will also catch low Oxygen.
As propane burns, part of its waste is Carbon DiOxide (CO2) - harmless in low quantities. As Oxygen is depleted, there is not enough Oxygen (low oxygen) to combine with the Carbon to make CO2 in the propane burning waste, so more and more waste turns into poisonous Carbon Monoxide (CO). It is an avalance of poisonous Carbon Monoxide from there as the amount increases rapidly as more Oxygen is depleted.
Carbon Monoxide can occur in high Oxygen when Carbon Monoxide is leaking in from somewhere else.
Therefore, a Carbon Monoxide (CO) detector is the most important detector to have, as it will also catch low Oxygen.
As propane burns, part of its waste is Carbon DiOxide (CO2) - harmless in low quantities. As Oxygen is depleted, there is not enough Oxygen (low oxygen) to combine with the Carbon to make CO2 in the propane burning waste, so more and more waste turns into poisonous Carbon Monoxide (CO). It is an avalance of poisonous Carbon Monoxide from there as the amount increases rapidly as more Oxygen is depleted.