good camper heater

[18seeds]

Last year the area i snowmobile out of a guy died in his camper. We came back from our ride and the area around his camper was taped off and the sherrif department and coroner were there. Very sad.

I carry 2 CO detectors and always leave a window cracked. In the past my campers have had 2 heat sources. 1 forced air furnace and 1 Wave 3 caytalytic. The Wave 3 allows for a more consistent temperature in the camper even with the window cracked open.

 

[craig333]

Anyone know how to test a CO detector? The FWC's come with one but I know they have a limited lifespan.

I always sleep with a vent open. Mostly to let moisture escape but who doesn't like fresh air.

I'm still not sure if I'll run the wave while I'm sleeping. No qualms with the forced air unit. Could it malfunction? Sure, but not much more likely than my home unit. And I do have a CO detector at home too.

 

[IdaSHO]

Ive never tested my CO detector.

They are cheap enough, that I just replace it every few years.

 

[southpier]

is there a formula that explains how much free air makeup should be supplied? if i open a window, aren't i just letting out heat and making the unit run longer?

that said, just how tight are campers built? aren't there enough cracks around the construction to provide air infiltration?

 

[southpier]

maybe one of these could be made to work (with a secondary heat shield)

http://relaxshax.wordpress.com/2011/01/09/military-and-backpacker-tent-stoves-for-tiny-housescabins/


$59.oo

 

[craig333]

From the Wave manual.

"It is good practice to have at least two openings, one high and one low. The room must have a total of at least 24 square inches free-air opening (i.e. and opening of 4" x 6 "=24 square inches). Provide additional ventilation of at least 2 square inches for every 1,000 BTU's per hour of input for any additional fuel burning appliances used at the same time. If the room is tightly sealed or insulated so that natural infiltration is low, additional ventilation is required".

Then they go on to show an RV with the roof vent open 1/4 to 1/2" and a side window open 1/4 to 1/2" as low as possible.

 

[dwh]

is there a formula that explains how much free air makeup should be supplied?

D'oh! Answered while I was writing this...

if i open a window, aren't i just letting out heat and making the unit run longer?

Aye, but you need fresh air anyway. After all, human bodies also consume oxygen and produce CO2. Too much of an airtight box and you can do yourself in perfectly well without any heater at all.

that said, just how tight are campers built? aren't there enough cracks around the construction to provide air infiltration?

Good ones are pretty tight.

 

[kerry]

Aye, but you need fresh air anyway. After all, human bodies also consume oxygen and produce CO2. Too much of an airtight box and you can do yourself in perfectly well without any heater at all.
.

True enough. The closest I've come to death while camping was while sleeping with 5 others in a single wall Eureka tent in Algonquin Park in 1977. Rain slicked all the door and window coverings tight and we consumed almost all the oxygen. Luckily one of us awoke and was smart enough to realize what was going on. Very close call. Within a year two boys died in a tent in similar circumstances.

 

[kerry]

Anyone know how to test a CO detector? The FWC's come with one but I know they have a limited lifespan.

I always sleep with a vent open. Mostly to let moisture escape but who doesn't like fresh air.

I'm still not sure if I'll run the wave while I'm sleeping. No qualms with the forced air unit. Could it malfunction? Sure, but not much more likely than my home unit. And I do have a CO detector at home too.

But in most homes, there is a lot more volume of oxygen that needs to be displaced by carbon monoxide before you die.
I suppose a person could hold the CO detector near the furnace exhaust and see if it goes off.
I usually don't run the heater at night anyway, since I think it wastes propane. We just use sleeping bags rated for the temperature.

 

[Terrainist]

Wow, you can die in a tent by consuming all the oxygen from just breathing. Never would have thought that, thanks for posting it. Should crack the window on the truck camper even if the heater isn't running.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Wow, you can die in a tent by consuming all the oxygen from just breathing. Never would have thought that, thanks for posting it. Should crack the window on the truck camper even if the heater isn't running.

If I remember correctly, two people will more or less use up the oxygen during a long night. Even one person is pushing it.