Date:         Tue, 30 Jul 2002 17:05:18 -0400
Reply-To:     David Brodbeck <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         David Brodbeck <gull@CYBERSPACE.ORG>
Subject:      Re: Interior heater
Comments: To: Andrew Fox <afox@CNR.COLOSTATE.EDU>
In-Reply-To:  <Pine.GSO.4.44.0207301446040.4349-100000@mummy>
Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII

On Tue, 30 Jul 2002, Andrew Fox wrote:

> The CO problem that has been responisble for killing many people from
> using an unvented catalytic heater in their vans or RV's.  How do you know
> how much fresh air needs to enter?  It may be okay to use while you're
> awake but sleeping with one of these things on is downright stupid.

I'd assume what happens is the output is H2O at first, but as the oxygen
in the vehicle gets depleted the combustion becomes incomplete and CO
starts to appear.  At very least it seems like a good, loud CO alarm would
be mandatory, but I'd want one of those with *any* heater.

I personally would not want to use any non-vented combustion heater in
such a small space.

             _ _
  __ _ _   _| | |  | David M. Brodbeck (N8SRE)              Ypsilanti, MI
 / _` | | | | | |  +-----------------------------------------------------
| (_| | |_| | | | @ cyberspace.org
 \__, |\__,_|_|_| "Geekdom is fantastic at being AGAINST something, and
 |___/             it's hopeless at being FOR something."
                                      -- Andrew Orlowski in The Register.