Date:         Tue, 14 Mar 2006 14:45:30 -0600
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: Thoughts on Mr. Heater Buddy?
Comments: To: Geza Polony <gezapolony@sbcglobal.net>
In-Reply-To:  <vanagon%2006031411190731@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Don't confuse CO2 and CO.

CO2 - Carbon Dioxide - fairly benign
CO - Carbon Monoxide - toxic

CO2 is fairly benign unless it simply displaces all the oxygen present
so there is no oxygen to breathe. .

But CO is another matter. It combines with the hemoglobin in the red
blood cells (actually the iron) that transports oxygen to the cells in
the body. Hemoglobin  had a much greater affinity for the CO (carbon
monoxide  than the O2 (oxygen). Therein lies the danger. The CO
displaces the oxygen that would normally be carried in the blood and you
suffocate to death by way of  cellular suffocation. CO binding with the
hemoglobin is a permanent condition and impairment.  CO poisoning is
overcome only by medical assistance and administration of medical oxygen
to aid the surviving red blood cells carry enough O2 for survival until
one is fully recovered, the damaged red cells eliminated and the CO gone
from the body. There is serious biochemistry going on there.

CO poisoning is VERY sneaky.

Odorless, tasteless, colorless, CO can get you and you won't even know
it. That is what makes it so dangerous, and one cannot take any chances
with it. If it sneaks into your bed, you  don't get a second chance.

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver x2

Regards,

John Rodgers
88 GL Driver x2
Geza Polony wrote:

>I think the key in CO tests is keeping the top up. That canvas is seriously
>porous, even without  holes like mine has, and it provides a huge amount of
>air transfer that you wouldn't get in a regular car with the windows up.
>
>It also strikes me that two adults, a child, and a dog will convert a large
>amount of O2 to CO just by breathing, maybe more than a small propane
>flame--I don't know.
>
>
>
>