Date:         Wed, 4 Feb 2009 18:04:56 -0800
Reply-To:     chris and/or ruth <populuxe59@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         chris and/or ruth <populuxe59@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Mr. Heater buddy now under $40 at Lowes
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

At 01:20 PM 2/4/2009, Karl Mullendore wrote...

>But really--18-19%? Doesn't that sound just a little bit borderline
>for
>safety?
 
Mike S. wrote...

>Considering that normal air contains 21-23% oxygen (depending on
>whether you measure by volume or weight), no, it doesn't seem
>borderline at all. Why do you imply that it is (other than the fact
>that you want to malign a competitive product)?
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It's not the low Oxygen that will kill ya, it's the Carbon Monoxide. That Mr Buddy is eating Oxygen and crapping out heat, Carbon Dioxide, water vapor.... and CO (Carbon Monoxide).
The more CO that gets into your blood, the less it allows the Oxygen to transfer to your blood. You can have plenty of oxygen but if it can't get to your blood your at best sick, or  worst, dead.
I have tested a Coleman Plat Cat, you can check archives, it seemed OK to run.  The only time I ever ran it all night was when I had too much German Mai bock one night.  I haven't tested a Buddy Heater. I'd never be able to sleep thinking about how awful I'd look dead and purple.
 
I work for a natural gas utility.  If we find an un-vented radiant space heater in your home, even if it has an "low Oxygen shut-off" we will immediately caution tag it and physically disconnect if from the gas pipe without exception.  If the customer won't allow this, the gas meter is shut off and locked until the heater is no longer connected and verified.  It is much easier to listen to a person rant and rave about how he/she has the right to use a heater they legally purchased in a retail store than it is to spend days speaking with detectives, coroners, layers and news media.
 
Just Google: Carbon Monoxide Deaths Propane Heaters

Chris C
90 MV