Date:         Fri, 31 Aug 2012 07:49:00 -0700
Reply-To:     Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Anyone use this Heater for their Vanagon?
Comments: To: David Beierl <dbeierl@attglobal.net>
In-Reply-To:  <50403f0f.e466b40a.5ca2.402f@mx.google.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

"You had a close call -- with CO, not CO2."

Erp.

"[Some heaters have] low-oxygen shutoffs -- not because you're running
short of oxygen to breathe, but because the mixture is richening to
where they're starting to produce excess monoxide."

Gulp.

"Symptoms of mild acute poisoning include lightheadedness, confusion,
headaches, vertigo, and flu-like effects [...]"
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide_poisoning>

Fits pretty well with my memory of how I felt when I woke up. According
to this chart <http://www.rvlifemag.com/file363/images/rvtips363-1.gif>
I must have been at about 25% COHb.

"You were probably bright cherry-red in places, since that's the color
of carboxyhemoglobin."

I'm fairly red-faced right now.

"The poptop skylight gives a wonderful chimney effect."

Chimney effect. Is that what you call it when it's 20F outside and cold
air is falling on my head?

"[...] a monoxide detector that screams good and loud is a good thing as
well."

As is possessing suffient wit to shut the heater off. But wit is
something I don't always have in suffiency, so I'll get a CO monitor.

There are considerations about types suitable for RVs and placement
issues so I'll need to read up on all that.

--
Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
Bend, Ore.

On 08/30/2012 09:35 PM, David Beierl wrote:
> At 08:03 PM 8/30/2012, Rocket J Squirrel wrote:
>> So -- no open window. Woke up later, in the dark, confused, nauseated,
>> felt horrible. Saw that the heater was still glowing, opened the door,
>> killed the heater. Within moments I was feeling better; let the place
>> fill with sweet, sweet O2 and let the excess CO2 wash out; and went back
>> to bed. If I hadn't woken when I did, I might never have.

[snip]

> The poptop skylight gives a wonderful chimney effect.
>
> Yours,
> David