No CO from a gas heater, inside.

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Oil burner went out at 2 AM. Rather than deal with it in depth at the time, I fired up a "garage" propane heater (inside the home). It puts out a relatively fierce amount of heat, about 15,000 BTUs. Don't shoot me, just guessing.

I have a carbon monoxide detector, which I moved to the sleeping area, watching it nervously all night but it never registered above zero. Detector is a couple of years old.

So what gives? Where did the CO go? Also have a gas stove and it never sets it off, either. Yes...it has fresh batteries.
 
anything being burnt will put off co. I guess it wasn't enough. I'd buy a new detector though. I buy two a year. Also have propane detectors as well. I like the smoke and co two in one detectors. Mine talks in a snooty female voice in English then French. kinda annoying but effective.
 
What? Not necessarily, especially if the combustion is occurring in an oxidizer rich environment - which most of these heaters do.

It still doesn't make it safe to do however.

Originally Posted By: abycat
anything being burnt will put off co. I guess it wasn't enough. I'd buy a new detector though. I buy two a year. Also have propane detectors as well. I like the smoke and co two in one detectors. Mine talks in a snooty female voice in English then French. kinda annoying but effective.
 
I keep an electric De'Longhi heater, one of those oil filled jobs that looks like a steam radiator, around for emergency heat...
 
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Originally Posted By: kschachn
What? Not necessarily, especially if the combustion is occurring in an oxidizer rich environment - which most of these heaters do.

It still doesn't make it safe to do however.

Originally Posted By: abycat
anything being burnt will put off co. I guess it wasn't enough. I'd buy a new detector though. I buy two a year. Also have propane detectors as well. I like the smoke and co two in one detectors. Mine talks in a snooty female voice in English then French. kinda annoying but effective.


isn't that only if it has a catylist to burn the gas off?
 
The dangers of a propane heater in a closed environment are really co2 and oxygen depletion. CO is dangerous as well, but there probably wasn't enough if the detector was in a different room. It probably registers 0 until 20ppm or so as not to give false alerts, and I doubt a 15000 btu heater in a 1500sq ft area would hit that in a few hours.
 
No, CO is only produced when a deficit of oxygen causes incomplete combustion. Incomplete combustion is a catch-all phrase though, since you must ensure that even in an oxidizer rich environment the fuel is given enough time for complete combustion. If the manufacturer of the device takes any care in design they will ensure the flame is not prematurely quenched.

However... It is still not a good idea to use a heating device in an environment for which it was not designed. Not everything works as well five years down the road as it did when new.

Originally Posted By: abycat
Originally Posted By: kschachn
What? Not necessarily, especially if the combustion is occurring in an oxidizer rich environment - which most of these heaters do.

It still doesn't make it safe to do however.

Originally Posted By: abycat
anything being burnt will put off co. I guess it wasn't enough. I'd buy a new detector though. I buy two a year. Also have propane detectors as well. I like the smoke and co two in one detectors. Mine talks in a snooty female voice in English then French. kinda annoying but effective.

isn't that only if it has a catylist to burn the gas off?
 
When these are burning cleanly, little if any co is being formed, it should be all co2.

Carbon dioxide is formed, not carbon monoxide!!! Otherwise we would all be dead from cooking with our gas stoves.

Note, charcoal gives off huge amounts of co, that is why it often kills when used indoors.
 
Originally Posted By: mattwithcats
I keep an electric De'Longhi heater, one of those oil filled jobs that looks like a steam radiator, around for emergency heat...


Emergency in New England means no power lol. (j/k)

I have one of those too, a propane burner as the OP has, and a kerosene heater; one can never be over prepared.

I occasionally use a point of use propane burner for heat, although it is not an indoor device. My house is >135 years old so a fresh supply of air, not a problem.
 
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It still consumes oxygen and creates CO2 if it's running properly, CO is the result of incomplete combustion. Maybe the CO detector doesn't pick up CO2, but I still wouldn't sleep with that thing running inside the house, you might not wake up
eek.gif
.
 
No they don't. Detecting CO2 is a completely different process as there is nothing to oxidize.

And I wouldn't run it inside my house either, CO sensor or no CO sensor. I understand why the OP did but still....

Originally Posted By: Dave Sherman
It still consumes oxygen and creates CO2 if it's running properly, CO is the result of incomplete combustion. Maybe the CO detector doesn't pick up CO2, but I still wouldn't sleep with that thing running inside the house, you might not wake up
eek.gif
.
 
Originally Posted By: Dave Sherman
It still consumes oxygen and creates CO2 if it's running properly, CO is the result of incomplete combustion. Maybe the CO detector doesn't pick up CO2, but I still wouldn't sleep with that thing running inside the house, you might not wake up
eek.gif
.


If it picked up CO2 if would go off everytime you walked past it.... since you produce CO2 in abundance.

CO2 is really not an issue esp in most older homes.
CO2 has to be quite high to have a bad effect.
CO is being poisoned it bonds to your red blood cells.
 
Well they both bind to hemoglobin but one has a much greater affinity
eek.gif


Originally Posted By: Rand
If it picked up CO2 if would go off everytime you walked past it.... since you produce CO2 in abundance.

CO2 is really not an issue esp in most older homes.
CO2 has to be quite high to have a bad effect.
CO is being poisoned it bonds to your red blood cells.
 
I just do not know about you guys. Yesterday at my apartment there were three fence lizards sunning themselves on the wall here. The dominant male was doing push-ups to show off his blue flanks and show the other lizards he was the Big Kahuna.

The only thing they worry about are the cats.

Where is it cold?
 
Originally Posted By: Nayov
Oil burner went out at 2 AM. Rather than deal with it in depth at the time, I fired up a "garage" propane heater (inside the home). It puts out a relatively fierce amount of heat, about 15,000 BTUs. Don't shoot me, just guessing.

I have a carbon monoxide detector, which I moved to the sleeping area, watching it nervously all night but it never registered above zero. Detector is a couple of years old.

So what gives? Where did the CO go? Also have a gas stove and it never sets it off, either. Yes...it has fresh batteries.


Just be careful, and check often. Lost a brother of mine due to Carbon Monoxide in a hunting camper. Be safe, and be on alart.
 
Originally Posted By: Nayov
Oil burner went out at 2 AM. Rather than deal with it in depth at the time, I fired up a "garage" propane heater (inside the home). It puts out a relatively fierce amount of heat, about 15,000 BTUs. Don't shoot me, just guessing.

I have a carbon monoxide detector, which I moved to the sleeping area, watching it nervously all night but it never registered above zero. Detector is a couple of years old.

So what gives? Where did the CO go? Also have a gas stove and it never sets it off, either. Yes...it has fresh batteries.


Lucky. Hopefully your heat will get fixed today.
 
I have a ventless propane wall heater I've been using for three years now. I also have a CO2 monitor. I find when the CO2 gets over 4000 ppm then I need to do some ventilation. All I do is turn on the central furnace fan and run it for an hour. That brings it down to 2000ppm or so. If it's windy outside its not an issue.
 
Originally Posted By: Cristobal
I just do not know about you guys. Yesterday at my apartment there were three fence lizards sunning themselves on the wall here. The dominant male was doing push-ups to show off his blue flanks and show the other lizards he was the Big Kahuna.

The only thing they worry about are the cats.

Where is it cold?


The same place all the water is. j/k.
 
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