carbon monoxide

[hammer n nails]

hi i was given a calor gas fire for my shed so i dont get to cold in the winter the fire was second hand but works ok with a nice blue flame after about 30mins it shut off so read up about it and it has a cut off valve that shuts it off if there is not enough oxygen so tried it with the door open a little works fine so as i have no windows that open i put some vents in the bottom of the doors and the fire seems to be ok and does not go out, was in the shed all morning with the fire on at the lowest heat setting for about 2 hours and started to develop a headache and began to feel a little dizzy so i think the fire is faulty the shed is 10x8 to you think the shed is to small for this type of heater or is it that the fire is faulty i wont be using it again but would buy a new one as it heats the shed great if the shed is big enough what do you think!

 

[carlb40]

I'm not sure on the carbon monoxide issue, but getting a headache using the fire i think is a sign of it. My workshop is just a bit bigger than yours, and i use this
http://www.screwfix.com/p/convector-hea ... 240v/76380
Wall mounted and the shop is warm in 10/15 min. I bought mine a few months ago and this was £20 then, a similar one is available at argos

The good thing about this type is you can use it with a timer switch

 

[Roughcut]

It's possible that there is a small leak on the regulator or gas connection.
Also I believe that gas hose has an expiry date on it, so might be worth checking that out.
A crude way of checking for gas leaks around connections is to smear washing up liquid around the joint and watch for bubbles.

 

[wallace]

I have tried these in the past and would get a headache with it, I have heard it with a few people. Another downside is that the bi-product of useing these in a shed is water condensing on your metal things.
Mark

 

[Vic Perrin]

Hi,
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, gas that is produced by the product of incomplete combustion.
It is absorbed into the bloodstream 200 times more readily than oxygen. The threshold limit value is 50 parts per million so it will soon take effect on the body.
The early symptoms of CO poisoning is headache and dizziness, I would strongly recommend that you stop using the fire and have it checked to see if it is operating safely. A CO detector would give you an indication that the gas is present.

 

[hammer n nails]

thanks for your advice guys but what i want to know if i get a brand new one will it be ok in my size shed ?

 

[hammer n nails]

i will not be using the old fire again will send it to the tip

 

[marcros]

you can get a CO detector, similar to a smoke alarm for a few quid. i would suggest doing this whether you use this one, or buy a new one.

However as above, i wouldnt use due to the water vapour given off in use. Spend the money on an oil filled radiator instead.

 

[Bale]

Bad news all round. It's using all the oxygen, it's poisoning you, it's producing copious amounts of moisture which will rust your tools and machinery and (I assume you're doing woodwork in your (wooden?) shed) it's a massive fire risk. A brand new heater of the same type will do exactly the same. Don't even think about it. Avoid anything with a flame. If you can, go electric.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I have your best interests at heart. Honest.

Pete

 

[yetloh]

Bad news all round. It's using all the oxygen, it's poisoning you, it's producing copious amounts of moisture which will rust your tools and machinery and (I assume you're doing woodwork in your (wooden?) shed) it's a massive fire risk. A brand new heater of the same type will do exactly the same. Don't even think about it. Avoid anything with a flame. If you can, go electric.

Sorry if that sounds harsh, but I have your best interests at heart. Honest.

Pete

Pete is absolutely right. Quite apart from the CO and fire risks, the last thing you want ot be doing is pumping all that water vapour into your workshop.

Jim

 

[hammer n nails]

thank you for the advice will go electric and summer is coming (i hope)

 

[Togalosh]

Hi,
Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, tasteless, gas that is produced by the product of incomplete combustion.
It is absorbed into the bloodstream 200 times more readily than oxygen. The threshold limit value is 50 parts per million so it will soon take effect on the body.
The early symptoms of CO poisoning is headache and dizziness, I would strongly recommend that you stop using the fire and have it checked to see if it is operating safely. A CO detector would give you an indication that the gas is present.

I couldn't have said it better.

You've had a very close escape !

Portable fires are an accident waiting to happen. You need a fair amount of upper & lower permanent ventilation for you both to work well - which might seem to defeat the point in having a heater - but now you know why.

Your heater may well need the venturi/ primary air port cleaning out (very easy if you know where to look) but nevertheless every gas/solid fuel/fossil fuel appliance needs the correct ventilation at all times.

If you see yellow, wandering flames &/or soot shut off the appliance IMMEDIATELY - this applies to any gas appliance showing these symptoms. Please buy a C0 alarm if you carry on using it or another gas heater..& buy one for anyone you know who has 1 or a Beko cooker, an old gas fire, old cooker etc etc

If a room is full of enough C0 & you walk into it you could be dead within minutes, in the intervening minutes you'd be too confused to do anything about it.

.. scary stuff.

 

[jimi43]

I once had a Calor gas fire in a house in Cornwall because we didn't have gas locally...it caused so much condensation it was running down the walls and windows on the first use...so that went out the door post haste!

In a workshop it would be a real killer for tools and other machines of any kind made of steel or iron.

I use a oil filled radiator...it keeps the whole place just above freezing...costs little to run and is ideal for workshops.

Jim

 

[hammer n nails]

thank you all for your good sound advice fire now out of shed awaiting transportation to tip................Roger

 

[Togalosh]

Propane ( C3H8 ) will burn completely when it combines with the oxygen (O2) in air to form carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O). The equation looks like this:

C3H8 + 5O2 ---> 3CO2 + 4H2O

..so at best & at first you get water vapour & a stuffy room..but the more stuffy the room gets the less effiecient the gas combusts. C0 & aldehides are then produced. The aldehides will make your eyes sting & nose tingle ..this will be your only warning that things are not good.

If the room fills with condensate I'd say you need more ventilation (it will inevitably form on windows) & this would be draughty.

If it makes you drowsy the air is vitiated with too much C02.. & your heading for trouble just as you nod off.

If you have children at Uni/ college in 'cheap' bedsits or shared houses with gas appliances but them a C02 alarm & ask to see the Landlords Certificate then double check the installers details on the Gas Safe Registered webisite. However just becuase it has a name & number on it doesn't actually mean that that person actually wrote the 'certificate' & did any work (my name & number have been stolen before).. but if you have any doubts you can call the installer.


If I knew so much about woodwork it would not have taken me 10 hours to fit 6 drawers yesterday.

 

[yetloh]

If I knew so much about woodwork it would not have taken me 10 hours to fit 6 drawers yesterday.

Is that all? Sounds quite quick to me.

Jim

 

[Togalosh]

If I knew so much about woodwork it would not have taken me 10 hours to fit 6 drawers yesterday.

Is that all? Sounds quite quick to me.

Jim

..ahh.. I'm not alone.

 

[mind_the_goat]

You really don't want an open flame anywhere you have dust. Go for electric and see if you can fit some insulation

 

[hammer n nails]

thanks rob the shed is fully insulated and the gas fire is now at the tip and have a electric heater now thanks all for all your good advice

 

[Graham Orm]

Try a rocket stove. Runs off your scraps and waste. https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/rocket-stove-video-2-t69191.html