Spirit Stoves and Carbon Monoxide

[Spyro]

After reading the post about using a gas cooker for Heating the cabin I was wondering if spirit stoves also give off CO. After all Origo do sell one that is designed as a heater.

 

[Paul_G]

CO is the product of combustion, not the fuel that is used so, yes a spirit stove will still produce CO

 

[boatmike]

Strictly speaking Carbon Monoxide is the product of improper combustion, but you are right. Any form of combustion where Oxygen is not freely present will produce CO.

 

[William_H]

Well I always though CO was a product of incomplete combustion. So more air into the flame the less CO. Though it seems some CO is inevitable. However of course CO2 is always produced and this while not deadly can exclude oxygen ( which can be deadly) but which then causes more CO to be produced. So you die anyway. olewill

 

[maxi77]

Incomplete or improper conbustion occurs when there is not enough O2 at the point of conbution to convert all the carbon into CO2 resultingon some CO being produced, this can be because the burner itself is malfuntioning, which is why servicing is needed, or through there being insufficient O2 in the air supplied to the burner which is why good ventilation is needed. One of the key problems with using any form of open flame heater in enclosed spaces is that to keep the heat in people reduce the ventilation which of course increases the risk of CO production. As a result it is far safer to use indirect heating where the exhaust is sealed from the space heated and the heat is transfered by either air as in typical boat heaters or water as in typical house central heating.

 

[Danny]

...And get a battery powered CO detector. They cost around £20-£30 AFAIR.

 

[wotayottie]

the only combustion type heater really safe from CO is one with a sealed chimney going outside ie the eber type. paticularly of concern in a boat because the very watertight nature of a boat means any CO cant escape until its at companionway height - and this had to be fairly high to avoid drowning. so personally I wouldnt go near any heater that didnt have a flue apart (obviously ) from electric ones.

CO2 is deadly too but not in the same insidious way. however its still heavier than air so will settle in the bilges. and every combustion device burning hydrocarbons produces co2. another reason for having an external chimney.

gas or spirit cookers are also dodgy but provided you dont use them 24/7 and they burn with a blue flame not a yellow one, you should be OK. probably the gas cooker is marginally safer than the alternative of raw chicken or 240 volt ac.

 

[Alfie168]

Flame cookers have been responsible for a number of Co fatalities. The last one I know of was a professor making marmalade/jam with all four burners going full blast in a poorly ventilated room. I am not aware if the gas cooker concerned was faulty or whether it was purely a lack of ventilation.

I don't see any need for panic or a witchhunt against flame cookers provided they look as though they are working right (i.e. the flame does not look dodgy or very yellow, sooty, smokey), and as other have said, as long as pretty generous ventilation is maintained.

So don't operate it with all hatches and windows tight shut, however tempting. They are after all flueless appliances, no matter what fuel they use. I'd also brief other crew members and any youngsters of the risks and precautions. Its not that surprising that many people are wholly unaware of these potential risks, A little education goes a long way.

Saw Co detectors in B&Q on sunday for about £14.

Tim