Quote: Originally posted by mummyg on 15/3/2012
We have two gas lamps (Camping Gas ones). Are they safe to use as a light source in the evening or can they give out dangerous levels of Carbon Monoxide too? Thanks
Whether they are safe depends upon how well ventilated the tent is. If you have a fully sewn in groundsheet they may well be unsafe,
i thought that too. i would have expected the owners to check the pod to make sure it was clean or if there was any damage. the site was not very busy either
We use a gas lamp in our tent all ways have and will continue to do so . Gas stoves are all so safe to use in tents . Care should be taken and appliances should be in good working order with all seals pipes guards shades etc in good order and fitted correctly . the glass shade on a gas lamp if not seated properly can cause the lamp to burn inefficiently.
My brother has a stove setup for mountaineering that hangs from the in side off your tent . boats caravans all have gas stoves and only when poorly maintained are they a danger .
Unfortunately accidents will happen and to be honest this one would have been preventable with a small amount education and common sense .
As activities go camping and even cooking in your tent are very safe just take care
. boats caravans all have gas stoves and only when poorly maintained are they a danger .
Rob
Boats (for inland waterways at least) have to have a gas safety certificate, which includes making sure there is adequate ventillation (eg louvered doors to the cabin).
Boat safety certificate includes all gas electrical appliances including battery ventilation fire extinguisher fire exits and a few more that i can't remember . this use to be done every 4 years but may have changed.
This just adds to the point of good maintenance and ventilation Having lived on a Narrow boat and all so got head ache due to Carbon Monoxide poisoning when we first got the boat due to a badly fitted three way fridge . NO vent from the rear for the gas . We didn't realize till we ran the fridge on gas when moored up . Our only symptoms were head aches in the morning . the gas vent was directly behind the bulkhead for the bunk beds . We had the fridge serviced and put a vent pipe exiting through the roof problem solved .
We also had a friend hospitalized due to Carbon Monoxide poisoning while on here narrow boat . she'd been reading sat on her bed and dosed off her cat jumped on her and woke her she realized something was wrong and got help . Turned out to be fumes from her log burner that had been drawn in to the boat with a change in wind direction .
We also use Gas lamps when we're camping non EHU. Again I can only reiterate that if used correctly and care and common sense applied, you will live to use them again and again. Its always worth checking your gas appliances before and after using them. i.e. making sure the mantles are ok, the glass shades etc are fitted correctly, and of course the gas is firmly switched off and if possible disconnected when not in use.
As for any coal burning appliances like bbqs etc. Dont use them in a tent/pod or whatever, they arent designed for indoor use as its far too dangerous - simple as that
------------- Always forgive,Never forget;Learn from mistakes,But Never regret;People change,Things go wrong;Just remember life goes on
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Ive just watched the Hairy Bikers use a Cob in doors ! I'm not sure but due to the size type of fuel blocks used are they more suited for well ventilated use in doors than say a disposable BBQ or other forms of charcoal burners . In other words are Cobs more efficient at burning there fuel source ??????? I have no idea just wonder if any one knows
Quote: Originally posted by Hacksaw Bob on 15/3/2012
(In response to jez and mummyg) -I'm not
Good grief! Surely these deaths, which are not just random one-offs but seriously numerous (heck, ONE is too many, surely?), should prompt manufacturers to add clear and proper warnings on all gas appliances designed for the camping market (if not all gas and charcoal appliances, period!)?
It's all very well for people to bang on about making sure they are well maintained/serviced/regularly checked, but clearly this isn't happening, or else people aren't really aware of the very real potential dangers. Where does it state 'incorrectly-fitted globe may result in poisonous fumes and may kill'?!
If just one in a million, or two million, or even a hundred million, fails to recognise the dangers, that's still one too many when a single, strong warning message could potentially prevent a fatality. The buck has to stop somewhere, and education should begin with the manufacturers. They, at the end of the day, take the money.
I'm pretty sure that most people don't stop to think they might be risking their lives in using these things.
This all puts onus on the individual, when it seems clear (to me, anyway) that the manufacturers should take responsibility and issue clear safety / maintenance / health warnings, on each and every gas and charcoal appliance, and especially those designed for camping (particularly so now that most synthetic tents have a SIG).
Yes your right manufacturers should put clearer warning on there appliances but there is all so a need for some common sense that definitely seems lacking . There will be people who ignore any warning or are to slack to bother checking any thing . As Ive stated before incorrect basics ie sleeping bags SIMs and even the right clothing to be basically living outdoors add to people feeling cold and looking for away to warm up . there's also a trend to sit in your tent drinking beers witch does nothing to keep you warm this all adds to the temptation to do something simple but potentially lethal to warm up .
People also don't seem to have an understanding of the UK weather this can see a change in temperature over a weekend of 20c even in summer so this impacts dramatically on your comfort level while in a tent .
So yes warning should be given and be CLEARLY visible but people should take a greater responsibility for their own well being
Ive just watched the Hairy Bikers use a Cob in doors ! I'm not sure but due to the size type of fuel blocks used are they more suited for well ventilated use in doors than say a disposable BBQ or other forms of charcoal burners . In other words are Cobs more efficient at burning there fuel source ??????? I have no idea just wonder if any one knows
Thats shocking someone should tell the bbc! That is dangerious and if anything the Cobb would be worse due to the controlled way it burns by controlling the air to it. A roaring fire gives out less CO than a smouldering one. Its quite shocking that they would even do that but as we are finding out people dont think about the dangers BBQ's etc indoors.
This is a difficult and unfortunately emotive subject.
Made even more unfortunate and emotive by the lack of depth and analysis in most reports.
This is by far the best piece I've read on the subject of stoves and CO. It also covers many other safety factors. The rest of the feature about stoves and fuel is pretty good too.
The two bits of information I have to add is that if your old enough and can remember a time when caravans could have open flame devices. These devices had instructions printed on them stating the minimum of square inches of ventilation for safety and the minimum volume of the room they could be used in. Your no longer considered competent to make judgement, the fires no longer exist (apart from dodgy eBay sales) and people are still dying. I modified my own behaviour and bought an electric CO monitor to cover the dodgy old gas fire I had (ahem) It never even beeped once. Scroll on and I get a Dandy with an underfloor Riviera heater. These are sealed to exhaust outside. On the nights concerned its blowing such a gale it's blowing through the Dandy. The CO alarm went off at the same time both nights. Am I now to be thankful for it saving my skin or brassed off because it scared me out of it and it is going off so long after being activated now?
It wouldn't matter if manufacturers put huge great warnings all over barbacues, idiots will always be idiots.
It's Darwinism on the most tragic level. (as I've already stated on a parallel thread). It angers me that, after so many tragic deaths last year, a couple of supposedly seasoned campers go on & bring a smouldering barbecue into their camping pod!!!
Did all those deaths last year count for nothing???
People have used gas appliances safely in tents for years. All it needs is a little common sense, which seems to be sadly lacking in so many these days.
Nowadays we all have to be told something is dangerous! We never used to take BBQs into tents before, what suddenly happened to make people start doing it??? Oh yes, because no one told us NOT TO!
Us Brits used to be a reasonably intelligent lot, now we seem to be following the Americans down the road of intellectual oblivion!
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Topic: Another fatality, possibly with fumes
