CO - wow....

[ssullivan]

I cooked up a nice meal of pasta tonight (made it from flour & eggs, sauce from tomatoes, basil, olive oil, etc...)

It was my first time cooking in here with the hatches closed and the AC on.

I was surprised to find that even with a light amount of cooking, my CO detector went off.

Just a little caution to those of you without one. It's amazing how little cooking it takes, or how quickly CO can build to unsafe levels. Get one if you can. I sleep well knowing that thing is monitoring my goof ups.

The Pardeys note a similar situation, only with a heater, but say it was the closest they ever came to parishing since they went to sea.

[Talbot]

From your post, your AC must have been using re-cycled air only - a good way to get the boat cool quick and to keep it cooler, but it really needs to be able to add some outside air at a frequent basis in order to maintain the CO2 balance.

[GordMay]

We design buildings to provide a minimum outside-air (supply) ventilation of 15 cfm per occupant, and (additional) combustion-air supply, as required by fuel-burning appliances.
Products of combustion (CO et al) must be vented directly.
The outside-air supply (ventilation) may reduce CO levels by dilution; but it’s the venting (chimney) that exhausts it.
While ‘sleeping well’ is nice, it’s the ‘waking up’ part that signifies, when utilizing fueled appliances.
FWIW,
Gord

[ssullivan]

Hi Talbot,

Are there any marine ac units that use outside air? I have never seen one. Usually, in my limited experience, there is an air intake somewhere in the boat, and an output hooked to an air handler that blows the cool air out.

I've never seen one with anything going through the deck/hull to pull extra air in.

Talbot once whispered in the wind:
From your post, your AC must have been using re-cycled air only - a good way to get the boat cool quick and to keep it cooler, but it really needs to be able to add some outside air at a frequent basis in order to maintain the CO2 balance.

[capt lar]

sean - i think this went a little off point. the AC is not a problem. it does not burn fuel. i assume you run it off shore power (non issue) or generator. by your profile, looks like you found new location in long island - i was away for a while and did not know where you ended up. generator would obviously be provided intake air and vented exhaust. exhaust lines need to be checked for cracks, but your CO detector will stand guard.
make up air can be brought in separately from any other equipment. air to air heat exchangers are a simple device that bring in oxygen rich air and pass it through baffles that capture heat from cabin air being discharged.
your risk is from the stove and will be even greater from the wood burner you plan to install. i assume the wood stove will have it's own air intake and exhaust so the fire box is actually sealed. cabins are small, and as you button up for cold weather, your risk increases. CO detectors are now cheap - get a 2nd one.
when you have time - you need new photo. the guy in the picture is definitely not a charter captain. i have been waiting to see the photo with the beard and wild hair - capt. ron-esque. save the tie. good for emergency repairs.
best of luck with charters. you probably noticed the fall delivery ads are popping up as well. $
capt. lar

[ssullivan]

Lar... you're exactly right. Of course the wood stove is going to be installed with proper stainless chimney and smoke head.

Apparently, the smoke head creates a nice draw, which will suck air right out of the boat in general. Combined with my 2 dorade vents, I shold have a decent flow. I need to just have a port cracked somewhere close to the wood stove to ensure proper ventilation and a source of fresh air for the stove. (Since it can also use up your oxygen - another danger)

Interesting that you mention a 2nd detector, because i was actually considering 2 more! I want a dedicated one in the aft cabin to protect charter guests, and also an additional one in the V berth. Just in case. The current CO/smoke detector is hanging in the starboard passageway (leading to the aft cabin and over the engine room door).

Actually... I have to confess. I was too lazy to put up another picture of myself... ha ha. This was the only "thumbnail" size photo I had. It's 2 years old. I'll never have that wild hair, since my wife buzzes it off every week or two. Low maintenance!

Anyway, thanks for the info.

PS: The tie is indeed lost. They are all in storage in Newport, RI, and I write to you this AM in underwear and a T-shirt. Thank GOD I don't have a webcam.... ha ha ha ha!!!

capt lar once whispered in the wind:
sean - i think this went a little off point. the AC is not a problem. it does not burn fuel. i assume you run it off shore power (non issue) or generator. by your profile, looks like you found new location in long island - i was away for a while and did not know where you ended up. generator would obviously be provided intake air and vented exhaust. exhaust lines need to be checked for cracks, but your CO detector will stand guard.
make up air can be brought in separately from any other equipment. air to air heat exchangers are a simple device that bring in oxygen rich air and pass it through baffles that capture heat from cabin air being discharged.
your risk is from the stove and will be even greater from the wood burner you plan to install. i assume the wood stove will have it's own air intake and exhaust so the fire box is actually sealed. cabins are small, and as you button up for cold weather, your risk increases. CO detectors are now cheap - get a 2nd one.
when you have time - you need new photo. the guy in the picture is definitely not a charter captain. i have been waiting to see the photo with the beard and wild hair - capt. ron-esque. save the tie. good for emergency repairs.
best of luck with charters. you probably noticed the fall delivery ads are popping up as well. $
capt. lar

[GordMay]

See also the discussion on “Cabin Heaters”, under ‘Yacht Maintenance, Boat Building, Tips & Tricks’ at:
http://cruisersforum.com/showthread....=cabin+heaters

[merman365]

I removed my wood stove from my boat, it was very hard to keep the right balance of draft/heat level up.Also I got the ss stove pipe Red Hot trying. I now have a force 10 propane cabin heater.I had pulled the pressure alcohol stove /oven at the same time, I replaced that with a ss Force 10 4 burner stove/oven combo (THANK YOU E-Bay) put a propane grill on the rail as well. I cook and I like to stay warm when its cold! Mostly my Gal said she could not live with a cold boat! I installed a 3 way alarm ( Propane ,Water and CO) We live in New Hampshire most of the time for now.Our last child gets out of High School this spring!!!!! Its off to St. Somewhere for us in the fall 06.

[ssullivan]

What kind of wood stove was it? I think Kai Nui was looking at them, and might have an interest.

Why did you have trouble with the draw on the wood stove? Did you have a proper setup with 4" stove pipe and a proper smoke head (goes a long way to prevent or eliminate downdrafts).

And for the heating aspect... I have a 45' boat with 13'8 beam. The stove puts out 28,000 BTUs. It's 21 degrees out right now, and 90 degrees inside. I'm in shorts and a t-shirt right now typing this. My wife is in the same.

I'm just wondering why the wood stove didn't work for you, since mine works so well. Maybe it was a different type? I just bought a Little Cod.

And unrelated.. where are you in NH? Portsmouth area? I miss that area a lot. Can't wait to get back up there this summer. I went to UNH, lived in Portsmouth for several years, and miss it terribly sometimes.