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She died of CO in the shower on a 'PROPER YACHT' equipped with an "on demand unit" .
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It has to be a faulty burner to produce that much CO. The burner does need oxygen from some place. With "on demand" the main burner is only open for the "demand". Using such a system in the dead of
winter might be a problem though our boat was in Delaware 2 winters ago with a
liveaboard.
Just a pilot light alone can never produce enough CO. All that aside I do agree a CO
sensor is a valuable tool on
every boat.
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I personally know of one installed in the galley that the pilot light was extinguished in a moderate wind.
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It should never be an issue. Pilot light goes out and the main burner refuses to open. It's been a standard on home
appliances for more than 50 years. For my on demand unit I open the solenoid on the main panel, open the propane valve to the unit. Slide the interlock in position. Push the pilot valve at the same time push the pezio starter to light the pilot. Hold the pilot valve a few more seconds. When I let go if the pilot
sensor is hot enough it holds the pilot valve open and then I can slide the interlock in place. On demand hot water is now available. Most all gas home hot water heaters start this way exclusive of the solenoid. When finished I slide the interlock off and close the valve and shut the solenoid unless I'm going to cook on the
stove. Using both at the same time is possible too. With a bad
stove oven burner you could die quicker than from an on demand hot water heater.
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I look forward to fuel cells.
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Currently fuel cells are an energy deficit device. Like most technologies that are expensive to operate the total energy
budget to make them and use them is more than the energy they produce. Propane is a great
fuel cell. It burns cleaner than any other fuel. Fuel cells are the great hope of comic
books and junk science.
We cruisers do have the largest energy supply on the planet. It's called
solar and it also makes "the wind" powered by the ultimate
fuel cell - "the sun". Between the two there already is enough energy.