Side effects from sitting by Mr Heater out fishing

[FrontenacPike]

Does anyone else notice anything after sitting in a shack with one all day. I have a Mr Heater cooker to heat my shack. Every evening after a day of fishing my nose is running and I am constantly sneezing. I typically have to take a couple Excedrin to cure the headache. While out fishing I have done the best to try and battle this, by max cross ventilation, and doing a complete air exchange every hour.

Am I alone out there, is my heater broke? I remember these side effects from years past but this year it is way worse. Does anyone know if I went to a Big Buddy if there would be less emissions....because this miserable?

[Steve Foss]

The more BTUs your heater puts out, the more fumes you're going to have to deal with. Those heater/cookers really pump out the BTUs, and I've noticed quite a few guys don't need near that much heat to stay comfortable in their shelters.

[Ed Carlson]

Yes the Buddy emits less. Venting is still key. I switched for this reason as it also bothered me.

Proper Hydration is also well advised while fishing to relieve and eliminate that hangover from the fumes. That would be water, not beer.

Milk will also help to relieve the side effects of co2 build up in your system. The meth-head cookers also use this trick to help clean the chem-[PoorWordUsage] from there systems from inhaled fumes.

[FrontenacPike]

I keep my heater at the lowest possible setting and keep the window next to my melon and the opposite side vent fully open.

So Steve you think i should try a big buddy?

Ed I will give the milk suggestion a whirl. I'm a huge milk guy and always have a gallon in my fridge.

Appreciate the responses guys.

[Bullwinkled]

I used a small sunflower for the first couple of years in my one man and did notice the C-02 effects occasionally mainly the headache. Went to the small buddy (round one) lined roof and back with the reflectix and things are much better. Biggest plus is the elimination of noise from a sunflower.

[mixxedbagg]

I've been using the sunflower in a small portable for years. I've had the headache, nausea, and hangover on a few occasions from the CO. I now do a better job with ventilation and know when to get out for air.

My question: Are the effects of CO acute only or can there be cumulative effects from chronic exposure? I mean, can frequent exposure to low doses cause problems like asthma, cancer, migraines....whatever? Or is it a "once you're back in fresh air, you're OK"? Does anyone actually KNOW the answer?

[88fan]

I had the same issues with the cooker. I switched to the Big Buddy and now I rarely come home with a headache.

[masoct3]

I dont think the cooker/heater is safe. I switched to the Portable Buddy and it is much cleaner air and turns off if the oxygen sensor turns on.

[Ben_Fish_Catchin]

It seems to me having a window open next to my head allows for more fume inhalation as they escape through the window. Try sitting in-between two windows and always use a ceiling fan to keep things circulated. I noticed this watching someone smoke a cigarette while sitting in stagnant air with the windows open versus circulated air by the use of a ceiling fan. I too use to get headaches until "getting" the concept.

Too much propane fume symptoms:

* Burning sensation

* Convulsions

* Cough

* Diarrhea

* Dizziness

* Fever

* Heartbeat - irregular

* Heartbeat - rapid

* Lightheadedness

* Loss of consciousness

* Nausea

* Nervousness

* Pain and numbness in arms and legs

* Skin irritation

* Slow and shallow breathing

* Unconsciousness

* Vomiting

* Weakness

Hydration is always a good idea while on the ice but water or milk will not rid yourself of carbon monoxide poisoning despite what you hear. Milk may help if you swallow propane The ultimate flush is massive amounts of oxygen. You might look like a dork but to ultimately resolve your propane symptoms you could use a respirator. I know its been cold lately, but have you tried upgrading your gear? Long term exposure to carbon monoxide will reduce your cardio which in turn reduces your ability to regulate your body temp efficiently.

[jwhjr]

I always had headaches and my eyes were dry feeling when sitting in the shack with a sunflower heater, but since the switch to a Big Buddy I have had none of those symptoms.

[Ed Carlson]

The last and final symptom on that list was unfortunately omited....Death.

One has to be aware, it is a silent killer.

And not to be taken lightly.

[john.wells]

I have also read that when someone has suffered significant carbon monoxide poisoning that problems can still arise even days later. It seems to me that just last year there was a story about this in the news, and that if a person who has had a massive exposure will need to be put into a hyperbaric chamber to scour out the CO.

[john.wells]

From WebMD: Carbon Monoxide Poisoning - Treatment Overview

The goal of treatment for carbon monoxide poisoning is to remove carbon monoxide from the hemoglobin in your blood and bring the oxygen level in your blood back to normal.

For the immediate treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning, it is important that you remove yourself from the area where the gas may be present. If carbon monoxide poisoning is known or suspected, get out of the building or car where the carbon monoxide is present.

After you are taken to the hospital, you may be given oxygen therapy. The most common type of oxygen therapy, called 100% oxygen therapy, involves breathing oxygen through a tight-fitting mask. If you have severe carbon monoxide poisoning and can't breathe on your own, a breathing machine may be used to help you breathe and to provide extra oxygen. In some cases, a person may receive hyperbaric oxygen therapy. During this treatment, you are put into a full-body chamber that uses oxygen under pressure (hyperbaric chamber) to remove the carbon monoxide faster.

Several factors are considered when treating carbon monoxide poisoning. Tests are done to find out the amount of carbon monoxide in the blood. Infants, small children, older adults, and people with health problems are more severely affected by carbon monoxide in the blood. Treatment usually includes oxygen therapy to treat severe symptoms and to lower carbon monoxide levels in the blood as quickly as possible.

If treatment is timely, most people are able to recover from carbon monoxide poisoning. If it is not treated, severe carbon monoxide poisoning can lead to heart or brain damage or death. Even after treatment, a person who survives a severe case of carbon monoxide poisoning may have permanent memory loss or brain damage. But most people who are critically injured or who die from carbon monoxide poisoning never received treatment. It is especially important to be aware of the warning signs and to seek immediate treatment if carbon monoxide poisoning is suspected. For more information, see the Symptoms section of this topic.

What To Think About

Oxygen therapy should not be delayed while tests are being done.

During the weeks following treatment, any changes in vision, coordination, or behavior should be reported to your doctor.

If a pregnant woman has carbon monoxide poisoning, treatment must be continued even after carbon monoxide is no longer found in her blood, because there still may be carbon monoxide in the blood of the fetus.

[LMITOUT]

I've used Mr. Cookers for years in an Otter portable and have learned that the hose connection to the heater needs to be extra tight. The other thing to watch out for is running the hose at a hard right angle to the heater which pulls on the connection and allows propane to sneak by if the connection is not very snug. Not only will this allow propane to slip by and cause a headache that soon follows, but it also leads to a nice fire to roast chestnuts on.

I like to open the vents on the Otter and usually leave the door zipper open a bit to keep fresh air circulating though the house. Seems like the older I get the more I need to stand up and walk around so I'm usually stepping outside every once in a while which helps clear out the house too.

[BobT]

I think you guys need to be careful. I noticed the earlier threads were referring to excess CO2 (carbon dioxide) but an excess of CO (carbon monoxide) is even worse. The information John has posted about CO poisoning is good. If you've been experiencing nausea, headache, sleepiness, and other symptoms of CO poisoning beware! You are dangerously exposed.

[shizzy]

I like to open the vents on the Otter and usually leave the door zipper open a bit to keep fresh air circulating though the house. Seems like the older I get the more I need to stand up and walk around so I'm usually stepping outside every once in a while which helps clear out the house too.

I do the same. In fact I almost never bank the flaps on my portable for this reason. I figure thats a little extra air circulation. every hour or so I usually step out of the shack and go for a short walk while leaving the door unzipped.

[Fishinguy40]

BUY A BATTERY OPERATED CO DETECTOR.

They only cost $20-$25. A lot less money than you will spend if you do end up with CO poisoning.

[BobT]

Quote:

They only cost $20-$25. A lot less money than you will spend if you do end up with CO poisoning.

Sounds to me like there's a good chance he's already experiencing CO poisoning.

[Northlander]

Does anyone else notice anything after sitting in a shack with one all day. I have a Mr Heater cooker to heat my shack. Every evening after a day of fishing my nose is running and I am constantly sneezing. I typically have to take a couple Excedrin to cure the headache. While out fishing I have done the best to try and battle this, by max cross ventilation, and doing a complete air exchange every hour.

Am I alone out there, is my heater broke? I remember these side effects from years past but this year it is way worse. Does anyone know if I went to a Big Buddy if there would be less emissions....because this miserable?

Sounds like your heater is burning poorly. Clean the face of it and put a new thermocoupler on and see how that works.

[Mainehazmt]

One of my books quoted this as a warning

you need 2800 square cm fresh air inlet for each 100000 btu/hr for unvented heater someone can do the math I cant lol

[Hawg]

I have the Portable Buddy, I use it in a deer stand. I e-mailed Mr heater to ask why they burn so poorly on the low setting because mine kind of spits and sputters and hisses. I wanted to take it back to Gander but the guy told me they all do that and talking to some others confirmed it. By the way, it burns perfect on high. Mr Heater never answered, I've sent 3 e-mails now and still no answer.

[DTro]

Well if my math is correct then with a 14000 BTU Mr Cooker, you need about 400 cm2 fresh air inlet or about a 1ft Square.

[harvey lee]

I would much rather use my buddy heater than my Mr Heater for all the safety reasons.

I have use my Mr Cooker heater and I always have my vents open and a bit of the flap. I have also had some of the symptoms of CO2 and the heater just scares me at times.

My Buddy heater has none of these issues.

[Northlander]

I have the Portable Buddy, I use it in a deer stand. I e-mailed Mr heater to ask why they burn so poorly on the low setting because mine kind of spits and sputters and hisses. I wanted to take it back to Gander but the guy told me they all do that and talking to some others confirmed it. By the way, it burns perfect on high. Mr Heater never answered, I've sent 3 e-mails now and still no answer.

Join the club. I have sent tons of e-mails to them and never got a reply from 1 of them. One more reason I wont buy a new MR. Heater Buddy Heater. Just are not dependable.

As stated above I ALWAYS have vents and my door part way open when using any heater in my house.

[herefish101]

I just had the headache saturday night, I switched from the buddy heater to the heater/cooker to warm up a little and in no time flat my head was pounding. Headache is usually the first sighn of carbon monoxide(CO) poisoning, then lightheadedness, then nausea/vomiting, if you make it past all of that your next step is passing out, then you can only hope that someone saves you before it's time for the long nap.