Carbon monoxide detector

Roybrew

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Does any one use a carbon monoxide detector in their tent when heating with some type of fuel burning stove? I've got a propane Mr Heater, and it says it's safe for tents. It also states that it has automatic shut for low oxygen, and tip over. Now for another question. Does low oxygen mean more carbon monoxide?
 

Grandpa

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We use a wood burning stove in our home and we use a CO detector both in the stairway to the basement and our bedrooms.
 

Roybrew

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I guess what I'm getting at is, I bought one that uses batteries. I figured I could use it in the tent when I strike up the Mr Heater just before I climb out of the warm bag on those cold mornings. If I snooze for another 30 mins or so, the detector should let me know if there's something wrong. And shouldn't a person have one in a tent with a wood stove?
 

Northern Dancer

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I use a Buddy Heater or a Wood Burning Stove. My practice is to follow the manufacturer's advice in terms of venting. When using the Buddy Heater, I turn it off when retiring. Unless it is unusually cold I let my wood stove burn out. That's the time I use "body" warmers and place them at the bottom of my sleeping bag. Sometimes I have used a hot water bottle though the body warmers last for eighteen hours and actually work. I use an old sock to place the warmer in as direct contact will burn skin. One is more than enough. I have two winter sleeping bags: one is rated at - 04 F and the other rated at - 22 F without an insert.

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Grandpa

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I guess what I'm getting at is, I bought one that uses batteries. I figured I could use it in the tent when I strike up the Mr Heater just before I climb out of the warm bag on those cold mornings. If I snooze for another 30 mins or so, the detector should let me know if there's something wrong. And shouldn't a person have one in a tent with a wood stove?
I gave the long winded answer. The short answer is yes.
 

Roybrew

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Sorry, I guess I didn't get my point across to well. I get like that in the middle of the night.

I was looking at the winter camping tents with the stove Jack's. And it got me thinking about that.
Thanks you all.
 

Northern Dancer

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...I just noted the time. I do that on occasion too when I'm just too alert...or just too tuckered out - and I get on the comp to calm myself down. Looking at tents with stove jacks? Come to any conclusions?
 

Roybrew

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I got to thinking the other night that it's usually cooler weather when I camp. It's not snowy or doesn't stay bone chilling cold here, but a wood stove in the tent when it is cold would be great. There's nothing I hate worse then climbing out of a nice warm bag in the morning, and struggle to get warmed back up. So I was just exploring the idea of a tent with some way of heating it with out putting your life in danger.

How do you keep your tent from catching fire? Is the tent made of fire proof material? I'm just exploring this right now.
 

Northern Dancer

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...the better tents are all fire retarded - but not fireproof. I have a colleague who will keep his wood fire burning at night as he has one of those really expensive, I cannot afford, wood stoves. He also sleeps with a very sharp hunting knife that he can slash his way out of his tent should there be a fire. You can purchase wall fire guards and fire mats. I chose to build a platform covered with thick tin to set my wood stove on and to catch any cinders should they fall to the floor when I open the door. Actually - my Alaknak has a zippered part of the floor that you can open to place your wood stove over.

This is my practice you might find helpful. In the colder weather, like it is now, I use an Outback Lodge [the middle size] with a Buddy Heater. I place the heater on a platform to assure that it is level and it is hooked up to a small propane tank [ten pounder] that is located outside the tent. I have that on a platform too. I think I showed the Outback before. On the left side at the bottom, there is a zipper that you can open for a tube or power port.

I purchased my Outback Lodge from Cabela's.

I've been cold/winter weather camping for years and I follow the standard safety rules and have never had any trouble. Unless you are camping in colder temperatures a wood stove can be a bit expensive and may not be necessary. It depends on how much you want to invest for the time you are out. Let's talk more.


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I use this tent for canoe camping and cold weather camping. Cold weather camping for me is: it's okay to have snow and the temperature is generally 0 to 50 and then again a few degrees below 0.


  • Spacious, easy-to-setup wall tent for 8 people - not in my tent - two at the very most.
  • Fast and easy setup - I can easily manage this myself.
  • Main steel pole and fiberglass corner poles - strong support
  • 75D polyester-taffeta walls and ceiling with 1,500mm waterproof-rated coating
  • 210D polyester oxford floor with 1,500mm waterproof-rated coating
  • Three 68D polyester-tricot mesh windows and roof venting for ventilation - there is also one over the door that I often cover.
  • Large 70"H door with awning - this is fabulous when it raining or snowing hard.
  • Zippered power port - this is how I hook up my heater to the outside tank.
  • 3 storage pockets for gear - that I never use.
 

Grandpa

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I inherited my dad's old canvas wall tent. The jack was two pieces of metal with an asbestos (yes, I know) gaskets each side of the canvas. The tent itself never seemed to get too hot even though we left the fire burning all night. That tent didn't have a floor. We left it up all winter in the back pasture and snow machined in for a budget mini vacation.
 

Roybrew

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Thanks Dancer that's interesting. I just stick with a MrHeater for around here. I will have to think about the tent. I wonder how they measure the coating they put on their tents?

Sure is hard to beet the old canvas tents Grandpa. Little on the heavy side. I can still remember the smell of the canvas tent we had when I young. Is the cotton tents the same as canvas?
 

Grandpa

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Yes, canvas tents are made of tightly woven cotton. As the canvas gets wet it swells and tightens even more. And yes they are heavy. Definitely not for backpacking, although as a kid I would carry half a military pup tent and use it as a lean to and get my heat from the campfire.

This is the tent my son recently bought for elk hunting. The stove jack is on the far side. That front porch was sure a nice addition to the wall tents of old. This monster can hold six cots at the back, with room for a table and chairs at the front. Great when that early Colorado or Idaho snow storm sets in. Here it is set up on the beach at Flaming Gorge on the Wyoming side.
 

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Northern Dancer

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Thanks Dancer that's interesting. I just stick with a MrHeater for around here. I will have to think about the tent. I wonder how they measure the coating they put on their tents?

Sure is hard to beet the old canvas tents Grandpa. Little on the heavy side. I can still remember the smell of the canvas tent we had when I young. Is the cotton tents the same as canvas?
----->I'm not sure how they measure the coating - but the better tents have better coats. I'm forever buying equipment so I've put the brakes on to curb my spending. But I admit I like a tent that I can walk into and don't need extra shelters to keep the rain out. It snowed in this region all day today and is just tapering off now. I have my winter tent up to test it out before I go on the road. Alas - our region has been declared red when it comes to Covid 19 and I will not be traveling anywhere soon. There is every reason to believe that no one will be visiting for Christmas this year either. Our parishes are in shut down mode as just about everything else - except where I work.

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I had to clear off the snow that's causing the sag over my bed after taking the photo.
I have one of those heat-induced fans that circulates the air and distributes the heat more evenly that's sitting on the woodstove.
 

Northern Dancer

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Yes, canvas tents are made of tightly woven cotton. As the canvas gets wet it swells and tightens even more. And yes they are heavy. Definitely not for backpacking, although as a kid I would carry half a military pup tent and use it as a lean to and get my heat from the campfire.

This is the tent my son recently bought for elk hunting. The stove jack is on the far side. That front porch was sure a nice addition to the wall tents of old. This monster can hold six cots at the back, with room for a table and chairs at the front. Great when that early Colorado or Idaho snow storm sets in. Here it is set up on the beach at Flaming Gorge on the Wyoming side.
-----> I had a canvas tent for years and it was terrific if you put it on a platform and didn't have to move it. I use to have the extra canvas roof to assure no water would get in. The wood stove would heat that space up in no time and the place would stay warm. Alas - there are better products on the market today that are lighter, tougher, and more home-like. But then again - it's what's in your blood and what one feels they like the most.
 

ppine

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A stove in a tent changes everything. Works well in the old wall tent and the Baker tent.
A tipi with a fire and a frost liner is also a great setup.
I have spent plenty of nights in snow storms and below zero conditions in those set-ups.
Living in a wall tent for a month was not that hard even in the snow.

Tents are not really airtight and leak air so CO should not be that much of a problem with canvas. If they are covered in snow, it is a different story.
The Cabela's Alaknak tents do not breathe. I stayed in one on a hunting trip. They are dark and do not have much ventilation. Not the best for a humid climate.
 
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