I went to bed early last night figuring I'd conserve on propane and cut down on having to charge the batteries so much. I turned the burner off and woke up at 3:00 and the thermometer on the clock said 30.7 degrees (In here). I braved the cold and lit the burner and then all was fair until I made coffee on it about 8:00. Then the damn carbon monoxide sensor started going off. I turned off the burner and cooled the place down by opening the door and then shut the door and lit it back up. It started going off again when the place warmed up a little and then I opened the door again. It just went off for the third time and I have the door open again.
Don't know how cold it got last night, but it had to have been PLENTY cold because the water in my 6 gallon jug outside was partially frozen and all of the gallon jugs were that way to. The sun is shining through the window now so maybe it will warm up in here some before long without the burner going.
Maybe you could somehow open your window a little to vent the gas. Hopfully you figure somthing out because Friday night it will again get down to about 30 degrees there.
ReplyDeleteI think what caused that problem was boiling the water on the burner for coffee. I decided not fire up the generator to use the coffee pot this morning (first time I've done that) If a flame is close to borderline of puting out monoxide and is further restricted from the proper air mixture they will produce monoxide. Up until this morning the sensor has never gone off. I guess it will be back to makeing the coffee the new fangled way. ;)
ReplyDeleteI bet having that detector go off was scary but I am glad you have it to warn you.
ReplyDeleteDo you have enough blankets?
Got way more than enough blankets and quilts MsB. I also drug out a toboggan to wear tonight, but I'd bet it won't be as cold? Sounds like we may get more of it before the weekend though. Main problem I had last night was my mustache staying wet from condensation from my breath. Much colder and I'd probably had a frosted mustache. I hear it got down to 19 outside so I guess being in a tin can and having a 12 degree differential ain't bad. Of course unless you happen to be in the tin can. ;)
ReplyDeleteWell tffnguy, I was afraid when you made that wall between you and storage you would cap yourself in. Which to be warm you had to. That is when that fang dangled alarm paid for itself. I feel better you having it. Have you taken time to fiddle with a fire pit? Course, don’t know if you have anything to burn. Maybe next winter you’ll be better rigged. Now you better be prepping for summer too. That tin can might get as hot as it does cold so be thinking on what you gonna do. Keep up the post I’m watchen.
ReplyDeleteTigger, there's a burn ban around here and no wood either so... I hope to have a good start on other accommodations by the time it gets real hot. Takes time and money though so I'm doing what I can when I can do it. I think I'll just keep the tank filled cause I don't like getting out of bed when its 31 degrees in here! Its down to 55 degrees in here now with the burner going on low. I think its time to get under cover.
ReplyDeleteI think one of the guys at the Legion has the socket I need to change the pulleys on the charger. Sure hope so because I'm conserving the batteries as much as I can now.
And on a side note another one of B-1s screamed over at 9:31. Maybe 2 seconds total between the time it roared over and the sound vanished. That dude was COOKING! Glad I ain't the people they would be looking to take out because there wouldn't be any time to escape.
Buy one of those trucker's electric 12 volt heating pads. They're cheep and effective. Either that or a propane camp heater. Also cheep and effective. I know you're a long ways from stores, but, a day trip up to Odessa might be well worth it. While you're up there, stop by a Home Depot and pick up a socket wrench set, and a couple other hand tools. You could probably order all these things on-line with a bit of surfing, and have UPS deliver. It worries me to read about you suffering in the cold, when a few simple things could make your quality of life so much better. Take care, good luck, and thanks for taking the time to post and keep us informed.
ReplyDeleteyou about ready for an oil-filled radiator yet? give me a shipping address, and i'll go get one and send it to you N-O-W! if it doesn't work for you, i'll just get it back from you when i'm down that way during the year sometime. won't cost you a cent. better safe than a coupla frozen cajones!
ReplyDeleteas you already know, you've got weather headed your way later this week. it's supposed to snow in lubbock, just after i leave there wednesday night, starting at about 8-12pm, and i'll be racing it back to midland then. should be here early thursday morning, which puts it in your area shortly thereafter. get ready to button up.
jack b :-) in midland, tx usa
Allen, it isn't staying warm under the cover that is the problem. Its getting out from under them that is. I was comfortable under all the cover even at 31 degrees in here.
ReplyDeleteJack, yes I know more cold is coming this way, but that oil filed heater wouldn't do me anymore good than the burner setup. I wouldn't run the generator all night to keep it going. I could turn the burner up and stay warm, but the little 5 gallon propane tank wouldn't last long. I've determined that it is making coffee on the burner that's causing the problem because the sensor is going on again now after the burner going all night on low. I didn't turn the burner up to make coffee, just set the can on top.
Are you planning to get hooked up to electricity via the grid? If so, all your problems will be solved soon enough. Or, are you going to try to go totaly off-grid for your power needs? Solar, wind, and a back-up generator will work just fine, but, you'll have to spend some money up front, as you no doubt know.
ReplyDeleteWhat are you doing for water? You could live off bottled water for a while. I guess you're thinking about some long term water solutions, also.
Looking forward to seeing how you work things out. Thanks again for posting, and good luck.
No way I could go on grid. It would cost at least 10K to get power to my land (if the owner of the land between me and 118 signed a right of way.) I will stay totally off grid for that reason. I need to get my wind generator up and will buy solar panels as I can, but for now the charger will be it. (provided I can get it setup correctly while I'm here in Odessa.) Also hopefully some day I'll build other wind generators.
ReplyDeleteI need to get at least 5 plastic rain barrels or one of the food grade tanks If I can find one here or there) They sell the food grade tanks in the DFW area for $75, but I don't plan to go back there. Anyway one of the Legion members delivers 250 gallons for $30 so that's what I intend to do as soon as I have the storage. Some day I hope to have something built to allow capturing rain water, but I don't know how far off that is.