Method Carbon monoxide megathread

[YoMistaWhite]

I have a question using a charcoal burner and, if anyone has any insight it would be really appreciated. When using a charcoal burner that is smaller compared to the buckets used - would you need to get a second charcoal burner or would doing a couple of batches within one be sufficient? Thank you

 

[locked*n*loaded]

I have a question using a charcoal burner and, if anyone has any insight it would be really appreciated. When using a charcoal burner that is smaller compared to the buckets used - would you need to get a second charcoal burner or would doing a couple of batches within one be sufficient? Thank you

I'd want all my charcoal to be at the same "place" in the burn cycle, glowing red hot. I'd be concerned that by the time the 2nd, or 3rd, or 4th, etc, batch was appropriately burning, that previous batches would be nearly burned out. Glowing red hot is the point where most CO emission occurs.

 

[YoMistaWhite]

I'd want all my charcoal to be at the same "place" in the burn cycle, glowing red hot. I'd be concerned that by the time the 2nd, or 3rd, or 4th, etc, batch was appropriately burning, that previous batches would be nearly burned out. Glowing red hot is the point where most CO emission occurs.

Definitely makes sense and would be more certain to have all of the charcoal burning at the same rate. I just wasn't aware if there would have been much difference in a couple of minutes between batches burning. Thanks

 

[locked*n*loaded]

Definitely makes sense and would be more certain to have all of the charcoal burning at the same rate. I just wasn't aware if there would have been much difference in a couple of minutes between batches burning. Thanks

We're talking about those electric charcoal starters, right? How long do they take to get charcoal burning adequately? I've never used one.

 

[YoMistaWhite]

Nah not electric, this would be a chimney starter so just would be used to light coal manually. Never used an electric one either tbf

 

[locked*n*loaded]

Nah not electric, this would be a chimney starter so just would be used to light coal manually. Never used an electric one either tbf

Ok. Myself, I bought 4 chimney starters, large ones, largest I could find, and 4 metal pails.

 

[AllWentWrong]

A couple things. 4500 cu ft is quite a lot of volume. With a small generator, it would be difficult, if not impossible, at least in my opinion, to achieve a desireably high enough CO level that would allow one to ctb in a "comfortable" fashion. The other thing is that newer, modern generators have catalytic converters, similar to vehicles, that substantially limit the amount of CO and other pollutants that get emitted. Many even have a safety feature that shuts them down when a minimal CO threshold amount is detected. Generators are best for small spaces and, even then, you'd have to modify the generator by removing the catalytic converter. Older ones can work, but again, they'd be best used in a small volume of space. And, of course, you'd be subject to breathing all of the other noxious gases emitted as by-products of the internal combustion process.

Ha, I was thinking of how much black smoke exhaust it produces. It's even bad outside. Also, I've seen you or someone else mention the Co shut offs. It's a 12 year old generator and I don't recall a catalytic converter.

If it shuts off it would be due to lack of oxygen.
Also... I've seen mention of Asian style sand protection for the lit BBQ briquettes. Does someone have a diagram of how that setup works.

 

[locked*n*loaded]

Ha, I was thinking of how much black smoke exhaust it produces. It's even bad outside. Also, I've seen you or someone else mention the Co shut offs. It's a 12 year old generator and I don't recall a catalytic converter.

If it shuts off it would be due to lack of oxygen.
Also... I've seen mention of Asian style sand protection for the lit BBQ briquettes. Does someone have a diagram of how that setup works.

You may be alright then if it's 12 years old. It still isn't going to get the CO level up high enough in a space that large, imo. It will take too long to die, which equates to too much suffering. Ideally, you need to create a CO level of 10000 ppm, or more, in a space, so that you go unconscious quickly, meaning in seconds, not in minutes.

Have no idea what "sand protection" is, nor what its purpose is.

 

[AllWentWrong]

You may be alright then if it's 12 years old. It still isn't going to get the CO level up high enough in a space that large, imo. It will take too long to die, which equates to too much suffering. Ideally, you need to create a CO level of 10000 ppm, or more, in a space, so that you go unconscious quickly, meaning in seconds, not in minutes.

Have no idea what "sand protection" is, nor what its purpose i

I posted the sand question to the wrong spot. Elsewhere in this megathread (p 15 or 16) there is a description of putting bag of sand in your car and clay pot with coal.