Help How to test CO method?

[restless.dreams]

I'm considering the CO method using a portable gas generator in my car, but I want to test it first with a CO meter. My plan is to run the generator in the car while I stand outside and watch the meter to see if it gets up to 10,000 ppm, and then turn the generator off. How can I do that safely without accidentally poisoning myself? Just open the car door, turn off the generator, run away and let it air out? Or would that be too risky?

Also, my first thought was to park my car in the garage and do it there, but my garage is attached to the house. Is there any risk of CO getting into the house and hurting my cats?

 

[Lostone47]

I know when I tested levels the amount if CO the meter read dropped insanely fast once the car door was opened. I could only get up to 1900 in the car for some reason but having the door open for less than a minute dropped it to 250. As long as you do it outside and just open the doors after the test quickly it shouldn't be a problem. Just don't sit in the vehicle if it's strictly a test.

 

[restless.dreams]

Thanks @doubjack24, that's helpful information! Did you tape up the vents in your car or anything like that?

 

[Lostone47]

Thanks @doubjack24, that's helpful information! Did you tape up the vents in your car or anything like that?

I did. Must have been the door trim or something leaking. Thought that since my vehicle is newer that it wouldn't be an issue but it was for some reason. Had to make a trip to test since I have nowhere inconspicuous to test in my area. I guess a tent would be better for this method. 1900 is supposed to be lethal after an hour but that wasn't high enough for me to trust it.

 

[restless.dreams]

Hmm good to know! I don't want to take any chances.

 

[Linda]

Don't run your test in the garage, do it with the car parked outside. A test should be safe if there is some way to turn the generator off from outside the car. If there is, then turn it off, open one or two doors of the car fully, then immediately walk away to a safe distance (not sure precisely how far is safe, but 50 yards should be more than enough), and wait for a while for normal air movements to flush the gas from the car. (How long you need for that will depend on how windy it is, but with 2 car doors open we are probably talking about just a few minutes. You could make it half an hour to be on the safe side.) If you can't turn the generator off from outside the car, the situation would be much more dangerous, as you would have to enter, or at last stick your head into, a car full of a dangerously high concentration of carbon monoxide. Unless you have breathing apparatus designed for that kind of situation (and know how to us it), I wouldn't want to do that.

 

[restless.dreams]

Appreciate the input @Linda! I will do the test outside the garage to be safe.

It looks like the generator needs to be manually switched off, so I don't think I'll be able to do it from outside the car. Maybe I can hold my breath, turn it off really fast and run? Otherwise I guess I could just wait for the fuel to run out and it'll turn off on its own.

 

[Linda]

Appreciate the input @Linda! I will do the test outside the garage to be safe.

It looks like the generator needs to be manually switched off, so I don't think I'll be able to do it from outside the car. Maybe I can hold my breath, turn it off really fast and run? Otherwise I guess I could just wait for the fuel to run out and it'll turn off on its own.

If you are going to depend on holding your breath, then put the generator somewhere you can access it very easily and quickly when you open the car door and can switch it off very easily and quickly.