Reusing Furnace Exhaust With a Skirt in Winter

[D2Reid]

I thought about doing this, but was hesitant because of concerns for CO2. My neighbor actually put it together with a dryer hose. I have watched them for a month, they are still alive.

Does anyone see any other danger here?

[TucsonJim]

Dallas - i'm at a loss for words on this one. I can't believe anyone would be so fool-hardy as to do something like this. I sure hope they have multiple CO detectors inside that rig.

Jim

[Cate&Rob]

WOW! - Given that the furnace exhaust warm air will rise and the floor of an RV is anything but air tight . . . this is an incredibly bad idea.

Rob

[warsw1]

Wow....I'm at a loss for words

How is carbon monoxide (CO) harmful to the body?

Carbon monoxide is harmful when breathed because it displaces oxygen in the blood and deprives the heart, brain, and other vital organs of oxygen. Large amounts of CO can overcome you in minutes without warning—causing you to lose consciousness and suffocate. ... CO poisoning can be reversed if caught in time.

[Jerryr]

How are portable propane heaters such as the one in the link below approved for indoor use?
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-MH1...dp/B0002WRHE8/

Are these safe and if so what makes the combustion byproducts different from the byproduct of the trailer propane heater?

[offtohavasu]

What can go wrong?

[Capt Jim]

Say what you will...They're currently front-runners for the Darwin award!

(I'm ashamed of myself)

Safe Travels

Jim

[Paul & Deb]

Every winter people all over the planet die from things just like this! That's some risky living right there! I really can't believe their alarms aren't going off and they're not sick.

Keep us in the loop on this Dallas.

BTW, have you spoken to him/her?

[Cate&Rob]

How are portable propane heaters such as the one in the link below approved for indoor use?
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-MH1...dp/B0002WRHE8/

Are these safe and if so what makes the combustion byproducts different from the byproduct of the trailer propane heater?

The Mr. Heater style of propane heaters are "catalytic" and produce far less incomplete combustion byproducts (including carbon monoxide) than flame combustion such as a propane furnace. The operating instructions always include the size of opening to outside air required to replace the oxygen used and to dilute the combustion products created. For the MH18B that your reference, the manual says "This heater requires a vent area of 18 square inches (example 4 1/4” x 4 1/4” opening) minimum for adequate ventilation during operation." Ducting an unknown concentration of carbon monoxide back under (and potentially into) your unvented trailer would be a very questionable thing to do.

Rob

[TucsonJim]

How are portable propane heaters such as the one in the link below approved for indoor use?
https://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-MH1...dp/B0002WRHE8/

Are these safe and if so what makes the combustion byproducts different from the byproduct of the trailer propane heater?

According to the manual for this device, adequate ventilation must be provided or there is a danger of CO gas poisoning. The warnings also caution that a 9 Sqaure inch opening needs to be provided to supply outside air. In addition, the heater has a built in oxygen sensor that shuts it off if oxygen concentration drops below a certain level.

Here is a link to the manual. There are lots of cautions and warnings about CO, Asphyxiation, ventilation and others:
http://www.mrheater.com/sporting/dow...l_usa_2017.pdf

Jim