Carbon Monoxide poisoning from camping gaz cartridges?

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katilea
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Carbon Monoxide poisoning from camping gaz cartridges?

Post by katilea »

Can you get carbon monoxide poisoning from camping gaz cartridges?

Just wondering if mine are leaking as I never used them and forgot I'd left them in bedroom wardrobe. For a while now I've had headaches and feeling sick but only when I've got in bed at night and in winter I'm usually watching telly in here from 6pm -12 then sleeping in same and getting up around 8am.

I looked at symptoms and it mentions that they could be mild symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning, so took cartridges out of bottom of wardrobe and they feel like they're nearly empty you can fell a little liquid or something moving inside but they were full when I got them but never had chance to use them. They definitely felt different when I first got them and there wasn't that feeling of liquid sloshing inside.

I've moved them into spare room and shut the door for now and the feeling of nausea that started since I got in bed is going off. Looked up CM Poisoning but it doesn't mention camping gaz cylinders specifically so thought I'd ask if the could leak or something? How can they feel much lighter and nearly empty when they've never been used? ..and how can I safely get rid of them?

Thanks
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shocker
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Re: Carbon Monoxide poisoning from camping gaz cartridges?

Post by shocker »

Throw away gas canisters, especially those with valves do inevitably leak. Im not sure its CO per se, but breathing liquified petroleum in confined spaces is not a good situation.

I have made wood burners etc from old calor bottles and the insides have a fair bit of pitting and damage when opened. Thats 4 - 6mm (plus) thick steel with welded seams and high quality brass valves. Just imagine the long time effect on thin,cheapest alloy steel crimped seam cans. Not good.

I hope someone has some more info for you on the health effects for you. For disposal, most local authority waste disposal sites, ie "the council tip" will take all kinds of gas bottles and cannisters. Im forever seeing bottles there that have deposit redeemable on them as well as those from long gone companies. Some area charge a small (ish) fee for taking some items. Look at your local council website for details.
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Plymtom
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Re: Carbon Monoxide poisoning from camping gaz cartridges?

Post by Plymtom »

CO poisoning ( and what you describe does indeed sound like it ) does come from inefficient combustion, so it could be from any cooking or heating source inadequately ventilated, any leaky gas canisters get the hell out of your house anyway, it cannot be good to breath, plus the risk of explosion or fire is serious, I had a few camping gaz cans in the shed which rusted out, they were the pierce type unopened but gone, had it happened at the wrong time as I went in and turned the light on it could have easily been headline news! We also had one of those suitcase type camping cookers which fell on it's side and leaked, I was out, they phoned and asked me what to do I said take the cylinder out, Do not operate any switches, open a few windows for about half an hour after the smell has cleared, we dodged that bullet, but keep an eye on these gas cans folks seriously, elsewhere in the world bigger versions are weaponised by bad people, much as I'd love to be able to warm my beans up on a little burner for years after TSHTF, too much flammable stuff kicking around may be a bigger personal risk than any of our favourite talking point scenarios ;)
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Yorkshire Andy
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Re: Carbon Monoxide poisoning from camping gaz cartridges?

Post by Yorkshire Andy »

If they are leaking you will usually smell it LPG has a pungent odour added to it

Do you have a boiler near your bed room?

Have you got a carbon monoxide alarm?

As for the cartridges leaking gas unless been connected to the appliance its very unusual
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ForgeCorvus
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Re: Carbon Monoxide poisoning from camping gaz cartridges?

Post by ForgeCorvus »

What Yorkshire said.

Katilea, did you find a CO detector with a visual warning in the end ?
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katilea
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Re: Carbon Monoxide poisoning from camping gaz cartridges?

Post by katilea »

Well the feeling has gone off now they have been moved into spare room. I wonder if they'd be safer outside? Would colder temps make the contents freeze so it couldn't explode? or stop any leaks if they are.

There is a carbon monoxide alarm in kitchen but don't want to set it off at night. I'm in wheelchair user in bed and nowhere else to go thats adapted if I set alarm off (as you're not meant to go back inside the house. ...might stick them outside for tonight just in case and try and get rid of them tomorrow.
katilea
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Re: Carbon Monoxide poisoning from camping gaz cartridges?

Post by katilea »

Yorkshire Andy wrote:If they are leaking you will usually smell it LPG has a pungent odour added to it

Do you have a boiler near your bed room?

Have you got a carbon monoxide alarm?

As for the cartridges leaking gas unless been connected to the appliance its very unusual
How have the contents reduced then if not leaking? Do they work in a similar way to a wheelchair battery that even when new and full (charged) would eventually go flat even if not used?
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shocker
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Re: Carbon Monoxide poisoning from camping gaz cartridges?

Post by shocker »

Yes they do leak, given time as I said. Put them outside for peace of mind at least.
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defender130
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Carbon Monoxide poisoning from camping gaz cartridges?

Post by defender130 »

Yorkshire Andy wrote:
As for the cartridges leaking gas unless been connected to the appliance its very unusual
Not that unusual at all for them to leak unfortunately

Usually it is so slow you don't notice or smell it but with gas canisters in storage over the course of time you will find the one or 2 dodgy ones in a box full empty when you go to them

I have quite a large pile of Coleman propane canisters empty which are all brand new never connected, and also a few Coleman C250's although I do buy them by the pallet full




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katilea
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Re: Carbon Monoxide poisoning from camping gaz cartridges?

Post by katilea »

defender130 wrote:
Yorkshire Andy wrote:
As for the cartridges leaking gas unless been connected to the appliance its very unusual
Not that unusual at all for them to leak unfortunately

Usually it is so slow you don't notice or smell it but with gas canisters in storage over the course of time you will find the one or 2 dodgy ones in a box full empty when you go to them

I have quite a large pile of Coleman propane canisters empty which are all brand new never connected, and also a few Coleman C250's although I do buy them by the pallet full




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Are they safe then to leave if they have gone empty or just a little liquid in? feels like bit of water inside and moving around when you pick them up but they were full. I got them last year incase of powercuts over winter but have never needed to use them.