Ozone?! Any tips?

[dylanear]

OK, after many months of full timing, and a wet cold winter shut up too much the Scamp is just a bit stale and stuffy smelling. So I got a small 12V powered Ozone generator. I hear these can really help keep things smelling fresh, BUT... high concentrations of ozone can in theory damage plastics, oxidize metals etc.

Anyone used one personally in an RV? I guess I'll just start a low setting for shorter periods and see how it goes.

I guess I should take my camera gear and electronic gadgets to the car at the very least when doing a treatment.


This is the one I got BTW, haven't tried it, but it's compact and seems nicely crafted. Not all that cheap, but small price to pay if it works well and lasts years. Will try it in the convertibles as well.

Specifications for DC PRO 200 ozone generator

[GMike A]

Pretty impressive. I've seen small ones that plug into the cigarette lighter for the car. I would just buy one of those little Christmas trees and hang it from a hook. Keep us posted on how it works. I didnt realize that ozone affected plastics or some other materials (another thing to Google now). My hot tub has an ozone generator in it to kill bacteria.

[dylanear]

The impression I get is that it can be used to good effect without damage, many professional car detailers use them. But I just want to be safe.

Just curious if I can use it regularly, casually. Or if I need to make a big deal about it, empty all my belongings first etc.


It's just at high concentrations that it becomes an extremely potent oxidizer. Plastics decay, metals rust, etc.
Ozone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I'll report back after the weekend.

[Nancy]

My ozone machine seems to bother my lungs.

Our condo was rented by a smoker over 15 years ago and we still get traces of old tobacco, especially when it is closed up in the humid summer.

When I want to use the ionizer it is used when we are not in residence, then when we come back we open it up and turn on exhaust fans.

If you can run the machine when you are not inside and vent afterwards.

Good luck. Nancy

[Hiker]

There are significant health concerns relating to ozone. You can refer to the following link to the epa. Health Effects of Ozone in the General Population | Ozone and Your Patients' Health | US EPA
I doubt there is an issue with it if you use it when you are not present and let the trailer air out well.

[lpk49]

i have this one: Ozone Generator Bio3Blaster 800-240-8514 - Best Ozone Generator on Markey Today

14,000mg/h the bioblaster 3---it is black and green-scroll down a little to see it

i'm pretty sure if you click on that link you will see at 200 it is very safe. some would question if it would really kill mold.

mine comes with many warnings about not having it on when people, plants or pets are present. it also says-even at the size mine is it wont hurt electronics unless you leave it on for a really long time...maybe 6 hrs. its all written in there.

i talked to a mold remediator who used one like mine for years and has never had a complaint that electronics were damaged.

i have a small house and use it for 2 hrs at a time but i am very mold and ozone sensitive so before i go back in i air out house well. with my problems i was told ozone could do major damage to my lungs so i am very careful.

if the ozone makes you feel bad or short of breath i would be very careful. i think if you are sensitive it can do permanent damage to the lungs.

the directions on mine insist you wear a respirator if you have to go in the area to turn it on and off. or it suggests you use a timer or a switch outside.

i have a 17'casita delux and altho it never smelled bad...it has hardly been used...i ozoned it regulary for an hour at a time when i was living in it and remediating the mold in my house. nothing has been hurt in the camper as far as i know. and it never did get moldy smelling!!!

i also do car and truck with no problems

i left tvs and computers inside...you are supposed to run heaters and ac and air filters to be sure any spores inside them are killed.

(they dont really kill the spores...i feel a little guilty saying that...they do make them go dormant---i dont know how the manufacturers get away with saying they are killing the spores)

theres one more place that talks about this online..i'll see if i can find it.

i don't know much about campers...but i sure do know about ozone and mold after this last year. kayak

[lpk49]

another site with info is: moldinspector.com he gives a lot of free advice but is trying to sell stuff...but i have found most of his info is good. and its easy to find on the site.

i copied this from his site:

" See the ozone instruction manual for how to do vehicle ozone treatment.

When doing ozone blasting, there must be NO people, pets, or plants in the ozone-treated area. You use the unit's timer to turn on and turn off the ozone blaster inside the treatment area, or you can use a long extension electric power cord that plugs in outside the treated area (plug and unplug the cord to start and stop the blaster). Read: (1) the BiO3Blaster™ Ozone Generator Instruction Manual; (2) the 25 steps for safe and effective mold removal and mold remediation; and (3) ozone treatment questions and answers.

*****High ozone blasting does not harm items in the room or area being ozoned or the building itself if the ozone generator is run for less than eight hours at a time in a particular room or area. Damage from ozone can occur from extended use duration (more than eight hours at a time) and, not from the high ozone concentration itself.*****


Because most room air conditioners and heating/cooling systems have internal mold growth, every three months you should use your own high ozone generator to input large volumes of high ozone (at least 14,000 mg per hour of ozone) for one hour into the fresh air supply intake of each window air conditioner, as well as your heating/cooling system to kill all air conditioning mold and bacteria. "

For more ozone info, please phone Phillip Fry

1-480-217-7173 or email phil@moldinspector.com


just to be clear-i'm not affiliated with this guy. i just found his site online when i needed to learn about mold. kayak

[dylanear]

I definitely will not use it when in the trailer! Ozone is NOT good for you. I was thinking of putting it on a timer, leave the trailer, take my Fantastic Fan remote with me and just hit that when I return, crack the door until I'm confident it's been vented.

[dylanear]

Thanks for sharing first hand experiences. Gives me some confidence I won't ruin things easily.

[lpk49]

im sure with a 200 you will be fine. i think they make a bunch of really small ones that are ok to run with ppl...and plants and pets...my brother has one to get rid of cooking smells. if yours didnt come with many warnings you will probably be ok.

unless you have respiratory problem or react to it.

once i was told if you can smell it ... wait. but others say they like the smell.

mine is construction grade...big difference from 200 to 14,000

[dylanear]

Yeah, I ran it on high for about 2 hours. It certainly had a distinct, strong ozone smell when I first opened things up. Not that I'd hang out in there when it smelled that strong, but I didn't notice any irritation from taking a few sniffs. After 10 minutes of venting with the top fan on high I went in. There was a lingering ozone odor, but mostly it just smelled a lot better than before. I continued to vent a while once back in the trailer. May have noticed a very slight irritation, but I did just come back from a run. I think for small spaces like a Scamp it's going to work out well, if you just pay attention I doubt there'd be any major issues.

I think it might be safe to run on low when inside with it. But I'd rather just use it when I'm not in it.

I did discover a 5 or 6 page booklet in the shipping box with lot's of instructions, advice and general ozone information. I'd recommend this unit and the seller from my limited experience so far. The unit is made in Canada and it really simply, but nicely crafted.

[fusedlight]

Ozone can be nasty. Old Xerox copies used to generate a lot of it. Whenever I'd go into the copier room (back in the early 80's. Gadzooks! That was a while ago!) I'd get a horrible headache. I can see using them when you are NOT in the trailer to give it a blast of clean, but I'd make darn sure to let the egg sit with the windows and hatch open for a goodly while before spending any time in there.

[dylanear]

I tried it again on Sunday, on high for about 1 hour, only vented 10 or so minutes and I think there was some sinus irritation, and a headache. Headache may or may not be related, but I don't get them much. So I'm erring on the side of not using it even on low while in the trailer and PLENTY of venting after treatments before getting back in.

But I do think it's making a nice, noticeable dent in the generally stale smell!