Propane/CO alarm going off? Casita 16'

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by Stephen_Albers

Open flame propane is not a good idea in any trailer and really a bad idea in a small one because it pumps huge amounts of water vapor, heat and gas into a small space. Switching to electric solves a host of problems.

You put out more water vapor than a cooking fire will.

[AlanKilian]

Originally Posted by computerspook

You put out more water vapor than a cooking fire will.

Ooooohhhhh......


I love physics questions I don't know the answer to.


So, (math, math, math)...
(probably wrong somewhere, people will tell me where I messed-up, FOR SURE)


My Scamp Suburban stovetop has two 6,500 BTUH burners.
I read Propane has 21,600 BTU/Pound.
Divide (and the units MATCH!) we get 3.3 hours per pound of Propane.
One pound of Propane produces 1.75 pounds of water, so 1.75 pounds of water every 3.3 hours is 0.53 pounds of water as vapor per hour of running the stove.


Humans breath about 20 times per minute and produce about .03 grams of water in each breath.
That's 1,200 breaths per hour equals 0.08 pounds per hour.


So.... Humans produce far lower RATE of water vapor than a propane stove.


However....
If you are so obnoxious that you breath for 12 hours you produce about a pound of water vapor and it would take one burner of a stove about 1.8 hours to produce that much, so I do believe, based on my running the stove for about 20 minutes to make coffee, that I INDEED do produce more water vapor than my Propane stove!



Refs:
https://www.amazon.com/Suburban-2937.../dp/B003CVRNFO
https://www.exothink.com/Pages/btu.html
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/healt...81-vital-signs
https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwic...-oddest-reason
https://www.irv2.com/forums/f93/engi...ne-104216.html

[Defenestrator]

The math's likely right, but I'll throw a couple complicated wrenches in:
Breathing may be the biggest way humans shed moisture, but it's not the only one. Sweat adds up too, especially if it's hot. Also, I strongly suspect that the rate at which humans shed (vs absorb) moisture is tied to current humidity.

[computerspook]

Originally Posted by AlanKilian

Ooooohhhhh......


My Scamp Suburban stovetop has two 6,500 BTUH burners.
I read Propane has 21,600 BTU/Pound.
Divide (and the units MATCH!) we get 3.3 hours per pound of Propane.
One pound of Propane produces 1.75 pounds of water, so 1.75 pounds of water every 3.3 hours is 0.53 pounds of water as vapor per hour of running the stove.


Humans breath about 20 times per minute and produce about .03 grams of water in each breath.
That's 1,200 breaths per hour equals 0.08 pounds per hour.


So.... Humans produce far lower RATE of water vapor than a propane stove.

Think there has to be a problem with your math.

One thing to consider is that generally you are supposed to vent while cooking and some of the cooking gas therefore water is leaving the trailer. But I will say absent better information if you don't vent then this is likely close to accurate. But I think you totally miss on the people.

Part of it may be the sources of water from the body mentioned above. Now that I can find you lose into the local air the least amount of water when you sleep and more while awake and doing things. But apparently in 8 hours sleep you lose at least a pound and sometimes close to 2 pounds when at a normal environmental temp. And that is 8 of the 24 hours if you are staying in the camper 24 hours. So likely a person is putting out like 6 pounds in a day. Can't find a better number but that seems to be a good value. And that is for one person. The next one probably does 2 also.

I do know from observation that just being a person in a camper does produce a pretty noticable amount of water vapor. If it is colder outside than inside the windows will quickly fog up and start having water running down them. A lot of times I have my camper out I am part of a response and someone else is cooking for us so the stove is not used. And I see very little difference in how wet the windows get with or without cooking happening. It seem s to mainly be a factor of how long I am in the camper.