yeah true, I didn't take bears into the equation. I don't expect wolfs to come nosing in my pot while I'm cooking, not as long as squirrels, rabbit, haze, and a good number of other rodents, and deer, and this hobby farms with chicken, are around. Don't know if wolfs eat badger and boar, but we have those. I've had boar sniffing around my tent at night, but they don't come in, there is just to much food in the forest it self to be interested in the stuff I have in my tent. I've never seen boar in daytime, but I know I don't want to be a subject of its anger. the only wildlife I've had bothering with my food, was mice inspecting the garbage bag.
Good Morning, All, When we are backpacking, we've only cooked inside a tent if it was absolutely necessary, due to horrid weather conditions outside. Most of the time, when engaged in backpacking, we don't usually cook and eat, where we sleep. Our normal habit is to stop about 5 miles, or so, short of our intended campsite destination, unhorse the packs, then cook and eat our dinner. We then wash our cook set, and utensils, then take a 20 minute rest/siesta, before horsing up the packs, and making the last 5 miles into our camping spot. That way, there is no real food smell to attract Brother Bruin, or any other animals. In car camping, we never leave food, utensils, or cooksets out at night. All that stuff is cleaned up and put away into the back of the truck, unless we are desert camping, and then it's in a huge and heavy ice chest, onto which we place heavy cast iron cookware to that no entry can be made by the desert animal population. So far, those methods have worked very well for us, and though we've seen tons of bear, and some Javalina, when camping, the rest of the critters are harmless enough, if you are careful in your dealing with them, and don't try to "approach" them. For what it's worth..... Take care, and God Bless! Every Good Wish, Doc
Here's a bit of wisdom regarding CO detectors based on the experience of a close friend. Have multiple units. Preferably a minimum of three. My friend had his one detector alarm on him. So of course he moved to fresh air... Then what? He called the gas company and they sent a crew out straight away. They had a bunch of fancy sniffer gear and came to the conclusion that it was a faulty detector. It basically ruined his day. From now on he has multiple detectors. If more than one alarms at the same time he knows for a fact that there is an issue. If only one goes off... All things being equal, he'll take it with a grain of salt. Maybe remove everyone from the building and run to the store to grab a fourth one...
yep, not beating this to death BUT if it can prevent even one tragedy it is worth while just to emphasize SAFETY SAFETY SAFETY; then MORE SAFETY. teach a group of scouts about cooking outdoors camping and SAFETY, am scared to death after first hand experience with propane/natural gas/LPG explosions in closed areas and after seeing first hand results of Gasoline and napalm. diesel and kerosene are just so much safer...as a child we had and used kerosene stoves indoors used them INDOORS during the winter, summer outside in an attached "cookhouse", it could get a bit warm in the summer 119 farenheit in the shade and no airconditioning!, using them in doors during the winter kept the house warm and outdoors during the summer kept the heat away. the women would be up making bkfast way before the sun and the intense heat hit and we would be doing our chores before the sun was up; ideally we would be working at first grey light. but our home as by no means airtight....having been built in 1880 personally today our kero stoves do most of our cooking outside during the summer; keep heat indoors down and kero is cheaper than natural gas; lots cheaper; during the winter use our kero or gas/natural gas/propane stove indoors......till now the biggest issue have had was when a kero stove went to under-burn and blackened my wife's great g'ndmothers BEAUTIFUL WHITE enamel coffee pot she treasures I got a good chewing out till I had it pretty again am always keeping an eye on what am doing and have a fire extinguisher a step or two away; this is just my personal experience....would I consider this approach with Gasoline/Coleman/Naptha???? never and hell no. but safety safety safety always, just my 0.02 cents .......cheers and safety first Lou
Hi all: Outdoors is safer than indoors. That said, many Coleman gas pressure "petrol" appliances were specifically designed for indoor use. Do Not use any pressure appliance indoors or out if you are not thoroughly familiar with that appliance in all situations and are entirely comfortable and prepared to use safely. I have used Coleman petrol appliances indoors quite often for over 50 years with no issues. I have however had several near disasters with European paraffin stoves. Its all about your comfort zone and knowledge of safe operation. Keep an extinguisher handy. Mike...
We use propane for cooking at home. The stove is much too heavy to take outside to cook with. If it was unsafe to cook with propane, LP gas, or liquid fuel, I would only have electricity to use indoors. I hate cooking with electricity. Something got lost in the logic of not using a stove indoors. It just must be used properly indoors. Ken in NC
hi flivver, if I agree with you: "many Coleman gas pressure "petrol" appliances were specifically designed for indoor use" I dunno if I would phrase it as such but in hindsight I'm thinking I was in-error as i phrased it, sorry (cuz I recall precedent of white gas table lamps although vast majority were kero). It seems to consider that... "[white gas stoves] were designed for indoor", "were" may be the key there. As was mentioned years ago houses "were" drafty so CO2 was less or a non-issue. Early model stoves (and picnic type) were tabletop but I viewed those as outdoor only (I was maybe wrong?). Ok, so we'll say gas stoves "were" in the past designed for optional indoor use. CURRENTLY I'd say and as far back as I can remember this is type message I get from Coleman (this just now cut from website: "Campstoves provide a perfect cooking alternative when home electric or gas stoves are inoperable ... It's a good idea to select a stove that uses the same fuel as your lantern. Fuel-powered campstoves must never be used indoors." IS THERE a current/modern white gas indoor stove? There's agreement outdoor is safer. I'm not alone with indoor not recommended. Munchh says he'll be outdoors. Safety points made that's a good thing. I've conceded (in cold or inclement) I do use stoves under-roof near an open door. My 1st lil gas fire mishap was maybe my best teacher. Now, re what-ifs, if vapors or spilling fuel tank were to ignite (I don't think I'd panic) I've done all I can think of to prevent it's spread and at-the-ready to extinguish it. edit point made Ken, i just caught that. Indoor propane the tank is outside. Stoves that require refueling is one distinction and "currently", locally, kero is a safer alternative for the Amish.
Hi: OldManColeman. The vast majority of Coleman products of the last 100 years are petrol, not kero. "Most" Coleman kero appliances were for export only. Yes all modern petrol stoves and lanterns carry the caveat "for outdoor use only". That is corporate lawyer speak to protect from lawsuits as modern humans use their heads for hats rather than thought, (common sense). Pre-1910 {before overhead wires) most electric trolley cars in cities across the U.S. were operated by a center rail between the outer two at ground level carrying thousands of volts of electricity yet electrocution was rare. How do you think that system would work out today with a country full of folks that expect someone else to protect them? It's likely the operators of the device that are unsafe not necessarily the device. Mike...
Agreed about petrol stoves and lanterns, but having electrified third rails on surface trolley tracks is, in fact, not the best idea. Lot of kids running around, for one thing....
Its common practise here in NZ to cook inside tramping huts with all manner of liquid and gas stoves. Rules to be safe are simple Know how to use your stove Know your stove is in good condition Ensure adequate ventilation to prevent fumes accumulating. refill your stove outside well away from your dwelling. I cook inside on white spirit stoves regularly Ive been in a hut where a Primus 71 style stove exploded due to overheating. Ive given uni students a crash course on how to use a Primus Nova. (others wanted to make them cook and sleep outside in the snow) Luckily they were using kero. If they had been using naphtha we would all have been sleeping outside in the snow.
Hope you'll excuse the digression, but Flivver's post on trolley voltages and current feed rang a bell. I don't know what Voltage any US trolley systems ran, but the ones in London were 600V DC. In central London the Metropolitan Councils refused overhead wires, and so a system of 'third rail' was installed at huge expense. This consisted of a centre rail which was in fact a slot, in which a 'plough' was fitted. This 'plough' extended above rail level and was connected to the tram (trolley) via guide rails athwart the tram chassis. The part that extended down into the slot reached and made contact with the live portion well below street level in a conduit. There were parts of the system that also had overhead wires, and when the tram changed from the conduit to the overhead the plough was 'shot' as the 'third' rail diverged off at the plough change point where 'ploughmen' were on hand to receive and guide the ploughs back into the tram for vehicles going from overhead to conduit. There's a good description on video here: rc9gtJndKE4[/media]]The Elephant Never Forgets. Watch at 1m 24secs in. The problems with the conduit system were many, not least their capacity to fill with street detritus and rain!
