one thing I never thought of

[sassyotto]

I bought a CO2 detector awhile back that I could clip to my belt. Never really used it but at the Church job I wanted to be absolutely sure that nothing was getting in so I pulled it out of my desk and took it along. Set it just inside the door. It read 0 each time I walked by it. However when the job was done I put it in the van and it started SCREAMING! So maybe its not the chems that are killing us, its the CO2

 

[hogjowl]

Look what it’s done to Bob over the years

 

[Kenny Hayes]

It put him in that parallel universe!

 

[hogjowl]

Giggle

 

[Jim Pemberton]

I'm not aware of what type of machine that you're using Paul, but here are things we've found in our service department that contribute to high levels of carbon monoxide in the truck:

1. Exhaust of slide in unit put through the floor or step. It is really nice not to have that hot, carbon monoxide laden air blowing directly at you while you start or adjust your machine...but.....the fumes tend to role under your truck and back up into the van and passenger section. Let that stuff blow out, and if you don't want it in the building or dwelling, park your truck in the other directxion.

2. Loose exhaust pipes, or holes in the exhaust pipe inside of the unit. You might be surprised how many we find in this condition. Cleaners adapt to the noise, and often don't realize it. We mostly find this during oil changes or other repair requests.

You seem like one of the guys who wouldn't miss those two things yourself, but it is worth mentioning to others who might be using that type of exhaust redirection, or who haven't "peeked under the hood" for a while.

 

[sassyotto]

I'm not aware of what type of machine that you're using Paul, but here are things we've found in our service department that contribute to high levels of carbon monoxide in the truck:

1. Exhaust of slide in unit put through the floor or step. It is really nice not to have that hot, carbon monoxide laden air blowing directly at you while you start or adjust your machine...but.....the fumes tend to role under your truck and back up into the van and passenger section. Let that stuff blow out, and if you don't want it in the building or dwelling, park your truck in the other directxion.

2. Loose exhaust pipes, or holes in the exhaust pipe inside of the unit. You might be surprised how many we find in this condition. Cleaners adapt to the noise, and often don't realize it. We mostly find this during oil changes or other repair requests.

You seem like one of the guys who wouldn't miss those two things yourself, but it is worth mentioning to others who might be using that type of exhaust redirection, or who haven't "peeked under the hood" for a while.

exhaust vented under the truck. guilty as charged. I do it so I can close the doors as much as possible in winter (cough cough)

 

[Bryce C]

This seems like another benefit of PTO style truckmounts. What are the upsides of slide-ins? Less wear on the van engine, easily swapped from van to van, is that about it? They seem like they have more mainentance, harder to access, take up more space, generate tons of heat in the van, they are much louder, and much heavier.

 

[Bryce C]

Speaking of winter, I bet slide-ins stay warmer once they have ran a bit.

 

[Dwain Ray]

This seems like another benefit of PTO style truckmounts. What are the upsides of slide-ins? Less wear on the van engine, easily swapped from van to van, is that about it? They seem like they have more mainentance, harder to access, take up more space, generate tons of heat in the van, they are much louder, and much heavier.

Ya know whenever I hear people talk about pto's i always here the subject of engine wear come up. Its just not true. The internal components of the engine gets little to no wear from running the pto . Once the engine is started and warmed up no metal is touching. There is a microscopic film of oil between each component. In the oil fields they use to use stationary gasoline engines to run waterpumps these motors ran 24hrs a day shut down for maintenance started up again and they ran for decades like that. now its true there are parts that do wear waterpumps /alternators/ idler pulleys/ spark plugs things like that. But not the internal components bearings/rings/thrustwashers/camss/lifters/crankshaft/ etc.etc.all and all the cost of maintaining a slide in and van/ apposed to a pto is generally higher the one exception will be the cost of fueling. A pto will generally have a lower overall cost of maintenance but will probably in most cases have a higher fuel bill. I personally have several pto's with will over 200k on the powertrain and over10k hours on the machine. Pto's have less to break and tak up less real-estate in the back of the van. But when eighter the van or the machine goes bad the whole package is bad where as with a slide in , if the van goes badit is much easier to remove the machine and reinstall it in another van and the same goes if the machine needs to be replaced it is much easier to do that with a slide in

 

[Dwain Ray]

I bought a CO2 detector awhile back that I could clip to my belt. Never really used it but at the Church job I wanted to be absolutely sure that nothing was getting in so I pulled it out of my desk and took it along. Set it just inside the door. It read 0 each time I walked by it. However when the job was done I put it in the van and it started SCREAMING! So maybe its not the chems that are killing us, its the CO2

I think having n using a portable CO monitor is a great idea and a good investment . I am conscious of where I park and wind direction but there has been times that ive opened extra doors and windows just incase . I personally have experienced CO poisoning once While working a boat engine . Its not fun! Going on Amazon and buying one now and will regularly use it. Thanks for the idea!

 

[KevinD]

Everyone should have a digital CO detector attached to something they bring into every job...Like a spotter kit or tab and block tray.
This is coming from a CO poisoning survivor.