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Bivvy Heaters

Simon Rolph

Simon Rolph

Senior Member & Supporter
Just seen on a couple of Facebook pages that an angler was found dead in his bivvy Death caused most likely by Carbon Monoxide poisoning as he had closed his bivvy up with a bivvy heater going- found dead by his mate.

I must admit I was looking at one the other day , but will stick to hot water bottles and thermals from now on

stay safe out there all.
 
What a sad tale!
How terrible for his friend!
 
Similar heaters are all the rage at the moment. They use red diesel and are designed to prevent freezing diesel vehicles in garages over winter nights. Actually if installed properly with the emphasis on venting the fumes are these units are cheaper to run than gas heating or especially electricity. The cost is about 5p kw hour compared with 20p gas and 30p electric. They can run on waste oil and spent chip oil, the latter illegally apparently.
Of course on the face of it this could provide cheaper warm homes, but the fear is installed badly, could be a problem.
There needs to be more public awareness of Co2 poisoning, I have just installed a Co2 monitor, it really is a silent killer.
So sad to hear that poor chap should die in such a manner.
 
Very sad.

With the amount of zips and doors in a bivvy, you'd think the Carbon Monoxide would be able to escape. Obviously not.
 
Neil Smart said:
Similar heaters are all the rage at the moment. They use red diesel and are designed to prevent freezing diesel vehicles in garages over winter nights. Actually if installed properly with the emphasis on venting the fumes are these units are cheaper to run than gas heating or especially electricity. The cost is about 5p kw hour compared with 20p gas and 30p electric. They can run on waste oil and spent chip oil, the latter illegally apparently.
Of course on the face of it this could provide cheaper warm homes, but the fear is installed badly, could be a problem.
There needs to be more public awareness of Co2 poisoning, I have just installed a Co2 monitor, it really is a silent killer.
So sad to hear that poor chap should die in such a manner.
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Waste oil is illegal and nothing to do with emissions. It's because of tax/duty.

Got to be unlucky to get caught using it though.

Diesel heaters are perfectly safe if exhausted properly, I'm considering one for the living room, installed outside and piped in through a redundant vent from when we had a back boiler.
 
Yes very tragic. Probably didn't know much about it . Carbon Monoxide the silent killer. Generally produced due to insufficient oxygen being available at combustion. He'd closed his bivvy (to retain heat) but tragically, in effect, reducing the oxygen supply for complete combustion.
 
Very sad news indeed. Was talking to a passenger in my cab, he owns a construction company, he is no longer allowed to use red diesel in his plant vehicles. said his fuel bill for the vehicles is now 4 times what it used to be.
 
Bob Watson said:
Waste oil is illegal and nothing to do with emissions. It's because of tax/duty.

Got to be unlucky to get caught using it though.

Diesel heaters are perfectly safe if exhausted properly, I'm considering one for the living room, installed outside and piped in through a redundant vent from when we had a back boiler.
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Yes I was aware that it was not emissions with waste food oil that was the problem, excise duty I believe. The concept seems good but looking at some of the build quality there might be a problem, especially if installing within the home. Do some have a safety certificate for domestic use?
 
Neil Smart said:
Yes I was aware that it was not emissions with waste food oil that was the problem, excise duty I believe. The concept seems good but looking at some of the build quality there might be a problem, especially if installing within the home. Do some have a safety certificate for domestic use?
Click to expand...
I'd install outside and pipe through the wall but they are safe to use indoors if, as said earlier, they are exhausted efficiently.

I'd always employ the use of a CO monitor too!
 
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Les Bowers

This is probably one of, if not, the most important posts I’ll ever make on here.
Tonight I found out a friend passed. He fell asleep whilst fishing. Unfortunately he fell asleep with heater on in the bivvy. He never woke 😢
Please please, as winter and the colder nights/days set in, ‘DONT’ have heaters on in the bivvy or any enclosed space without the door open. It only takes for you to fall asleep or even having it on too long, for a tragic accident to happen. I don’t want to hear of this happening to anyone else.
If you’re that cold, get in the sleeping bag with a hot water bottle or stay home. Don’t don’t don’t take chances with it.
Paul Bacon has put up some very informative videos on his Facebook of tests he did with a few different heaters in his bivvy and a carbon monoxide alarm. You’d be very very surprised how quickly you’d be overcome with the fumes!
I’m so gutted and sad that this has happened to someone I know. Such a kind and lovely bloke with a young family.
Please please please, take care whilst out on the bank. And keep that door wide open!!! X
Please share far and wide. If it saves one persons life, it’s done it’s job x
 
Hi men,

Yes , I'm proper old and never thought of using a heater even before this tragic event . I fished the othere night , slept in a 5 season bag with a beanie on my head and can say I was toasty . A self inflating mattress that helps my poorly back must help , but with great equipment these days like base layers etc any form of heaters are not needed , and as in this case are dangerous.


Such a shame to loose a life thorough fishing 🙁

Hatter
 
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Derek Funcks said:
Dave, do we know what bivvie heater was the cause ?
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NO !!................... its not even confirmed it was a heater........................................... there is speculation it was a Cobb bbq

RIP Stephen Kitcher so sad a man in his prime with a wife and kids condolences to his family
 

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Tragic and unnecessary death - thoughts go to his family - RIP.

From my own experience the relentless cold /dark is one of the reasons I don't bother with overnighters during winter and haven't done so for over a decade. The number of times I've justified my own decisions when feeling freezing cold - 'I'll just make a quick cuppa / zip up the door and leave the stove on to warm up the bivvy for ten mins' - then all of a sudden without realising it you've nodded off as your body has received some warm relief and the dark fools you into thinking its sleep time. Have been guilty of doing this on multiple occasions but by luck rather than sensible judgement (usually because I've been sitting upright on a bedchair buddy and keeping my muddy boots on) have always managed to ensure everything's turned off and habitually taking 'one last p*ss' before getting into a bag and settling down.
 
Very tragic my heart and my condolences to his family.
I’ve done winter overnight sessions personally I just layer up,thermals, hat, good socks and lastly a quality sleeping bag I’ve never considered a heater myself.
Carbon monoxide its not called the silent killer for nothing
 
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