Blackett Level Oxygen Level Warning· Page 2

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Tony Blair
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#21

I've got an old Williams one mum picked up in a lot at an auction sale. It is quite bashed up and has a crab on it in addition to the hook. I've experimented with using it with all different sorts of fuels. The more long chain jobbies requiring more O2 to burn with a half decent flame. The problem being the gauze sooting up. I also went the other way and was having a problem with lighter hydrocarbons "flashing". My oil of choice being pump-kerosene and that being extinguished at 15.0% O2.

I like a gas monitor, because I am good to go in a shallowish shaft at 13.5% and happy down to 11.2% on a level. I wouldn't advise anyone to copy these levels. These are my own happy-and-proven levels

Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#22

From an earlier discussion. The equivalent of the recommended Colzaline appears to be much cheaper 'panel wipe'

"Coleman fuel (CAS No. 68410-97-9) is not "simply octane," but is a blend of light petroleum distillates that includes octane, nonane, cyclohexane, pentane and heptane. Its properties (volatility, vapor density, etc.) are similar to naphtha (VM&P naphtha) and both are suitable for use in liquid fuel campstoves and lanterns. In the UK, naphtha is sold under the trade name "Panel Wipe," and is often used in campstoves due to the high cost of Coleman fuel there."

ivortheengine
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#23

To add to the debate, I'm using an MSA Altair 4. I'm not keen on electronic gadgets, but unlike the flame safety lamp, it chirps to tell you it's still OK, and makes things very clear if you are somewhere risky. It does not require different tests to check for different gases - you switch it on above ground, check levels are OK and start exploring... it sees to itself. It has failed, it had a defective Oxygen sensor, but it failed safe and started squawking whilst still above ground. It's pretty simple to use, in a ruggedised case and is compact... much easier to take through crawls than, say, a flame safety lamp. I'm still not 100% with it, then again I'm not 100% on going below ground. I've had it yelling in anger a few times, always in coal mines. Once was after having walked through waist deep orange goo, which bubbled as it was disturbed. Who'd have thought it.

moorlandmineral
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#24

Bottom of Wellhope shaft was a little poor O2 wise, you get off the winch and strike a match, head would burn as doesn't need oxygen but the match would go out. We had a Neotox personal monitor very good, recorded 13% in one stope, other areas 20% and the frightening thing was the variability of the levels over short distances.

Morlock
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#25

"moorlandmineral" wrote:
the frightening thing was the variability of the levels over short distances.

That's the major drawback with a flame lamp.

ivortheengine
50.2% (Neutral)
Newbie

9 years ago

#26

Remark about varying levels.... yes, indeed. I was in a Welsh c*al drift recently and found that gusts of wind outside were causing pockets of bad air to move around within the mine. One minute you'd be fine, the next, BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP!;(