Rate my CO protocol

[shuvuuiadesertii]

I think i've finally made up my mind about how i want to CTB. I only want to do this once, so any constructive criticism is welcome.

I was originally going to use SN, but it's near impossible to procure, and the prep for it has way too many steps for someone with severe ADHD.
So CO it is... I wanted to use the most reliable method according to the PPH (acid generation) but, again, procuring the materials is a pain in the neck with all the recent-ish restrictions in my region (EU). So it's got to be charcoal. I'm just not spending weeks trying and failing and getting scammed to get the materials i need.

So about the protocol...

Beforehand:
- seal my target room. It's 8m3 (282ft3) in volume, meaning i need 80L (21gal) of CO to reach 1% concentration
- remove anything flammable from the room (it's a closet, so clothes etc)
- hang signs on all doors leading to the room to prevent affecting anybody else
- make the room nice by moving all my favorite stuff in there
- prepare 2 large disposable barbecue trays (remove packaging etc so they're ready to go)

On the day:
- 2 hours prior: take 4x my anxiety meds dose (200mg hydroxyzine total)
- 1.5 hours prior: take 1g paracetamol + 100mg tramadol (headaches etc)
- 30 mns prior: take 3x my sleeping meds dose (22.5mg zopiclone total)
- go time: light up both barbecues on my balcony, wait for the nasty igniter smoke to stop being emitted and move them and myself into the target room
- close the door and chill

What do you guys think ?
Timeline ok ? Enough charcoal ? Any missing steps ? Anything else i might not have thought of ?

EDIT:
I have adjusted charcoal quantities up, following homeboundcripple's excellent advice. And therefore also my "bbq" setup, as practicality was becoming an issue. I just bought myself a nice portable BBQ and 3kg high quality charcoal briquette as well as igniter blocks.

 

[Forveleth]

How are you going to "seal" the room?

 

[shuvuuiadesertii]

It's only really the door that i need to worry about, as this is the only non-ventilated room in my place.
There's an old catflap on it that i'm sealing with cellophane + gaffer tape from both sides for safety, and i'll be stuffing the gap at the bottom with wet rags. I learned this keeps smoke out in case of a fire, so presumably it should also keep CO in ?

 

[EmptyBottle]

I'm concerned a hot tray will cause smouldering fire. The white in the cupboard (at least, my cupboard) is likely a somewhat flammable material and having hot charcoal for 1h or so may be enough for ignition

 

[homeboundcripple]

How much kg will you be using?

 

[shuvuuiadesertii]

I'm concerned a hot tray will cause smouldering fire. The white in the cupboard (at least, my cupboard) is likely a somewhat flammable material and having hot charcoal for 1h or so may be enough for ignition

A good point actually. Thankfully I have shelves, not cupboards, so i can remove those pretty easily. Thanks!

How much kg will you be using?

I believe large trays hold 800g, medium ones 500. I'll either be using two large or three medium. Going for overkill to be absolutely sure

 

[homeboundcripple]

A good point actually. Thankfully I have shelves, not cupboards, so i can remove those pretty easily. Thanks!

I believe large trays have 800g, medium ones 500. I'll either be using two large or three medium. Going for overkill to be absolutely sure

1.3 kg isn't enough. One chap here last month used 1.5 kg in his car; it only knocked him out, was rescued 7 hours later.

 

[shuvuuiadesertii]

1.3 kg isn't enough. One chap here last month used 1.5 kg in his car; it only knocked him out, was rescued 7 hours later.

Seriously?? I haven't managed to find an average production rate anywhere. I suppose it's difficult to calculate, but a ballpark would be helpful. You wouldn't happen to know a resource for this by any chance?

 

[homeboundcripple]

Seriously?? I haven't managed to find an average production rate anywhere. I suppose it's difficult to calculate, but a ballpark would be helpful. You wouldn't happen to know a resource for this by any chance?

Zanexx, 7 years ago passed away using a chimney starter worth, about 2 to 2.5kg

 

[shuvuuiadesertii]

Zanexx, 7 years ago passed away using a chimney starter worth, about 2 to 2.5kg

Thanks! But I meant for CO production calculation.

 

[homeboundcripple]

No idea

Thanks! But I meant for CO production calculation.

No idea

 

[shuvuuiadesertii]

No idea

No idea

Thanks for your input anyway. I'll increase the amount just in case.

 

[Groundhog_Day]

I saw it stated in another thread that the minimum charcoal required is 0.135kg per m³. I don't know how accurate this is, but if it is true it would mean for 8m³ the minimum charcoal needed would be 1.08kg. The person who quoted this figure recommended using 3-4 times the minimum amount.

I guess one issue with using excessive charcoal in a small space could be the heat produced. I saw in the megathread someone claiming that a common mistake is rushing the charcoal into the space too quickly without letting it cool down a bit first. They said CO is produced for many hours. However, others have said that the maximum CO is given off early on, and you shouldn't wait for it to cool down. I'm planning on the tent method like Zanexx, so I'm pretty sure I will have to let it cool down a while otherwise the tent will melt.

Other considerations are possibly not taking sedatives, and also whether to enter the space with the charcoal and wait for the CO to build up, or enter after say 30mins when the CO level is high and pass put more quickly. These issues were discussed in this thread - https://sanctionedsuicide.site/threads/failed-co-using-charcoal-and-car.215700/#post-3129368

Dejected 55 made some interesting points about not taking sleeping tablets so you can breathe more normally and therefore help the CO bond to your blood.

 

[shuvuuiadesertii]

I saw it stated in another thread that the minimum charcoal required is 0.135kg per m³. I don't know how accurate this is, but if it is true it would mean for 8m³ the minimum charcoal needed would be 1.08kg. The person who quoted this figure recommended using 3-4 times the minimum amount.

I guess one issue with using excessive charcoal in a small space could be the heat produced. I saw in the megathread someone claiming that a common mistake is rushing the charcoal into the space too quickly without letting it cool down a bit first. They said CO is produced for many hours. However, others have said that the maximum CO is given off early on, and you shouldn't wait for it to cool down. I'm planning on the tent method like Zanexx, so I'm pretty sure I will have to let it cool down a while otherwise the tent will melt.

Other considerations are possibly not taking sedatives, and also whether to enter the space with the charcoal and wait for the CO to build up, or enter after say 30mins when the CO level is high and pass put more quickly. These issues were discussed in this thread - https://sanctionedsuicide.site/threads/failed-co-using-charcoal-and-car.215700/#post-3129368

Dejected 55 made some interesting points about not taking sleeping tablets so you can breathe more normally and therefore help the CO bond to your blood.

Thanks for some excellent points.

I did find some (rather vague) ressources online that would tend to agree with your figures. Depending on how complete the combustion is, it seems 1kg of high quality charcoal should give off anywhere between 15L and 40L of CO. The median value would therefore be around 27L/kg, meaning the 3kg i just bought would be more than sufficient. Maybe i'll just add one for good measure.

Good point about the heat problem. I suppose it's a matter of hitting the right compromise.

About the timing to enter the space: it seems to me if you let the CO build up then open the door to get in most of it will escape..?

Sedatives are a very complex matter. I take zopiclone, which is a hypnotic. I also suffer from mild sleep apnea, and hypnotics have been shown to reduce that. So it could go either way...

 

[Dejected 55]

I'll second the sedatives... others have seemed to confirm that this extends things more than you would think. Our breathing is more shallow when we are unconscious and we need far less oxygen. When you knock yourself out, you don't breathe as much of the CO and you will live longer, increasing time to allow for all the possible failures, including being found.

The "ideal" situation is being fully awake in the beginning and getting several really deep breaths and lungs full of lots of CO so that your body is getting flooded with that... you will pass out quickly in that scenario, and you won't breathe as much BUT your system will already have CO saturation and not be able to survive long at that point.

 

[homeboundcripple]

I think i've finally made up my mind about how i want to CTB. I only want to do this once, so any constructive criticism is welcome.

I was originally going to use SN, but it's near impossible to procure, and the prep for it has way too many steps for someone with severe ADHD.
So CO it is... I wanted to use the most reliable method according to the PPH (acid generation) but, again, procuring the materials is a pain in the neck with all the recent-ish restrictions in my region (EU). So it's got to be charcoal. I'm just not spending weeks trying and failing and getting scammed to get the materials i need.

So about the protocol...

Beforehand:
- seal my target room. It's 8m3 (282ft3) in volume, meaning i need 80L (21gal) of CO to reach 1% concentration
- remove anything flammable from the room (it's a closet, so clothes etc)
- hang signs on all doors leading to the room to prevent affecting anybody else
- make the room nice by moving all my favorite stuff in there
- prepare 2 large disposable barbecue trays (remove packaging etc so they're ready to go)

On the day:
- 2 hours prior: take 4x my anxiety meds dose (200mg hydroxyzine total)
- 1.5 hours prior: take 1g paracetamol + 100mg tramadol (headaches etc)
- 30 mns prior: take 3x my sleeping meds dose (22.5mg zopiclone total)
- go time: light up both barbecues on my balcony, wait for the nasty igniter smoke to stop being emitted and move them and myself into the target room
- close the door and chill

What do you guys think ?
Timeline ok ? Enough charcoal ? Any missing steps ? Anything else i might not have thought of ?

EDIT:
I have adjusted charcoal quantities up, following homeboundcripple's excellent advice. And therefore also my "bbq" setup, as practicality was becoming an issue. I just bought myself a nice portable BBQ and 3kg high quality charcoal briquette as well as igniter blocks.

If you're confident there's no leakage and everything is sealed to your satisfaction, then you're good to go. Good luck!

 

[shuvuuiadesertii]

If you're confident there's no leakage and everything is sealed to your satisfaction, then you're good to go. Good luck!

Thanks! And thanks for all the advice. I threw a wobbly last night and am currently in a psych ward. Second time this week, but it somehow makes me even more dertimned. I'm not sure when they'll let me out (i have to play nice so they don't send regular checks on me), but i'll be CTB as soon as that happens. I can't stand this suffering any longer