Above is some good advise.

As I understand it, CO (Carbon Monoxide) is produced when fuels are burned with a poor supply of oxygen. Incomplete combustion. The sterno may indeed produce only CO2 and water when it is burning under ideal conditions, but here is what I would be careful about. If you burn the sterno in a vehicle where oxygen levels might become low, carbon monoxide may be produced because the sterno fuel is not burning completely.
Below is a list of sources that CAN produce CO.

Sources of carbon monoxide may include:
* boat motors
* cars
* charcoal grills
* cigarettes
* fireplaces (gas and wood) and wood-burning stoves
* gas ranges, ovens, dryers, water heaters, grills, furnaces and space heaters
* kerosene space heaters
* oil furnaces
* solid alcohol (such as Sterno Canned Heat)

smitty

Thank you, Frankie. I forwarded that site to the Sterno people with a request to comment or correct. I will post the results.

OTOH, as most warnings indicate, using something in a way that changes the conditions can cause unexpected results. Water can keep you alive or kill you, depending on circumstances.

Sue

I read years ago that it is best to use aluminum pots over alcohol-based heat sources.

Sue

Hmm. I don't see any chemical reason for that. My guess is that is because Al is a much better heat conductor than stainless, and with so little heat, you probably need all the help you can get...

-john

A battery powered CO detector would be a good thing to have in the vehicle if you're burning anything in there, or running the engine for heat.

How about one of those Mr. Heater "Portable Buddies"? They're not very expensive and run on small bottles of propane.

They work great. We have a couple in our motorhome for when we are boondocking and don't want to run out house batteries down too much. But they are a tad bulky...

Also, be aware that some types of sterno are now coming with a "wick". I don't know if this affects CO output or not, but it may be something to look out for. I use only the old style (plain gel) myself.

Any open-flame heat source will deplete oxygen. Adequate ventilation is vital. I crack two windows to provide cross ventilation.

I wanted one but heard that they don't work over 7000 feet. Is that the case?