discovery_bound
Full Member
Hello all, just thought I'd put my 'two cents" worth on this topic. I'm certified in confined space entry by the USAF and have been going into nasty places for about ten yrs now. Any well, no matter the depth, can be very dangerous as stated in previous posts. There are many gases that can form in low spots, called LEL (lower explosive limit), but there are also gases lighter than air which most people don't think about. Depending on wether you come across an open hole or one that is covered, such as a manhole. Gasses can collect just under the top of the covering, so when you take off the lid, allow plenty of time for the gasses to escape and allow the hole to air out. We have gas detectors that we lower into the hole to give us current gas readings which the average MD'r probably won't have. Sometimes you will have too little oxygen so think of that also...anything under 19.5% is considered oxygen deficient. Also remember that not every gas has an odor and one can be overtaken quite quickly. If you smell rotten eggs....get out immediately!! Also, if you want to spend money on equipment, you can get an air blower and use the forced air method. Set the blower at the top of the hole with a hose reaching the bottom of the hole, clean air is sucked through the machine at the top and forced down to the bottom of the hole which replaces the bad air and forces it out at the top. Also, a tripod with a harness would be a very safe method for entering a hole, but would require a couple buddies to help out. I'm not sure if there are places one can rent equipment, but might be worth checking out. If you have water/sludge in the bottom, a pump (maybe a mud hog) and some hose might be a good idea also. The suction hose would have a strainer on it, so you shouldn't suck up any of the good coins! I guess the bottom line is to just be safe and really think about what you are doing. Have a plan and try to stick to it. If anyone has good finds in these old wells I'd love to see some pictures and hear the stories of the place(s) they searched. I stumbled across this site a few months ago and have been hooked on it ever since.....tons and tons of experienced people on here with a vast amount of knowledge! Take care, and as always ..... have fun!
JW
JW
