Date:         Fri, 7 Jan 2000 09:52:47 -0500
Reply-To:     Steve Macaulay <smacaulay@INFINTIUM.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Steve Macaulay <smacaulay@INFINTIUM.COM>
Subject:      Re: Coleman Plat Cat Heater Report
In-Reply-To:  <003201bf5917$a7c21ea0$a3faf4d1@wendy>
Content-Type: multipart/alternative;

Last spring I went to a bus campout with some friends.  One of them had a
Coleman catalytic heater in his van (the old green style).  He left a window
open somewhat, had a warm night, and woke up the next morning feeling fine.
However, his girlfriend woke up feeling very bad.  She had nausea,
dizziness, and was generally feeling sick.  She was very sick for several
days and she finally went to a doctor since she had never felt that way
before.  We suspected that she was more sensitive to whatever the main
reason is that they tell you to not use these things in an enclosed area.
She told the doctor about the heater and he said that was the source of her
problems.  I don't really know the details of his prognosis.

Keep in mind that some people are more sensitive to "lack of oxygen" or
"extra CO2" or whatever these things do than others.  She had a cracked
window near her head and it didn't help.  These things should not be kept on
while sleeping.

Steve

89 Westy
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of W. Silva
    Sent: Friday, January 07, 2000 9:01 AM
    To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
    Subject: Re: Coleman Plat Cat Heater Report


    Twenty years ago we had a '72 bus and camped with five kids and huge
canvas tent .  We  had a Bernz-O-Matic propane camping heater which is the
same "plat cat" style heater as the new Coleman, it was an avecado green
colored (that tells you how old it was) steel box with room for two of the
tall style propane cylinders inside and the round element and controls
mounted on the outside.  If you have one of these dinosaurs in your
basement, dig it out! We found  it to work very well in the tent with proper
venting on chilly fall nights and early mornings in the mountains of New
Hampshire and recently gave it to our son to use on his family camping trips
then promptly went out and bought the Coleman version of the same thing.  If
it lasts half as long and works as well as the first one we owned it will be
the bargain of the century.

    With The Coleman Duracat heater and the Bloss Porta -O-Matic A/C,  every
camper will have the ultimate in comfort and climate control!

    Happy Camping

    Wendy & John
    Cape Cod, MA
    '85 Westy,   "S-CAPE"
    '98 Passat = The Do Dah Machine

    CAMPERS ON CAPE COD 2000

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