Date:         Sun, 22 Oct 2000 21:30:08 EDT
Reply-To:     Westybill@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         William Dummitt <Westybill@AOL.COM>
Subject:      Re: vented platinum cat heater
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Hi Volks,

Every fall this subject comes up.  I've used both the Propex and Platinum Cat
heaters and frankly, both are excellent heaters for a vanagon.   Now that
Propex can Carver are both gone (at least as far as the US market is
concerned) the number of options available for heating our vans is shrinking.
 If we can convince Arnie to make a few heaters for vangon owners, we'll all
benefit.

Contrary to what is often thought, the Platinum Cat can be installed behind
the passenger seat without interfering with turning the seat around.  All
that is required is that the heater be turned to face toward the left rear of
the van.  See www.geocities.com/wdummitt/vw.html for a photo.   Installation
on the closet wall is also a possibility.  I didn't do it because I thought
it would be a fire hazard but having owned one now, I realize the danger of
igniting nearby objects is not great.   I also thought about a sliding door
installation but I don't think there is quite enough room because of
interference with the door mechanism, at least with the 6000 btu version.

Here is the text from my web page writeup on heaters:

After agonizing over various types of heaters, such as the Suburban and
the Propex, I opted for a VENTED catalytic heater from Thermal Systems
in Tumwater, WA. They have several models- the 6000 btu model seems the
best size for a VW camper. This type of heater won't fit under a seat or
in a cabinet like the Propex, so I built a box for it. The box the
heater fits in is about 29x14x3 inches-tall, but taking up little floor
space. I put it behind the front passenger seat at a 45 degree angle,
roughly facing a person sitting at the left end of the rear seat. After
covering it with gray formica to match the rest of the interior, it fits
in nicely without looking out of place. I trimmed it with molding
painted to match the molding on the interior cabinets. Putting it at a
45 degree angle also makes it possible to turn the front passenger seat
almost all the way around. The top of the box then makes a handy small
table for a person using the front passenger seat facing rearwards. A
cup holder could easily be mounted there.
To install, I used 3/8" pipe to tee off the propane tank, adding a 3/8"
flare fitting. I had to modify the stone guard slightly to make room for
the tee under the propane tank, lowering it about 1/2". I then ran a
3/8" copper tube under the gas tank and into the van behind the
wheelwell, drilling a hole in the vertical part of the structure below
the passenger seat, near the battery box. The vent provided with the
heater (a plastic tube-vent temperature is relatively low) also goes
through a 1 1/2" hole cut near the battery box, vented into the
wheelwell area. A single 3/8" bolt, installed in the same area, secures
the heater box to the vertical wall next to the heater box. There is
plenty of clearance. The thermostat was installed on the wall of the
closet in easy reach from the rear seat.
This type of heater draws only 1 amp (10 amps during its 3 min. starting
cycle) and I've gotten away without an auxiliary battery. An aux.
battery would, however, be necessary for extended use of the heater
without driving the van. I ran a wire directly to the battery, just
behind the heater. The heater wiring includes an inline fuse, so it is
not necessary to add one. By removing one bolt, unplugging the
thermostat and power wires, and capping the propane line, I can remove
it , box and all, as a unit in about five minutes, although I seldom do.
I've used it a lot and am very happy with the heat it produces and also
with its miserly propane and electricity use.
I think the choice between the Thermal Systems heater and the Propex is
a tough one. The Propex has to be ordered from England and shipping is
expensive. It comes out a couple of hundred dollars more than the cost
of the Thermal Systems heater and is a little tougher to run the
electric, propane, and vent lines to. This is counterbalanced by the
need to build a box to hold the catalytic heater- it all depends on how
you prefer to spend your time and money. Also, the Propex makes for a
"cleaner" installation, with the camper interior retaining its stock
appearance. Total cost of installing a Thermal Systems heater, including
materials to build a box, runs a little under $400.

Bill Dummitt
St. Louis, MO
www.geocities.com/wdummitt