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Date:         Wed, 13 Oct 2004 13:04:45 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Subject:      Re: All catalytics are not create equal
In-Reply-To:  <Pine.GSO.4.44.0410131146070.21426-100000@neota>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

> I found mine for $215 new, the buy-it-now price for a seller out of california. He lists them every week or so, but not continuously. I see them for as high as $350 though. Likewise, one could probably find a vented model for less than $400. I took about 6 months to look around.

I have no idea why one heater would consume so much less oxygen than another, perhaps a chemist on the list could tell us.

Jim > > If cost is an issue, everyone should know that the olympian's are only > $100 cheaper than a vented forced air heater ($300 as opposed to $400). > The forced air has the disadvantage of electrical draw (1.8 amps), and > noise of blower fan but advantage of being completely safe, and warmer > (higher BTU's and better warm air distribution). Here is a website > with > prices, etc: http://www.ducktec.com/itmidx4.htm > > > On Wed, 13 Oct 2004, Jim Felder wrote: > >> I had the some oxygen consumption information at one time while I was >> making the decision to go with the Olympian or the much cheaper >> walmart >> catalytic or the more expensive and installation-heavy vented. I don't >> have figures anymore but the Olympian used WAY less oxygen than the >> coleman and the vented heaters, while they used oxygen and lots of it, >> got it from outside the cabin--hopefully. >> >> So many people I know have installed the Olympian wave 3 in horse >> trailers and campers that I knew it wouldn't kill me. It doesn't use >> ANY electricity. It's easy to leave the 4 square inch opening it >> requires, and it's absolutely silent and doesn't cycle on and off. >> >> I've fooled with vented heaters in RVs and they are fine, if noisy. >> But >> I felt with that all things considered, the Olympian was the best >> value. I'm completely satisfied with it and haven't died yet. It's a >> good alternative to a vented installation in my opinion, which by the >> way I think is an excellent solution except for the drawbacks I >> mention >> above (drawbacks for me, anyway). >> >> If anyone wants pictures of a permanent installation I'll send them >> along. >> >> As to why people have died using unvented heaters, I don't know. >> People >> do all kinds of crazy things. I could not find a single mention of >> anyone dying from using an Olympian of any size, though. The olympian >> instructions do not say not to use while sleeping. Don't lump all >> catalytic heaters together, they are not the same. >> >> Jim >> >> On Oct 13, 2004, at 11:33 AM, Andrew Fox wrote: >> >>> If the statements below are true than why have so many people died >>> while >>> using an unvented catalytic heater in a tent or vehicle? I can't >>> imagine >>> that the tent the 2 fellows died in was extremely airtight, nor was >>> the >>> bus with its top popped at the bus show a few years back when the >>> child >>> sleeping in the poptop woke up to dead parents downstairs. >>> >>> The instructions that come with the heaters specifically say "do not >>> use >>> while sleeping, use only with a window open while awake", by the way >>> the >>> packaging of these products makes no mention of these specifics, on >>> the >>> packaging they say "safe for indoor use", you've got to buy the >>> product >>> and read the instructions to find out its not really safe for indoor >>> use >>> unless a window is open and not safe to use while sleeping under any >>> circumstances. I think the coleman,etc should be sued on that point. >>> >>> There are safe and much warmer vented alternatives but they start at >>> about >>> $400, not a bad deal in my opinion. >>> >>> >>> >>> Search the archives for a 5 Apr, 2004, post titled: >>> "Carbon Monoxide Test Colman Cat heater", by Chris >>> Christensen <populuxe@QWICS.COM> >>> >>> Chris works for a public utility/gas company, >>> specializes in natural gas systems, and has access to >>> professional-grade carbon monoxide measuring devices. >>> In p-mail correspondence with him, I was left with the >>> definite impression that when used with adequate >>> ventilation, the Coleman catalytic heaters are indeed >>> safe for prolonged use, and we have done so when >>> camping in our own Westy. We open the windows >>> according to the instructions and, just for backup, >>> sleep with a home-grade CO detector/alarm nearby. >>> >>> Chris made NO safety guarantees to me, and I make none >>> to anyone else; each must determine one's own degree >>> of safety compromise when leaving the house each day. >>> Camp smart. >>> >>> Jeffrey Earl >>> 1983 diesel Westfalia "Vanasazi" >>> http://www.vanthology.com/ >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________ >>> Do you Yahoo!? >>> Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today! >>> http://vote.yahoo.com >>> >> >


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