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Date:         Wed, 27 Apr 2005 00:43:01 -0400
Reply-To:     Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Kim Brennan <kimbrennan@MAC.COM>
Subject:      Propex heater
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

Well, Karl is once again mentioning he's got Propex heaters to sell.

I finally got around to running a copper propane line to mine. So I figured a few notes were in order.

#1 If you are used to removing your rear bench on your Westy, then you might not want to install the Propex heater in the most logical spot...under the rear bench, because once it is there, you probably won't ever pull the seat again.

#2 The fittings that came on the Propex are a compression fitting. That's not the US standard, which uses flare fittings for propane. It's easy to switch.

#3 I've see references to folks that ran 1/4" copper tube. The Propex manual says to use 9mm. 9mm is .354 inches. So 3/8 inch copper is actually closer (and is what I used.) However bending 3/8 copper is a LOT harder than 1/4...3/8 is pretty much what Westfalia used for the existing copper lines, FWIW.

#4 Copper is flexible and will accept a bit of bending in order to run it through the cabinets to the Propex heater. However, you should be aware that you'll need sufficient space at the gas end to get the fitting in place. I almost didn't give myself enough room. I got 10 feet of copper. I had about 3 inches extra at the end. Depending on how you want to run the copper lines, you might want to get a few more feet.

#5 Fittings. Propane places won't sell you the parts (Liability I guess). You can get the parts at Home Depot. You can get the flare tools, copper tube, fittings and bending tools there too. Oh, and a pipe cutter.

#6 Splicing into the existing lines. I chose to splice into the existing lines (I connected to the fridge side for convienence, where as I probably would have preferred to connect to the stove side.) You'll need a Tee fitting with flare connections, 3 flare style caps, pipe cutter and a good eye for guessing how much of the existing line to remove to accomodate the tee (and still connect up to the existing appliances.) Remember to put the flare caps on the copper tube BEFORE you flare the tube...One the propex side you'll need a 3/8 adapter to flare adapter another flare cap.

I spliced into my fridge line essentially at the last straight section before the final bend to the fridge connection. There was just barely enough room to get the cap on and still flare the tube for the tee. The copper tube I ran to the heater went down from the Tee fitting to the base of the cabinet. A 90 degree turn to the rear through the gap at the back of the fridge/stove cabinet towards the next cabinet over. Then along the back of that cabinet to the gap in the divider (I had to remove the divider while running the copper line. The divider was reinstalled afterwards.) Then another bend to a hole to the left of the electrical outlet which leads into the area below the rear bench. Then along the front of the area under the rear bench to the heater (installed on the passenger side compartment under the rear bench.)

Tomorrow I'll polish up my installation by installing clamps on the tube to hold in place. Hopefully I'll get a chance during this coming weekend's camping to try it out.


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