Date: Sun, 2 Oct 2005 13:56:12 -0700
Reply-To: David Marshall <mailinglist@FASTFORWARD.CA>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Marshall <mailinglist@FASTFORWARD.CA>
Subject: Re: Heaters: Propane vs. Gasoline vs. Diesel
In-Reply-To: <4a5e1cd49a3a9df0320a8b00e918e6ef@comcast.net>
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In my Hightop Syncro Westfalia Camper there is a factory installed
Eberspeacher B2L heater. It is a gasoline fired, forced air heater that is
mounted under the sliding door and the heat comes in through a vent under
the rear seat. There is a thermostat on the passenger side of the vehicle
next to the rear seat.
You can hear the heater from the inside of the van, but it is not as loud as
the gas heaters of the early 80s North American Vanagons.
My camper, with the insulated hightop, insulated windows (dual layer
plastic) and insulated walls stays pretty warm inside. With four of us
sleeping and the outside temperature around 0C and the fridge running on LPG
the inside is nice enough that a sleeping bag and fleece blanket will keep
you warm. This is without running the furnace.
This upcoming weekend I will be camping in it by myself and will be seeing
temps in the -3C range so I will probably be turning on the furnace.
My issue is that I will be turning this van into a Diesel over the winter so
I need a way of converting it to LPG or to Diesel or do I make a small 5L
tank and use that only when it is cold?
David Marshall
Fast Forward Automotive Inc.
4356 Quesnel-Hixon Road
Quesnel BC Canada V2J 6Z3
http://www.fastforward.ca mailto:sales@fastforward.ca
Phone: (250) 992 7775 FAX: (250) 992 1160
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-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On Behalf
Of Keith Ovregaard
Sent: October 2, 2005 11:44 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Heaters: Propane vs. Gasoline vs. Diesel
I put a Platinum Cat catalytic heater in my 84 westy behind the pass.
seat. The thermostat is mounted to the left of the fridge cabinet. It
is very efficient, quiet and makes cold weather camping very
comfortable. We've had temps in the low 20's and it would have been
pretty miserable without it. Feels like a fireplace (a small one) since
it produces infrared heat. You have to be close to it to feel the heat.
Because of the exhaust hose had to put through the body (mine goes thru
the floor behind the right wheel well), the LP lines plumbed and the
thermo wires run, it was a pain to install. No regrets though.
The 84 also has a factory gas fired heater that we have used only to
warm up the van in the morning for a few minutes. It uses a lot of
battery power and the exhaust stinks of gas fumes outside. It is also
loud. But it heats up the whole van very quickly. Good for only about
15 minutes using the timer when the engine is off. Will run
continuously while under way, although I have never used it that way.
If you are considering installing one of these in you van, forget about
it! Way too complicated and probably not worth the effort even if you
got it for free. Just cutting the three vent holes in the body is
reason enough not to do it.
My Syncro westy does not have a heater yet, so I am very interested in
other listers feedback on Propex heaters and other heaters that are
efficient, quiet and small.
Keith Ovregaard
84 Westy "Brownie" Solar Charged Camper
90 Westy Syncro (No name yet for the pastel white box)