Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (December 2008, week 1)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Thu, 4 Dec 2008 12:49:45 -0600
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <jim.felder@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Heaters for winter camping
Comments: To: Chris S <szpejankowski@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To:  <5ebe10a0812040952m11dde99fk1c2956b7d575c46b@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

I don't want to start a heater flame war (pun obviously intended) but I did want to mention that I use the olympic Wave III heater mounted on the bulkhead aft of the passenger seat, facing backwards, and I am very happy with it. It is plumbed through the floor to a tee into the propane supply and has an independent shutoff from the rest of the system to the stove and fridge.

It is very efficient and doesn't use as much oxygen that the Mr. Buddy and Plat Cat heaters do, which is why I bought it. It's more expensive, though. It's the size of a pack of 250 sheets of paper almost exactly.

It doesn't produce much condensation, and I have installed a 4 inch computer fan over the stove window to make sure that proper air exchange takes place. You can see the fan mounting details at <http://www.knology.net/~felder/Vanagons/> I use one or both of the fans to exhaust cooking fumes, too.

Other than the tiny bit of electricity needed by one of the fans, the heater of course draws nothing from the battery. The system is utterly simple and dependable.

Jim

On Thu, Dec 4, 2008 at 11:52 AM, Chris S <szpejankowski@gmail.com> wrote: > John, google tent propane heaters. They should be cheap to make with > air coming in through the sliding window via a custom block-off panel. > > On 12/4/08, John Rodgers <inua@charter.net> wrote: >> Heating a van in winter when camped out and away from external electric >> power is always problematic, it seems to me. Catalytic heaters produce >> moisture and the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Any kind of open >> flame gas heater has the same problem. The gasoline fired heaters under >> the rear seat are very pricey. So trying to get some sort of heat is a >> bit of a problem. >> >> So, how about this concept. An external, propane fired burner, with >> circulating hot water(antifreeze coolant) to supply the heat to a >> radiating core (rabbit heater core) inside the van. A small blower fan >> would circulate the air across the heater core. A small inline >> circulating pump could be installed in the coolant line if needed - >> something wih very low power drain. If the core was made to mount in a >> window like is done with some airconditioners, then the heater element >> could sit on the ground outside and thermosiphon action would circulate >> the coolant.- no circulating pump necessary - only a small blower fan. >> It could be taken down quickly when breaking camp. Another possibility >> would be a permanent mount of the heater core with the coolant lines >> being fixed in place, but run to the a point outside the vehicle to >> allow quick disconnect fittings for hookup/removal of the propane >> burner element. when ready to hit the road. >> >> Just some heater thoughts on a miserable rainy morning in the deep >> south. And to think - when my water line to the broke night before last, >> temps were such that the water spraying on a large grassy plant made a >> beautiful ice image standing in the morning sun. And this morning it is >> raining. Southern winter weather. Yuk! >> >> John Rodgers >> Chelsea, AL >> >> ------------------------------------------------------------ >> + To unsubscribe from the Vanagon List send an e-mail to >> + listserv@gerry.vanagon.com with SIGNOFF VANAGON >> + in the body of the message. >> ------------------------------------------------------------ >> > > -- > Sent from my mobile device > > Chris S. > Disclaimer: "Death and serious injury may occur" > > ------------------------------------------------------------ > + To unsubscribe from the Vanagon List send an e-mail to > + listserv@gerry.vanagon.com with SIGNOFF VANAGON > + in the body of the message. > ------------------------------------------------------------ >

------------------------------------------------------------ + To unsubscribe from the Vanagon List send an e-mail to + listserv@gerry.vanagon.com with SIGNOFF VANAGON + in the body of the message. ------------------------------------------------------------


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.