Date: Tue, 5 Nov 2013 06:34:13 -0800
Reply-To: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Rocket J Squirrel <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Propex alternative?
In-Reply-To: <vanagon%2013110422043316@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
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I stand corrected. The one and only objection I might have about using a
big propane heater is that not knowing how much fuel is in the van's
little tank bothers me. I've thought about permanently mounting and
plumbing my Mr Heater Buddy inside the van so I don't need to consume
those 16.4 oz bottles of gas, but when I'm camping on cold mornings,
that little thing goes through one bottle per every three mornings --
"HI" setting -- getting the van up to the lower 60s inside. I believe
the van tank holds 2 gallons of propane so that's . . . oh, right . . .
something like 24 mornings if I don't use the stove a lot.
Okay, that's plenty even with the Mr Heater Buddy. I presume the Propex
is at least as efficient at turning propane into heat.
So like I say, I stand corrected. Sorry for putting out my mistaken
opinion.
--
Jack "Rocket j Squirrel" Elliott
1984 Westfalia, auto trans,
Bend, Ore.
On 11/04/2013 07:04 PM, Karl Mullendore wrote:
> On Mon, 4 Nov 2013 17:53:49 -0800, Rocket J Squirrel
> <camping.elliott@GMAIL.COM> wrote:
>
>> "A dedicated heater like the propex or others wouldn't get much use in
>> our van...."
>>
>> And such machines burns through a lot of propane quickly. Propane is
>> problematic to me, because it is expensive, and it requires
>> substantially-strong packaging, which adds to the price. Kerosene, OTOH,
>> is less expensive, BTU-wise, and is packaged much less expensively. My
>> Dietz lantern and Aladdin kerosene heater provide light and heat much
>> more efficiently. In comparison to a Mr. Heater Buddy or similar
>> propane-bottle heater, my kerosene heater positively sips fuel. Looking
>> at the specs for the Propex, I get the impression that if I were to use
>> one to heat near-freezing mornings for more than a few days in a row,
>> the van's tank would empty quickly.
>
> Odd how those with no Propex experience are ready to make assumptions based
> on little to no evidence. FYI: A Propex HS2000/HS2211 will use up a full
> Westy tank in one WEEK of normal heating, 24/7, in 20s and 30s temps, roof
> down, mid-60s interior temps. My and other's experience. Propane per gallon
> is not more expensive than kerosene, and burns much, much cleaner. The
> Propex models are 93% efficient - btus extracted vs btus burned. I seriously
> doubt there is a kero heater that approaches that figure.
>
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