Date:         Wed, 18 Oct 1995 14:28:40 -0700 (PDT)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         David Schwarze <des@teleport.com>
Subject:      Re: Heat while camping??

John Brown writes:
> 
> All these heat threads have got me thinking about winter camping.  I seem 
> to remember that someone suggested installing a propane furnace, like the 
> ones that the new winnebago Eurovan campers use.  Has anyone tried this.  
> Where would you mount it?  I'm thinking the bottom of the Westy closet in 
> an '84 vanagon camper.  What about next to the water tank?  

How about behind the passenger seat, a-la Dave Garth?  There are pix of
his installation at http://www.teleport.com/~des/vw/garth

> My Camping world catalog list a furnace made by Suburban that is vented 
> outside with the same vent that is used on the Eurovan camper.  
> 
> 12,000 BUT furnace
> 12 V 2.8 Amps
> 9 3/8" by 9 3/8" by 21 1/8"
> $349

>From the dimensions I assume this is one of the ones that will require
you to cut a 9-3/8 x 9-3/8 hole in the side of the camper, and mount it
extending inward.  I hope I'm wrong...
 
> I'm also concerned about the propane and 12 volt use from running this 
> thing overnight.  I would like to have some propane left over for hot 
> coffee.  Does anybody know how much propane the Westy tank holds?  

I don't think it is more than 3 gallons.  My similarly sized tank can
run my big honking propane heater for 2-3 nights, depending on how high
it is turned up.  Sure wish I had a bigger tank.  2.8 amps also sounds 
kinda high - I wouldn't want to have that load running all night every
night.

> Also, is 12,000 BTUs going to keep the van warm on a cold night?  

I think 12,000 BTU's is quite a bit for a VW camper.  This heater sounds
to me like a model intended for a big RV.  Bigger than a VW, at least...

-David

============================================================================
David Schwarze                     '73 VW Safare Custom Camper  (Da Boat)
San Diego  (Actually La Mesa)      '72 VW Westfalia Camper      (Da Project)
California, USA                    '73 Capri GT 2800            (Da Beast)
e-mail: des@teleport.com           '87 Mustang Lx 5.0           (14.17@99.34)
http://www.teleport.com/~des       '93 Weber WG-50              (Da Piano)
============================================================================