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Date:         16 Apr 97 15:52:03 EDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Clark Carr <75716.763@CompuServe.COM>
Subject:      Re: Auxillary Heater

On 4/14.97 spruce@m2.sprynet.com wrote:

John, Check out the propane catalytic heaters at your local RV dealer. These are compact, produce ample heat for camping, and are easy to install and operate. No electrical connections are needed and no venting is necessary. The only downside is that they consume oxygen, and you must crack a window and/or pop the top to assure ample air supply. Cost for the smallest one will be less than $200, and should do the job nicely. A small oscillating 12 volt fan may used in the camper to help distribute heat. Larry

My own experience with one of these heaters was rather disappointing. The thing everyone forgot to mention is that one of the byproducts of burning LP is water. In fact, every gallon of propane burned produces 4 gallons of water vapor. This means that if you use your heater in the middle of winter you wake up with everything frozen or soggy depending on how much you cracked the window for the fresh air supply. There is also a stage during the lighting of the furnace in which a fairly unattractive odor is produced.

I swapped mine out for a vented catalytic heater. Sort of the same thing but it has a little muffin fan that draws the exhaust and water vapor to the outside. The electricity used is very minimal but the installation is considerably more complicated because you now have to provide electric, propane and exhaust porting. I actually got the idea from someone who had already done the work to their Westy and had posted detailed instructions to the RV forum on CompuServe. It involves building a laminated cabinet, installing the cabinet in the Westy and then installing the heater in the cabinet. Took me three whole days but it really works great. I think I could dig up a copy of his instruction set if anyone wants it.

For what it's worth, I use it for winter camping trips, ski trips where we just stay at the bottom of the slope and even pre-warming the Westy on cold mornings when it's just too cold to drive twenty minutes before "Hilly" shows any progress on the temperature gauge. I even take comfort in knowing that the CO won't poison us in our sleep.

-Clark Carr pacocarr@mcimail.com


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