Date:         Fri, 3 Oct 1997 20:34:25 -0700
Reply-To:     "harald.nancy" <harald.nancy@MCI2000.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From:         "harald.nancy" <harald.nancy@MCI2000.COM>
Subject:      Re: Propane heater for under the rear seat
Content-type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

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> From: Scott Semyan <scottse@MICROSOFT.COM>
> To: Vanagon@GERRY.SDSC.EDU
> Subject: Propane heater for under the rear seat
> Date: Friday, October 03, 1997 12:02 PM
>
> Hello all. As winter sets in here in the NW, I have been following the
> propane heater discussions attentively.
>
> It sounds like the heater people are talking about needs to be mounted
> somewhere -- with the area behind the passenger seat being really the
> only place with room. I would like to get a heater but I don't want to
> sacrifice the seat provided by swiveling my passenger seat around.
>
> I was thinking of a heater that would replace the mostly unused coolant
> using heater under the passenger seat. Does anyone know of such a
> heater?
>
> Thanks much,
>
> Scott Semyan
> '85 Westie
> Seattle

Dear Scott,
Check out this shop in Seattle. I think it was near Fremont or Ballard.
They have a great showroom with all different kinds of forced air and
convection
heaters.  Many on the display are hooked up, so you can hear and see them
operating. Some of them are amazingly compact, since they are made for
small sailboats, etc. There are all different kinds.  Some operate on
propane, diesel, or gasoline. Since they cater to boaters, most are rather
expensive. But you get what you pay for.  The people there seem to be very
knowledgeable.
        Sure Marine Service Inc.
        5320 28th Ave NW
        Seattle, WA
I don't have the phone number.  I don't know if they are still in business.
I bought the "cat" heater many years back.
I went to many conventional RV stores in the Puget Sound area, because they
are usually cheaper; however, their heaters don't work for the small space
in vanagons.
I also think the rv heaters use too much fuel and electricity.
Whatever you do, never install an unvented catalytic heater in a vanagon.
You lose more heat through the open window than you gain from the heater.

Good luck on your quest.
Harald
Olympia
'90 westy