Date:         Wed, 29 Oct 1997 23:58:44 -0800
Reply-To:     TBill <tbill@STARTEXT.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From:         TBill <tbill@STARTEXT.NET>
Organization: Portfolio Management
Subject:      Heating Westy with propane burners
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Ever wonder why your Westy cook stove says not to use it as a heater?
I was camping at 7000' in N.M. when Denver got snowed in.  I got a
little snow, and a lot of cold.  Water supply froze, no damage tho.

There was just one of me and it was VERy cold so I decided to turn on
propane burners.  Why not?  I heat my house that way, so why not the
Westy?  ('Course, top is down.)  Even got a fan to circulate the heat.

Got the temp nicely above freezing, turned the burners down and when to
sleep.  Woke up to the smell of unburnt propane.  Both burners still
lit, but notice they are not burning all around.  Adjust flame.  Still
not burning all around.  Notice flame has a different shape. Hmmm...
time to ventilate.  Open door, and like magic, flame returns to normal.

Moral of the story is that while it is ok to heat a house with open
flame propane, the camper has too little air, and not enough (no)
insulation.
Now I appreciate all those vented heater postings.

TBIll

***If you stop and think about it, remember to start again.***