Date:         Sat, 1 Aug 1998 07:55:12 -0700
Reply-To:     Mark McCulley <raven@HALCYON.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <Vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Mark McCulley <raven@HALCYON.COM>
Subject:      Re: Carver P4 - Thoughts on installation
Comments: To: shilohz <shilohz@JPS.NET>, Vanagon@VANAGON.COM
Comments: cc: Benjita@aol.com, berky@win.bright.net, ebrown@Adobe.COM,
          gypsy@crcwnet.com, joe_ernest@ccgate.unionsanitary.com,
          mag@lucasdigital.com, mwagner@prizmpharm.com, shantech@ptdprolog.net,
          Ssittservl@aol.com, ThingGuy@aol.com
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

At 10:43 PM 7/31/98 -0700, shilohz wrote:
>OK guys, where are you placing the heater??
>
>At this point I think I am going to place it vertically with the air inlet
>and outlet nearest the sliding door with the gas inlet pointing towards the
>water tank.  I will try to run the gas line behind the fridge and "t" into
>the gas line near the fridge under the sink.
>
>Please let me know where you installed your heater and why.
>Please send any helpful hints to the rest of us.
>
I installed a Propex 1600 which I think (but I'm not absolutely sure) is
similar in configuration to the P4. I installed my heater with the gas
connection towards the passenger side and the air inlet and outlet towards
the driver side. This allowed me to put the hot air outlet right above the
existing rear heater outlet with a very short duct run. You want to minimize
the length of the ductwork for the hot air outlet--longer runs result in
more heat loss before the hot air reaches the cabin.

I'm very satisfied with my installation. The only thing I would like to
change is the location of the exhaust vent which I mounted on the jack point
just to the rear of the sliding door. If the door is opened while the heater
is running, exhaust gases get into the van. However, there seems to be no
good way to route the exhaust hose over the two frame rails to get the
outlet on the other side of the van. So for now I just switch the heater off
if the door is going to be open for anything more than a quick exit/entry.

For the gas line, I did just as you described above. I put a stopcock valve
in the line where it passed through the small storage cabinet to the lower
left of the fridge. This allows me to remove the heater (should it ever need
service) and still have gas for the stove and fridge.

I'd be glad to let anyone in the Seattle area drop by for a look at my
installation. Send pmail if interested.

MM