Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1999 18:59:59 -0600
Reply-To: Blue Eyes <lvlearn@MCI2000.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Blue Eyes <lvlearn@MCI2000.COM>
Organization: Vexation Computer
Subject: Re: Hot water system thoughts
Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Since thoughts have turned to hot water systems, I'm going
to describe a water heater which I'll be surprised if others
have seen. This is a true catalytic water heater fueled by
gasoline fumes with an electronic control module, !2 volt
resistance preheating like the Platinum Cat, virtually
silent operation, and costs about 1.6 cents an hour to run.
It won't work on diesel fuel. I'm going all diesel and
propane, so here's your chance to own one still new in the
box, never installed.
Ok, this water heater depends on the same super clean
oxidation process the Platinum Cat space heater uses. That
is a heated platinum impregnated catalytic media which
facilitates gas oxidation at temperatures well below the
flash point of gasoline, paper, cloth or normal
Vanagon/Westy materials. The main part is about 14 inches
long, but the top 3 inches of that 14 is just the curved gas
feed line. So the main body is 11 inches long and 3 1/4
inches in diameter. The outside is a water filled heat
exchanger with a bottom and top standard 5/8 inch outside
diameter nipple onto which you connect water heater hose.
There is also an electronic transistorized control module
with a micro pump which they say is factory calibrated to 1
ml of gasoline per minute. Since there are 3785 ml. per
gallon, this works out to .38 gallons of gasoline per
day. Call it 40 cents per day if you accidentally left it
on 100% of the time while dry camping. Since it has a
catalytic element, it's just working on fumes like a
catalytic hand warmer, with an internal heat around 700 to
800 degrees. There is no flame and it makes no carbon
monoxide.
It has a switch panel which could be mounted on the
dashboard or the bottom of the top kitchen tray as you may
elect. It has an on-off switch and an electric priming
button. To start operation, you're supposed to turn the
switch on hold, then press the priming button for no more
than five seconds. That's all. Much easier than the
Dometic refrigerator. Like the Platinum Cat, it uses a 12
volt resistance heater to preheat the catalytic element just
long enough to start the catalytic heating process.
I've read that these kinds of units were used in big bucks
arctic projects where no electricity grid was available yet
starting cold motors was impossible without some
preheating. What's the price of a new Webasto water
heater? $600 - $800? They make heat much faster but they
consume lots of electricity and make blower and burner
noise. The electric consumption on these is like the
Platinum Cat, which is to say trivial, and they similarly
quiet.
I've decided to go with an all diesel and propane system in
my camper. Does someone want to make a fair offer to me?
Ken Wilford could instantly trade something for it, if he
wants. <G> This is a rare high end piece that could be
applied to heating interior water just as easily as it was
applied to maintaining heat in big bucks on-site
construction equipment motors. It's still in the original
foam case with the original shipping box. It can be shipped
by UPS as it's dry weight is just 9 pounds. It's old stock
but brand new.
You may respond to me directly.
John at LvLearn@mci2000.com
PS. I've scanned a photo from the the unopened shipping box
for the new 20" by 60" wheel-less trailer I offered
earlier. It's designed to be supported by any 2" square
receiver hitch. It's load rated for up to 500 pounds.
$80. If you'd like to see the photo Jpeg, let me know at my
address above and I'll send a copy to you.
| 
