Date: Tue, 12 Oct 1999 10:16:28 -0700
Reply-To: Steve@SCHWENK-LAW.COM
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Steve@SCHWENK-LAW.COM
Subject: Re: Condensation,
rust and Catalytic heaters,was: Excellent Catalytic Heater at Ebay
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
The vented catalytic heaters do remove moisture and are
great. In other words, you will have less moisture
from the human occupants and cooking if you use a
vented catalytic heater than you will if you use a
propex or carver. With my plat cat, i have virtually
no condensation on the windows in the morning even with
two occupants. The heater is venting the cabin all
night. With the propex alone, there is condensation on
the interior of the windows in the morning.
steve
Bulley wrote:
>
> I'd agree with Steve on the questionable merit of catalytic (unvented) gas
> heaters in small vehicles...adding a few Bulley comments.
>
> When outside temperature cool down, and warm humans are inside a metal and
> glass box, cooking, respiring, and other such moisture producing things,
> the result is condensation in the most remarkable places on the inside of
> that box. Condensation enjoys forming in places where the air is still, and
> that can mean BEHIND your upholstery panels, on the body seams and wall
> panels of your van. Moisture here means RUST. Those who have seen our site
> know about the importance of a vapor barrier, and hearty sealant on the
> interior walls. http://www.bulley-hewlett.com/VWindex/ . Thanks to VW,
> installation of these is on your shoulders. :(
>
> Instead of a catalytic heater, wherever possible, I would choose a heater
> that DRIES the air, rather that adds moisture. Typically in the winter you
> come into the van with moist clothing, or perspiring from a hike/ski, and
> you could use a mechanism to quickly remove all that moisture from the
> van. I think the Carver P4, the BA6, and the BN4 are recirculating heaters,
> which would eventually dry the van. There may be others that pull in some
> air from outside the van and heat it, which would (typically) dry the air
> even more, as you van would have virtually the same flow/and heat dynamics
> as a clothes dryer. Dry is good. Dry means less rust.
>
> Remember, if there is water condensing inside your windows, it is probably
> condensing elsewhere as well, on surfaces that weren't well protected at
> the factory.
>
> G. Matthew Bulley
> Director
> Bulley-Hewlett & Associates
> www.bulley-hewlett.com
> Cary, NC USA
> 888.468.4880 tollfree
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve@Schwenk-Law.com [SMTP:Steve@Schwenk-Law.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 1999 1:39 AM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Excellent Catalytic Heater at Ebay
>
> It's not vented and thus not ideally suited to use in
> such a small space...it will either be drafty from
> having the window open or the heater will dump
> significant amounts of water vapor into the interior.
> Probably ok for occassional use, not for long term
> camping. just my opinion, of course.
> steve
>
> Marshall Ruskin wrote:
> >
> > Volks:
> > Check out this catalytic heater with an oxygen depletion sensor at Ebay -
> > it's a good one. Search on "Catalytic Heaters". The site for the
> > manufacturer of the Olympians (which this one is) is www.uscatalytic.com
> >
> > Marshall Ruskin
> >
> > Tim:
> >
> > I'd love your heater for my VW Westfalia - only - for me it's too much.
> >
> > I'll forward your mail to my VW list - I am sure someone there will want
> it!
> >
> > Marshall
> >
> > >Dear Marshall: The heater model is a 338ODS. I bought it for a small
> > >greenhouse and never even took the heater out of the box ( we ended up
> > >getting a bigger greenhouse and I needed a vented model for the type of
> > >plants that I grow). If you need anything else, please let me know!
> > >Thanks again, Tim
> > >
> > >-----Original Message-----
> > >From: Marshall Ruskin <mruskin@pangea.ca>
> > >To: Feldbutj@durakon.com <Feldbutj@durakon.com>
> > >Date: Saturday, October 09, 1999 3:31 AM
> > >Subject: Regarding your heater
> > >
> > >
> > >>Hi:
> > >>
> > >>I am interested in which model of Olympian heater you are selling on
> eBay.
> > >>
> > >>Thanks very much
> > >>
> > >>Marshall Ruskin
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
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