Wendy & John,
I don't = believe the catalytic heater had been invented twenty years ago. One of the reasons = it was invented is because people were dying in the tents and campers from the = CO that non-catalytic heaters put out. If your old heater is not catalytic you = are taking a chance with you life using it in an encloses space.. even a tent.
Catalytic heaters put out much less CO but it is = still necessary to have a window open an inch or so to keep CO from building = up. And they should not be use at night since there is a chance that they will malfunction and put out too much CO and you won't wake up.
Bill
-----Original = Message-----
From: W. Silva <wsilva@CAPECOD.NET>
To: = vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM = <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM&g= t;
Date: Friday, January 07, 2000 6:02 AM
Subject: Re: Coleman = Plat Cat Heater Report

Twenty years ago we had a '72 bus = and camped with five kids and huge canvas tent .  We  had a Bernz-O-Matic propane camping heater which is the same = "plat cat" style heater as the new Coleman, it was an avecado = green colored (that tells you how old it was) steel box with = room for two of the tall style propane cylinders inside and = the round element and controls mounted on the outside.  If you have one = of these dinosaurs in your basement, dig it out! We found  it to = work very well in the tent with proper venting on chilly fall nights and early = mornings in the mountains of New Hampshire and recently gave it = to our son to use on his family camping trips then promptly went out and = bought the Coleman version of the same thing.  If it lasts half as long = and works as well as the first one we owned it will be the bargain of the century. 
 
With The Coleman Duracat = heater and the Bloss Porta -O-Matic A/C,  every camper will have = the ultimate in comfort and climate control!
 
Happy Camping
 
Wendy & John
Cape Cod, = MA
'85 Westy,   "S-CAPE"
'98 Passat = The Do Dah Machine

CAMPERS ON CAPE COD = 2000