electricityless propane furnace

[Legacy Posts]

Back in time about 30 years, I bought a nice little propane furnace for a camper. It had a sealed combustion chamber with through the wall air intake and exhaust. It didn't put out thousands of BTU's but it could really run you out of the camper. The best part was its simplicity. No fan, no noise, no electric load. It used convection for heat distribution and should work well in these smallish Scamps. I want one now. Do you veterans of the camping/Scamp world know if they still are made? I can't believe how loud my Scamp's furnace is, plus it doesn't seem to want to keep running for more than a few seconds.

john

[Legacy Posts]

What you are describing is what was installed in my parents 1970 Bethany tent-trailer. it was quiet, and must have had an output on 3000 - 4000 BTU's of heat.

I hope we will hear that they are still available. I'm not going to hold my breath. :shg

-- Dan Meyer

[Legacy Posts]

Hi Guys
I have two of them and I will not part with them.They are great.The older Bolers etc had them.They are like gold and worth just as much.
I don't think you can get them anymore,but parts are easy to find.

[Legacy Posts]

Hi
Photos of same.

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3ecd7381a8541fur1.jpg/>

<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3ecd73918f88afur2.jpg/>

[Legacy Posts]

Has anyone tried using hot water heat in their trailer as an alternative to the noisy furnace? It seems to me it should be possible to use the water heater to heat water that circulates by gravity through a "radiator" inside your camper.

-- Dan Meyer

[Legacy Posts]

Hi
That is an idea that is being pursued here.It should work.

[Legacy Posts]

Good ideal! But wouldn't you have to use a dedicated water heater since the other is under pressure. And maybe a small circulating pump to get enough heat.

Or maybe you could copy the ideal that they use to save water when you need hot water to a faucet a long way from the water heater. They have a circulating pump that you turn on that pumps the water at the faucet back to the water heater. When it gets hot it shuts off. Then you have hot water and none was run down the drain.

The same ideal would work to pump water from the existing hot water heater through radiators and back to the cold side of the water heater. A thermostat could be used to turn the circulating pump on and off. It would use a lot less amperage than the blower on a furnace.

During storage you would need to drain the system, or fill with antifreeze.

Something to think about.

[Legacy Posts]

Rats!!!! That's exactly what I am looking for, Ches.... if you see one floating around the Northland please advise.

yer mod pal- Phil

[Legacy Posts]

Hi Phill
Will do.All the parts you can get at any RV store.Normal gas valve etc.

[Legacy Posts]

Orginally posted by Dan Meyer

Has anyone tried using hot water heat in their trailer as an alternative to the noisy furnace? It seems to me it should be possible to use the water heater to heat water that circulates by gravity through a "radiator" inside your camper.

-- Dan Meyer

Hi
By using a Exchanger filled with Glycol(anti freeze) along with a circulating pump of low amp draw and thermostate a heating system could be built.A few feet of copper pipe and you could have heat.

[Legacy Posts]

John: The Trillium from Stoughton has a Duo-Therm that is like you describe. Inside the closet door it lists the model number as 11HU but the metal plate for the furnace has the model listed as 65810-002. 10,000 BTU/HR. input, 7,000 BTU/HR output.

When just the pilot light is on, it has a blow torch sound but when it kicks in to heat, it is silent. It heats it up fine in there but it was not that cold when I bought it (no plans to check it in Jan. either.) I think the heat thrown out the vent is more heat than the heat inside, contrary to what the plate says.

It does say "this appliance may employ blower assembly part number 9-3607 OR 9-3608". Maybe if your furnace is similar, you could just not use the noisy blower.

HTH
Rich

[Legacy Posts]

Rich,

My 1990 Scamp has a Surburban forced air furnace. I like your Trillium's model better.

Seems you could easily add a quiet fan, like a computer muffin fan, to increase the efficiency if you wanted, though its probably not necessary. Those smaller computer fans use almost no electricity and are nearly silent. I have a nice little dual unit for one of my hard drives that cost $8.00 and I have to look to see if its turning.

Good luck the the Trillium.

john

[Legacy Posts]

I am gutting out my 1972 Starcraft camper and using some of the odds and ends from it in my Scamp (newer fridge, converter, a/c,...). One part that I won't be reusing, just because I don't need it, is the furnace. It is exactly what you are describing. It uses convection, and has a fan "option" (not installed). I always figured to hook up a 12v computer fan, but never managed to need it - the furnace always put out plenty of heat.

The furnace will be available if anyone is interested. I'd describe the condition as decent. The metal work is not shiny new anymore, but it's not torn up, either. I'll try to post a picture if anyone is interested. I obviously cannot offer any guarantees of longevity or of safety, although I've never had any issues with it, and have never had reason to fear it.

I will also have a pile of jalousie windows of various sizes, a sink, a 3-burner stove/oven (Traveler, harvest gold, working condition but not fancy), and various other parts. This forum can have first dibs, the rest goes to eBay.

[Legacy Posts]

Hey Paul!
I'm interrested in that bun warmer! I Emailed you earlier about it, not sure if it got to you. JD

[Legacy Posts]

John: I was thinking a fan but didnt think of a computer fan, thanks for the idea. I should be able to get a freebe from my friend that is always rebuilding computers. I used to have a little tiny squirl cage fan from a copy machine, about the size of my fist, that would have worked too but I think I chucked it.

The Trilium is working nicely, had it out last weekend (Wildcat Mtn.). Only problem was every time I rolled over at night, the flashlight I had hanging went thump thump thump. About 3 am I got smart and unhooked it and layed it beside me. I gotta rig up some jacks.

Hope you are able to get that furnace from Paul.

Rich

[Legacy Posts]

I took my recently purchased 89 Scamp to Denali National Park when it was still getting downright cold at night. Not only was the forced-air furnace way too loud, the constant cycling on and off ran down my 12v battery by about 3 a.m. From this I learned that without shore power, I don't have reliable heat. The Mr. Heater company has come out with a new portable propane heater called a "Buddy" that radiates heat without the need for electricity. They claim it is completely safe in enclosed spaces such as tents and campers. I haven't found one locally yet, but Cabela's is advertising it for $89.00. Anybody out there think this may be a reasonable idea? Any experienced "Buddy" owners out there?

Dave in Anchorage

[Legacy Posts]

Dave,

A lot of people use them but all of the ones I have seen require a lot of fresh air. This requires a couple of windows open somewhere. Better check the fine print.

Ron

[Legacy Posts]

Ron:

Thanks for the input. I don't know if I could ever get to sleep while worrying about whether the heater was going to do me in. I have an old style Mr. Heater that specifically warns against indoor use. I do use it to warm up my wife in caribou hunting camp, in our big tent. But we make sure it is off before we get in the sleeping bags. The Buddy is supposed to have automatic shutoff features for oygen deprivation. I still wonder if I can trust my life to the theory. I still need to figure out some decent way to heat my Scamp when I am away from a power source. Alaska camping is often chilly to say the least. Other ideas out there?

Dave in Anchorage

[Legacy Posts]

Dave:

Mr. Heater Portable Buddy for heat when boondocking. :)
<img src=http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/uploads/3ed02bb965920Casita Mr heater 2.jpg/>
Yes, keeping the vent cracked open, and the bath window, controls the condensation. The portable buddy has an oxygen depletion sensor that will shut it down in case of low oxygen, but we don't run it while sleeping, it gets too hot in the Casita, even on the low setting. I like to leave the pilot on, provides a night light and a teeny bit of heat, and it's ready to crank up first thing in the morning. Just switch the knob to 'hi' and jump back under the covers til the temperature climbs. :)

And use the ceramic cube heater whenever 120vac is available.

[Legacy Posts]

My 1973 Boler has a WagonMaster 6000B 'wall furnace' as described by the manufacturer in Seattle, Wash.

The company is not longer operating, but youcan get generic parts, like the gas valve. I like mine at it requires no electricity, but will blow out on a windy day (poor exhaust design). At 6000 BTU it heats the 13 foot Boler well.

My newer Trillium 4500 has a more modern unit (Duo-Therm), which has a pilot that you manually light, but has a wall thermostat and a fan. When heat is called for, at least once process is the fan.

I think the pilot will take a bit of a chill off, and turning up the thermostat before arising should be a manageable task.

Rick