Furnace or cat heater for EGG Camper

[campfrugal]

Mark, thank you for the You Tube video.

As to your question of Supplier.....I have only found them on Craig's List and
RV Salvage yards.....I guess I should see if they are still being made.
Doc

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Mark V.

Doc,


Doc, have you got a supplier for these things? Could I buy another on the day mine dies?

The units referred to here as "Pot heaters" are commonly called "gravity fed" heaters and were banned in the '80's, I don't know why.
Googling that term will get lots of hits- you might find a used one.
I took mine out (it's spoken for!) because I wasn't satisfied with the heat output.
The catalytic heater I replaced it with supplies a lot more heat using a lot less fuel.
The only drawback of the cat heater in my five years of experience with it has been that the water produced by combustion (1 gal. water from 1gal. of propane!) is discharged inside the trailer, as pointed out above.
I've achieved better control of the resulting condensation by better insulation/vent arrangements.
Since mine faces out to permanent open space, and since cat heater grill temps are far below flash points, "contact"
fire/burn hazard is low to nonexistent.
Of course, if something flammable such as drapes or clothing is allowed to stay in prolonged contact with the grill (or a lightbulb, for that matter), temps can/will rise to the combustion point.
Ordinary care must be exercised. Don't install such a device under a coat rack, for example. Coats can fall off the hooks onto the heater.


Francesca

[Andy B]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Of course, if something flammable such as drapes or clothing is allowed to stay in prolonged contact with the grill (or a lightbulb, for that matter), temps can/will rise to the combustion point.
Francesca

It is not just contact with the heater that can cause a fire, there is a clearance requirement around the heater where no combustibles are allowed in order to prevent fire. For example the Wave3 cat heater is 11.75"H, 10.25"W, 3.5" deep. It can not be recess mounted. The clearance requirements are for both sides and bottom 4 inches, top 18 inches, front 30 inches.

This means if mounted on a wall, the mounting spot needs to be a location without combustibles that is a minimum of 33.75" high, 18.25" wide and 33.5" in front. No drapes, clothing, sheets, blankets, cushions, walls, or anything that can burn should stay in this area.

[Francesca Knowles]

Hi, Andy

I think we're saying the same thing, except that recess mounting and heat shields are two different things...
Surface mounting a heat shield/diffuser/deflector isn't the same as recessed installation!
And I still think that flammables like drapes and clothing shouldn't be hung anywhere above a cat, even if the mfr. says 18" is far enough above.
Call me over-cautious,but I think it's too easy for stuff like that to fall and get draped over the heater.
Better safe than sorry, right?

Francesca

[Andy B]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Hi, Andy

I think we're saying the same thing, except that recess mounting and heat shields are two different things...
Surface mounting a heat shield/diffuser/deflector isn't the same as recessed installation!
And I still think that flammables like drapes and clothing shouldn't be hung anywhere above a cat, even if the mfr. says 18" is far enough above.
Call me over-cautious,but I think it's too easy for stuff like that to fall and get draped over the heater.
Better safe than sorry, right?

Francesca

Hi Francesca,

I just wanted people to be aware of the clearance requirements so no one has a fire. There are very few places where a Wave3 could be mounted in my Burro13 and still meet the clearance. I have seen pictures of them mounted on the side of the closet, down low in the entry way. In the Burro there is not enough front clearance to the front bunk, so it would have to be mounted higher on that wall, but if there is an upper bunk it could not be mounted higher. I have also seen pictures of them mounted on the front of the closet, down low, below the closet door. While front clearance is OK, that location is not wide enough to provide proper clearance to bedding.

In the end I decided that an Atwood 8012 conventional furnace would fit better in my Burro as it only requires a small amount of cabinet space and has no large clearance requirement in the living area like the cat heater does. It was really the moisture issues and venting requirements with the cat heaters that made me decide against them. If it is cold enough to run a heater, I don't want to be required to have a window open, and there is already too much moisture just from breathing, so I don't want to add more. They do have an advantage in price and electric usage, but in the end, I felt the drawbacks outweighed those advantages, of course someone else may feel differently.
Andy

[Francesca Knowles]

Hi, Andy

I'm glad you brought up the subject of installation horrors!
I saw a picture on another webpage showing a Plat Cat on a HINGED CABINET DOOR in an RV!!!
It's attached to an article rapturously describing the installation...it even shows us how easy it is to continue to get into the cabinet!?!
It doesn't say how the necessary "flexing" of the gas line is achieved. Since except for the bottle-to-coach line, RV installations are NOT supposed to use flexible lines, I'm pretty sure he's cut code corners somewhere.
I'd hate to be around when that connection fails...

Francesca

[Perry J]

I have had cats. in 1 slide in camper, 2 travel trailers and have had only one problem.
I had a burned grandchild when the first one was old enough to go camping with me.
I installed a furnace and sold the cat.
I think cats. are a fine heat source but they are a danger to small children.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Francesca Knowles

Hi, Andy

I'm glad you brought up the subject of installation horrors!
I saw a picture on another webpage showing a Plat Cat on a HINGED CABINET DOOR in an RV!!!
It's attached to an article rapturously describing the installation...it even shows us how easy it is to continue to get into the cabinet!?!
It doesn't say how the necessary "flexing" of the gas line is achieved. Since except for the bottle-to-coach line, RV installations are NOT supposed to use flexible lines, I'm pretty sure he's cut code corners somewhere.
I'd hate to be around when that connection fails...

Francesca

I think I saw that on the truck camper forums, on a cabinet door.

[Gary Carvajal]

Being one who does no camping with hookups, the Suburban forced air furnace we had worked great until the battery drew down to about 11 volts then the furnace would not fire.

So during a complete remod, I put a wave three in...and took it out after one trip. Could not stand in front of it to cook, or brush your teeth, or anything else.

Then I put in this:

Force 10 Cozy Cabin heater---

no battery to draw down, burns about 1 pound of propane on high setting in 8-10 hours.

Has a safety shutdown when air qualit gets below 98% of normal oxygen...

I like it---made for sailboats---about $450 five years ago.

Garo