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Old 06-27-2015, 04:32 PM   #1
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Gallup , New Mexico
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New Owners, 1972 31' Land Yacht Sovereign

Hi there!

My fiance and I recently bought a 1972 Land Yacht Sovereign (twin, rear bath) to full-time in. We didnt have a tow vehicle for it, and yesterday we bought a new-off-the-lot 2015 Toyota Tundra Doublecab 4x4. So psyched about both of our new vehicles!

Here's some upgrades we'd love some advice on....

We'd like to put in a tankless water heater in the Airstream--Does anyone have recommendations for a tankless propane model that we can put in place of the original water heater?

We're thinking about putting in a wood stove in the "living room" to keep us warm in the winter. Has anyone here done this/have recommendations on how to do it? Are there any propane/wood stoves that anyone has used before?

Thanks in advance!
Matt



Thanks!
Matt
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Old 06-27-2015, 10:49 PM   #2
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New Owners, 1972 31' Land Yacht Sovereign

Welcome!

Sorry I cant help with either of your questions with real experience, but the wood stove can be done, and an instant hot water heater is available for the stock location.

I am using a tankless in my 72, but it is nowhere near stock either in configuration or location.
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Old 06-28-2015, 09:39 PM   #3
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I am going to break the rules and bump your thread...
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Old 06-28-2015, 11:34 PM   #4
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Thanks J Morgan!

I have a buddy who runs a propane company, and he's coming to check out the heater situation at some point.....Still looking for some input on the wood stove info though!
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Old 06-29-2015, 10:10 AM   #5
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1972 31' Sovereign
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Hey, us 72 Sovereign owners have to stick together.
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Old 06-29-2015, 10:47 AM   #6
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My neighbor just got one of these. It's an Atwood. They're fairly new. He had to re-arrange the plumbing - just a wee bit. But for all intents and purposes, it fits just like the old one. He's very happy with it.

http://www.amazon.com/Attwood-90205-...+water+heaters

Tom
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Old 06-29-2015, 10:57 AM   #7
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Bee Cave , Texas
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Another '72 Sovereign Owner

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Originally Posted by J. Morgan View Post
Hey, us 72 Sovereign owners have to stick together.
Yup. Another one here. Spending most of my time correcting things that one of its previous owners did to it. Coming along nicely.

Glad I'm in good company here.
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Old 06-29-2015, 11:16 AM   #8
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You have an excellent tow vehicle there.
Enjoy your rig and have fun full-timing.
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Old 06-29-2015, 11:41 AM   #9
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You might checkout
Dickinson Marine, Newport Propane (LPG) Boat Heater / Fireplace, P9000
This is a marine propane cabin heater/fireplace. A friend has one in her vintage AS and it's nice.
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Old 06-29-2015, 11:42 AM   #10
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Tankless propane hot water on sale at Camping world for like $159.00. Going that route myself.
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Old 06-29-2015, 04:23 PM   #11
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beaumont , Texas
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international

I have a 75 model.. love these big ones. I have 28 safari and a 69 international also, We use the 75 more than all the others. If you are thinking instant water heater, make sure you get a good one, not the kind on ebay. Be aware that they use way more propane than stock type. I have found that a good 10gallon Atwood will keep up with us, no problems. As far as the wood stove.. remember that they consume oxygen, make sure of adequate fresh air supply and proper venting. ( you are going to have to cut a hole in your baby..) think it over, and talk to forum members, There is such a wealth of knowledge and experience here,.. I have not had an issue that could not be solved here.. welcome to the club.. Richard in Texas
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Old 06-29-2015, 04:54 PM   #12
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We ran into a problem last winter in which the electric converter in our 69 Safari had died on us and the furnace would only run as long as the battery would run the fan. This was in the mountains of New Mexico and I think it got down to 20 degrees that night. When we got back home I looked into what my alternatives were for heat in cases of no electric including dry camping. I can say that a wood stove while it would be very nice would require a) a lot of space around it away from the walls because they generate a lot of heat (not to mention the double walled venting you would need to install) and b) a good supply of wood - lots of extra weight. We have a wood burning stove in our house and it is was the best investment we've made living at 7200' in Colorado. But I don't see making one work in our trailer.

So - we put in an extended propane line from the furnace with a quick connect on the end of it. That connects to a catalytic heater which sits on the floor or can be wall mounted. It runs without electricity and warms the trailer right up - safely.

We also replaced our water heater. We thought long and hard about an on-demand heater with electric & gas heating capability (they are available) and decided to go the traditional LP fired tank route. The reason was mostly because it did not end up saving much room inside the trailer but also because there are a lot of RV mechanics out there that know their way around the tank systems but may not be experts yet on the tankless on-demand system. Finally I was just not sure about putting another high load electric appliance on an electrical system designed in 1969.

That may help, may not - but it's free -Ken
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Old 06-29-2015, 05:01 PM   #13
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I originally wanted to have the Dickinson (no relation) marine heater installed in my unit - I loved the clean look of it and how it worked. I asked my Airstream expert who does all the work on our trailer about it and he called the manufacturer. They said - Yes, they work great in trailers. But - remember, marine heaters are used on and work best on boats that are in coastal areas i.e.: sea level. Above about 4000' they don't work so well. So that info sent us down the catalytic heater path because we live and spend most of our camping nights well above that altitude. But, if I lived and mostly camped in a lower elevation I would have one of the marine LP heaters.
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Old 06-29-2015, 09:25 PM   #14
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Catalytic heater 31' Sovereign

Ditto on the catalytic. I mounted mine on the bulkhead just below the stove next to the door. Convenient access to gas supply because furnace is just the otherside. Provides good heat, takes up very little space, requires no electricity.
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Old 06-30-2015, 12:48 PM   #15
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New Owners, 1972 31' Land Yacht Sovereign

The catalytic stove will consume oxygen also.

And my tankless takes a long, long, time to consume a bottle of propane.

Weeks and weeks and weeks of daily use, and we take long showers daily.
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Old 06-30-2015, 04:49 PM   #16
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Thanks for all of the advice and thoughts y'all! This is great! We'll probably go with a low- to mid-end tankless unit (in the 300-600 dollar range) for the water heater, and the wood stove is still up in the air. We're going to be in Southern Maine for the winter, living full time in the airstream, so having another heat source is essential (we think, anyway). We're probably either going to a fancy Salamander Hobbit, or a used small Ashley or Jotul 602, something like that.

Any thoughts on either of those options?
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Old 06-30-2015, 08:09 PM   #17
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1974 31' Sovereign
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Check this out on the wood stove;

OFF-GRID HEAT: Small Wood Stoves | Livin' Lightly
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Old 06-30-2015, 08:15 PM   #18
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1974 31' Sovereign
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I'm tempted to buy one of those tiny stoves just because they're so cute!
I'll find a use later!
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Old 04-02-2016, 11:05 PM   #19
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Hi Matt, curious to know what you did with the water heater and for the heater ?
I replaced mine with a tankless .. It was a very easy job.
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Old 04-23-2016, 06:32 PM   #20
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1971 31' Excella 500
santa rosa , California
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72-31

Quote:
Originally Posted by mbakerwh View Post
Hi there!

My fiance and I recently bought a 1972 Land Yacht Sovereign (twin, rear bath) to full-time in. We didnt have a tow vehicle for it, and yesterday we bought a new-off-the-lot 2015 Toyota Tundra Doublecab 4x4. So psyched about both of our new vehicles!

Here's some upgrades we'd love some advice on....

We'd like to put in a tankless water heater in the Airstream--Does anyone have recommendations for a tankless propane model that we can put in place of the original water heater?

We're thinking about putting in a wood stove in the "living room" to keep us warm in the winter. Has anyone here done this/have recommendations on how to do it? Are there any propane/wood stoves that anyone has used before?

Thanks in advance!
Matt



Thanks!
Matt
Hi guys! first of all, congrats on all the things happening in your life.
I'm so sorry that I don't have any advice that you are asking about. I, too am living in my 31ft 72 Airstream. My biggest issue was the ultra-groovy motif. Just bad 70s beige, gold but with some cool vintage stuff too.
I did some painting and it did wonders. hope you like the picture.
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