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The Flintstones · 10-23-2007, 02:26 PM

Okay just read a arcticle where the writer say's he would never use a catalytic heater in an RV and now it has me worried as that is the only heat we have in ours. From what I have read one should open a vent one inch for every 1000 btu. Say roof vent open and a rear window open. Now I feel maybe I should just turn it off and use blankets through the night. What do yall do if using just a catalytic heater no furnace. Its finally gotten chilly here and we are going to Palmetto State Park in November. Just want to be safe.
thanks
James

DreamStreamr · 10-23-2007, 03:37 PM

James,
We returned last week from 8,500 miles from NC to Vancouver BC and back including Jackson, Yellowstone, Hill City SD, and two weeks in Ohio. We ran the Olympian Wave 6 for hanging around or reading, dining, and before showers. Ours spent this trip on the optional installed feet with a five foot flex hose. Zero problems and really comfortable.

We never sleep with catalytic heater on, nor with lit candles burning. Just not worth the potential risks. We always keep the window at one end open 1-3 inches and the roof vent at opposite end open a couple inches. Very comfortable, keeps the furnace off, warms you nicely.

A friend has had a Wave 4 in his AS 25 for years and says he wishes he had the Wave 6. Another friend has been thrilled with his Mr. Buddy catalytic for several years in his AS 34. We wouldn't swap for anything but decided on this recent nine-week odyssey we would take the feet off and mount the Wave 6 on hinges a few inches off the floor. Unclutters the doorway a little better and still allows directing the radiant heat where we sit.

One scare -- I smelled that "propane smell" one day pretty strong whenever I walked near the cabinet containing the gas piping. We'd been over some really rough pavement and maybe had jostled one of the flared tee joints too much. We were at an overnite stop in North Dakota and had stopped early that day. I retrieved several open-end wrenches, turned off the gas at the bottles, and proceeded to try and retighten all the flare fittings for the catalytic heater. I removed all the kitchen drawers to reach where I tee'd the new line in. I reached between the bottom of the oven and the top of the furnace to retighten the fittings at the new gas valve, and I retightened at the heater. Okay, everything is really tightened and ready for pressure. I leak tested thoroughly. No, no bubbles no leaks. Grab a brew and celebrate. Take a few deep gulps and enjoy another hacker repair saving the day.

But wait! I smell the damned gas perfume again, that nasty stuff they give the gas so you can smell it leaking. I go outside to clear my nose and head. Finish the beer -- priorities still straight. Go back in and sniff out the smell as carefully as I can -- I mean, I know the flared joints all tested tight. Rule out the oven cabinet and gas piping. Well, then what? Trace, with my not so great sniffer, and find the smell emanating from the cupboard upper section. Reach a store package, not very big, of a whole garlic clove. Yep, that's the smell. Good news, my gas piping is really tight. And, the garlic clove will live or die in the airtight tupperware. Next time we will just have to buy minced garlic in the glass jar.

The heater, used appropriately, is safe. You must ventilate the trailer while burning any unvented catalytic heater. You must adhere to the required clearance to combustibles, as for any heat source. A radiant heater is slow to warm your trailer but great at keeping you comfortable if it can shine on you. We love ours and would get another if we didn't have it.

wingfoot321 · 10-23-2007, 04:01 PM

Flintstones,

I will try to copy a web address that can answer most of your questions on cat heaters. It is a Canadian National Research Council paper on just what you are asking.

irc.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/pubs/cbd/cbd207_e.html

My paraphrase of the article: (1) They produce very little CO unless they are burned on high and trying to push propane through to 100% of capacity. I would not use one at night period.
(2) They do produce a significant amount of CO2 but, signs of too much CO2 is headaches, nausea, sweating, hard breathing. If you are awake with a window open, I doubt a medium setting would cause you problems or you should be awake and aware.

We like to use ours on low or medium in the evenings because it is such a warm,even heat.

**azflycaster** · 10-23-2007, 06:29 PM

I also would never go to sleep with the CAT heater on. Once you warm up the trailer it will hold enough to get you by till morning. Besides, I like it a little nippy. Camping this weekend we woke up Sunday and it was 28 degrees out and the wind was blowing very hard. It was 58 degrees inside the trailer, turned on the CAT and got it nice and warm in no time.

The Flintstones · 10-23-2007, 07:22 PM

Thanks no more worries, I like it a bit nippy to and I forgot We used to tent camp in this weather every year. Not sure why I forgot about that. . . A bit of paranoia I think.

James

Mike Lewis · 10-23-2007, 07:23 PM

We have a Wave 3 mounted to a hinged piece of wood on the end of the kitchen cabnets just above the regular heat ducts. I can direct it about 90 degrees from the dinnett to the couch. We use it to suppliment the furnace on chilly evening and days when we don't need the furnace or when we just want to warm the living end of the trailer. We leave the door adjar on the first latch and the roof vent cracked, but never sleep with it on. We're well satisfyed and have pictures if this installation if interested--------------pieman

urbanfood · 10-23-2007, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by azflycaster

I also would never go to sleep with the CAT heater on. Once you warm up the trailer it will hold enough to get you by till morning. Besides, I like it a little nippy. Camping this weekend we woke up Sunday and it was 28 degrees out and the wind was blowing very hard. It was 58 degrees inside the trailer, turned on the CAT and got it nice and warm in no time.

richard, do you have a furnace too and don't use it or did you remove it entirely. i keep going back and forth on my flying cloud on whether to install a furnace. i'm definately going to install a cat either way.

warbler5 · 10-24-2007, 12:04 AM

James,

We also use the Wave 6....and, I am also a firm believer in turning it off at night! Even though we crack a window and the bedroom vent, we also installed a CO detector. We also have a hose installed that draws gas from the tanks and stays wrapped up under our dinette when the heater is not in use. The Wave 6 is nice, and the hose enables us to heat whatever area we want in very short order! I prefer it to the Aistream heater, since it's nice and quiet....

Cheers

**azflycaster** · 10-24-2007, 12:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by urbanfood

richard, do you have a furnace too and don't use it or did you remove it entirely. i keep going back and forth on my flying cloud on whether to install a furnace. i'm definately going to install a cat either way.

I have a furnace, but do not use it much. Most of my camping is not in very cold weather and the CAT works fine. If I had a threat of freezing my tanks I would run the furnace to keep them warm.

pmclemore · 10-24-2007, 09:36 AM

You guys who have a catalytic heater mounted at the left side of the front door, pointed toward the front of the trailer: Does the heat spread effectively, or is there too much heat for the person sitting on that side of the couch?

Thanks - Pat.

mandolindave · 10-24-2007, 09:49 AM

I read that an average of eight people die each year from using
a cat heater in an RV. So the plan is to not be one of those eight.
I think using one at night would be risky. Using on without ventilation would be dangerous.

47WeeWind · 10-24-2007, 10:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pmclemore

You guys who have a catalytic heater mounted at the left side of the front door, pointed toward the front of the trailer: Does the heat spread effectively, or is there too much heat for the person sitting on that side of the couch? Thanks - Pat.

Hi Pat:

On my 1964 19' Globe Trotter, I have an Olympian Wave 6000 installed to the left of the front entry door and have a dinette bench seat opposite. It's great to sit sideways (lengthwise) on the bench seat and warm my feet with the catalytic heater's radiance. It's never too hot and feels great first thing in the morning. If the morning temperature is quite cold, I hunch in front of the Olympian as if huddling around the campfire.

But once the trailer warms up I reduce the setting from high or medium to low. The three settings on the Olympian provide a fine range of choices so I'm never uncomfortable or too hot. But it does take longer than a conventional forced air or passive convection furnace to heat the whole trailer.

If the person in front of the (future) Olympian in your trailer is too warm, either turn down the heater or swap positions with the person at the other end of the gaucho who may be a bit chilly.

I'm also a sensible risk taker who cracks a roof vent and leaves my Olympian on during cold nights (the refrigerator belly pan/floor vent in my '64 GT is right behind the Olympian, so there's plenty of fresh incoming air). So far I've woken up every morning.