Dikinson also makes hot water forced air heating units that work from a source of hot water. Check them out on the following website (also shows the Dickinson products):
Here is an alternate source for on domand propane fired hot water heaters that look interesting. One model is vent free and the other has a power vent. They also offer some radiant heating products (look under the Products menu tab at AquaFlex).
Here are some sites with information about DC powered hot water pumps. The solar heating industry is a good source for low voltage and hot water capacity.
I have been intending to use hot water tubing installed in my floor or possibly overhead. My trailer is gutted so I can do pretty much whatever I want with the floor. I don't mind losing about 3/4" of height by making the floor a bit thicker. I am thinking about using one of the Excel on-demand water heaters above and a 12volt DC hotwater pump like the Hartell unit above. There is a lot of information about system types on the following website:
Check out the information about the open system type of installation on the following page. That is the general type of arrangement that I would be most likely to use.
Thanks for posting all this interesting stuff. The EXCEL non-vented heater is about as slick as anything I’ve ever read about. The AquaFlex is similarly impressive.
I encourage you to go ahead with what you’ve planned. Nothing will be as comfortable as a radiant-heated trailer floor.
One question: if the floor heating is closed loop, how does the Excel know when to come off and on?
I think the idea is that the water heater will come on based on the temperature of the output side of the water. The pump will draw water through the water heater when the thermostat says that it is too cold in the AS. The heater should notice that the outgoing temp is too low and come on. At least that is what I think will happen.
Reading this thread with interest, as I use a Wave 8. Does anyone monitor the amount of oxygen when using a catalytic heater? I would really like to find an oxygen alarm, especially if it works on 12 volts.
I don't know about oxygen sensors but there are such things as carbon monoxide sensors. Take a look at this page in the Campers World catalog as well as the next two pages for starters.
Thanks . . . I did some Google searches using "oxygen meter", "oxygen monitor" and "oxygen sensor" but didn't find what I was looking for . . .
I already have a carbon monoxide and lp alarm, but my catalytic heater sucks the oxygen out of the air and I want an alarm for that; I know I can open a vent, but it would be nice to have an alarm to know how much to open. If the oxygen level goes down below safe levels during the night as it gets colder (and the heater runs more often) it would be sane to have an alarm that can wake me before it's too late.
Last edited by Spiffy Gem; 01-17-2008 at 10:07 AM.
If the oxygen level goes down below safe levels during the night as it gets colder (and the heater runs more often) it would be sane to have an alarm that can wake me before it's too late.
Newer cat's can be had with O2 sensors built in, which will shut down the unit if the level gets too low. I would think that any unit that can make itself "run more often" in the night, in response to colder temps, (meaning, it is thermostatically controlled), would also have an O2 sensor, as well. Both of those features require electricity...seems to me, the only reason to NOT have them (other than "added cost"), is if you want a heater that uses "0" electricity. So if you're going to sacrifice a little battery power for one of those features, you might as well get both, kwim?
Check the price as advertized in Good Sam magazine "Highways" .
A friend of mine has one in his home and it heats the dinning room & front room very nicely, about 750 sq ft. He keeps it turned to about a medium heat range w/ temps in the 70* to 72* range. He also has the small model in his kitchen and has the bedroom door open so it heats both. Kitchen to about 70* and bedroom to 68*.
my 34' AS figures out to be under 250 sq ft. so one of these sure would be able to handle the space.
BUT NOT FOR BOONDOCKING . Must have 110 volt power....
Very interesting topic. We live in a mild climate, rarely below 28 degrees. Our furnace does not work at present and would require pulling the stove, sink, and counter to remove, so I am trying to hold off. The previous owner installed a series of 110 light sockets with 100 watt bulbs to help keep pipes from freezing, which has worked well so far. We have camped a few time in cold weather and have used portable electric heaters , which work well except for one problem-- all the heat is at the ceiling while the floor area is cold. Does anyone use fans to stir the air ?
Greg
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Greg, Ashley, Olivia, and Jane Ashley
AIR # 13681
Does the Delonghi 1500 watt oil filled heater get hot to the point of being a fire danger? I got one for Christmas and was thinking of putting it out in my Airstream to help keep the interior dry, since we get such damp winters here on the West coast.
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Cameron & the Labradors
Kai & Samm
North Vancouver, BC
Canada
I would think that any unit that can make itself "run more often" in the night, in response to colder temps, (meaning, it is thermostatically controlled), would also have an O2 sensor, as well. Both of those features require electricity...seems to me, the only reason to NOT have them (other than "added cost"), is if you want a heater that uses "0" electricity. So if you're going to sacrifice a little battery power for one of those features, you might as well get both, kwim?
I hear you. Though my Wave 8 is new, it doesn't have an O2 sensor, and is my only source of boondocking heat (I use a thermostatically controlled ceramic heater when hooked up to 120VAC).
At this point, I would think an O2 alarm is cheaper than replacing a new Wave 8.
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Has anyone tried one of these heaters?
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