Heater for small dwellings, AKA; Vans Catalytic vs Blue Flame, etc.

Ballenxj · Dec 13, 2012

Your welcome. This is the best price I have found anywhere for this tank. I bought it at the sale spice shown in the link, and the total was around $168 shipped. <img rel="lightbox" src="/images/boards/smilies/smile.gif" class="bbc_img" />  The other option I looked at was a small cylinder on ebay. If you don't need to frame mount, and I'm still not sure I will, this one will work while saving you money. http://www.ebay.com/itm/110982612124?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649 -Bruce

dragongrannie · Dec 16, 2012

What about electric heaters? I borrowed one from a camper in a tvl trailer while I spent a few snowy cold nights in my old conversion van. It did the trick, down to about 25 degrees outside. And, the big windows were only covered with canvas curtains. I need to go north again and I will need heat. I am to scared of the propane and hope to have electric connections~ I also will be looking for another cargo van to try to insulate. Thx for any recommendations

sparky1 · Dec 16, 2012

that's a terrible price, Ballenxj, you can get a 20 lb tank NEW 39.99 plus filling 14.oo more

Ballenxj · Dec 16, 2012

Sparky, That was for the tank which is supposed to be a higher quality build. The one you are talking about is most likely a cylinder. (Like you would use for a barbeque grill) Also, a cylinder is D.O.T. regulated, the tank is not. I know I could have found a cylinder for much cheaper, but I wanted the tank. -Bruce

natureglo · Jan 14, 2013

Hey, I'm a newbie on here. I'm looking to travel out west and live in my 2001 Ford E350 extended van within the next three weeks. I'm going to travel through the northern, mid-west. It will be COLD, unless I luck out by the time I leave and there's a warm spell (fingers crossed). Anyway, I'll be boondocking my way over to my parents from northwest WV to southeast, MN in the winter.  If I go with the Big Buddy and hook it up to a 20 lb propane tank, can I bring the tank into my van? I think I've read folks do that. Otherwise, how will I be stealth with a big propane tank sitting in a holder outside my van? What about theft of the tank?? Otherwise, until I can jump over to free dispersed camping land, I'm looking at either buying the individual little green bottles and depending on a heated blanket or mattress pad to keep the dog and I warm as we travel in the winter. I'll probably stay with my parents until spring in MN before heading out. My vandwelling skills are just so new at all this.

akrvbob · Jan 14, 2013

The Big Buddy is much too big for a van. The regular Buddy is best. I have always kept a bulk propane bottle in the van with me and never had a problem. If you hook up the Buddy heater to a proapne bottle, you MUST use the in-line filter they sale for it. It is $10 at Amazon.com  An adapter hose will be about  $20. Bob

Ballenxj · Jan 14, 2013

Hi Bob, Do you have any idea how long the filter will last? Do you recommend keeping a spare?  I'd hate to be without heat over a filter. -Bruce

natureglo · Jan 14, 2013

akrvbob said:
The Big Buddy is much too big for a van. The regular Buddy is best. I have always kept a bulk propane bottle in the van with me and never had a problem. If you hook up the Buddy heater to a proapne bottle, you MUST use the in-line filter they sale for it. It is $10 at Amazon.com  An adapter hose will be about  $20. Bob

Would this be the adapter hose I'd get with it?  http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-12-Foot-Assembly-F273702/dp/B00005LEXM/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_1 And is this the fuel filter you mean for the regular Buddy? http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-Portable-Heaters-F273699/dp/B000HE8P2O/ref=pd_sim_sbs_hg_1 Gloria

Ballenxj · Jan 14, 2013

Gloria, Those both look to be correct. -Bruce

natureglo · Jan 15, 2013

Ballenxj said:
Gloria, Those both look to be correct. -Bruce

Thanks! I should order them right away then.

MAU MAU · Jan 24, 2013

This is my first post on this forum, and am somewhat knowledgeable about heating a van. Please be very aware that a Buddy Heater or Olympic Wave will give off Carbon Monoxide, and it is absolutely imperative that you have adequate ventilation. Most condensation that accumulates within the van is actually from the non-vented heater as a by-product of combustion. As mentioned previously, water will create rust. Below is a small post I made on another RV website that may help some here. Best of luck...........................Rob ------------------------------------------------------------ <hr style="border-style: solid none none; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-color: #cccccc; width: 640px; height: 1px; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">With Winter upon us, it seems the annual questions of heating alternatives arise. As I use my Roadtrek through the four seasons in New Hampshire and Maine, and have to be self-contained, I searched far and wide for the best alternative for me. While the Roadtrek came with a Suburban heater (which eats propane and amps like it is having its last meal), I needed something that was not designed during the Jurassic period. I tried the Buddy Heater, as well as the Olympian Wave, and found them both to be less than desirable. Being non-vented heaters, and as a result of combustion, the moisture output of both added considerable moisture to the interior, as well as discharging carbon monoxide. While many are satisfied with the above, my sensitive lungs would shut down in a short period of time which was not going to work. In searching for a safe alternative, which would use a minimum of propane and amps from my battery bank, I stumbled upon a great thread started by Ã¢Â€Â˜SleepyÃ¢Â€Â™ in the Truck Camper section of this site. Thanks Sleepy! And with this, I was introduced to the marvelous Vented Platinum Cat Heater which is produced by Mr Arnie Lind in the beautiful State of Washington. I knew I just had to have one of these gems, but fitting this unit into my relatively small Roadtrek was going to take a little bit of planning, and a lot of help from Arnie. As the stock units come with the exhaust port on the back, I would need one where it was on the bottom left side, and to incorporate the electrical wires and propane supply in the same area. Arnie welcomed the challenge and produced a beautiful custom unit to fit my application. As the Platinum Cat Heater produces radiant heat, the unit should be pointed towards the area you mainly wish to heat. With this in mind, I decided to have the unit pointed towards the back of my Roadtrek when in use, and to disappear when it was not needed. To accomplish the above, I installed two heavy duty drawer slides in my forward closet, to which the Vented Platinum Cat Heater is attached. With the flexible exhaust hose, and the propane/electrical bundle, the heater slides in and out perfectly. And to avoid drilling another hole in the side of my B, I routed the exhaust hose to the side water heater panel. This 3000BTU Vented Platinum Cat Heater burns only 1/8th of a pound of propane an hour, and according to my Trimetric meter, is drawing only 0.4 amps an hour. That means you can run the heater for 34 hours on ONE Gallon of Propane. The best part is that All of the combustion byproducts are safely vented outside. That means zero carbon monoxide and zero moisture. I do however utilize three CO detectors just in case there is ever a mechanical failure, as well as two propane detectors. Needless to say, I am very pleased with the Vented Platinum Cat. The unit is meticulously built and well thought out, and it was a pleasure dealing with a company who take great pride in what they do. Below is a link to their website: www.ventedcatheater.com

natureglo · Jan 24, 2013

Wow, Rob! That heater looks great! I like how you positioned it on the cabinet door. I JUST got my Mr. Buddy from Amazon in the mail today. It's what I can afford now, but how much is the Cat heater? I didn't see any prices listed on the website. I suppose that's to make you call them up and enquire LOL. Do you mind sharing the price? So, those hoses send the carbon monoxide and other "bad stuff" outside? I'd have to get a handy person to help me rig it up, probably. I don't have enough time for all that before I head out and "brave the Midwest cold to go get my SD license and see my parents. It will probably need to be Mr. Buddy for now and then sell him if I decide on the cat heater in the future. Always seems to be something else better out there. I'm just going with what the long term vandwellers say is tried and true. Thank you for the info.

RVTravel · Jan 24, 2013

Q. What exactly is a Catalytic heater? <span class="navproduct" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; color: #000000; text-decoration: none; line-height: 20px; margin-left: 3px; padding-left: 3px;">A. Catalytic heaters produce heat by combining L/P gas and oxygen in a platinum impregnated pad or Ã¢Â€Âœcatalyst.Ã¢Â€Â This causes a chemical reaction (flameless combustion) resulting the release of low intensity infrared heat. The heater operates below the temperature necessary to support flame-type combustion and no heat is lost through a vent or flu. Flame type heaters actually waste up to 45% of all heat produced.  Olympian brand Wave Catalytic Heaters are 99.98% efficient and are available in several sizes to fit your needs. Catalytic heaters heat efficiently, donÃ¢Â€Â™t take up much space and are extremely safe. None of the deadly exhaust gases associated with flame heaters are produced with catalytic units. Wave Heaters are a great value, offering both safety and clean low-cost heat. http://www.uscatalytic.com/uscatalytic/FAQ.cfm

ccbreder · Jan 25, 2013

Carbon Monoxide is a product of incomplete combustion. That is why our gasoline engine can kill us so fast. never sleep with you engine or generator running. Open flame as stove top, and catalytic type burners as Mr  buddy, produce carbon Dioxide and water vapor, they also use the oxygen from the compartment. In a closed area if oxygen is depleted there is a possibility of carbon Monoxide. Water vapor build up is a problem, but you won't have to swim out. The CO2 and oxygen depletion are a big problem and require ventilation. My old iron is drafty enough so not to be a problem but do open a vent near the heater. AND always have a working Carbon monoxide detector where you sleep, replace it every year or so. Failure of the vent system on any heater can produce carbon MONoxyide.

natureglo · Jan 25, 2013

How much is the cat heater, if you don't mind me asking? I can't seem to find a price list. Thank you! Gloria

MAU MAU said:
This is my first post on this forum, and am somewhat knowledgeable about heating a van. Please be very aware that a Buddy Heater or Olympic Wave will give off Carbon Monoxide, and it is absolutely imperative that you have adequate ventilation. Most condensation that accumulates within the van is actually from the non-vented heater as a by-product of combustion. As mentioned previously, water will create rust. Below is a small post I made on another RV website that may help some here. Best of luck...........................Rob ------------------------------------------------------------ <hr style="border-style: solid none none; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-top-color: #cccccc; width: 640px; height: 1px; font-family: arial, helvetica, 'sans serif'; font-size: 12.800000190734863px;">With Winter upon us, it seems the annual questions of heating alternatives arise. As I use my Roadtrek through the four seasons in New Hampshire and Maine, and have to be self-contained, I searched far and wide for the best alternative for me. While the Roadtrek came with a Suburban heater (which eats propane and amps like it is having its last meal), I needed something that was not designed during the Jurassic period. I tried the Buddy Heater, as well as the Olympian Wave, and found them both to be less than desirable. Being non-vented heaters, and as a result of combustion, the moisture output of both added considerable moisture to the interior, as well as discharging carbon monoxide. While many are satisfied with the above, my sensitive lungs would shut down in a short period of time which was not going to work. In searching for a safe alternative, which would use a minimum of propane and amps from my battery bank, I stumbled upon a great thread started by Ã¢Â€Â˜SleepyÃ¢Â€Â™ in the Truck Camper section of this site. Thanks Sleepy! And with this, I was introduced to the marvelous Vented Platinum Cat Heater which is produced by Mr Arnie Lind in the beautiful State of Washington. I knew I just had to have one of these gems, but fitting this unit into my relatively small Roadtrek was going to take a little bit of planning, and a lot of help from Arnie. As the stock units come with the exhaust port on the back, I would need one where it was on the bottom left side, and to incorporate the electrical wires and propane supply in the same area. Arnie welcomed the challenge and produced a beautiful custom unit to fit my application. As the Platinum Cat Heater produces radiant heat, the unit should be pointed towards the area you mainly wish to heat. With this in mind, I decided to have the unit pointed towards the back of my Roadtrek when in use, and to disappear when it was not needed. To accomplish the above, I installed two heavy duty drawer slides in my forward closet, to which the Vented Platinum Cat Heater is attached. With the flexible exhaust hose, and the propane/electrical bundle, the heater slides in and out perfectly. And to avoid drilling another hole in the side of my B, I routed the exhaust hose to the side water heater panel. This 3000BTU Vented Platinum Cat Heater burns only 1/8th of a pound of propane an hour, and according to my Trimetric meter, is drawing only 0.4 amps an hour. That means you can run the heater for 34 hours on ONE Gallon of Propane. The best part is that All of the combustion byproducts are safely vented outside. That means zero carbon monoxide and zero moisture. I do however utilize three CO detectors just in case there is ever a mechanical failure, as well as two propane detectors. Needless to say, I am very pleased with the Vented Platinum Cat. The unit is meticulously built and well thought out, and it was a pleasure dealing with a company who take great pride in what they do. Below is a link to their website: www.ventedcatheater.com

MAU MAU · Jan 25, 2013

Hello natureglo - The 3000 BTU unit I purchased was around $500.00, and in my opinion, was well worth it. It is extremely well built and made to last a long time. It is just amazing to burn only 1 Gallon of Propane in 34 hours and consume about 13.6 amps in that time period. And compared to the very noisy Suburban heater, this is very quiet. They also make a 5000 BTU unit, and if you need something custom, they can work with you. Hope this helps...........................Rob

natureglo · Jan 25, 2013

Okay, thanks. Yes, I see that it certainly pays for itself over time, though too big of an investment for me to make at this time. I hope I can get one in the future though. Natureglo

MAU MAU said:
Hello natureglo - The 3000 BTU unit I purchased was around $500.00, and in my opinion, was well worth it. It is extremely well built and made to last a long time. It is just amazing to burn only 1 Gallon of Propane in 34 hours and consume about 13.6 amps in that time period. And compared to the very noisy Suburban heater, this is very quiet. They also make a 5000 BTU unit, and if you need something custom, they can work with you. Hope this helps...........................Rob

accrete · Jan 29, 2013

I hang out over at the Expedition Portal forum...there are a few rigs set up with the Espar unleaded gas variant (B models) of their popular Diesel (D) models. The units are SPENDY! BUT if a person wanted to have only one fuel source and they had an unleaded fuel engine...there is an option with the Espar B variants. Hot Air and even Hot Water heaters run off the same gas you have in your fuel tank. <a href="http://www.espar.com/" rel="nofollow">www.espar.com</a>

natureglo · Jan 30, 2013

accrete said:
I hang out over at the Expedition Portal forum...there are a few rigs set up with the Espar unleaded gas variant (B models) of their popular Diesel (D) models. The units are SPENDY! BUT if a person wanted to have only one fuel source and they had an unleaded fuel engine...there is an option with the Espar B variants. Hot Air and even Hot Water heaters run off the same gas you have in your fuel tank. <a href="http://www.espar.com/documents/Product Catalogue 03-2012.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.espar.com/documents/Product Catalogue 03-2012.pdf</a>

I so very much want one of these now. This will be a high priority as I dislike the cumbersomeness of the Buddy heater with the hose and 20 lb Propane tank to deal with. I want a used Espar. So, I'll try to find a good deal on one. Thank you for sharing this info! Gloria

ccbreder · Jan 31, 2013

Troop cariers in the Army used gasoline fueled heaters. They require much maintenance. I would be wary of a used unit.

Heater for small dwellings, AKA; Vans Catalytic vs Blue Flame, etc.

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