Heater in high elavations

[MrBob]

OK, I've looked through most of the threads that relate to heaters so I'm pretty much up to speed.
 Life in my Astro is comfy but room is always at a premium. I have a Lil Buddy heater for the winter months but I spend a lot of my time in Colorado and the heater is about useless in half the state because of the 7,000 foot elevation restriction. Because of close quarters, I'm reluctant to bring a large propane container on board and (I know they're expensive) prefer to use the Coleman propane bottles. Walmart seems to have them perpetually on sale.
 I've heard the Wave mentioned regularly and I'm wondering if any new heaters or technologies have come onto the market that would meet my needs. I grew up in Minnesota and am no stranger to cold but now that I'm a geezer I insist on more comfort.

 

[SoulRaven]

If your camp stove will still work at those elevations, or in the extreme cold, you could use it for heat.

Personally I switched from propane to kerosene for both my cooking and my heating many years ago, and have never regretted it.  My setup is a little more elaborate than some of my friends, but a number of them use the Bunsen Sports Heaters for both cooking and heating.  You have to buy them used, as they have been out of production for many years, but they show up on Ebay fairly often.  They have both a cook top and a heater top as standard equipment.

 

[Canine]

Mrbob,nice name.I have never heard of the 7000 ft rule for heaters.We've used propane heaters at high elevation before and had no problem.You may want to try it before deciding it won't work.On another note,I built a quad plex for employee housing a few years back at 8,500 ft elevation.Every body insisted that my pasload gas nailgun would not work,but it worked just fine.Good Luck.

 

[MrBob]

Mrbob,nice name.I have never heard of the 7000 ft rule for heaters.We've used propane heaters at high elevation before and had no problem.You may want to try it before deciding it won't work.On another note,I built a quad plex for employee housing a few years back at 8,500 ft elevation.Every body insisted that my pasload gas nailgun would not work,but it worked just fine.Good Luck.

  This is my third winter with the Buddy, so I've been down that road and, yes, that restriction is the real deal. I've spent some very cold nights as a result. In both Youtube vids for both heaters company spokesmen say no go above 7,000 feet. It might be possible to cheat a little but it's also possible to wake up with frost in your beard.
 I have the Paslode 16ga nail gun and use it almost daily during the summer without any difficulty. The company sells what they call high altitude adapters for the larger gauge nailers.

 

[TMG51]

Possibly heat with a butane stove as a short term fix? Not sure about elevation restrictions, I know they give different options for use in cold.

There's a fellow on the forum with a marine coal stove installed in his van. A very sleek little unit. If I had to spend a lot of time in cold climates, that's what I'd be looking into.

 

[jimindenver]

We have one of the el cheapo propane heaters you can pick up at HD or HF. A little dish with a metal mesh tube inside with no regulator. We tried using it at 9800 ft one cool day and it was harder to light, in fact never really got going full blast. Even though we had plenty of ventilation I still started feeling ill from the fumes and it has been relegated to a outside hand warmer every since. The fumes from the stove can get to me too so I really appreciate being able to use the hot plate when we can.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

My understanding is that the low oxygen safety cut-off is the culprit in such cases.  There is less oxygen available the higher you go, and you eventually reach a point where the safety won't let the heater run.

AFAIK, cooking stoves don't have that feature.  I have considered the idea of finding a big old cast iron pot and filling it with dry sand and putting that over the stove burner for a high altitude heater.  I wouldn't want to let that run while I was sleeping, though.

Regards
John

 

[jimindenver]

Stove burners put out a lot of heat. I hate having to purge the lines with the stove, especially when it's already hot. In our 13 ft trailer just making coffee took the chill off on a cold morning. Making breakfast inside could drive you out if the windows were not open. Making coffee in the big trailer doesn't have near the effect.

 

[Raven+Squid]

Buddy heater works fine, also add down bags and wool cap. Those thick/plush poly blankets are very warm too.

 

[Raven+Squid]

And down booties!

 

[accrete]

; ) and maybe a Selk Bag?

I use mine around camp a lot, and if we are hammock camping it is great.


Thom

 

[MrNoodly]

When I was having elevation problems with my heater, I used the stove instead.

 

[Headache]

Personally I switched from propane to kerosene for both my cooking and my heating many years ago, and have never regretted it.  My setup is a little more elaborate than some of my friends, but a number of them use the Bunsen Sports Heaters for both cooking and heating.  You have to buy them used, as they have been out of production for many years, but they show up on Ebay fairly often.

I bought 2 of those Sports heaters today, one for use and one for parts unless both of them work. Bought a new wick from a guy that makes them as well.  I think I'll be just fine for heat this winter between this heater and my ammo can wood stove.

Would any of your friends have any literature from these they can scan for me?