Re: [A/S] Catalytic Heaters - Who Wins?

["Mr. Joy H. Hansen" <joytbrew@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Steve,

At a recentVAC/WDCU gathering, I was fortunate to observe a heater in one of
the vintage units.  I'm too new to these events to remember the name of the
individual; however, he did have what he called a fireplace.  Looked like
something comparable to a cat heater; however, it had a glass  front that
gave a view of the heat flame.  Also, it was mostly stainless and had a
flexible double wall chimney that looked much like a vent cover outside the
trailer.  You might know that the cold combustion air flows down the outside
interior wall of the chimney and keeps it cool to the touch and the exhaust
gases flow out the interior tube - also keeping it from over heating.
Seemed to answer quite a few design issues for heating a small trailer in
moderate climates without filling the trailer with water/condensation.

Possibly a VAC member could provide the name of the person having made this
installation.

Personally, I prefer combustion gases be vented outside rather than into the
confined space of a trailer.  I don't like the odor from impurities in the
gas regardless of how efficiently the cat heaters operate.

While on the subject, Monitor Products, Inc. www.monitorproducts.com makes a
furnace that has a pipe-in-pipe that could be vented out the side of a
trailer.  Unfortunately, the models all seem to need 120 volts without an
option for 12 volt DC operation.  You might find that this unit that
operates at near 88% efficiency would be more expensive than a modern
replacement heating plant designed for the Airstream.

On the positive side, if the Airstreamer were to stay in one location over
the winter, optional fuels could be used, such as fuel oil.  Then, it the
warmer months when mobility is necessary, just leave the heat plant/fuel
storage and resume use of propane.  The Monitor 2400 is designed to heat
1800 sq feet.

Just a rambling thought .  .  .

                  Regards, '69 Safari, Joy