Forum Discussion
- RoyBExplorer IILooks like a great install. What did the install manual have to say about the fumes it produces in side your trailer. i was always led to believe you want to open a vent to remove the fumes. I have seen one model that actually had a external vent installed with it.
Is any of that a concern with what you have?
Here is a couple of similar install photos from google search that has an external vent...
Roy Ken - rtbmrglExplorerThey are made for inside and outside use, I sure some will not use this heater, I have in the past without problems. The camper has a propane, Carbon Monoxide and smoke detectors. You have to slightly open the vents about 1/4-1/2 in. The heater has a low O2 sensor, here's is what manual says. Ill be setting it on the low setting at night, if needed.
https://www.manualslib.com/manual/955013/Camco-Olympian-Wave3.html?page=6#manual - RoyBExplorer IIThanks for the info - I am very interested in doing something like this in my OFF-ROAD POPUP camper to get rid of the propane furnace. The furnace works too good and runs us out. We have less floorplan then you do... ALso the 12VDC fan drives us crazy when it is running...
I have two cabinet doors I can install one of those WAVE heaters on much like the install photo I shown above...
I've been thinking about the CAT/WAVE heaters and also maybe Hydronic Type of heat using the hot water heater...
Thanks again for the info.. Nice install...
Roy Ken - nineoaks2004ExplorerNice job, looks real good..
- westendExplorerI'd go with the Hydronic over a combustion heater. That way, the burner is outside the cabin.
- RoyBExplorer IILance - My small footprint floorplan would do very well with a small hydronic setup. My power drains would be a 12VDC water pump and a couple of 12VDC axial fans being controlled by a thermostat setting. Then I would also have to use some propane to keep the hot water close loop maintaining hot water temps...
My luck the 12VDC drain would equal the 5-6AMPS DC fan drain located in the Propane Furnace haha...
Sure want to get rid of that mess...
Roy Ken - Earl_EExplorer
RoyB wrote:
Looks like a great install. What did the install manual have to say about the fumes it produces in side your trailer. i was always led to believe you want to open a vent to remove the fumes. I have seen one model that actually had a external vent installed with it.
Is any of that a concern with what you have?
Roy Ken
There are no fumes. You need to open a vent because the heater use the oxygen from the room to keep it burning. Again, the install you are pointing to with external vent is to bring in air from the outside, not vent it. - rtbmrglExplorerI did a little research the Mr. Heater was nice unit but I wanted it mounted not free standing. The low setting is only 1500 btu's so it shouldn't overheat my camper at night. The Wave 3 video kind of sold me with the safety factor, plus safe for operation at altitudes up to 12,000 feet. Some others cant be run at high altitudes. A down fall using propane heater produces water vapor, so windows get moisture, duel pane would help. I wont be using it for long periods in the winter so wont be concerned about excessive moisture causing mold.
There's good heaters out there, this one met my needs.
http://www.camco.net/product/wave-3-catalytic-safety-heater-10319/ - RoyBExplorer II
Earl E wrote:
There are no fumes. You need to open a vent because the heater use the oxygen from the room to keep it burning. Again, the install you are pointing to with external vent is to bring in air from the outside, not vent it.
Interesting thought here of just providing fresh air verses venting out Carbon Monoxide by-products.
I always thought of these being a vent-out operations but have never owned one or did any measurements... This is what Platinum CAT says about their vented heaters.. " The PLATINUM CAT utilizes a power vent system which exhausts all combustion by-products to the outside of the living area, which automatically replace oxygen used for combustion. The vent system prevents buildup of unhealthy indoor air pollution and eliminates any chance of accidental asphyxiation."
Seems like all of the brochures I read about the vented catalytic heaters sort of describes it this way.. I guess it is how you read this haha...
We poor folks being raised on a farm in Southern Illinois in the 40s and 50s all probably grew up with kerosene heaters and we survived. I can still remember the smell those things had... Then my dad started raising and training bird dogs and trading them for a truck load of coal each winter season. Was always my job as a youngster and only Boy in the family to bring in coal for the night to burn in the old coal stove in the center room of the house... This is where Mom and Dad always slept and had the baby cribs in this room as well... I can remember when I was very young where I was wanting to get in what was my crib but now my baby sister was using it. Mom got after me with the fly smacker (her favorite weapon hehe) Then turns on my DaD when he started siding with me hehe... It was cold back in the other bedroom... Them were the days... Would not trade those days for anything...
Roy Ken - rtbmrglExplorerI used to work at a smog inspection station (Calif), I can take it up there and put it on the tailpipe sniffer and see what it reads. If working correctly it should only read Co2.
You could always get a coal mine canary, hahaha,:R
About DIY Maintenance
RV projects you can tackle on your own with a few friendly pointers.4,351 PostsLatest Activity: Jan 13, 2025