Forum Discussion

PamfromVA's avatar
PamfromVA
Explorer
Oct 29, 2018

Olympian Wave heater

We do alot of boondocking in the fall/winter. I would like one of these heaters intalled in our fifth wheel for mornings when you aren't worried about your tanks freezing but want to take the chill out of the air. Our stove sits right next to a large pantry and my husband thinks he can tap into the propane line that is there for the stove and run a pipe out the side of the pantry with a cut off switch and quick disconnect for a hose to hook to the heater. The hose would fit under the pantry door so the door would not have to remain open when we were using the heater. Please let me know what you think about this plan.

thanks,
Pam
  • pianotuna's avatar
    pianotuna
    Nomad III
    Oct 29, 2018
    I won't use an unvented combustion heater. Pay a little more and get one that vents through the wall.
  • wanderingaimles's avatar
    wanderingaimles
    Explorer
    Oct 29, 2018
    The wave heaters are popular, and the company and many users love them and claim no problems, like a kerosun in a home, I would leave a window cracked and make sure the CO detector was on.
    As to connecting to stove propane, the lines are all low pressure, and the amount used by an Olympian is so miniscule, it wont bother the stove or any other appliances at all.
  • MrWizard's avatar
    MrWizard
    Moderator
    Oct 29, 2018
    In our previous MH, that is the way or Wave Heater was connected
    Using a 6ft house so we could move it and point it whet we wanted the heat
    Remember to get the legs/stand kit ( two legs/stands ) so it is self supporting
  • ICamel's avatar
    ICamel
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2018
    Hi Pam!
    Yes, that plan will work.
    If your husband is comfortable doing the installation, by all means go ahead or alternately have a certified technician do the install.
    I have used a Olympian Wave6 Catalytic heater for comfort heating for over five years now. I even run it overnight while sleeping. It uses approximately one-third gallon of propane on the low setting with overnight use.
    You do need to leave 24 square inches of open window/vent space for sufficient oxygen flow. That is the equivalent of two 24 inch tall windows open 1/2 inch. Follow the instructions that come with your heater.

    Hi Don! I haven't died yet from the heater.
  • PamfromVA's avatar
    PamfromVA
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2018
    Thanks all...wanted to make sure it was ok to hook up through the stove.
  • memtb's avatar
    memtb
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2018
    Sounds like it should work fine. A lot easier than the way I did mine.....dropped about 20+ feet of underbelly, starting in the “utility area” of the basement, then snaked”, “fished”, “cussed” the gas line thru the frame crossmembers and 6 to 8 inches of “dirty” fiberglass insulation, came up thru the floor at the island , and mounted the heater on the island end. Then, had the “opportunity” to put the underbelly back together!

    We already had one CO detector, but added another as a “ffailsafe” system! Unlikely that both would fail at the same time!


  • pinesman's avatar
    pinesman
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2018
    Have you considered a "Buddy" heater? We have been using ours dry camping this fall and it does exactly what you are asking for.
  • mike-uswest's avatar
    mike-uswest
    Explorer II
    Oct 30, 2018
    I have used the wave heaters from way before they were called wave heaters with no problem, as long as you vent, they are great. The one that I have now is hooked up just the way you are talking about, coming off the stove line, a shut off valve, and a quick disconnect junction, and a indoor 6' line to the heater. When not in use the heater is put under the bed, and when traveling when we are using it, we put it under the table that is in the slide out. Works great, and you can direct it to where you want the heat.

    Mike
  • Lantley's avatar
    Lantley
    Nomad
    Oct 30, 2018
    THe issue with any non venting heater is not just CO. It's breathing in the combustion air period.
    The fire consumes whatever is in the air and produces new unknown by products that are transferred back into the air. We than breath in these by products which are generally unknown but often harmful.
    Does that mean Wave heaters are dangerous? I'm no expert but I see them as being as dangerous as the by products they produce.
    The problem is we don't truly know what by products they produce. The by products produced are as different as the air used to create the combustion in the first place.
  • goducks10's avatar
    goducks10
    Explorer
    Oct 30, 2018
    Lantley wrote:
    THe issue with any non venting heater is not just CO. It's breathing in the combustion air period.
    The fire consumes whatever is in the air and produces new unknown by products that are transferred back into the air. We than breath in these by products which are generally unknown but often harmful.
    Does that mean Wave heaters are dangerous? I'm no expert but I see them as being as dangerous as the by products they produce.
    The problem is we don't truly know what by products they produce. The by products produced are as different as the air used to create the combustion in the first place.


    :E We don't know what we don't know.

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