Forum Discussion

pcoplin's avatar
pcoplin
Explorer II
Nov 30, 2015

Furnace drained and drained the battery. Solution: Wave 3!

Took my camper on a late season elk hunt. Lows got to 25 to 30 at night. Kept my furnace on the minimum (50 degrees) for most all of the nights, the lone battery was only good for one day at that usage. Had to fire up my too-loud Champion, and with my old converter it took HOURS to recharge. I ended up using an actual 10 amp batter charger directly to the batter to recharge one day.

My hunting partner used his Mr Buddy heater in his little trailer, and worked like a charm. Heated the whole place on low. I have a Mr Buddy, but wanted one that I could leave on all night without sweating me out.

The Mr Buddy is 4000btu on low, 9000 on high. The Wave 3 is 1500 btu low, and 3000 on high.

I think I'm going to make little hangers and keep it mobile with a quick disconnect. That way I can place on under sink cabinet, or above the sink angled towards the cabover when I have the family with me.

Anyone care to share their install?

75 Replies

  • A second battery may be cheaper and easier to install. As RoyB said any non-vented catalytic heater is going to require you leave a vent open to prevent CO poisoning and buildup of water vapor.
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    These two photos shows the PLATINUM CAT Heaters installed on a cabinet door and has outside venting... Not certain if these are same design as a WAVE heater or not...



    I don't think I would install any of these propane heaters unless they have outside venting. These propane heaters will consume all of the oxygen inside the trailer and will produce deadly gas fumes. These type of heaters must be used in VENTED areas.

    I too have the portable Mr BUDDY heater to use for back-up heat but have to open my roof vent and one one side window vent to be safe using it. Seems like you are defeating the purpose of having a heater going if you have to open windows and vents to operate them inside your trailer.

    My MR BUDDY heaters also produces a large amount of water when it is being operated. I actually have to set it inside a oblong skillet tray to catch all of the produced water...

    I will not operate my MR BUDDY heater when we go to sleep. It gets turned off then...

    Please check with others about these type of propane heaters producing deadly gas fumes...

    Roy Ken
  • I mounted my last wave 3 on the step going up to the bunk where the water tank was.Perfect place for that camper without need for any shields..The propane guy ran a copper line to it for free..Rather had hose but hey...

    I would not own an RV of any kind without a Wave type heater,a must for boondocking.I have a wave 8 for my trailer and currently am using a Big Buddy heater for my 21ft class c.
  • I have done what you are thinking of. I made a hanger and placed a small heat shield above it just to keep the shelf warm. I have been doing this for seven years works great, I must say.
  • I had a Citation 10.8 pick-up camper. I put a wave 3 in the camper years ago.
    I used a t connector under the stove and brought a line into the camper with a on/off valve at the end. I mounted the Wave 3 on a board and hinged the board to the wall. Connected the Wave 3 line to the new valve. DONE.