Infrared or Blue Flame LP heaters

Fred Mc · September 20, 2018, 01:14:40 PM

We are thinking of adding an lp heater to supplement our gas forced air furnace. Advantage is they dont use any electricity. We don't camp in the winter but thought this might be nice for those chilly fall nights or to run on low at night. Does anyone have any experience with these units. One better than the other. They aren't expensive and are quite small
So they dont take up a lot of space and can hang on a wall.
Regards

Fred

chessie4905 · September 20, 2018, 02:02:13 PM

They create a lot of moisture and along with the moisture already created in the location...

richard5933 · September 20, 2018, 05:08:54 PM

They are illegal to install in most jurisdictions in Wisconsin due to the dangers they pose, mainly carbon monoxide poisoning.

Other than that and the previously mentioned moisture they heat nicely.

I used one in my wood shop in the early years, and the moisture made the walls drip.

lostagain · September 20, 2018, 05:23:53 PM

Fred, are you talking about a catalytic propane heater? We have a portable Mr Heater one we use occasionally in the bus with a 20 lb cylinder. It is great radiant heat. I had to bypass the tip over switch so it wouldn't shut off while driving. Humidity? Carbon monoxide? Just crack open a window or a ventilation fan. You can get them to mount permanently too.

https://www.cabelas.ca/product/10206/mr-heater-big-buddy-portable-heater

JC

mmanning · September 21, 2018, 07:22:57 AM

Quote from: lostagain on September 20, 2018, 05:23:53 PM
I had to bypass the tip over switch so it wouldn't shut off while driving.

Holy crap, don't do that! That seems like an accident waiting to happen.

lostagain · September 21, 2018, 07:35:52 AM

If we use it while driving, it sits at the front between us. It is easy to get at if it tipped over.

JC

Lin · September 21, 2018, 10:02:03 AM

Olympian catalytic heaters have been used in RV's forever, and there are probably many tens of thousands in use today. I have never read of any outrageous problems caused by using them. Definitely though, it will add moisture the atmosphere and, depending on where you are, could even cause condensate on the windows. There is one though called the Platinum Cat that is both catalytic and vented. We have one. We did not permanently mount it. It just hangs on the wall and vents through a 1.5 inch flex tube out the window. It has a whispering little fan to aid the venting. We have an Olympian also, but I do not like to use it while sleeping even though it is catalytic. One must be careful. In any case, if you decide to use one, you should definitely have a CO alarm.

The original Platinum Cat company no longer exists, but Arnie Lind, a former tech from the company still fixes and sells the heaters. Several years ago I bought a new fan motor for ours. He is very helpful also.

http://ventedcatheater.com/6.html

chessie4905 · September 21, 2018, 05:11:42 PM

We used a Coleman catalytic heater years ago in our Brill, as it didn't have any heat other than going down the road. One particular night, we used the propane oven to help. Worked fine till tank went dry at 10:30 at night....had to use extra covers that night. Young and poor after filling tank even at 65 cents per gallon.

Jim Blackwood · September 22, 2018, 07:47:55 AM

Those are great for taking the chill off but then it's a good idea to turn them off. They can give you a headache.

Very efficient but not the cleanest and they lower the oxygen and raise the carbon dioxide levels even when they are working right. If there is any yellow flame at all they are making carbon monoxide as well which is not something to mess with. Even when burning totally blue I don't trust them to not be making any carbon monoxide at all. The problem is that they aren't vented so all the "smoke" stays inside and it burns up your air. Well made gas furnaces these days are something like 99% efficient and use a small pcv pipe to vent the fumes. Seems like something along those lines only made smaller would be a better choice. Most of the room in those is for the AC evaporator and blower, the firebox and heat exchanger aren't exactly huge so maybe it'd be possible to cut down a small residential unit. These days the exchanger is usually made out of thin stainless and they are light weight.

Jim

PP · September 22, 2018, 09:00:08 AM

Quote from: Lin on September 21, 2018, 10:02:03 AM
Olympian catalytic heaters have been used in RV's forever, and there are probably many tens of thousands in use today. I have never read of any outrageous problems caused by using them. Definitely though, it will add moisture the atmosphere and, depending on where you are, could even cause condensate on the windows. There is one though called the Platinum Cat that is both catalytic and vented. We have one. We did not permanently mount it. It just hangs on the wall and vents through a 1.5 inch flex tube out the window. It has a whispering little fan to aid the venting. We have an Olympian also, but I do not like to use it while sleeping even though it is catalytic. One must be careful. In any case, if you decide to use one, you should definitely have a CO alarm.

The original Platinum Cat company no longer exists, but Arnie Lind, a former tech from the company still fixes and sells the heaters. Several years ago I bought a new fan motor for ours. He is very helpful also.

http://ventedcatheater.com/6.html

We replaced our Platinum Cats with Olympians when I couldn't keep them running any longer. I can't believe the company went out of business considering what a great and economical heater they are (plus they're vented outside). I left the vents hooked up behind the Olympians for drawing fresh air to the units. We have 3 6000BTU models and except for the moisture generated, they are warm and very cheap to run. You want to keep covers over them when not in use because dust and debris will shorten their life drastically if it gets on the material.
With regard to Mr. Lind, I contacted him when I couldn't come up with parts for our Cats any longer and he refused to sell just parts. All he kept saying was ship me your old units and I will fix them when I can. When I offered to drop them off, because I wanted to know where I could retrieve them if he never 'got around to them', he kept replying with 'just ship them to me, I have a shop address but there isn't anyone there'. I have since heard there are others still waiting to get their's back. If this has changed, I'd like to know because I am a strong believer in the original Cat.
Thanks, Will

Lin · September 22, 2018, 09:40:52 AM

will, I don't know why things have changed with Arnie Lind. Maybe he feels he has to make some labor money on the parts he has. I don't remember exactly, but as I remember it I sent him my old fan motor, which he fixed, and I bought a new one also since they had two different designs. I bought the heater maybe 15 years ago off Craigslist. I think that they went out of business simply because the heaters were more expensive than some alternatives and people did not understand how superior they were.

PP · September 23, 2018, 08:37:04 AM

Quote from: Lin on September 22, 2018, 09:40:52 AM
will, I don't know why things have changed with Arnie Lind. Maybe he feels he has to make some labor money on the parts he has. I don't remember exactly, but as I remember it I sent him my old fan motor, which he fixed, and I bought a new one also since they had two different designs. I bought the heater maybe 15 years ago off Craigslist. I think that they went out of business simply because the heaters were more expensive than some alternatives and people did not understand how superior they were.

My experience with him dates back about 7 yrs if memory serves me right. It is a shame that the heaters got lumped in with all the other catalytic type heaters because they are a much more superior and safe product. In my opinion, anyway

Thanks Lin

luvrbus · September 23, 2018, 10:47:14 AM

There are probably 10,000 + catalytic heaters in use every year at Quartzsite by the boondockers I never heard of problems with one,I guess it could kill you if you acted and done something real stupid,propane does get a bad rap from people doing dumb things though.I am going have backup propane heat you never when a diesel fired unit decides not to work

GnarlyBus · September 23, 2018, 02:23:36 PM

Found a Platinum Cat Heater in Quartzsite for $7 a few years ago! Hooked it up and it worked! I had done a lot of research and am glad I knew what it was when I saw it.

They are far superior to other propane heaters for my use because of the venting. I did email Arnie about a replacement fan a few years ago and he was helpful but I ended up fixing it myself.

Lin · September 24, 2018, 01:36:37 PM

Of course, the Platinum Cat has the added advantage of being thermostatically controlled. As far as venting goes, it would not be hard to put a small scoop above an Olympian heater and run a 1.5 inch tube through the wall or out a window with a tiny fan to imitate the Platinum Cat's vent. That would take care to a lot of the moisture issue too.