Gas heater vent.

[Chaz]

Ok, I have to move my propane water heater...... bummer. It's cut into the side of the bus and under the sink.
  I want to move my sink back to the back further, so I was thinking (after reading something like this on another thread) that I may just put it in the basement. I have room.
  So my question is: do I need to vent it to the outside or can I use that heat to keep that compartment warm??? By the way, I do have a CO2 detecter, but I'd rather not "test it" if I don't have to. 
  I could cut it back into the side of the bus, under the new sink location - which would be right on the other side of the wall of the bathroom sink and about 2' away from the shower - but I'm not wanting to cut the bus' exterior up if I don't have to. So I was thinking about some way I could get creative and put it in the basement and utilize the heat when I need it.
  Any suggestions?? You can think out of the box as I can do anything with metal. (fab shop) But I just would rather not cut up the outside if given a choice.

   Thanx guys,
       
   Location, location, location,
        Chaz

[Hartley]

Anything that burns a fuel must be vented outside and also get fresh air into the burner areas.

Running a water heater or furnace inside and enclosed space is the quickest way to create the "coffin" effect.

You know like the meat at the grocery store that is purged with carbon monoxide so it looks fresher....

Also be careful where you cut into the side, Most of the side panels of a bus are the structural, too many large
holes could weaken things.

Just slow down and re-think what you want to do, It will all work out..

[belfert]

I'm assuming this is a standard RV water heater that mounts in the outside wall.

You'll need to think about how you could have a hole for the heater in your bay door while still allowing the door to open/close.  You might get the bay door to open and close around the heater, but how would you cover the heater then.  It could be done with enough engineering time, but it would be a lot easier to mount it in the side.

[JackConrad]

We have an electric wter heater in our bus, so I am not real familiar with the LP units. Would it be possible to install in a bay and use exhaust tubing to build an extension for the combustion air intake and exhaust, possibly ducting it through the floor?   Perhaps someone with LP water heater experience will expand on why this will work, or won't.  Jack

[cody]

Our gas water heater is mounted in the bay and vented thru the door, I built a support for it that mounts it amost flush against the door, I have the standard heater cover on it and the bay door is cut so that it has an opening the size of the heater face that is covered with a fine mesh expanded metal, almost like an extremely heavy duty screen. The heater vents properly and can still get enough fresh air to operate.  It is in the center bay, directly below the kitchen area so it is convienent to the water lines and still easy to get at, I mounted it slightly below the water lines so when I drain the tank it drains the entire hot water system at the same time for winter storage.  When I mounted it, I ran a carbon monoxide detector in the bay to check for fumes and it didn't detect any so I think it was a good way to get the water heater out of the way and still keep it handy and useable, if I were to make any changes I would have built a storage area under where it is mounted to store the LP tanks with the regulator.

[Chaz]

Thanx Jack. That was along the lines I was thinking. Or maybe exhaust it into the engine compartment. I was looking to try to keep some of the excess heat in a bay, but forgot about it needing fresh air for the "burn". I was intending on making the bay as airtight as I can from the coach interior, but I would need the fresh air.
 If I was to take it thru a door, I would create the hole and when the door shut, it would match up with the heater via a gasket. Probably more work than I want to do, but I do have everything to do it with. I just don't want to cut up the sides of the bus anymore! Dilemmas, dilemmas, dilemmas.

   Chaz

[Chaz]

THANX Cody!!!!!!!!  THAT is what I was talking about. You must have been typing at the same time I was. 
  That will be a bit of work, but may be the "hot ticket". (no pun intended!  )
  I would still like to further investigate using the floor too. But that may not be such a good idea either.
    Thanx!!!!!
       Chaz

[TomC]

With your experience, how about making templet of the old hole and cut the new hole to the same size so you can weld the newly cutout panel back into the old hole?  Once welded and ground down, you won't be able to see it-especially if it is painted.  Good Luck, Tom

[Chaz]

Tom,
  If I have to cut it in to the side again, I will try to save the piece I cut out to fit into the old hole, but that really isn't that big of a deal. I have aluminum and can fit a panel into the old hole just fine. Probably even better than having to deal with getting the two to match. The better the fit, the less finish work and I can't get to both sides to hammer and dolly it out.
  I am just apprehensive about cutting a hole in the side. I'm not big on cutting a bay door either, but at least I have easy access to both sides at once, for finishing it out.

[pvcces]

Chaz, if you pick your spot, you may be able to avoid most or all of the structurals. A few months ago, I was helping install a heater into a 4106, and we found that by lifting it off of the floor a bit, we got in between the framing members. We did have to cut a small strip out of doubled siding, but that's all.

Good luck.

Tom Caffrey