Date:         Wed, 13 Oct 2004 13:04:45 -0500
Reply-To:     Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
Subject:      Re: All catalytics are not create equal
In-Reply-To:  <Pine.GSO.4.44.0410131146070.21426-100000@neota>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; format=flowed

>
I found mine for $215 new, the buy-it-now price for a seller out of
california. He lists them every week or so, but not continuously. I see
them for as high as $350 though. Likewise, one could probably find a
vented model for less than $400. I took about 6 months to look around.

I have no idea why one heater would consume so much less oxygen than
another, perhaps a chemist on the list could tell us.

Jim
>
> If cost is an issue, everyone should know that the olympian's are only
> $100 cheaper than a vented forced air heater ($300 as opposed to $400).
> The forced air has the disadvantage of electrical draw (1.8 amps), and
> noise of blower fan but advantage of being completely safe, and warmer
> (higher BTU's and better warm air distribution).  Here is a website
> with
> prices, etc: http://www.ducktec.com/itmidx4.htm
>
>
> On Wed, 13 Oct 2004, Jim Felder wrote:
>
>> I had the some oxygen consumption information at one time while I was
>> making the decision to go with the Olympian or the much cheaper
>> walmart
>> catalytic or the more expensive and installation-heavy vented. I don't
>> have figures anymore but the Olympian used WAY less oxygen than the
>> coleman and the vented heaters, while they used oxygen and lots of it,
>> got it from outside the cabin--hopefully.
>>
>> So many people I know have installed the Olympian wave 3 in horse
>> trailers and campers that I knew it wouldn't kill me. It doesn't use
>> ANY electricity. It's easy to leave the 4 square inch opening it
>> requires, and it's absolutely silent and doesn't cycle on and off.
>>
>> I've fooled with vented heaters in RVs and they are fine, if noisy.
>> But
>> I felt with that all things considered, the Olympian was the best
>> value. I'm completely satisfied with it and haven't died yet. It's a
>> good alternative to a vented installation in my opinion, which by the
>> way I think is an excellent solution except for the drawbacks I
>> mention
>> above (drawbacks for me, anyway).
>>
>> If anyone wants pictures of a permanent installation I'll send them
>> along.
>>
>> As to why people have died using unvented heaters, I don't know.
>> People
>> do all kinds of crazy things. I could not find a single mention of
>> anyone dying from using an Olympian of any size, though. The olympian
>> instructions do not say not to use while sleeping. Don't lump all
>> catalytic heaters together, they are not the same.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>> On Oct 13, 2004, at 11:33 AM, Andrew Fox wrote:
>>
>>> If the statements below are true than why have so many people died
>>> while
>>> using an unvented catalytic heater in a tent or vehicle?  I can't
>>> imagine
>>> that the tent the 2 fellows died in was extremely airtight, nor was
>>> the
>>> bus with its top popped at the bus show a few years back when the
>>> child
>>> sleeping in the poptop woke up to dead parents downstairs.
>>>
>>> The instructions that come with the heaters specifically say "do not
>>> use
>>> while sleeping, use only with a window open while awake", by the way
>>> the
>>> packaging of these products makes no mention of these specifics, on
>>> the
>>> packaging they say "safe for indoor use", you've got to buy the
>>> product
>>> and read the instructions to find out its not really safe for indoor
>>> use
>>> unless a window is open and not safe to use while sleeping under any
>>> circumstances.  I think the coleman,etc should be sued on that point.
>>>
>>> There are safe and much warmer vented alternatives but they start at
>>> about
>>> $400, not a bad deal in my opinion.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Search the archives for a 5 Apr, 2004, post titled:
>>> "Carbon Monoxide Test Colman Cat heater", by Chris
>>> Christensen <populuxe@QWICS.COM>
>>>
>>> Chris works for a public utility/gas company,
>>> specializes in natural gas systems, and has access to
>>> professional-grade carbon monoxide measuring devices.
>>> In p-mail correspondence with him, I was left with the
>>> definite impression that when used with adequate
>>> ventilation, the Coleman catalytic heaters are indeed
>>> safe for prolonged use, and we have done so when
>>> camping in our own Westy. We open the windows
>>> according to the instructions and, just for backup,
>>> sleep with a home-grade CO detector/alarm nearby.
>>>
>>> Chris made NO safety guarantees to me, and I make none
>>> to anyone else; each must determine one's own degree
>>> of safety compromise when leaving the house each day.
>>> Camp smart.
>>>
>>> Jeffrey Earl
>>> 1983 diesel Westfalia "Vanasazi"
>>> http://www.vanthology.com/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________
>>> Do you Yahoo!?
>>> Declare Yourself - Register online to vote today!
>>> http://vote.yahoo.com
>>>
>>
>