Heat, leaks, and poop!

[heron]

Questions I need to resolve: There's a furnace in the roadtrek, propane, which functions as it's supposed to, but the darn thing is under the bed, and while everything stored there is toasty as can be, it's not the best heater ever, by a long shot, and runs through propane pretty quickly. Any thoughts on a heater that'll keep things pretty warm? Ed's quite comfortable when everybody else is sweating to death, so I'd like to come up with something with a thermostat that will keep us at least kind of warm without eating up all our social security.   I can close off the back half of the van pretty thoroughly.

There are three windows in the high top that have all clearly leaked before, and one has developed a small leak, again. What's the best stuff to seal that up. and am I best off waiting 'til we get south and warm to work on it?

Popeye, you said you use poop bags in the winter.Do I have to get special bags, or can I just use small trash can liners?

Setting off again, end of this week. I feel rather less ready than I was the last time, but here we go!!

[rvpopeye]

Whatever fits , double up if using the cheapo ones.

[heron]

Thanks. I don't want to get a Running Manure Spreader award!

[Blacktank]

sounds like your furnace needs a cleaning and make sure the air inlets and outlets are clear,some have filters that when clogged will dramatically effect the performance as will having the air inlets blocked

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Propane fired RV furnaces are notorious for three problems:

1:  They burn a LOT of propane.

2:  They are very noisy when they run.  Makes it hard to sleep when they come on every ten minutes or so.

3:  They use a lot of 12 volt power for the blower.  They can run a single house battery down to nothing on a cold night.  And if the battery voltage falls too low, they won't work at all, no matter how cold it is or how much propane you have left.

That's why the catalytic heaters like the WAVE are so popular.  They need no electrical power, they use a lot less propane than a furnace, and they are quiet.

The down sides are; they burn inside air and release a lot of moisture into the air and they run all the time.  The furnaces burn outside air and release their combustion products back outside.

Their is ONE small company called Plat-Cat that builds a catalytic heater that exhausts it's combustion outside, and is controlled by a thermostat.

I tried to get one, once, and it was very frustrating, seems to be a one man business, I got the impression he was modifying WAVE heater in his garage or something.  .Iit was hard to get a hold of the guy or get him to respond to my email, and I couldn't get him to commit to when I could get one or what the price would be.  Maybe the guy was going through a bad patch, too sick to work, or something like that.

http://ventedcatheater.com/6.html

[GotSmart]

At first I thought that the woman’s forum was no longer invisible   

bLEEp is selling his Mr Buddy heater. On pilot I was plenty warm in my little van. 

Buy the best short kitchen bags with deodorizer you can get. Leakproof and only use them for solids. 

Take the roadteck to a window shop ( or three) and ask how much to do it right.

[heron]

Gary, I *think* the furnace is running properly, but it can't hurt to go after it and clean it.

OP John, the first two are surely true. Wasn't aware of the last, but that kind of puts paid to thoughts of using the furnace when parked with no elex access.
The Wave sounds good, and uses less propane than the Mr. Buddy, because it's catalytic? May have to start another envelope for that, even though it's much less than the PlatCat.
That PlatCat is sweet! It was also priced at $450.00 in 2009. So definitely not a happening thing for us.

GS John, you gotta watch out for those wimmin! We're likely to say any damn thing, any damn where! Buahaha!
A friend here is selling a Mr. Buddy, also. Assuming I'd need to crack a window to use that or the Wave? And was your little van around the same size as ours? (Dodge D250)
Point taken on the bags. Been there, done that with small children. Don't want to do it again, if I can avoid it.
Great news on those darn roof windows. Eldest stepson stopped by. Had forgotten that he built and repaired fibreglass boats for years. When next we're home, we're going to take those damn things out and fibreglass over where they were. Try to fake it 'til then, adding another layer of silcone.

Thanks, everyone!

[Optimistic Paranoid]

OP John, the first two are surely true. Wasn't aware of the last, but that kind of puts paid to thoughts of using the furnace when parked with no elex access.
The Wave sounds good, and uses less propane than the Mr. Buddy, because it's catalytic? May have to start another envelope for that, even though it's much less than the PlatCat.

Suggest you read this web page carefully.  Note the warning on catalytic heaters being "poisoned" by dust, and the need to keep them covered when they are not in use.  Once you've digested the info on this page, you can make an informed decision.

http://home.earthlink.net/~derekgore/rvr...id110.html

[John61CT]

Get the Buddy to start, yes cracked windows, never use while sleeping, get a CO+propane alarm (should have one already).

If you do start an envelope, set your sights on Webasto or Espar 'parking heater', burns the same fuel as your engine outside the living space, super safe and efficient, works off a thermostat, but yes pricey.

Or if you want to stick to propane, Propex HS2211.

[heron]

Thanks, John. I read the Gore page. Some links are broken, but info can be found, mostly, with a search of the relevant sites. Good info there. We have an alarm. Need to check batteries. Wish we could leave unit running on cold night, darn it.

Everything is discouragingly expensive. Kind of starting off with 25 year old thinking (when I was full timing, and never got cold), but a 70 (and 82 year old) body.

Are the newer furnaces in RVs more efficient? Maybe I could get one from a wrecked unit, if so? Probably still wicked expensive, though, I suppose, so should save up for a good one. Those Webastos and Espars are small. Nice.

GotSmart, did you leave your Mr. Buddy on pilot at night, too?