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Options for camping heat sources in vehicle?

J

jonny290

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fayetteville, ar
I'm a big fan of cold weather camping, and my new (to me) 77 K5 will be perfect for this. One thing, however, is that it gets cold, and my blazer gets 6 mpg right now; as a result, running the heater is not an option for warmth. I'd like to install some sort of catalytic heater in the back, propane fueled.

1: are there any catalytic heaters designed to be installed in vehicles for such a purpose (auxilary heat)?
2: Am I going to need crazy safety devices to meet DOT standards?
3: Bad idea, good idea?

Thanks in advance.
 
was thinking of the same thing the other day. I have an aux heater I may put in the rear of the 71 but I would like to find something that doesn't require the engine to run. Maybe something off a bbq propane tank or 12v battery
 
look for a colman power cat, it uses propane and does not have a open flame, they also have a small fan to push the heat out, they really put out a lot of heat more than eoungh for a k-5
 
Cool, i'm gonna grab a small portable catalytic heater to test out this weekend on our first trip of the season.
 
I have one of those Coleman catalyic heaters and runs on propane... I used it on the coldest nights of AZ winter which the coldest is 26 degrees and it kept me warm along with the 0 degree sleeping bag.
I had to leave all windows open a crack so I could breathe a bit.
This got me thinking of those good ol days when I practically lived in my Blazer for 8 months from last year's Halloween to the first week of June. It was cool since I only used the shower at work and saved a bunch of money from living costs.
I am thinking of doing the same again this winter if my roommate sells the house..... maybe I'll just start some f**ked up **** with her then she'll evict me sooner then I'm free... hmmmmm....(brainstorming some ideas)
 
jonny290 said:
I'm a big fan of cold weather camping, and my new (to me) 77 K5 will be perfect for this. One thing, however, is that it gets cold, and my blazer gets 6 mpg right now; as a result, running the heater is not an option for warmth. I'd like to install some sort of catalytic heater in the back, propane fueled.

1: are there any catalytic heaters designed to be installed in vehicles for such a purpose (auxilary heat)?
2: Am I going to need crazy safety devices to meet DOT standards?
3: Bad idea, good idea?


I've been cold-weather camping for many years - out of Suburbans and K5 Blazers - sometimes in below-zero weather. I've experimented a bit. I hate the standard LP furnaces since they waste an awful lot of fuel and send much heat out the vent and draw DC power. There are two basic types of LP heaterers that are flameless, don't need any electricity, have low-ox shutoffs, just about no CO emmissons, are are certified as safe for camper use (as long as you leave a window open a crack somewhere). Best buy seems to be the Mr. Heater Big Portable Buddy. It will run on a pair of the little LP cans, or off a big 20lb., 30 lb., or 40 lb. mounted outside somewhere. It is a plaque type heater - not cataylitic, but just about as safe. I bought and extra heater on sale last week for $115.
For a true cataylitic heater for the same type of use is the Olympian -but it IS EXPENSIVE. Too much for my taste. Some info is at: http://www.rvstuffusa.com/wave3catalyticsafetyheaterbyolympian.html
All my Suburbans and K5 Blazers are diesels. So I average 16 - 24 MPG. At some point I'd like to install a diesel-fired heater that taps into my fuel tank. They also make them that tap into a gasoline tank. Espar - for one. But - again - the cost is rediculous - usually starting over $1500.
Click to expand...
 
Mr.Heater..

I see our Pep Boys sales flyer has the "Mr.Heater"on sale this weekend for 89 bucks..I'm very tempted to buy one,but hesitant,because I've had other propane heaters that were a joke..

I'm using one in my shop now that screws onto a 16 oz. propane bottle that looks like a reflector for a lamp,with a mesh grid that glows red to produce the heat..its OK for mildly cold nights,but anything below 50 or so its only good for a handwarmer!..it will heat up a pickup cab,but wasn't much use in my van--neither were 1500 watt electric heaters..not enough BTU's!.

I want to see how others who have used the "Mr.Heater" style ones think they work before I dish out nearly 100 bucks,I can use my wood stove for free if I go round up some wood!..but they are slow to warm up the shop..

I've seen more than one van around here with a stovepipe sticking out one window that was removed and replaced with sheet metal!--though I doubt its legal,many "homeless harry's" are doing that to survive our long winters,for heat and cooking purposes..

I'm going to rip out the hot air furnace in my garage--its too expensive to run,and its old,I had to weld up holes in its rotted firebox 6 years ago,now its control box is junk,got all rusted from water leaking in the flue pipe--so I'm looking around for a better source of heat that will quickly heat it up ,so I wont have to wait for a wood stove to heat up--.

I tried a borrowed 150,000 btu propane heater,but it wouldn't run on a 20 lb bottle without it freezing up--I guess it needs at least 100 lb bottle,and you have to lease them here--another hassle!..I am curious about those "Patio Heaters" I see in Home Depot,maybe they would be the answer??..they run off a 20 lb bottle,and throw a lot of BTU's..

Personally,I don't think its safe to have a propane or electric heater in a vehicle..though I've used them myself many times..you see too many horror stories about people being suffocated from carbon monoxide, or the van catching fire during the night..sometimes a good sleeping bag is much safer!..(a warm woman would be even better!)...:crazy:
 
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