Catalytic Propane Heater Safety question

[Jim-n-Kathy]

Hello all,
We seem to love fall RV outing and I am basically cold all the time. So as we all know the Monty furnace does a great job at heating the rig and it does a great job at depleting the batteries [we usually are parked with no electricity].
So I recently purchased and plumbed in an Olympian-Wave-8. I tested it on installation day and holy smokes-it will roast you out. However, I still have not used it. Why? I am still not comfortable about the CO emission [in fact after reading so many internet articles I am very nervous. We stopped at an RV supply store and asked the same question. He said all the old timers use them with no reported probs. However he said most of the younger folks are also nervous about carbon monoxide and he does not sell near as many in recent years. OK so I think this silent method of radiant heating is the ticket. Depending on the internet article you read some say 100% safe and others say no way! I do understand that combustion requires oxygen so of course I would crack a window, but the catalytic unit itself is not vented and it is burning a carbon fuel [fossil fuel-propane]. Does anyone out there have good reliable experience and information to help us better understand the potential risk?
Thanks for your help,
Jim and Kathy [From Folsom, CA but currently on the road heading for Seattle for a couple weeks]

[jsmitfl]

Jim,
I have used one in my hunting trailer for years. Just make sure you have some sort of ventalation going on. I love it.

[Art-n-Marge]

Same here.... Used an Olympian in a tent trailer and cracked a couple side vents open either side of the rig. It sure seems like it defeats the purpose but oh well, we were able to stay warm. We like the fact they were a single power source unit (just propane).

Haven't used one in the Monty but if we did we would probably crack a window and a vent open and leave all doors open. Since we have a CO2 monitor in our bedroom I would expect that should warn us. We should probably put on in the living room since it can double as a bedroom and would make our guests feel better about being our guests.

[8.1al]

From what I have been able to find out the catalytic heaters emit no dangerous gasses but they do consume oxygen, so it is still important to crack a window and a vent

[Carol Bordwell]

I am a retired HVAC contractor, we were not allowed to install ventless units in our area, according to code.
Feedback here is good, venting properly is a must, and keep in mind being a fossil fuel unit, it will create moisture. With that info I personally would not use one in enclosed area, other than for emergency reasons.

[Exnavydiver]

There is a post under the "Full Timing" thread about excessive moisture in the rig. They stated that they do use a propane heater in the rig. Propane heaters put out a huge amount of moisture. And they DO in fact produce CO.

[8.1al]

To quote the makers of the Olympian catalytic heater;
"None of the deadly exhaust gases associated with flame heaters are produced with catalytic units."

[Jim-n-Kathy]

Thanks to all who answered. But, more to the point; is there anyone out there who has actually got one of these larger size Olympia Catalytic units installed and in use in their RV [or a comparable brand]. The reason I came to this is because a few months back I had met a couple during an outing and we were both complaining about the furnace related 12v battery drain during boondocking. He stopped me in mid-sentence and walked me into his motor coach and showed me the installed Olympia Wave 8000 unit. He said they are always out-and-about and have not turned on the forced air furnace in 10 years [claimed on low this aby heated the whole coach like toast! He installed it on the end of the kitchen module [as did I]. I was immediately locked on and bought and installed one next day]. Well in all that my new acquaintance and I did not discuss CO output of this unit and he is unfortunately currently unavailable. So here I am asking again...I am hopeful there must be others that have a permantly installed Cat heater. If so, please give me a yell and share how you use it and how it performs and your safety precautions.
Thanks so much,
Jim and Kathy [and Sami the 13yr ol Yellow Lab].....

[steves]

From their website: (people use them....but you must vent them as described) Hope someone can validate their use for you?


Propane Heaters by Olympian provide quiet and dependable heaters that are specifically designed for motorhomes, trailers, vans and campers.

These Olympian wave heaters all operate on LP fuel at altitudes up to 12,000 feet. They have the convenience of Piezo automatic electric starter with 100% safety shut-off valve. The Wave heaters all have a 3/8" SAE flare gas connection. Note: These heaters require regulated low pressure LP gas. You may need a regulator which is sold separately



Safety Note: Any fuel burning ventless appliance needs adequate air exchange to replenish Oxygen and remove products of combustion. Standards require at least a 1 square inch fresh air opening for every 1000 BTUs of propane used by any appliance. Replacement air (oxygen) is provided best by two vents, one low on an outside wall and the other high on another outside wall.

[ols1932]

We have full timed for 10 years and we used the Wave 6 for about three years and then switched to a Blue Flame propane heater that puts out 20,000 BTUs of heat. We've never had a problem with lack of air in the rig since we always leave the vent over the range open. If you possibly and and "air tight" RV, then I would worry, but none of the RVs we've had have every been air tight. We do not use the propane heater at night when in bed, only during waking hours.

Orv

[Illini Trekker]

Last winter I work camped and used a blue flame, the smallest one they have at Home Depot worked great. Has Orv said our campers are NOT air tight and the more slides the more it leaks air. I was working at a refinery in my area the safety Dept. made us wear CO monitors, this monitor would sound off when I sat in a pickup truck with the window down. I bought the CO monitor home one night and I could not get it to sound off. Like other have said CO is a by product of burning fuel, but the levels must be low.

[WorkerB]

I have both a Wave 3 in my cab-over camper and a Mr. Heater Big Buddy (Blue Flame type) in the Monty. The Mr. Heater has two safety features that I like. First there is an oxygen sensor. When oxygen sensor determines oxygen level drops below a safe level it turns off automatically. Down side is it won't work above 8,000 feet because there is less oxygen at that altitude. Upside is you wake up cold but you wake up. That's a good thing. It has three heat settings 18,000 BTU is the highest. 18,000 BTU was just enough to keep us comfortable in a 16° snowstorm at Tonopah NV. The specs require ventilation equal to a 4x4 hole to allow for adequate ventilation. I have seen holes bigger than that under the kitchen cabinets. Second is that if you bump the heater hard or it tips over it shuts off automatically.

The Wave 3 in the camper is mounted to the wall. It provides plenty of heat on the low setting. It also requires ventilation. It does not make carbon monoxide but does consume oxygen. The down side to this unit is that the catalytic material can be destroyed by dust. I bought a cover to protect it but you have to wait till it has cooled down to place the protective covering. That means there have been many times the cover was totally forgotten. The Wave 3 has no altitude limitation and it is rare that we are at those altitudes. Overall I prefer the Mr. Heater Big Buddy heater because it has the ability to provide up to 18,000 BTU where the largest Wave 8 only makes a maximum of 8,000 BTU. Both require common sense and attention to manufacturers ventilation requirements. Hope this helps.
WorkerB John

[clutch]

We used to use small electric heaters to keep warm in Parker Az on those cool winter nights. Last year we bought a Cozy World heater with two panels. We are very happy with the way it works. It is a two panel heater with a pilot light and a thermostat. It will shut itself off if the O2 level is not safe. As stated before adequate ventilation is necessary to keep safe and be moisture free.