Community Forums

Reed Cundiff · 08-31-2017, 07:41 AM

Catalytics produce carbon monoxide and water. They do use oxygen and people have died of anoxia in small tents without ventilation. Make sure you do have CO detectors that work.

We have an Olympic Wave 8 in our 5th wheel and an Olympic Wave 3 in our Roadtrek. They work extremely well.

Reed abd Elaine

paddykern · 08-31-2017, 08:07 AM

Used Olympian Wave in pop-up for 30 years.
Don't use at night because I don't like idea of flames while I'm asleep.
Have not use in MH yet.
Still need to get a hose to run off MH propane tank.

paddykern · 08-31-2017, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reed Cundiff

Catalytics produce carbon monoxide and water. They do use oxygen and people have died of anoxia in small tents without ventilation. Make sure you do have CO detectors that work.

We have an Olympic Wave 8 in our 5th wheel and an Olympic Wave 3 in our Roadtrek. They work extremely well.

Reed abd Elaine

How cold have you used the Wave 3.
I have an old probably Wave 6 before that named them with numbers.
Wondering if the 3 would work in a class B.
Looking for something that takes up less room.

1bigmess · 08-31-2017, 11:35 AM

Would it work? Yeah, of course. Will it be warm like you want? There may be only one way to find out.

These things relating to comfort are usually so personal you just gotta try it yourself.

Duoglide1 · 08-31-2017, 01:39 PM

We use a Mr Heater blue flame heater with a t-stat. Plumbed a line from water heater with a ball valve and a quick disconnect. Originally for boondocking but now use it in Colorado even in parks as we like it so much. We do leave the kitchen window cracked open (you need 3 sq. Inches of fresh air) and the bathroom vent cracked open to let moisture out. Uses way less propane than the furnace, no electric and it's quiet. YMMV.

TriMoot · 11-21-2017, 05:14 PM

We have one on our MH and just recently used it. The 1st night I didn't open any vents or crack the windows and I sleep right next to it. (It seems I snore, so I volunteer to sleep on sofa..ugh..need to look into getting a more comfortable one). Anyway, the the next morning I woke up with a very bad headache and felt lousy all day. Pretty sure I was due to the heater. Next night, made sure I have the vent cracked and the window right next to me opened. Next morning I was fine, and noticed we had less moisture on the windows.
It's strange I didn't remember to open anything the 1st night. It had been a while since we used the heater but after that, I will ALWAYS have ventilation. Now, what to do about my snoring and lumpy bed? :-)

TriMoot · 11-21-2017, 05:15 PM

We have one on our MH and just recently used it. The 1st night I didn't open any vents or crack the windows and I sleep right next to it. (It seems I snore, so I volunteer to sleep on sofa..ugh..need to look into getting a more comfortable one). Anyway, the the next morning I woke up with a very bad headache and felt lousy all day. Pretty sure I was due to the heater. Next night, made sure I have the vent cracked and the window right next to me opened. Next morning I was fine, and noticed we had less moisture on the windows.
It's strange I didn't remember to open anything the 1st night. It had been a while since we used the heater but after that, I will ALWAYS have ventilation. Now, what to do about my snoring and lumpy bed?

Desert Flyer · 11-21-2017, 06:26 PM

You are lucky...glad you are OK! Catalytic heaters are absolutely safe IF directions are followed.

Reed Cundiff · 11-22-2017, 07:27 AM

We always leave a window open as directed. Would expect that there is probably enough draft as it is with three slides open It was 35 last night and we left the Olympian Wave 8 at low range and it kept the cabin (34' fifth wheel) in low 50s

Reed and Elaine

totaldla · 11-28-2017, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Reed Cundiff

Catalytics produce carbon monoxide and water. They do use oxygen and people have died of anoxia in small tents without ventilation. Make sure you do have CO detectors that work.

We have an Olympic Wave 8 in our 5th wheel and an Olympic Wave 3 in our Roadtrek. They work extremely well.

Reed abd Elaine

They produce carbon DIOXIDE and water. And water is really the biggest problem with them - condenses on cold surface. About 80% of the propane is converted to water.

The Mr.Buddy has a low-oxygen shutoff .

Cliffy · 11-28-2017, 02:30 PM

With all the hysteria about these heaters and no empirical data, mostly second hand old wive's tales, why doesn't one of the manufacturers fully instrument a few different RVs and do actual testing? Even some of us could with the proliferation of affordable available testers and alarms available on the market.
Say put up 5 numerical read monitors inside and run a heater all day without opening a window then open a window to see if the readings go lower IF they recorded at all.

How about some ACTUAL data to see if the wild warnings are actually within the realm of possibility? All we have now is "the sky is falling"!

And NO I'm not discounting the deaths every year by CO poisoning. We have them here at our lake every year BUT they are not brought about by CAT heaters here. CO poisoning is real but is it caused by these heaters or are we just reacting to anything that burns fossil fuels and labeling it dangerous?

ByeTheWay · 11-28-2017, 05:05 PM

Catalytic heaters by day, Hydro-Hot by night

Waiter21 · 11-29-2017, 06:34 AM

I've run my Wave 3k and Mr Buddy a lot. I also modified my Mr Buddy to plumb into the MHs low pressure system. We run ours all day and night, and set the MH furnace to 55 degrees. Only on the very cold nights does the furnace actually kick on.

My Mirada was reasonable air tight, but enough air leaks to supply fresh air. I open a roof vent about 1 inch to allow exhaust air to exit. I've never had a CO alarm go off when I operate it like this.

These heaters dump a lot of moisture into the air. Condensation on windows and walls if. if its cold below freezing, frost on the inside of the windows.

IMPORTANT - CO alarms. Make sure they are fully functional. Use the kind that has a digital display and shows PPM of CO (parts per million of Carbon Monoxide)..

When using, make sure the heater is in a location that things cannot accidentally fall or get dropped on it.. i.e. we hang towels on the oven handles... What happens if that towel falls on the heater.. Make sure nothing can get dropped on the heater.

RussOnTheRoad · 11-29-2017, 06:49 AM

Here is my burning question about catalytic heaters. It is said they don't heat the air and that some object (s) must be in front of them to absorb their radiation which in turn warm the air. If that's not confusing enough on itself just what shiuld be in front of them and how far away?

Also, what if the closest thing in front of them is 20' away? Will that object jeat up? What happens to the radiation thenheater produces? The energy has to go somewhere.