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Topic: Any opinions?
Posted: 25 Nov 2010 at 8:12am

Have any of you actually tried one of these? What do you think about using something like this as an alternative to the furnace?

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-furnaces/olympian-catalytic-heaters.htm

When dry camping, it seems as though the furnace blower uses a lot of battery, so I'm thinking of alternatives.

cane2

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Posted: 25 Nov 2010 at 9:50am

First happy turkey day//// Myself i know of a lot of people who use these. I think no way do i want to try one in the size of the pod you need a lot of o2 to run them. I don't even like to use the stove without a window open. They use less lp but no thanks. Buy a couple of Swiss army blankets they are wool and very warm.

Outbound

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Posted: 25 Nov 2010 at 12:22pm

The Olympians are supposed to be quite nice. We had a Coleman catalytic heater in our old tent trailer, and it worked fairly well. You already know the PROs, here are a few CONs:

- catalytic heaters use a lot of oxygen and you will have to leave at least one window open

- there is a lot of moisture build-up inside the trailer as one of the major products of combustion is H2O. Its a significant problem

- you'll have to run a gas hose (or go through a tonne of green cylinders)

- its something else in the way in the trailer

- it does have a very hot surface that has to be guarded against

- dog hair floating around will occasionally burn/melt on the surface of the heater and stink

My feeling of safety is magnitudes higher with the furnace as opposed to the catalytic heater. With the much more airtight TT, I wouldn't consider using a catalytic heater while sleeping.

I am at a point in my life where I am not going to try to be frugal with heat (or battery) - I'm not going to wear three sweaters in the trailer, read with a LED headlamp, or otherwise fiddle around and be uncomfortable. When I'm boondocking for two nights, I bring along a spare group 24 battery (I have a group 27 on the tongue). If I'm camping longer than two nights, I bring along my generator; an hour on the genny and the battery is bulk-charged and ready for another couple of nights.

Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

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Posted: 25 Nov 2010 at 4:49pm

Well, I was hoping for better. I was afraid that the need to provide enough air exchanges to keep the O2 levels safe, along with the moisture problem, the thing would probably waist more heat than it provided as useful heat.

In the specs (read somewhere) it said it needed 1 square inch of vent opening for every 1000 btu of heater output to provide enough air exchanges (this doesn't sound adequate to me). I usually keep a window and the bath vent/fan open a bit to prevent condensation and provide fresh air anyway. I have a place that I could put it, along with the tools and talent. So, I could but, it sounds like the return on investment would be low. The additional hoped for gain was not having to hear the furnace blower running.

Also, I read on the Camping World site a couple of glowing "customer reviews" which caused me to wonder if there might be something new/innovative about these units. These sort of "reviews", I take lightly as it can't be ascertained who really posted them (maybe someone from the manufacturer?).

I, too, have come to enjoy a more "comfortable camping experience", as years have passed. For the price of the unit, plus the stuff to install it, I could easily just purchase an extra battery or two - with money left over. The reason I want to "save" battery power is for other electronics/radios.

I've resisted buying a genset. However, my truck has a 2nd battery tray (with the towing package). I was thinking of using that tray to put another battery, along with a battery isolator, to keep charged for general camper usage. I can swap them as needed, while the other is being charged during driving for sightseeing, errands, etc. I am weighing this vs. just putting 2 AGM type batteries inside the camper.

http://www.westmountainradio.com/product_info.php?products_id=iso_pwr

TerryM

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Posted: 26 Nov 2010 at 1:13pm

The air requirements should not be a problem because you have said you crack a window and open the vent. As you should anyway. These heaters work very well. I have never had one but I have talked to a LOT of people that use them. If you want to get good honest opinions on them go to the Escapees web site. There are a ton of people on there that live full time in their RV's. A lot of them use these heaters. My thoughts are the smallest one would be plenty for an R-Pod.

Terry

RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4
Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565

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Posted: 27 Nov 2010 at 5:33am

Thanks, Terry! I'll check it out when surfing the web. Do you know if they use them even at night? Most of the time I'm OK but, I do, at least, like to warm the place up for taking a shower.

I have the same furnace as you, so you know the noise level...not real bad. While it seems rather counter-intuitive, it is common (I'm told) for hearing impaired people to be extra sensative to sounds they do hear. So, it does wake me on occasion.

techntrek

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Posted: 27 Nov 2010 at 11:14pm

As others have said, I've read of many others that boondock often, and the Olympian Wave is a must-have for them. With the need to leave a window and the bathroom vent cracked in cool weather, you are already set. If I boondocked often I would definitely get one.

Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual

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Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Topic: Any opinions? Posted: 25 Nov 2010 at 8:12am
	Have any of you actually tried one of these? What do you think about using something like this as an alternative to the furnace? http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-furnaces/olympian-catalytic-heaters.htm When dry camping, it seems as though the furnace blower uses a lot of battery, so I'm thinking of alternatives.

cane2 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: 06 Dec 2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 92	Posted: 25 Nov 2010 at 9:50am
	First happy turkey day//// Myself i know of a lot of people who use these. I think no way do i want to try one in the size of the pod you need a lot of o2 to run them. I don't even like to use the stove without a window open. They use less lp but no thanks. Buy a couple of Swiss army blankets they are wool and very warm.

Outbound Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List podders Helping podders - pHp Joined: 19 Nov 2009 Location: Oshawa, Ontario Online Status: Offline Posts: 767	Posted: 25 Nov 2010 at 12:22pm
	The Olympians are supposed to be quite nice. We had a Coleman catalytic heater in our old tent trailer, and it worked fairly well. You already know the PROs, here are a few CONs: - catalytic heaters use a lot of oxygen and you will have to leave at least one window open - there is a lot of moisture build-up inside the trailer as one of the major products of combustion is H2O. Its a significant problem - you'll have to run a gas hose (or go through a tonne of green cylinders) - its something else in the way in the trailer - it does have a very hot surface that has to be guarded against - dog hair floating around will occasionally burn/melt on the surface of the heater and stink My feeling of safety is magnitudes higher with the furnace as opposed to the catalytic heater. With the much more airtight TT, I wouldn't consider using a catalytic heater while sleeping. I am at a point in my life where I am not going to try to be frugal with heat (or battery) - I'm not going to wear three sweaters in the trailer, read with a LED headlamp, or otherwise fiddle around and be uncomfortable. When I'm boondocking for two nights, I bring along a spare group 24 battery (I have a group 27 on the tongue). If I'm camping longer than two nights, I bring along my generator; an hour on the genny and the battery is bulk-charged and ready for another couple of nights.
	Craig :: 2009 RP171 towed by a 2017 F150

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Posted: 25 Nov 2010 at 4:49pm
	Well, I was hoping for better. I was afraid that the need to provide enough air exchanges to keep the O2 levels safe, along with the moisture problem, the thing would probably waist more heat than it provided as useful heat. In the specs (read somewhere) it said it needed 1 square inch of vent opening for every 1000 btu of heater output to provide enough air exchanges (this doesn't sound adequate to me). I usually keep a window and the bath vent/fan open a bit to prevent condensation and provide fresh air anyway. I have a place that I could put it, along with the tools and talent. So, I could but, it sounds like the return on investment would be low. The additional hoped for gain was not having to hear the furnace blower running. Also, I read on the Camping World site a couple of glowing "customer reviews" which caused me to wonder if there might be something new/innovative about these units. These sort of "reviews", I take lightly as it can't be ascertained who really posted them (maybe someone from the manufacturer?). I, too, have come to enjoy a more "comfortable camping experience", as years have passed. For the price of the unit, plus the stuff to install it, I could easily just purchase an extra battery or two - with money left over. The reason I want to "save" battery power is for other electronics/radios. I've resisted buying a genset. However, my truck has a 2nd battery tray (with the towing package). I was thinking of using that tray to put another battery, along with a battery isolator, to keep charged for general camper usage. I can swap them as needed, while the other is being charged during driving for sightseeing, errands, etc. I am weighing this vs. just putting 2 AGM type batteries inside the camper. http://www.westmountainradio.com/product_info.php?products_id=iso_pwr

TerryM Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 16 Nov 2009 Location: Saint Augustine Online Status: Offline Posts: 1950	Posted: 26 Nov 2010 at 1:13pm
	The air requirements should not be a problem because you have said you crack a window and open the vent. As you should anyway. These heaters work very well. I have never had one but I have talked to a LOT of people that use them. If you want to get good honest opinions on them go to the Escapees web site. There are a ton of people on there that live full time in their RV's. A lot of them use these heaters. My thoughts are the smallest one would be plenty for an R-Pod. Terry
	RP-175 W/Lift Kit 2011 Ford F-150 4X4 Saint Augustine, FL: The first permanent European settlement in the USA: 1565

Guests Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Guest Group	Posted: 27 Nov 2010 at 5:33am
	Thanks, Terry! I'll check it out when surfing the web. Do you know if they use them even at night? Most of the time I'm OK but, I do, at least, like to warm the place up for taking a shower. I have the same furnace as you, so you know the noise level...not real bad. While it seems rather counter-intuitive, it is common (I'm told) for hearing impaired people to be extra sensative to sounds they do hear. So, it does wake me on occasion.

techntrek Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group - pHp Joined: 29 Jul 2009 Location: MD Online Status: Offline Posts: 9062	Posted: 27 Nov 2010 at 11:14pm
	As others have said, I've read of many others that boondock often, and the Olympian Wave is a must-have for them. With the need to leave a window and the bathroom vent cracked in cool weather, you are already set. If I boondocked often I would definitely get one.
	Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ Pod instruction manual