Re: [VAL] Propane fireplace

["Roger Moseley" <rmoseley@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I agree that the forced air heaters are a battery-discharging nightmare.

I have used a small catalytic propane heater for several years in my 27' 
(when it gets below 20 degrees outside you better be under the covers) 
and it has kept the trailer habitable, if not comfortable at times. In 
my 18' it is more than adequate. I'm tired of using the little one pound 
bottles, so I'm adding a hose connection to the main propane so that I 
can run the heater as long as I want (the little bottle will run out in 
5 hours or so, so you don't make it through the night). So far I've 
avoided situations where the temperature is continually below freezing 
for 24 hours. However, one note on freezing--my pipes are copper and I 
don't trust anything to get heat into the back access bay or behind the 
cabinets, so I go without running water if the temperature is going to 
be below 25 degrees F. Plus I never can seem to get all the water out of 
the toilet valve (that pesky up to the rim piece of tubing), unless you 
blow the system clean with air, so it's difficult to fill up with water 
for short periods and then try to clean it out.

The catalytic heaters say they are safe for indoor use and I haven't had 
a CO alert with them, but it's one good thing about having poor rubber 
seals around the door--plenty of air flow. Ugh.

Roger
Palmer Lake, CO
Skype Name: Roger.Moseley