Mounting Wave 3 in Hawk

[dthomas]

I have a Hawk with out a factory heater,so I have purchased a Wave3 for heat, and am wondering if most are using the stand and letting it sit on the floor or mounting it? If mounting it the 2 obvious places would be facing forward under the fridge, near the floor or facing back under the front seat. these 2 spots are close to flamable material and wiring so I am concerned? any suggestions? I apolizie if this has been asked before I am new to the forum
Thank you in advance
Dan

 

[Overland Hadley]

I would mount it at the rear of the camper on the wall, like where an air conditioner would be mounted.

The Wave 3 puts out catalytic heat that travels in a straight line, so you want to have it pointed at where you will be sitting.

Unless you would rarely use the heater and want to leave it at home most of the time, I would see no reason to have it on the stand. I would mount it on the wall.

 

[dthomas]

I would mount it at the rear of the camper on the wall, like where an air conditioner would be mounted.

The Wave 3 puts out catalytic heat that travels in a straight line, so you want to have it pointed at where you will be sitting.

Unless you would rarely use the heater and want to leave it at home most of the time, I would see no reason to have it on the stand. I would mount it on the wall.

Thanks for the quick responce, I just went outside and checked and I dont see it? I have a 2009 hawk, with the fridge,door and window on the back wall, I dont see much of a spot to mount it, it could go under the window,maybe, but it would be very close to the couch?

 

[Overland Hadley]

Hmmm.

With the window there may not be a space to mount it. Thats too bad.

Just try and mount it in a space where it will point towards the area where you will be sitting. If you want to post pictures of your interior I could look over your interior layout.

 

[Overland Hadley]

Also, I think the Wave 3 can be mounted on its side. I know the larger units can, but you would want to double check for the 3 unit.

 

[JohnF]

I had a conversation with Arnold, the owner of the company that makes the platinum cat heaters. His advice was, "Imagine the heater as if it was a flashlight, and you want to illuminate the inside ofthe RV as much as you can."

I suspect folks that get poor performance from their catalytic heaters "spot light" the heat rather than "flood".

 

[Lighthawk]

Be very careful of proximity to anything directly above the Wave. I hang mine on two screws directly below the factory furnace grill. I had to remove a factory vent, which seemed unnecessary since the space is open from below.

When the Wave 3 is on, the metal grill of the factory furnace gets quite hot, even though it is vertical from the Wave. We use both heat systems and like our Wave for it's quiet, efficient performance.

Don't know if your 09 Hawk is like my 08, but probably similar. I Tee'd off the gas where it exits the propane compartment and installed an 18" Mr. BBQ hose with quick disconnect. I recommend you bite the bullet and get the swivel 90 they offer. It will save a number of fittings.

 

[Overland Hadley]

I had a conversation with Arnold, the owner of the company that makes the platinum cat heaters. His advice was, "Imagine the heater as if it was a flashlight, and you want to illuminate the inside ofthe RV as much as you can."

I suspect folks that get poor performance from their catalytic heaters "spot light" the heat rather than "flood".


That is a great way to think about it.

A cat heater does not work like a hot air heater works, two different animals.

 

[chnlisle]

I have a Hawk with out a factory heater,so I have purchased a Wave3 for heat, and am wondering if most are using the stand and letting it sit on the floor or mounting it? If mounting it the 2 obvious places would be facing forward under the fridge, near the floor or facing back under the front seat. these 2 spots are close to flamable material and wiring so I am concerned? any suggestions? I apolizie if this has been asked before I am new to the forum
Thank you in advance
Dan



SunMan was kind enough to put a step by step guide on my web site.

http://www.jayaronowcampersales.com/Around_The_Campfire.html

 

[ski3pin]

Also, I think the Wave 3 can be mounted on its side. I know the larger units can, but you would want to double check for the 3 unit.


The instructions with our Wave 3 said mount vertical only.

 

[ski3pin]

This is how I mounted a Wave 3 in our old ranger II, not a Hawk but perhaps this can add some ideas.

I originally mounted the heater on three screws hooking to the factory mount holes on the back of the unit.

After using the Wave 3 on a few trips and discovering firsthand how directional the heat is, I at least wanted the option of pointing it toward my seat and more into the living area. I figured a hinge would work.

I took the unit completely apart so I could drill and mount the length of piano hinge and docking latch to the back case. Because of the grills over the furnace outlets and outward position of the mounting holes, I used two pieces of 1/8” aluminum as a spacer under the hinge. I used a piece of aluminum for the latch arrangement and a brace to hold the heater in the outward position. I installed a ¼ X 20 threaded insert in the cabinet and use a bolt to hold the heater in place for travel.

When in the outward position I use the same bolt to hold the anchor brace in place via a hole drilled in the top of the heater case.

I used pieces of adhesive fuzzy (loop) Velcro as cushions on the back of the heater case and also along the bottom of the anchor brace so it fits snug in the space between the heater and the bottom of the cabinet edge. Although the grill of the Wave 3 gets very hot, I have found that the back case gets only warm to the touch.

Borrowing on Lighthawk's installation, I also used a length of rubber propane line and a quick disconnect. I tapped into my propane supply lines with a tee at the factory furnace connection. I had to pull out the furnace to access the supply line. This was the hardest part of the install.

 

[Overland Hadley]

^ that is great!

 

[NWCamper]

I use the legs so I can move the Wave around depending on the situation. Keeps the unit away from kids and dogs and really does not take much extra time to set up. I saw a post here where someone mounted the wave on the rear lift panel via a piece of wire. Seems like a good location too.

 

[MarkBC]

I'm one who uses my catalytic heater (Wave 6) free-standing on the optional legs, for the reason posted by NWCamper and as already stated -- because the heat is directional. There's no one direction, for my needs anyway, that I'd want to keep all the time, which is what you get when you mount it in one permanent position. Like, when I'm reclining on the couch the best direction for the heater is different than when I'm standing in front of the stove, cooking -- I wouldn't want the heater right in front of my legs.

ski3pin's hinged mount looks like a good compromise, though. I had considered mounting/hanging mine off one of the cabinet doors -- which can then be opened to point the heater, but I have never done this, still using it freestanding on the legs.

The obvious downside of using the heater on legs is that it's on the floor and potentially in the way in an already cramped space...but so far I've put up with that downside.
YMMV.

 

[Barko1]

The obvious downside of using the heater on legs is that it's on the floor and potentially in the way in an already cramped space...but so far I've put up with that downside.
YMMV.


I have my 3 on the legs, usually sits facing forward from the back door but with it being on a 5' hose I can move it up onto the counter if I want it out of the way, mostly because of dogs. I wouldn't want to give the impression that it is strictly directional. My experience is that pretty I turn it on and in not too long a time we are warm. I presume it heats whatever it has in its' range and in turn those things, cabinets, etc, share the heat with the space around them.

 

[MarkBC]

I wouldn't want to give the impression that it is strictly directional. My experience is that pretty I turn it on and in not too long a time we are warm. I presume it heats whatever it has in its' range and in turn those things, cabinets, etc, share the heat with the space around them.

That's a good point/clarification, Barko1.
For me, the directionality issue is that whatever it's pointing at can get too hot if it's close -- such as my legs. As you point out, it's not true that only what it points at gets warm. I paid a lot of attention to the camper temps on my recent trip (T.R. to be posted soon...) as the morning lows for the 4 days were 2°, 9°, 15°, and 9°. The whole camper does get/stay warm, just not as fast as with the forced-air furnace. But I didn't use the furnace at all on this chilly-night trip, just the Wave 6.

 

[ski3pin]

<snip> I wouldn't want to give the impression that it is strictly directional. My experience is that pretty I turn it on and in not too long a time we are warm. I presume it heats whatever it has in its' range and in turn those things, cabinets, etc, share the heat with the space around them.


Yes Mr. Barko, that is a good clarification on how the catalytic heater works........but it sure is nice to have it pointing at me on a cold winter night!

 

[Barko1]

The whole camper does get/stay warm, just not as fast as with the forced-air furnace. But I didn't use the furnace at all on this chilly-night trip, just the Wave 6.



I think the fact that you just used the Wave says quite a bit. The speed of heating never seems like an issue for me. Last month I made a couple roadside late night 20-30 degree stops, pop the top, start the heater, by the time I was ready to crawl into the bag camper was warming right up. Not a peep from it all night, not a worry in my head about using battery power, just steady temps. In the morning just shut it off, put away everything else, cover it and sticl it under the cabinet.

 

[goodtimes]

If mounting it the 2 obvious places would be facing forward under the fridge, near the floor or facing back under the front seat.


Be careful mounting it under the front seat - easy for someone to burn the backs of their legs if they sit down right after it is turned off (probably too hot to sit there while it is running).

Mine is mounted near the floor, under the stove. It isn't the best spot for it (efficiency wise), but it's about the only space that is out of the way. It takes a bit to warm the camper up (essentially, I'm warming up the seat across from it, and the cabinet above it, and those are warming up the rest of the camper), but -- it works. Keep in mind that my idea of cold and that of some others on WTW is different. When night time lows head south of freezing, I start to question why exactly I'm camping.

 

[Overland Hadley]

When night time lows head south of freezing, I start to question why exactly I'm camping.




But each to their own.