Semi-permanent Catalytic Heater Install

[Mark W. Ingalls]

The fellow who sold us the camper gave us a "Little Buddy" heater in the box as well.

It works pretty well, but I wanted to hook it up to the regulated propane tank already on the truck. Trouble is, appliances designed for 1 lb. bottles already have built-in regulators, so it would not work out of the box.

I am not sure about the liability issues of demonstrating modified equipment such as this, so I didn't want to add pictures and all without say-so from admin DD.

Heater, sans regulator functions well, so I'll go ahead and plumb it in.

I'll also show what I've done photographically, after getting a by-your-leave.

 

[Marc]

Mark,
Mr buddy sells a kit so you can use your on board tank. I think these little heaters work great.

Marc

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Mark,
Mr buddy sells a kit so you can use your on board tank. I think these little heaters work great.
Marc

Marc, that's what I thought, too, so I bought one of the kits. It turns out the kit I bought was was a hose to connect an unregulated remote tank (plus a filter), not a kit allowing connection to a regulated remote tank, as in the Hawk. The pilot light lit, but there was not enough gas pressure to run the heater.

Once I removed the internal regulator and plumbed it in, it worked great, just as you say.

 

[drakeslayer]

Mr. Buddy now makes a wall mounted, 10,000 BTU unit, good for 300 square feet designed for regular propane tanks. It runs around $100. I put a Big Buddy in the kids Alaskan with the tank kit. It's almost too much for it as it is designed to heat 400 square feet.

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Mr. Buddy now makes a wall mounted, 10,000 BTU unit, good for 300 square feet designed for regular propane tanks. It runs around $100. I put a Big Buddy in the kids Alaskan with the tank kit. It's almost too much for it as it is designed to heat 400 square feet.

Thanks, drakeslayer.

EDIT: I removed the linked picture of the hose with regulator, because I don't want to cause confusion while updating this thread.

As we can see, this one doesn't have an internal regulator, so it would have worked without modifications in my camper. On the website, they say it is not to be operated inside an RV.

If I was buying one, knowing what I now know, I might buy the one you recommend so I wouldn't have to remove the regulator.

The only place I found online that sells it wants >$200, though, compared with ~$80 for the little buddy at Walmart.

 

[drakeslayer]

Try Sportsmans Warehouse

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Behind the icebox in my camper is a LP gas line that is intended for the optional refrigerator. I connected a flexible hose that I purchased from the local LP gas supplier. The supplier crimped on quick-disconnect fittings at each end of the hose.

I did not use compressed air hose nor compressed air fittings!

I cut the hose into two sections; a longer section with a female connector which holds pressure when not connected to anything, and a shorter section with a male connector, similar to what you'd see on an air tool. Using an appropriately sized hose barb and threaded adapters, I connected the hose to mth existing line behind my icebox:

There is room next to my icebox to allow the hose to coil up when it's not needed.

Note the presence of a dust cap over the quick disconnect. Here is a detail of it ready to be connected:

These connectors only mate with other LP connectors for safety's sake. Here is the connector that goes on the heater:

This has worked out pretty well. I plan to add another, longer hose to allow me to use a Coleman outdoor grill with my onboard LP tank. We can then cook outside without needing to carry around those little green bottles.

 

[SunMan]

Ahhh, I didn't think of using the plumbed lines for the fridge option to splice into. Brilliant.

 

[pods8]

Where do you end up mounting your LB heater with the tank removed? Did you make a stand or such to set it on the counter or something along those lines?

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

I mount it under the icebox for travel and then deploy it in front of the door when heating. I wanted to allow plenty of overhead room for convection currents, so I didn't mount it permanently under the icebox. The flex hose makes this easy.

 

[pods8]

I mount it under the icebox for travel and then deploy it in front of the door when heating. I wanted to allow plenty of overhead room for convection currents, so I didn't mount it permanently under the icebox. The flex hose makes this easy.

Ah I see, with that space you have down there I can see that work.

I know you didn't go to in depth on the modification front but could one assume the regulator that was removed was a threaded component and then one would be just be tasked with plumbing up a new regulated propane supply or was there more to it? I don't have one of these LB's but I'm weighing out my options for adding various catalytic heaters to the rig and also weather to look into adding a quick connect to the propane source.

 

[fish more]

go to camping world

I was just at Camping World and they have what you need to connect your heater to your camper tank, they have the fittings for tank and also the hoses in several lenghts for the Heater Buddy's. I have one of these heaters and they work great, I also use it in my boat while fishing in the winter.

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

I know you didn't go to in depth on the modification front but could one assume the regulator that was removed was a threaded component and then one would be just be tasked with plumbing up a new regulated propane supply or was there more to it? I don't have one of these LB's but I'm weighing out my options for adding various catalytic heaters to the rig and also weather to look into adding a quick connect to the propane source.

I modified the LB because it is what I had. They are available at Wal-Mart for considerably less than $100, so others are likely to have one too.

When using a rubber hose at tank pressure, one must also install an inline filter to keep the dissolved rubber from ruining the LB heater. This is not necessary at regulated pressure.

Also, I didn't want high pressure LPG running through the inside of my camper.

Pods, the regulator is threaded and allows one to use brass fittings from the plumbing dept. to make the changeover.

For the future, I am considering a permanent install of a better heater, but for now, it is what it is.

 

[Barko1]

I had bought a catalytic heater but took it back because of the diminished output at altitude. Mr Heater says not above 7000' and I started to realize that is when I needed the heater and I try to spend much of my time at that elevation.
http://www.rverscorner.com/catalytic.html is a discussion of the potential dangers of using these inside. Know someone who died in the fall from having a lantern burning in the tent at night, CO got em.

 

[pods8]

Also, I didn't want high pressure LPG running through the inside of my camper.


I agree.

Know someone who died in the fall from having a lantern burning in the tent at night, CO got em.

I plan to add a CO detector anyways, I wouldn't consider running a catalytic heater in the rig until I do have one installed.

 

[winter200]

What size hose did you use and what is the brand of the quick connectors? I am getting close to being finished with my camper rebuild and am thinking about doing the same thing you have done with the LB on an coleman stove rather than installing or buying a full cookstove. I have a 3 burner that came out of the keystone but I think it takes up too much space.

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Do not do that!

What size hose did you use and what is the brand of the quick connectors? I am getting close to being finished with my camper rebuild and am thinking about doing the same thing you have done with the LB on an coleman stove rather than installing or buying a full cookstove. I have a 3 burner that came out of the keystone but I think it takes up too much space.

A Coleman (tm) stove is too dirty (carbon-monoxide-wise) for indoor use.

The cooktop that comes with its own regulator, so that there are two regulators in-line. The result is cleaner and safer.

 

[pods8]

What size hose did you use and what is the brand of the quick connectors? I am getting close to being finished with my camper rebuild and am thinking about doing the same thing you have done with the LB on an coleman stove rather than installing or buying a full cookstove. I have a 3 burner that came out of the keystone but I think it takes up too much space.

I got the stock two burner model in mine I'm going to be swapping out for a different cook top in the near future (new one is en route just need to coordinate reworking the counter top). If you are of interest and time frames match I'd sell it to ya for whatever we determine is reasonable. There is a sink too if interested.