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mikebach
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2006
Posts: 9
Location: elgin, il (northwest of chicago)
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 Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:11 am Post subject: Fire |
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| i just bought a 73 thing, and the guy i bought it from had the heater disconected, he said it was because the gas heater would start the gas tank on fire, or something like that. has anyone ever heard of this happening? |
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amishman
Samba Member
Joined: March 09, 2004
Posts: 3219
Location: California
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:32 am Post subject: Re: FIRE |
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| mikebach wrote: |
| i just bought a 73 thing, and the guy i bought it from had the heater disconected, he said it was because the gas heater would start the gas tank on fire, or something like that. has anyone ever heard of this happening? |
The gas heater and gas tank are in the front trunk. They share the same space. The heater has an actual flame and some are scared off having flame next to gas. Unless the system is working perfect and there are no leaks anyplace, many folks may never turn the thing on. I myself have never tried mine but one day, after a restore, I will.
So, in a nutshell, you have a ticking time bomb in your trunk.
tj |
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chinarider
Samba Member
Joined: November 08, 2002
Posts: 276
Location: San Francisco, CA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 9:48 am Post subject: |
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| People have discussed this for years. Even on this forum, it's a topic that comes up every other month or so. I'm just wondering, though, if there are actually any known cases of the gas heater igniting the fuel in the gas tank? In other words, is it a known hazard, or just theory? |
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scottienoel
Samba Member
Joined: July 10, 2006
Posts: 51
Location: Seattle, WA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:40 am Post subject: |
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I would be interested in that as well. When I had my '73 back in high school (8 I was told the same thing. Now that I have a '74 it is mere curiousity.
_________________
"The edge, there is no honest way to explain it as the only people who really know where it is are the ones who have gone over." HST |
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emersonbiggins
Samba Member
Joined: February 18, 2003
Posts: 1681
Location: Nebraska
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 10:51 am Post subject: |
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| If the fuel hoses are good, there shouldn't be any problems with a gas heater fire. I have run gas heaters in bugs for a long time with no problems. |
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markie61
Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2005
Posts: 583
Location: Northern Virginia
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 11:53 am Post subject: |
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| chinarider wrote: |
| I'm just wondering, though, if there are actually any known cases of the gas heater igniting the fuel in the gas tank? In other words, is it a known hazard, or just theory? |
I have seen and heard many, many stories (and seen the pictures) of engine fires where the fuel line comes off a filter or carb and burns from the vehicle's back end, usually from a lack of fuel line clamps. I have never seen or heard of a fire originating in a gas heater in any vehicle that used them (Thing, bus, 411/412, etc.). I'd like to know if anyone has seen or experienced this directly - not one of those "I-heard-it-from-this-guy-who-once-had-a-neighbor-who-knew-someone...." stories.
Mark
_________________
Whut is that-there Thang!?
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Chicks dig my Thing - so what if it's little and yellow...!? |
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mikebach
Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2006
Posts: 9
Location: elgin, il (northwest of chicago)
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 1:59 pm Post subject: |
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| emersonbiggins wrote: |
| If the fuel hoses are good, there shouldn't be any problems with a gas heater fire. I have run gas heaters in bugs for a long time with no problems. |
thanks, ill check the fuel hoses before the winter, but i got lots of other stuff to do before winter. |
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Ferretkona
Samba Member
Joined: December 03, 2005
Posts: 1306
Location: Columbia, CA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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| The flame from the gas heater would only barely be more dangerous than the cigarette lighter positioned over the tank. If you have gas fumes you have problems. |
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Ian Epperson
Samba Member
Joined: January 12, 2005
Posts: 2262
Location: Alameda, CA
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| Posted: Tue Aug 22, 2006 11:34 pm Post subject: |
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I've used my heater for many years now - it works great.
The two biggest issues are the various safeties tripping, and the feul pump - if you don't run it about once a month, the pump will jam. (You can unjam it with some percussive maintenance.)
Years ago, when I first got it running, my thermostat wasn't working and it would trip the overtemp fuse (that's the 8amp fuse on the heater - NOT 16!). So, to avoid the overtemp, I'd run the heater for 30 secs then shut it down for 30 secs, over and over making good heat. There's another safety feature that will pop that circuit breaker if there's no flame detected after several seconds. Combine that with a sooty glow plug that wasn't igniting all the time, and you can do what I did one night:
Turn on the heater, no flame (didn't know it), but the pump filled the chamber with gas, turn off the heater (before the breaker popped), turn back on the heater and BOOM! Huge fireball from the left front fender! It was so jarring that it popped out several fuses! Suddenly no dash lights and I quickly pulled over and checked for fire (after realizing that I was indeed still alive).
There was no damage! No singed tire, no exploded heater. I just put the fuses back in and drove home (without heat). When I took it apart later, there was no evidence of anything wrong at all, and I've continued to use it for year since - but with a clean glow plug and proper thermostat! |
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