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noganav Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2006 Posts: 1236 Location: San Diego CA
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 9:14 pm Post subject: Mounting a Propex heater in the back cabinet - Photos |
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Hi Volks,
I thought I might post some photos of my recent Propex install. I decided to put the heater in the back cabinet since it takes up less useable space mounted this way. I'm pretty happy with the heater overall. It takes the chill off of a Canadian winter morning in about 10 minutes and gets to be intolerably hot within half an hour.
The tour starts with a fridge door transplant to allow easy access to the wardrobe cabinet. The door fits like it was meant to be there, and opens with the seat up or down. I'm not sure why Westfalia didn't put one here to begin with, I really hated farting with the back table, so this is my favourite addition yet.
A few shots of the Propex in position inside the back cabinet. The heater fits nicely, with proper clearances, between the outside wall and the metal trim piece that allows the engine hatch to be lifted out. The top of the heater winds up flush with the base of the rear-most cabinet, I'll be adding a shelves to both cabinets to allow use of this space while maintaining proper air-flow.
I mounted the propex so that the exhaust exits at the back corner of the rear wheel well and ends at the outside rear corner below the bumper. The exhaust mounting bracket attaches to an existing hole in the frame. The combustion air is drawn from the fresh air intake in the engine compartment. The combusion inlet and exhaust straddle the back edge of the wheel well.
The power wires supplied with the heater don't quite make it to the battery compartment, looks like an excuse to add a fuse panel and a switchable 50A circuit breaker. Eventually these will be moved to the hidden compartment.
The heat outlet is located below the back table, and the thermostat in the usual location. Air recirculates through the existing space between the back hatch and the back cabinet. I worried a bit about having the thermostat and heat outlet so close together, but it seems to work fine like this.
While I was at it I threw in a power inverter under the driver's seat, wired into a socket where the 110v shore power breaker used to sit. The original 110v breaker now sits just behind the outlets. A panel mount 150A switchable 12v breaker protects the inverter and keeps it from draining the battery when not in use. I put in a Xantrex 1000w inverter which was a tight squeeze with the optima battery.
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lovedavdubs Samba Member
Joined: April 30, 2004 Posts: 1597 Location: New York, NY.
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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Your my hero That's a clean job man. Nice!!!
What did the heater set you back? Here's an idea: splice a "T" that hose with another hose, and run it behind the cabinetry up front to the closet wall behind the drivers seat and mount another outlet grill up there. Just a thought Oh yea, don't know what the rust situation is like by you (pretty bad in NY) but I would slap some under coating around the exhaust outlet up in the wheel well. Nice job though. Way to improvise. I may try that fridge door idea. _________________ 82 Air-cooled Westy (Lola)...My other vehicle is a subway. |
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BulliBullets Samba Member
Joined: October 20, 2004 Posts: 206 Location: Pleasantville VA
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 10:58 pm Post subject: |
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that does look sweet! |
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noganav Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2006 Posts: 1236 Location: San Diego CA
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Posted: Mon Feb 06, 2006 11:32 pm Post subject: |
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Glad you like it. I got the Propex from Van-Cafe for a little over 600 bucks. I also got some great customer service from Van-Cafe and the Propex distributor. The unit wouldn't light at first (my fault) and they bent over backwards to help me get it working.
I would love to get some of this heat up front, I've got an aircooled with a stuck-on-cold heat lever. I thought about trying to route it into the stock heat system and installing a fan up front to pull the air forward, but for now I'll have to stick with the candle on the dashboard. |
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Wellington Samba Member
Joined: September 21, 2004 Posts: 1882 Location: Montreal
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Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 10:58 am Post subject: |
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I love the fridge door idea!!!
Possibly I'll see you at Embrun or TO. |
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mightyart Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2004 Posts: 6188 Location: Portland, Oregon
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Posted: Tue Feb 07, 2006 11:16 am Post subject: |
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Good post!
Lot's of good pictures.
Get that stock heater working, may not be the best thing for you up there in Canada, but it will keep you from freezing your toes off. _________________ My Art:
http://www.instagram.com/flynn8552/ |
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noganav Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2006 Posts: 1236 Location: San Diego CA
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Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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Just a few more pics of my back-mounted Propex install from when I recently re-furbished my cabinets. After a year or so of testing, I really like this install location, here's why:
1) The heat comes out right where I need it. I stealth camp a lot, almost fulltime. To try and keep things low-key, I leave the front of the westy open and throw up a curtain across the back half tucked in the upper mattress. The Propex can get that tiny space cooking in a matter of minutes. With the table in place, the space under it is a little oven for drying out wet clothes.
2) It uses up no space at all, I got some new back cabinets and re-did the install of the fridge door. Don't use a dremel for that job, do it right with a hole saw and a jig saw, now it looks like it could be stock. I also cut out the bottom shelf and raised it up (see pic below), rather than cutting into it as before. Now, with the table in place you can't even tell it's there.
3) This is a big unexpected plus. Installed this way, the air recirculation path is around the back of the cabinet near the rear hatch. In the heat of the summer I can put in my 3/8' turnbuckle hatch extender, and leave the propex on fan mode. This draws in cool air from outside through the rear hatch and keeps the inside of the van much cooler.
Here's one of the propex in place:
and one of a better way to modify the back shelf, just cut it out with a utility knife and raise it a little more than an inch.
I've got measurements for the fridge door install that place the final trim flush with the top of the existing back door so it looks really slick. I'll post them when I find the piece of paper they are written on. The fridge door mod is easy and makes that back cabinet much easier to use. |
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kevinbassplayer Samba Member
Joined: June 15, 2006 Posts: 1041 Location: Nor-Cal
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Posted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 1:29 pm Post subject: |
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Very impressive work! This is worthy of a sticky! |
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westylife Samba Member
Joined: October 28, 2007 Posts: 409 Location: Anchorage, Alaska
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Posted: Sat May 31, 2008 3:57 am Post subject: Re: Mounting a Propex heater in the back cabinet - Photos |
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noganav wrote: |
Hi Volks,
While I was at it I threw in a power inverter under the driver's seat, wired into a socket where the 110v shore power breaker used to sit. The original 110v breaker now sits just behind the outlets. A panel mount 150A switchable 12v breaker protects the inverter and keeps it from draining the battery when not in use. I put in a Xantrex 1000w inverter which was a tight squeeze with the optima battery.
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Noganav,
Can you tell me what model# for your optima battery? Looks like it fits under the drivers seat pretty well.
Westylife. _________________ 1983.5 Westfalia Bostig RG1 |
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noganav Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2006 Posts: 1236 Location: San Diego CA
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Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 2:51 pm Post subject: |
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Sorry Westylife, I didn't see your post until now. This is the optima that everyone puts there, D34/78 I think.
Unfortunately it was a terrible battery (or cutting off the posts makes it a terrible battery). I've been through two and neither worked well.
One day soon I'm going to switch to the WestyVentures UB12220 setup.
I've been getting great use out of the propex these last few days in Seattle. Brrr! |
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chimivee Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2009 Posts: 741 Location: Orange, CA
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Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 3:24 pm Post subject: |
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Nice install. A few questions for you:
How do you feel about the noise level with the Propex in the cabinet?
I'm trying to decide where to mount mine: rear cabinet, or rear bench. I had it under the bench in my last van and was happy with the set up. Noise level was acceptable to me, especially if I was sleeping with my head in back, but i'm wondering if the rear cabinet would be noiser because of its proximity / resonance? (I guess the answer's gonna be subjective) I suppose adding sound insulation would be easy. But getting that bit of under bench storage back would be nice.
Also it looks like you routed the propane lines inside the van. Where does it connect? Did you pull the fridge?
And no issues w/ the outlet blowing right into/under where the table resides?
Thanks! _________________ -James
86 Syncro Westy, etc |
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noganav Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2006 Posts: 1236 Location: San Diego CA
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Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 3:45 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks!
The noise is not a problem for me, but I'm a really sound sleeper.
I really need my under-bench storage for tools, so that was a big incentive putting it there.
Also, when I go to sleep I stuff a blanket into the gap between the upper matresses and only heat the back half of the van. The propex barely needs to run to heat that small space, and it stays nice and toasty.
I leave the windows cracked up front and that seems to keep the humidity down. I've also started using the big ice-cream style bucket of Damp-Rid, and I'm nice and dry with that.
I connected the heater with a T to the stove line since I figured that I'd rarely use them both at the same time.
Blowing under the table works out great. It gets pretty warm there with the table in place, so it's good for drying out clothes, but it doesn't get so hot that it's a problem. I swivel the table out for sleeping at night.
If I was going to go with an under seat installation and heat the whole van all night, I'd get the big propex. With this setup, the small propex is more than enough. |
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chimivee Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2009 Posts: 741 Location: Orange, CA
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Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 4:49 pm Post subject: |
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So, you basically hang the blanket as a curtain to isolate the bed area? That's a great idea! - One that wouldn't work w/ the heater below. I have the "EX1800" and don't know if/how it differs from your "1800," but I found it to heat the entire van just fine. But more efficiency is always a good thing.
I actually find that the Propex dries out the air - or maybe it's just the mountain air at elevation - but humidity has not been an issue.
Anyway, thanks for the feedback. Definitely going to consider your location as an option. I've deleted the factory rear heater and am liking that huge uninterrupted chunk of storage. _________________ -James
86 Syncro Westy, etc |
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GrindGarage Samba Member
Joined: October 14, 2008 Posts: 710 Location: Ocean City, NJ
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Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 5:59 pm Post subject: |
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Does anyone know if it is ok to mount the propex outside the van? Mb under it? I was even thinking about mounting one in that area around the tranny. _________________ -cliff
91 Vanagon AUTO
97 Single Port EJ22 all smallcar.com |
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noganav Samba Member
Joined: January 06, 2006 Posts: 1236 Location: San Diego CA
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Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not sure about mounting it outside. It's a pretty robust unit, but it would take a hell of a beating under the van.
One good reason to mount it inside is that you get to take advantage of the radiant heat produced by the body of the heater itself. If it were outside, all that would be lost to the air.
Edit: Just thinking about it, it would be great to put one in a libby box with a couple of batteries above the tranny. |
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westyventures Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2004 Posts: 2305 Location: Oregon Outback
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Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 8:57 pm Post subject: |
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GrindGarage wrote: |
Does anyone know if it is ok to mount the propex outside the van? Mb under it? I was even thinking about mounting one in that area around the tranny. |
Nope, don't even think about it - unless you wish to spend hours making an air/water-tight box to keep mother nature out. Besides, you'll now have to cut two 2.5" holes in the floor for the heat duct and the cool air return. The Propex is designed for indoor installation, there are several places to mount it where the space used is not a big deal - as above.
I wouldn't recommend adding any tee connections inside the van - all connections should be teed outside the cabin. |
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chimivee Samba Member
Joined: September 23, 2009 Posts: 741 Location: Orange, CA
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Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 9:30 pm Post subject: |
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While we're on the subject...
Has anyone mounted a Propex in the lower compartment between the fridge and water tank? It looks like the propane tank mounting bracket is directly below that cabinet which would make routing the inlet/exhaust difficult.... But if you removed/modified the divider to the "secret compartment" and mounted the propex a few inches aft, there is clearance below for inlet/exhaust. Looks like a tight fit, but with the Propex mounted transversely (outlet toward the sliding door), so the outlet barrel on the unit basically sticks out of the hole where the shore power outlet is (was), it looks possible. Probably couldn't use the supplied plastic outlet vent, though. Curious... _________________ -James
86 Syncro Westy, etc |
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westyventures Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2004 Posts: 2305 Location: Oregon Outback
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SirIvor70 Samba Member
Joined: August 06, 2004 Posts: 66
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Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 11:47 am Post subject: |
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I mounted mine under the rear closet as per instructions of the earlier poster. Have to say it worked out lovely and am very pleased. No real loss of storage space, and heat delivered where you want it. |
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westynova Samba Member
Joined: December 14, 2008 Posts: 209 Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
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Posted: Tue Nov 23, 2010 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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Has anyone made a portable version using the Propex Heater? I was thinking of taking a Propex heater and put it in a box that will hang off of one of the front side windows and I can have it vent directly outside and hook up to a 20 lbs cylinder outside. I was thinking of something similar to the concept of adding an electric AC unit to the front window. Any ideas? _________________ 84 Westy
2010 VW Golf TDI Wagon
2009 Jeep Rubicon Unlimited, Lifted and Locked |
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