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Syncro Jael
Samba Member
Joined: December 19, 2013
Posts: 2204
Location: Utah
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 Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 11:34 am Post subject: Re: Heater Showdown - Propex, Chinese diesel heater, Espar, Buddy |
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| dobryan wrote: |
Westy with pop top up, no insulation.
Propex HS2000, 32 degrees in Moab over night. No problem keeping warm. Only needed a blanket even in top bunk. |
It must have been a "THICK" blanket. Under 40°f ambient and the upper bunk, in the tent, without insulation, is very cold at the rear. I have camped too often and been cold up there. But I like it around 65-70 to sleep. Just preference.
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1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat) |
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danfromsyr
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15141
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 11:48 am Post subject: Re: Heater Showdown - Propex, Chinese diesel heater, Espar, Buddy |
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heck I wouldn't run my heater @ 40*f for sleeping if it wasn't for my SO, and she sleeps in the lower bunk.
fwiw, my ASI has the vinyl coated top fabric, so it really doesn't leak air/drafts.
except around the 40year old stitching  |
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Abscate
Samba Member
Joined: October 05, 2014
Posts: 22633
Location: NYC/Upstate/ROW
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| Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 11:51 am Post subject: Re: Heater Showdown - Propex, Chinese diesel heater, Espar, Buddy |
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| But I like it around 65-70 to sleep. Just preference. |
Hilton has a nice solution for that, and its even Paris based.
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Vanlife Geek
Samba Member
Joined: September 19, 2014
Posts: 285
Location: CO
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| Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 2:13 pm Post subject: Re: Heater Showdown - Propex, Chinese diesel heater, Espar, Buddy |
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| westyventures wrote: |
There is a thread re: 'hacking' the older thermostat to a lower range. I'm sure you can find that with a little searching, or someone reading here can find it.
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I think this is the thread Karl was referencing about "hacking" the older thermostat to a lower range. https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=553389&highlight=propex+thermostat+setting
The pictures are partially blurred out from Photobucket, but you can still understand what's being described. It's probably beyond any project I would want to undertake, but someone else might find it useful. I think I will just upgrade to the digital thermometer and new wiring harness at some point.
I plan to move into my Westy full time in the next couple of years with high altitude locations in the summer to beat the heat and warmer desert locales in the winter, making my thermostat problems mostly moot. Although I'm sure I'll still want to do some winter camping in the high country occasionally.
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Vanlife Geek
Current:
1986 Syncro Westy
Previous:
1983 Westy
1981 Westy
1972 Bug (Last year you could buy a new one for under $2,000)
1965/66 Bug (2 bugs from a junk yard combined to make 1 functional bug)
1959 Bug (Pre Gas Gauge Era) |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16496
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Wed Nov 20, 2019 9:26 pm Post subject: Re: Heater Showdown - Propex, Chinese diesel heater, Espar, Buddy |
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| Syncro Jael wrote: |
| dobryan wrote: |
Westy with pop top up, no insulation.
Propex HS2000, 32 degrees in Moab over night. No problem keeping warm. Only needed a blanket even in top bunk. |
It must have been a "THICK" blanket. Under 40°f ambient and the upper bunk, in the tent, without insulation, is very cold at the rear. I have camped too often and been cold up there. But I like it around 65-70 to sleep. Just preference. |
Ron, this was at syncro solstice in 2017 with my 80 year old mom in the bottom bed and me up top. The HS2000 easily kept temps
in the mid 60’s. Maybe ran 20 minutes an hour. Or I was
only conscious 20 minutes an hour.
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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dobryan
Samba Member
Joined: March 24, 2006
Posts: 16496
Location: Brookeville, MD
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| Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 7:50 am Post subject: Re: Heater Showdown - Propex, Chinese diesel heater, Espar, Buddy |
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I asked Heatso about the B1LC gasoline models from 2011 and if there was a high altitude capability for them. Here is their response.
"Unfortunately, we are unable to offer any options for B1LC to cope with high altitudes. High altitude sensor would not communicate with ECU, therefore it would not work with the pump. High altitude pump is not available for petrol versions."
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Dave O
'87 Westy w/ 2002 Subaru EJ25 and Peloquin TBD
"To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive." Robert Louis Stevenson
MD>Canada>AK>WA>OR>CA>AZ>UT>WY>SD
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=620646
Building a bus for travel in Europe (euroBus)
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=695371
The Western Syncro build
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=746794 |
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danfromsyr
Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004
Posts: 15141
Location: Syracuse, NY
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| Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 8:25 am Post subject: Re: Heater Showdown - Propex, Chinese diesel heater, Espar, Buddy |
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| might have been a lack of foresight for the John Deere Gator folks and why there's a surplus of nos install kits. I'm sure there are Gators at altitudes above 6oooft who'd like heat. |
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vanagonjr
Samba Member
Joined: October 07, 2010
Posts: 3430
Location: Dartmouth, Mass.
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| Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 10:11 am Post subject: Re: Heater Showdown - Propex, Chinese diesel heater, Espar, Buddy |
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| danfromsyr wrote: |
| might have been a lack of foresight for the John Deere Gator folks and why there's a surplus of nos install kits. I'm sure there are Gators at altitudes above 6oooft who'd like heat. |
I have a friend who is one of them. But his is diesel powered.
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Flint reversed 1.8T W/Passat 5-Speed
LiMBO (late model bus club) www.limbobus.org
LiMBO is on Facebook too! https://www.facebook.com/groups/
FAQ thread: http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=525798 |
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Syncro Jael
Samba Member
Joined: December 19, 2013
Posts: 2204
Location: Utah
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| Posted: Fri Nov 22, 2019 10:21 am Post subject: Re: Heater Showdown - Propex, Chinese diesel heater, Espar, Buddy |
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I have never had any issues with the Propex 2800 at high altitudes. We live at 4800ft and often camp at 10,000ft +. It always performed flawlessly.
The diesel heaters have issues and you need to set the fuel/air mixture for a clean burn and to get enough oxygen to the unit.
This is very simple to do and I already have the pump/fan settings for when we camp at elevation.
Just an FYI for you high altitude camping friends.
This is at 10kft.
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1987 Syncro Westfalia Hightop - NAHT
Subaru EJ25 Forged Frankenmotor, Triple Knob.
Jael = (Mountain Goat) |
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