Propex heater install locations Pros and Cons

[aswah]

Karl installed mine under the sub woofer under the rear seat... I LOVE IT THERE! When I wake up on cold morning my feet get nice and toasty first. I camped last night after a night of homemade chili rellenos, carne asada and the best refried beans I have had in ions. I kicked the propex on this morning and was toasty in minutes... THANK YOU KARL!

I still am perplexed as to why people think they are loud. On cold nights I love the sound of the propex, it is the sound of heat and comfort blowing my way! The waves crashing on the ocean this morning were louder than the propex!

ASWAH

p.s. I culdn't put the propex in the closet as I have a twelve bottle wine cave in there and under the fridge is occupied...
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Aswah, Lisa, Beaumont and Loose Lucy Too!

1989 Westy
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[Bruskyvw]

Aswah your life sounds luxurious
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[westyventures]

Just for further clarification / FYI - all Propex heaters since about two years ago have been jetted properly to run at 11" water-column. Propex just never informed me of this for quite some time. SO - no need for anyone to raise the pressure from 11", however it may still be necessary to at least check that the regulator is still delivering at 11" and adjust if needed.

[r39o]

Can we think "outside the box" and put the heater outside?

Say under the floor or above the transmission?

Why put it inside where there is so little room to begin with?
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"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!

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[westyventures]

[r39o]

Let's see now. More holes? Emmm....

In the van we need the following holes:

Mounting.
Control Wiring
Gas.
Exhaust
Hot Air.

Out side the van we need:

Mounting.
Control Wiring.
Recirculate.
Hot Air.

Unless I do not understand something, I see less holes required. The only thing inside the van that will require thought, is where the ducting needs to go. If you could find a way to mount it under the cabinets you just put a hole in the floor for recirculation in an analogous manner to mounting inside a cabinet.

The only issue is a box. You just gonna have to come up with something. How hard is that verses trying to cram it in the van in some corner?

I am just trying to minimize the impact in the storage or living area.
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"Use the SEARCH, Luke" But first visit the Vanagon FAQ!

1990 Multivan EJ 22, Rancho trans 0.82 4th, Small Car front AC, CLKs w/ 215/65-16, homemade big brakes 303mm, Konis, Recaros, etc....

Click to see my ads for Cup holders, Subaru clutch fix and CLK wheels (no wheels currently)

[Jon_slider]

> Unless I do not understand something, I see less holes required.


Let me try to help enlighten you.

The stock propex install involves 2 one inch holes thru the floor for the intake and exhaust pipes, a 3/8" hole for the propane line, and one 3" hole thru the front of the bench seat for the heater output. Heater intake is thru the existing airpath that supplies the rear heater. The control wiring does not require any holes.

If you put the propex outside, you eliminate the 2 one inch holes, but would need 2 three inch holes for the heater output, and to recirculate house air back to the heater house air intake. Plus you would need a hole for the 2 control wires.

So inside install is two 1"holes thru the floor, and one 3/8" hole thru the floor, plus one 3" hole thru the bench seat.

Outside install is two 3" (big) holes, and one small one, plus probably two more 3" holes in the bench seat or wherever your heat enters and exits the living space..

so inside one 3" hole, not bad
outside four 3" holes, not good

I can still fit a bunch of stuff under my bench seat, the propex has a shelf over it, and it is not that tall.. or, there is PLENTY of room in the bottom of the closet, with no need to build a weather proof box for outside mounting the Propex

final score inside +4 holes total (only 1 is 3", the other 3 are smaller)

outside +5 holes (four of which are 3", and one is smaller)

would you rather build a box and have four 3" holes, or build a shelf, and have one 3" hole?:-]

[syncropatrick]

A UK company is working with Propex UK to build an external Propex for the old air-cooled vans. No details as yet. Webpage to check is http://www.bluebird-type2.co.uk/heat.htm

[westyventures]

[Destructo]

[DAIZEE]

This may seem like a rudimentary question but can any of these heaters be on a timer? i.e. low during the night and warmer in the morning. I realize a thermostat but is there such an invention that you can set it for variable times?

i.e. before getting ready for bed and in the morning. Not sure I'd like the heat to be toasty in the middle of the night.
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[westyventures]

[Honuak]

SAMBA!
I recently moved my propex 1800 from under the rear seat (sub there now) to inside a RMW box behind the passenger seat. Looking at the instal instructions Propex states that the total (intake +exhaust) hose length should not exceed one meter (I think). But I'd like to route the exhaust as far away as possible, maybe out the back. So I was thinking of adding a larger diameter pipe of some kind to reduce backpressure, which I assume is the issue. When I had the Propex exhaust going out at the rear sliding door jack point I was always worried about combustion gas. Also It would load up and plug with snow/ice in the winter.
I am thinking of adding a very short hose hose for the intake and then a short piece of normal exhaust hose with the larger diamater running to the back of the van...maybe 8 feet.
Thoughts?

[turbotransporter]

[westyventures]

The older 1800 isn't at all picky about pipe length.

[turbotransporter]

[westyventures]

[aswah]

[boulderdrop]

Great Thread!

My two cents, as I'm dealing the propex right now and lubing up the fan to avoid the dreaded "5 blinks" that has plagued it since I bought it.

IMHO: Under the Rear Seat Sucks! I did it.

Why?

- It's blazing freaking hot, at the front-lip of the bed, with the blower-output blowing.

- It's Noisy. I know, the sales literature talks about how quiet it is.. but, guess what happens when it's right under your bed.

- The blower-output faces towards the front, this causes all of the heat to go towards the front-seats where it gets lost to the windows and all that space you don't sleep.

- Installing it per the instructions from Karl will put the copper-bends and connection point very close to the side of the bench-box.


My plan is to move it, I'd like:
- the output of the heat to blow towards the sleeping area
- change it to flexible propane lines
- use some kind of quick connect sop I can put it in the sailboat
- put it in a position that allows me to service the stupid fan inside, in order to avoid that stupid 5-blink problem when it's 4am and freezing
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[westyventures]