I read with interest all the accounts of people installing their Platinum Cat heaters in their Westies... Unfortunately, the company has gone out of business and platinum cat heaters are no longer available. 

This set me off on a search for something to use to heat my Vanagon Westie during cold weather camping.  I have arrived at a simple solution that should work well and require zero alteration to the westie design. It is a catalytic heater of about 3-4000 BTU that uses the stove as it's fuel source. It is, in essence, a sheet steel box that fits over both burners and has catalytic material on the sloped top face and seals around the bottom edge to trap propane and thus feed the catalytic burner. This lets you convert your stovetop to a CO-free (carbon monoxide free) catalytic heater by removing the wire potholder and popping this box over the burners. the unlit burners will provide metered propane to the catalytic material and heat your bus safely!!

I am currently in touch with a manufacturer of catalytic heaters and was wondering how much interest is there in such an item? Please let me know and I'll keep the interested subset of listmembers informed of the progress.
Perhaps, later, once all the bugs are worked out, One of the suppliers for bus gear and parts might be interested in selling these. I personally am just interested in getting a solution for *my* bus.... but wanted to see if there are others who might have a use for this type of heater?

                        Robert

[text/html]