Hi Mike,

Thanks for the update.  I'm about to install a 6P12 in our '85 Westy
so your post was perfect timing.
What's an Extend-A-Stay tee and where can I get one?  I assume its a
regulator that attaches to a portable butane bottle?

In case you're shopping for an Optima deep cycle battery, I just
bought one from www.1st-optima-batteries.com.  I think I paid $167
and free shipping.  Good service.  I also saw that Smith auto
electric (www.smithae.com ?) in Oregon is selling the optima deep
cycle for $149 + shipping.  Might be a good deal for you,
shipping-wise.  Hopefully I won't start a thread about isolators
(shhh...) here but if you are shopping for a Surepower 1202R isolator
mine was abound $65 at Smith.

Scott Terry
'85 Westy "Pearl"
Santa Barbara, CA

Going skiing on my new Tuas... sleeping in the van to pay for them!

>Now that I've had a chance to use it, I thought I would post an update on my
>Plat Cat heater installation.
>
>The Plat Cat has the advantage of being vented, so you don't have much of a
>worry about CO, CO2 or too much moisture from the combustion process.  I
>bought the 5200 btu 6P12 model, and mounted it behind the front passengers
>seat.
>
>For a picture of the heater see - http://www.omnicast.net/arnie/
>
>It's angled a bit toward the center of the van, which gives enough space to
>run the flexible vent pipe out of the back and down through the floor, and
>points the heat a bit away from the sliding door.  You can still rotate the
>passenger seat, but have to angle it a bit towards the sink.
>
>The best place I found to run the vent was down through the middle of the
>C-channel bracket that runs across the vehicle and has the jack point at the
>outer end.  Using a 1/2" drill and a heavy-duty 1 1/2" hole saw, I was able
>to cut a hole through the flooring and the steel support without too much
>trouble.  Unfortunately, I didn't measure carefuly enough, so I had to open
>the hole up a bit to move the vent closer to the pedestal the battery box is
>in.
>
>I made a wooden base to attach the heater to, routing and fitting it so the
>heater was supported and the front panel could still be removed.  Two  metal
>L-brackets were attached to the sides of the heater and screwed to the base.
>  The propane fitting was rotated to come out the back.
>
>We ran a 1/4" line from the gas lines under the sink, across the floor right
>at the base of the step up to the front seats.  It has a shut-off valve next
>to the heater.  The thermostat was mounted on the piller behind the drivers
>seat, close to the upper connection for the seat belt, and the wire run
>under the carpet to the heater.
>
>Power is provided by a 10g wire with an in-line fuse run directly from the
>battery.  Because I haven't yet found a good price for a second propane
>tank, I installed an Extend-a-Stay Tee which allows me to attach portable
>propane tanks when I want more than the 2 1/2 gallons the on-board tank
>provides.
>
>I ran out of nice weather, so I haven't yet built a wooden surround for the
>heater, both to look nicer and support it more firmly.
>
>Last weekend I went to a Christmas party out of town, and slept in the van.
>The temperature during the day was about freezing, and it got down to about
>25 at night.  I left the top down.
>
>The heater has a small exhaust fan running all the time, which will take a
>little getting used to, but isn't a real problem.  It warms the van really
>quickly, and keeps the center quite comfortable.  I actually woke up about
>4:00 AM, and found it to be too warm, so I shut the heater off.
>
>This is a radiant heater, so it heats the area in front of it really well,
>but the heat doesn't spread as well as a forced-air system.  I had the sink
>lid up, and the thermostat was partly behind the lid, so it was cold, and
>wasn't shutting down.  Next time I'll leave the sink closed.
>
>I also think I'm going to make some window insulating covers, like Harold
>and Nancy have.  Putting those in place will make the van really cosy!
>
>So far I'm well satisfied.  Most of the time this will be used to take the
>chill off in the morning when I'm camping in the mountains, but it will make
>early spring and fall camping more comfortable.
>
>Now for a second battery?
>
>-Mike Finkbiner
>'87 Westy
>Moscow, Idaho
>mike_l_f@hotmail.com
>
>
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