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Subject:Re: Cabin Heat / Aux Heating / Propane Heater/ camping heater / pics
From:Doug in Calif
Date:Tue, 16 Nov 2004 17:18:56 -0800

Yes Jim,
Those Aladdin lamps are awesome units.
What they do with lamp oil with the mantle is remarkable.
Love to see that used in similar fashion.

Just for the record I initially set this up using the "bottle" pressure high
side of the tank.
This is the way the Primus lantern is set up to just screw on the bottle,and
its jetted for that.

Huge problems and VERY scary.
If anybody knows what the psi pressure of the westy tank is I would love to
know.
I had connected up all my lines only to see  the pressure blow out the westy
fridge shut off valve and thermocouple I was using.
It also blew the hoses off the 1/4 inch barbed fittings with no clamps.
My feeling was if you developed a leak you could fill the van with propane
in seconds by using the high side pressure.

Conversely, by using the regulated 1 psi pressure you can literally hold
back the pressure on the end of the hose with your thumb.
all your connections, fittings, valves etc are under very low pressure and
really have to have a gaping opening to leak.
I am using 200 psi reinforced fuel line hose I  bought from Ace.
I used two zip ties per barb fitting instead of the serrated clamps which
overtighten and cut the hose ends.
With only the 1 psi I am very relieved now about the risk of the gas itself.

I still agree if there could be a pellet fuel or lamp oil fuel that could
offer some piece of mind.

Lamp oil though if leaking could be worse than propane, no?

Doug

----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Felder" <felder@KNOLOGY.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 4:55 PM
Subject: Re: Cabin Heat / Aux Heating / Propane Heater/ camping heater /
pics

> Yep, very cool. Er, warm. And since it runs on mantle heat, you could
> do the same with aladdin-type mantles and not have to mess with the
> potential danger of gas.
>
> Jim
>
> On Nov 16, 2004, at 6:18 PM, Mike Collum wrote:
>
> > <snip>
> > The completely "HOME GROWN Primus Lantern mantle fresh air heater".
> > "Ta-da!"
> > <snip>
> >
> > Now THAT is a nifty bit of imagineering!
> >
> > Mike
> >