In a message dated 98-03-11 19:49:49 EST, pick@ISTAR.CA writes:

<< That bulbous thing is more than foul smelling its a bomb Joe. Don't go
 turning that knob till you get it serviced. Actually it is a gas heater and
 has been the cause of many fire, and sometimes heat without a fire. >>

actually the Eberspacher BA6 gas heater is a very safety concious unit. there
are more safety cutoff switches/overrides etc, than on a Stewart Warner or
others.  the problem is, that people don't service these things. they think
they can just turn that little green knob, after years of non-use and neglect,
and expect it to work properly without doing anything to it.  they are a small
furnace operated by a spark plug (gas) or glow plug (diesel) and have a
combustion chamber, their own fuel pump (tiny lil' sucker) and their own
exhaust.   With routine service, they are very effective, and put out a
tremendous amount of heat. they can warm a van up to 80 degrees in about 5
minutes... very toasty..
i have an Eberspacher BA6 that i plan to install on my '79 westy, and then, if
i get the ducting worked out, may install one on my '84 vanagon. Any heating
device, gas, propane, electric or whatever, could be a "bomb" without proper
maintenance.

chris