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Old 11-20-2010, 08:07 AM   #17
KE5ZRT
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Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Amarillo
Posts: 273
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Lightbulb I have Decided on Catalytic Heat

After wrestling the Suburban in and out of the compartment it is installed in to replace parts for the various problems the heater is experiencing, and after discovering through research the inefficiency of the Suburban heater, I have decided to scrap the whole thing and install a catalytic heater. At the advice of a local ham, N5RNY, (also an RVer and truck driver) I learned that the Suburban heater is only about 50-60% efficient (half of the heat energy is lost through the exhaust) where a catalytic heater is about 98% efficient and requires no electricity to operate, although a small electric fan is probably a good idea. Also, the catalytic heater is much safer. I am not quite ready to install the new catalytic heater yet since the money fairy has not visited lately, and I would like to do some more research before I start cutting into my propane lines, but I do think that catalytic heat is the way to go. The link below is a decent article about catalytic heater installation:

Quick and easy catalytic heater installation

I think I would like to do more of a permanent installation than the one described in the article above. The compartment where the Suburban furnace is now would possibly be an ideal location.

Here are some more great articles:

Alternative Heat Sources for an RV
Catalytic, Ceramic, and other buzzwords


RV Catalytic Heater for Little Money!
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