Wave-3 Catalytic Heater

Perry Butler · 10-24-2019, 06:36 PM

We camp in cold weather and want to install a Wave-3 catalytic heater in our 5.0, mounted on the entry sink wall near the floor. It would be on full time reducing the amp draw of the furnace. I know that a window has to be partially open for fresh air, so that's not an issue with us. It would be professionally installed and would tee into the stove top gas line or my exterior quick-connect line that I paid for and never will use. Has anyone installed a Wave heater in their Escape?

I know about the potential safety issues and you're wasting your time trying to lecture me. Wave heaters have been used in RV's for a couple of decades.

Again, my question is "Has anyone installed a Wave heater in their Escape?"

Thanks,

Perry

cpaharley2008 · 10-24-2019, 06:53 PM

I installed one in my Lance 1880, it gets very hot and I never felt safe with it unattended.

Perry Butler · 10-24-2019, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

I installed one in my Lance 1880, it gets very hot and I never felt safe with it unattended.

When we were on Cape Cod three weeks ago we ran into a campground host who had a Big Buddy installed next to the kitchen island to heat his 36' fifth wheel. Now THAT was hot!

Enjoy,

Perry

Calicia · 10-24-2019, 07:31 PM

I had a wave 3 installed on a cabinet door in my 24ft class C. I really liked it but wish I had not mounted it permanently but had instead put it on a portable stand with a quick connect. It heated everything directly in front of it but was not facing the rear dinette so on really cold nights I had to sit on a camp chair directly in front of it to keep warm. My friend who has hers on a portable stand is able to move hers around and point it wherever she is-dinette, bathroom, bed. Now, if you have a dog with a long wagging tail that might not be the best solution. My friend’s cat loves it!

EdColorado · 10-24-2019, 07:40 PM

In our Escape, no. In two previous RV’s, yes.

Some will say you will kill yourself if you use an unvented heater like a Wave at night. Wife, dog and I are all alive and well after several years of use.

I opened the roof vent about 1/2” then cracked the window that was farthest away about 1/2”.

As Jim said, the screen on the face of the unit gets hot. I always turned the heater off, like I turn the water pump off, when we are going to be gone.

It really sips propane and uses no electricity. Two strong points.

The unit has no fan so the heat rises straight up. It does not get spread around as it would by a heater with a fan.
2) The unit will project from the wall about 4”. Not huge, but an obstruction.
3) CALICIA is right) Instead of wall mounting it, I had the propane plumber install a quick-disconnect like the one you may have outside. Then used a 12’ propane hose. This allowed me to move the heater where the heat was needed. Living area during the day. Sleeping area at night. I drilled a small hole through a cabinet door, threaded the hose through the hole then attached it to the quick-disconnect. There was a positive shutoff valve forward of the quick-disconnect. Required by the plumbing code in AZ where I had it installed.
During mild temps, the heater can be stored away.

The Wave 3 should work for your rig as long as you don’t get too far behind the heat curve. I would turn our 3 on at about sundown. Come morning, the inside temp was about 20*F higher than the outside temp. Not a huge improvement if it’s in the 20’s outside, but adequate for our needs.

On edit. If you decide to go portable, the legs for the heater are extra $$. Cheap, cheap, cheap.

EdColorado · 10-25-2019, 05:44 AM

Just thought of a big positive about the Wave and the 5.0 sleeping arrangement.

Since hot air rises, the ceiling will be the warmest place in the trailer. That’s where the bed is in a 5.0.

Ed

Perry Butler · 10-25-2019, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdColorado

Just thought of a big positive about the Wave and the 5.0 sleeping arrangement.

Since hot air rises, the ceiling will be the warmest place in the trailer. That’s where the bed is in a 5.0.

When we run the Buddy, Terry sometimes is already in bed reading her Nook and I'm sitting in our lounge area reading my Kindle. She'll tell me it's too hot in the bed area (one can only dream!) and to turn off the Buddy. Another advantage for the 5.0.

Enjoy,

Perry

Farther · 10-25-2019, 11:21 AM

After 34 years of wood heating, I can attest to the comfort of radiant space heaters. However, radiant heater tend to heat in line of sight and doesn't tend to convect the heat until a considerable time of operation. Just something to consider.

Perry Butler · 10-25-2019, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farther

After 34 years of wood heating, I can attest to the comfort of radiant space heaters. However, radiant heater tend to heat in line of sight and doesn't tend to convect the heat until a considerable time of operation. Just something to consider.

We've had a couple of radiant heaters in the past. They heat the area in front of them very well and in the same small room will heat the room quite well.

Our current Buddy is a radiant heater.

Enjoy,

Perry

sclifrickson · 10-26-2019, 10:10 AM

What about adding a small fan near the heater to circulate the heat? People normally associate fans with trying to keep cool, but we always reverse our ceiling fans in winter and run on low to move warm air down from the ceiling where it naturally congregates (in the sticks and bricks, nonmobile home, of course). Small tabletop fan? Then again, we could do the exact same ceiling fan thing with our Maxxfan 7500, which can be run blowing down with the vent closed.

Perry Butler · 10-26-2019, 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sclifrickson

What about adding a small fan near the heater to circulate the heat? People normally associate fans with trying to keep cool, but we always reverse our ceiling fans in winter and run on low to move warm air down from the ceiling where it naturally congregates (in the sticks and bricks, nonmobile home, of course). Small tabletop fan? Then again, we could do the exact same ceiling fan thing with our Maxxfan 7500, which can be run blowing down with the vent closed.

That's good advice for a pull trailer where the bed is near the floor.

When we get up at night in our 5.0 to use the loo we immediately notice how much colder the floor area is. We're hoping we won't need a fan, but if we do we'll find one that uses little amps for the evening. OTOH, I seriously don't think we'll need a fan with the 5th wheel bed up high.

Enjoy,

Perry

Farther · 10-26-2019, 11:47 AM

To each his own. While in bed I don't need any heat, my heat is never on when I am in bed. A different story while I am up.

Perry Butler · 10-26-2019, 01:03 PM

On second thought, with no real input on placement in the camper, it looks like we'll be buying legs for the Wave-3 and using it as a portable to find out the best location.

The gas installer will not run a T off the stove. He says it's against code. A new line has to be T'd into the main gas line, or we can use the exterior quick-connect fitting. We have 1 lb refillable LP bottles, plus a 13 lb LP tank already, so placement will be easy until we decide where the stove will be mounted. I'll get a hose with a regulator. Please, no lectures on LP tanks inside the camper!

And yes, I will use a spray bottle with a soapy solution to make sure there are not leaks when either of those tanks are inside. Others here might not be OK with that, but we're just fine.

Enjoy,

Perry

sunrisetrucker · 10-26-2019, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perryb67

You're wasting your time trying to lecture me. Perry

No lecture, but we had one in a previous RV and never again. If I was concerned about "the amp draw of the furnace" I would simply get a second battery (which I've done) to supply the the needed reserve power.

Farther · 10-26-2019, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perryb67

...it looks like we'll be buying legs for the Wave-3 and using it as a portable to find out the best location.

You probably know of the Mr. Heater Buddy but if not: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=buddy+hea...nb_sb_ss_i_1_5

Perry Butler · 10-26-2019, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sunrisetrucker

No lecture, but we had one in a previous RV and never again. If I was concerned about "the amp draw of the furnace" I would simply get a second battery (which I've done) to supply the the needed reserve power.

We camp with no hookups whenever we can, in less than 40 degree weather, many times in the same site for 8 or more nights. We already have two 6v AGM batteries. On the last trip we got the batteries down to 12.2v and it really wasn't that cold, just didn't have sun for the solar. The Buddy on low is 4,000 btu's, too hot. The Wave-3 puts out 1,600 to 3,000 btu's, so that should meet our needs. If it gets in the 20's or less the furnace will come on occasionally to augment the Wave.

So what we're looking for, is no hookup camping, at colder temperatures, on successive sunless days, conserving our batteries. I've had the sail switch fail four times, but not for the last 90 or so evenings. If I do this, Murphy will make sure the sail switch will never fail again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Farther

You probably know of the Mr. Heater Buddy but if not: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=buddy+hea...nb_sb_ss_i_1_5

We own a Buddy. You really should read the thread before posting. In posts 3, 7, and 9 I mention the Buddy. It puts out WAY too much heat to run much more than 15 minutes.

Enjoy,

Perry

Micheal K · 10-26-2019, 05:16 PM

I have a Coleman BlackCat tent heater. It has a 1500 btu/hr (low) setting and a 3000 btu/hr (high) setting. It’s designed for 1 lb bottles with a claimed runtime of 14 hrs on low. I haven’t tried it in our trailer (or a tent for that matter) but it works fine for when I want some spot heating in our unheated garage.

Coleman BlackCat Tent Heater

Just checking on Amazon, it doesn’t look like it’s available anymore but this appears to be nearly identical in design and ratings...

https://www.amazon.ca/Flameless-Port...s%2C226&sr=8-7

Viajante · 10-26-2019, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Micheal K

I have a Coleman BlackCat tent heater. It has a 1500 btu/hr (low) setting and a 3000 btu/hr (high) setting. It’s designed for 1 lb bottles with a claimed runtime of 14 hrs on low. I haven’t tried it in our trailer (or a tent for that matter) but it works fine for when I want some spot heating in our unheated garage.

Coleman BlackCat Tent Heater

Just checking on Amazon, it doesn’t look like it’s available anymore but this appears to be nearly identical in design and ratings...

https://www.amazon.ca/Flameless-Port...s%2C226&sr=8-7

I had one of these. I thought it would give some boondocking heat. The first time I lit it in the trailer the co alarm went off in about 2 minutes. I took it outside and threw it in a dumpster. Just my experience. On the other hand, O2 sensors on propane heaters do work. Ice fishing shacks are an example.

Micheal K · 10-26-2019, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Viajante

I had one of these. I thought it would give some boondocking heat. The first time I lit it in the trailer the co alarm went off in about 2 minutes. I took it outside and threw it in a dumpster. Just my experience. On the other hand, O2 sensors on propane heaters do work. Ice fishing shacks are an example.

As I mentioned, I hadn’t ever used it in our trailer, but after your post, I thought I’d check. Am in the trailer right now, the little heater has been running on high for about 45 mins located on the floor nearly underneath the CO sensor. One awning window is cracked open about 1/2”. No CO alarm yet (and I did check that the sensor was working first).

Not sure what’s different. Perhaps you had a defective unit?

Viajante · 10-26-2019, 07:49 PM

Michael K,

Yes, probably defective because many of the units are in use. But, I just didn’t trust it anymore. Glad to hear yours works

I do trust the co/propane sensors in the trailer. So, as long as you have ventilation and a sensor I think you are safe. The sensors go through a start up sequence that is designed to meet a standard of sensitivity. As sensors age they give false positive readings, the subject of much discussion on this forum. The false positive errs on the side of safety.

I would never sleep with a catalytic heater operating.

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