Heater...

[19julien59]

My AC has a Suburban heater in it...that needs some service/repairs.  In doing some reading...these,and other RV heaters, are propane hogs...and not all that great.  I started doing some research and found some heaters that can do up to about 13K btu's that are used for semi-truck cab and cargo heating.  They are commonly used in Marine applications too...along with one that combines forced air and hot water heating (these are quite a bit more expensive). 

The main manufacturers are Proheat (Carrier), Espar, and Webasto.  These work like the old VW gas heaters (Ebersp?cher, not available in the US) but most use diesel.  They have their own fuel pump, thermostat controls, use outside combustion air, and are set up for runnning an exhaust pipe.  They are small and use about .3 to .12 gallons per hour (depending on the model and setting).  Truckers use them to avoid idling at overnight stops...saves them big buck in fuel. 

I am thinking that the empty generator compartment would be a perfect place to mount/install.  Cost is around $1200-$2500 depending on the output you need (6800 BTUH or 13600 BTUH).  More expensive than an Suburban, but probably less fuel cost too.  Has anyone tried one of these in an RV?

[19julien59]

I found another option that runs on propane, 9700 BTU, at about $850.  The Propex 2800.  These are focused on the VW Westfalia bunch, but would be a nice fit for an AC.  Not enough heat for winter camping, but probably great for 3 seasons.  Here's the distributor/dealer site:

http://www.westyventures.com/propex.html

[JerryT]

Nice looking unit!
Can you tell if it is big (btu)enough for a Clipper?

JerryT

[19julien59]

JerryT, hard to tell if it is big enough...the original was rated at 16,000 BTUH (input??), but from my understanding the Suburbans are not very effcient (60% maybe).  I have experiemented with electric heaters (with the AC parked at the house) and found that a standard 1500 Watt DeLongi "oil filled radiator style" heater (just under 6000 BTUH) keeps things pretty OK (blankets and sweatpants required) down to about 35-38 degrees outside.  That is about as cold as I want to be camping...so I figure something nearly double that with a Propex or Espar would be plenty warm.  Nice thing about the Propex is that it runs on propane rather than having to add a diesel tank (and have to worry about the diesel gelling at lower temps).  I am going to see how this camping season (May-Sept) goes before I make an investment....maybe repairing the Suburban first (fan turns on, relay clicks, but burner doesn't fire).  Thanks for your interest!  I am working on my loft bubble plans...per your inspiration.  Jon

[JerryT]

Hi Jon
My Coleman furnace would not work. The burner pilot was clogged with rust dust. I removed it and blew it out backwards and all was well. The rust dust (very fine) was from inside the mild steel tubing that went from the control to the burner box. The control valve opened but the gas could not get to the end of the tube to light. Keep me posted on you Loft plans as I am excited about another person being able to enjoy a roomy berth.

JerryT

[19julien59]

Thanks for the cleaning tip.  I need some frig repairs too and may take the unit to Camper World for their furnace/frig tune up if I can't get them going. 

I have been looking at the Nose Cone site...what model and size did you use?  The ones they show are "off center" bubbles, where yours looks uniform.  To save some bucks, I may try to find a used one in a junk yard...as long as it is fiberglass and un-damaged. 

I saw on your old post you were camping on Superior in the UP....my favorite place in the world!  Our family camped there every summer when I was growing up...South Manitique Lake (Curtis), Kingston Lake (in the Kingston Plains area), and Iron Mountain Lake to the west in the Copper Mountain area.  That was when the State Forest Campgrounds were free.  Road my Honda XL100 all over on the fire-cut roads.  Love them Pasties! 

[JerryT]

That U.P. is a pretty nice place 'ey!--- Some yooper talk for you! We got the U.P. as a consolation prize from the Michigan Ohio war. I think the Feds stole it from Wisconsin   My father took us camping in the State and National Forests in the 60's and we had great times. I remember we had to bury our garbage to keep the bears away. I don't think lake Superior ever warmed up back then but we swam anyway.
My NoseCone invoice says it's a BP-NC60-M3 I paid $677.00 plus truck freight of $148.87 to Michigan from Cali in November 07. I mounted mine with the cone top to the front of my Clipper and bottom to the back. It's the most aerodynamic that way. I have the most taper to the front. Or you could say that I just slid it up and let it fall back from it's intended installation and spun it 180. I looked for other brands but came up empty and this one was the best choice for me. I did not want to spend that much but looking back it was the right thing for me. I felt I saved enough money in other areas of the project to justify it and I enjoy the time savings and ease of installation that came with buying a new and properly sized cone. One fantastic aspect of the Clipper bunk is that the windows are above the mattress and with a vent in the top you get a nice usable air flow. If you look at many other class C bunks you will notice that the windows are either low or don't open. Irv Perch did a lot of thinking about application when he built these rigs! I have found no other 20' rig that even comes close. Keep us posted.

JerryT   

[19julien59]

Ya, Yooper...

We swam in Superior too...one year only the top 1-2 ft were warmed up..if you floated you were OK, if you treaded water your legs cramped up!  My Dad also let us drink the water; which was wierd considering he was such a safe-nick.

My fondest memories are a canoe trip down the Two Hearted, a F-102(I think) jet that flew BELOW us while standing on Castle Rock (the pilot waved to us), and getting lost in the dunes on a walk from Devils Slide to Au Sable Lake...where the lake outlet flows into Superior.  My older brother and friend led a couple of us youngsters (about 6-7 yrs old) back up from Superior into the dunes as a "short cut" to the lake...Sheriff called, brother in big trouble with my Dad!

We used to go to the dump outside of Curtis to wait for the bears to filter in at dusk...and then everyone would turn their headlights on at once and watch them scatter.  There were also more than one campground encounters...got stuck in an outhouse one time while a bear sniffed around me and then moved along. 

We all went as a family from about 1965-1975.  I continued to go up in my last couple of years of High School and in College by myself or with some buddies.  One time I backpacked along Superior from Grand Marias (sp?) while my car was getting fixed, but mainly stayed at Greenfield's Resort (no longer there) right in Curtis...as a home base for day trips.  In 1977, I spent a month at a friends cottage on the end of Longs Point on S. Manistique (that is when we motorcycled about).

I plan to take my kids (10 and 12) up for a two-week adventure as soon as I can; probably 2012.  If all is well with the AC (necessary repairs and some road time to trust it) I may take it.  Are you still in Michigan?  Sorry for the ramble, it's rare to find someone who appreciates the UP the way I do.  Thanks for the Nose Cone info!

[JerryT]

I live in the South West now,---corner of Michigan . Our friends moved to Marquette and lived across the street from L.Superior for a while. The city does a great forth of July fireworks show over the lake. When we are there on the 4th we go to the beach early, collect drift wood, build a fire and cook dinner on the beach. We then swim and wait for it to get dark for the show, it's a great time! The city of Marquette has bought up all the shoreline and made it public, kind of like what Chicago had done. Marquette is a bike friendly city/area with great connected parks and a city campground. If you get to  da' UP let us know and maybe we can met up. We know a private campground just outside of Marquette (our friends driveway) that is always available. I remember going to a dump outside of Munising to watch the bears look for food. We had a friend that lived there and his brother lived down state in Frankenmuth and worked at the Carlings Black Label brewery (great job huh) so that was always a stopping spot. Had any good smoked Whitefish lately?

JerryT


















 

[19julien59]

JerryT

For some reason we never had smoked Whitefish!  Our family likes about anything...so I don't know why.  Spent some time on Whitefish Point however (found a way into the lighthouse caretakers home...it was cool...like someone just moved out).  My Mom always made "campers special" (which never tasted as special at home): diced potoatos, onions, bacon, and eggs, cooked sort of crispy.  We also made lots of campfire pies using those clamshell pie irons...sometimes with an improvised Pasty filling. 

I have been looking at Escanaba as a cheaper alternative to Marquette.  Not on Superior, but it has a nice marina on Michigan.  Old 2 BR houses (20's-30's bungalows) on the good side of the tracks right near Ludington (the downtown mainstreet) often are listed below $70K.  We live in Denver proper now....so I'm not sure I would ever want to give up the convienieces of not having to drive everywhere.  I'd like to get something for retirement summers where I can walk to everything in town and have a sailboat at the marina to hang out on.  Side trips to the "wilds", of course, that's what the Clipper is for!

I'll keep in touch...certainly with the Loft planning...but also when we make our UP trip. 

Jon

[19julien59]

Happy New Year Jerry!  Been doing some Loft thinking.  Is there a structural reason you kept the shelf area in your loft?  I am looking at using a 60x60 standard self-flashing roof curb ($340) and would like to take full advantage of the size.

This wouldn't be as wide as yours...leaving 6 inches on either side, but would give me almost the same height (12"), and square rather than rounded.  I am figuring on topping with a plywood cap, covered with hand-laid fiberglass...and incorporating an egress hatch.

Thanks, Jon