Besides $$'s what is the difference in these two heaters

[larry2c]

We have an older Coleman Black Cat catalytic heater we've used in our TT's for a number of years. Our previous TT was a hybrid so there was plenty of air exchange in it. Our current TT is a normal trailer and seals up fairly well. We've always left a window cracked as well as the ceiling vent when using this heater and have never had the CO alarm go off.

As we are nearing retirement and camping more, we figure there will be more boondocking in cooler weather so I'm wondering if we need to look at other heaters. I have researched the Mr. Heater and it says for indoor use. There is also the Camco Olympian Wave heater that says it's safe for indoor use. Neither of these heaters says they are catalytic heaters.

The reason I think that is important is because after reading up on catalytic heaters (and if I understood what I read) they actually DO NOT produce carbon monoxide through their chemical reaction process. To be an actual catalytic heater there is supposed to be a metal (platinum) component that is the catalyst. None of the products I mentioned above mention having a platinum component and in the case of the Camco and Mr. Heater they don't even use the word catalytic.

So that leads to the question - are any of them truly catalytic - zero CO emission heaters? The Camco heater is certainly expensive enough to have a platinum catalyst but again, they never mention it. Our Black Cat was only about $50 if I remember right and I believe they are no longer made/sold.

I just want to be warm and safe!

[mjacxx]

Sub'ed.

[IsleDog]

I know for a fact that the Mr. Heater (buddy heater) heater uses a low oxygen shut off sensor. it does work as intended. I was ice fishing and had my shelter closed all the way up, started feeling a little dizzy, then the heater cuts out. cant get it restarted. asked my buddy if he felt weird too, yep! opened up the doors and got out for 30 minutes or so, felt better immediately. went back to fishing with vents open and heater fired right back up.
I would feel perfectly safe using my buddy heater with a vent or window cracked.
Link below talks about some of the differences and other suggestions.
https://www.cheaprvliving.com/heatin...alytic-wave-3/

[larry2c]

IsleDog - yes, both the Mr. Heater and the Camco heater have a low oxygen shutoff (our Black Cat doesn't and maybe that's why they don't make them anymore). However, my concern is carbon monoxide output, not low oxygen. As they say, CO is the silent killer and neither brand mentions CO in their literature.

[IsleDog]

this might give you a little piece of mind - i would use one and have a dedicated CO2 alarm as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OdbOLtsH3I

[larry2c]

Thanks for sharing that video, my biggest take away from that is to probably buy a better CO monitor than the one that came with our trailer. Although his testing showed 0 CO emitted, the test is done in a tent which is naturally "leaky" and they had windows unzipped and if I understood correctly there is actually a mesh top with a rain fly on it. Also, CO is slightly lighter than air so it would rise and according to some information I have seen it naturally distributes throughout the space available. All of those things would let the CO disperse out of the tent. A trailer is going to be much more of a closed atmosphere - though we always do open a window a bit as well as the roof vent.

The one thing I did observe during that video is that there is a pilot light that stays on after the heating element lights. That pilot light is going to generate some amount of CO as a normal byproduct of combustion. A true catalytic heat source would have no combustion so it could be CO free.

For me, the question is still unanswered but I will likely purchase a similar CO detector and see what we get.

[nayther]

I lost a friend to CO poisoning in an enclosed trailer. They were using a propane heater though and did not open the window adequately. Make sure your CO detectors are functional and current. Dangerous stuff.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by larry2c

We have an older Coleman Black Cat catalytic heater we've used in our TT's for a number of years. Our previous TT was a hybrid so there was plenty of air exchange in it. Our current TT is a normal trailer and seals up fairly well. We've always left a window cracked as well as the ceiling vent when using this heater and have never had the CO alarm go off.

As we are nearing retirement and camping more, we figure there will be more boondocking in cooler weather so I'm wondering if we need to look at other heaters. I have researched the Mr. Heater and it says for indoor use. There is also the Camco Olympian Wave heater that says it's safe for indoor use. Neither of these heaters says they are catalytic heaters.

The reason I think that is important is because after reading up on catalytic heaters (and if I understood what I read) they actually DO NOT produce carbon monoxide through their chemical reaction process. To be an actual catalytic heater there is supposed to be a metal (platinum) component that is the catalyst. None of the products I mentioned above mention having a platinum component and in the case of the Camco and Mr. Heater they don't even use the word catalytic.

So that leads to the question - are any of them truly catalytic - zero CO emission heaters? The Camco heater is certainly expensive enough to have a platinum catalyst but again, they never mention it. Our Black Cat was only about $50 if I remember right and I believe they are no longer made/sold.

I just want to be warm and safe!

Dumb question:
What's wrong with using the TT's regular propane heater, often a Suburban SF-series? The combustion air and recirculating heater air take place inside a firebox. Both intake air and exhaust from the firebox are vented directly outside.

A plenum surrounds the firebox. Return air from the trailer recirculates in the plenum, heated by the firebox inside it, and is blown into the trailer.

The two air circuits are completely isolated from one another. There are no safety issues.

So my dumb question is "Why do you want to forego this safe system and use a compromise which shuts off when 'it thinks you might have had enough?' "

[SLU2]

I've purchased a Mr. Heater 18000 BTU from Home Depot. Installed it inside our porch(our trailer is stationary and doesn't move on a campsite). It works well, It shuts off after temp is reached. Plus the ODS shuts it off if oxygen sensor detects oxygen. No complaints here.

[larry2c]

To answer the other Larry's question - it's mostly the noise of the furnace cycling on & off throughout the night. I'm a very light sleeper and I pretty much wake up every time it comes on.

There is also how much power it uses (DW also uses a CPAP so the two equal a pretty large drain) but since switching over to a pair of GC batteries that is less of an issue now.