by Bill Moeller
2. Put the vegetables and sausage in a pan with about ½ inch of water. Salt and pepper the veggies.
3. Cover the pan and bring to a boil, then adjust the heat to simmer.
4. Cook until the potatoes are done, about 30 minutes.
5. Serve with plenty of butter and mustard.
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In addition to potluck dinners, we’ve all had cookouts where we cooked hamburgers or hot dogs over a campfire. For many, especially kids, this can be the high spot of a boondock-ing weekend. Cooking and sharing meals not only add to the boondock camping experience, but create fun times and good memories. Perhaps you can collect recipes of some good baked bean dishes or chili for your next dry camping cookout, and don’t forget to invite us!
CHAPTER 6
Heating and Cooling
Keeping the inside of your RV at a comfortable temperature can be a challenge when boondocking. Both air conditioners and furnaces consume large amounts of power. An air conditioner requires a generator, and an electrical furnace will probably require more power than your batteries can handle over a long period. Even though your furnace burns propane, the fan and thermostat are electrically powered and will consume 12-volt battery power. However, there are ways of keeping your RV heated and cooled, which we’ll cover in this chapter.
(RVIA)
HEATING
You can stay warm with several types of propane heaters that do not require electrical power. These include catalytic and open-flame heaters.
We have used both types for over twenty years, and neither of us has suffered from their use. When using a propane heater, you can take specific measures to help you stay safe and healthy:
Provide adequate ventilation. It is very important to have sufficient ventilation in your RV when operating a propane heater. Depending upon the heater (discussed later), too little ventilation can result in either oxygen depletion or carbon monoxide poisoning. Read your heater’s instructions for proper ventilation.
Keep in mind, too, that most RV windows are not airtight, unless they are dual-pane windows, because they usually have small vents in the frame to control condensation. With the number of windows in the average RV, there is a considerable amount of air constantly moving through the rig, which alone might be enough. However, we also always keep the stove vent propped open by using a spring clip to hold the outside flapper up. We also keep a roof vent open about an inch or so.
Install a carbon monoxide detector. Carbon monoxide (CO) is a deadly gas and a detector will alarm if harmful CO levels occur. Also be aware of the signs and symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning (see the sidebar on page 50).
Periodically check propane gas lines for leaks, and have them inspected annually by a professional.
Follow manufacturer’s instructions as to placement and distance from flammable objects.
Catalytic Heaters
Catalytic heaters are ventless propane heaters that require no electricity for operation. They work by using a catalyst—a platinum-impregnated pad—that produces heat when combined with oxygen and propane. The result is a flameless heat that ranges from 1,600 to 8,000 Btu. They can be either wall mounted or portable.
These heaters have two settings: high and low. They do not have thermostats, so will not turn off unless you turn them off. The largest catalytic heater on the high setting can consume almost as much propane as the average furnace, so keep an eye on your propane use when boondocking.
While a catalytic heater burns oxygen, it does not have an open flame. It produces a radiant heat that heats a specific object, such as a couch or chair, rather than the air. The intense heat can scorch cabinets and walls, and perhaps even start a fire, if the heater is placed within 3 feet of such objects. As a precaution, we made and installed "barn doors "(see the photo below) on either side of the portable heater so the heat is directed away from flammable areas.
The doors were cut from a piece of aluminum by a sheet metal shop and bent to our specifications. We drilled holes in each piece, pop-riveted the hinges to the doors, and added a mounting strip. Then we installed the hinges and doors on the heater with very short screws.
We have two catalytic heaters—a small one (1,600 to 2,800 Btu), which is mounted on the wall, and a medium-sized one (3,200 to 6,000 Btu) we can move around as needed. We’ve kept warm in some below-freezing temperatures with the catalytic heaters as our only heat source. In mild weather, the small heater is adequate, but in consistently colder weather, we use the larger heater. In especially cold weather, we’ve used both heaters, connecting the portable unit to the gas line at the mounted heater using a flexible gas hose running off a flaredT-fitting (for more, see page 51).
Our catalytic propane heater with the folding doors that we made to protect the cabinetry near it.
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Staying Safe: Catalytic Heaters
As noted, a catalytic heater consumes oxygen to burn. The danger with this is that in an enclosed space with poor ventilation, it can deplete the oxygen in the air. This can cause hypoxia, which is a medical condition that occurs when the body doesn’t get enough oxygen. It produces similar symptoms as CO poisoning, namely, headaches, fatigue, shortness of breath, and nausea. Severe hypoxia can cause unconsciousness and death.
An additional hazard is the buildup of CO. When there is enough oxygen in the air, a catalytic heater burns very cleanly, producing only water and carbon dioxide as byproducts. However, as with any combustion process, as the oxygen level drops, combustion becomes incomplete and CO results.
The combination of low oxygen levels and the presence of CO results in an unhealthy and potentially dangerous atmosphere.
The solution is simple but important: provide adequate ventilation to keep the oxygen in the air at safe levels for both people and heaters. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for what defines adequate ventilation.
Note: Some catalytic heaters come with an oxygen depletion sensor (see opposite) that alarms and shuts off the heater when the oxygen in the air drops to an unsafe level. And as noted earlier, a CO detector monitors CO levels.
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In those rare cases, where we have had below-zero temperatures, we have used both heaters as well as the furnace.
One disadvantage with a catalytic heater is that over time the pad can become contaminated. If it does, you must replace it, and the pads are quite expensive. Contaminants include room deodorant sprays, water in the propane, dust, and dirt. You can purchase a dust cover for some heater models, which may help protect the pad when the heater is not in use.
A blue-flame heater mounted on the end of the sink counter.
Open-Flame Heaters
The other types of propane heaters that we are seeing more frequently in RVs are ceramic and blue-flame heaters.
Ceramic heaters use a small flame to heat a ceramic disc(s) to a high temperature; the disc in turn radiates the heat into the room. The flame can be either manually adjusted or regulated with a thermostat. Blue-flame heaters show a blue flame along the length of a burner. They also can be either manually adjusted or thermostatically controlled so that the unit turns the flame on and off as the temperature varies.
These heaters have two advantages over catalytic heaters: (1) they produce a higher Btu rating—10,000 to 20,000, and (2) they have no pad you have to replace. The disadvantage of both is that they are ventless heaters, which means that fumes stay in the space where the heaters are located.
We have friends who use both types of heaters and are very happy with them, primarily because they produce a higher Btu rating than catalytic heaters. We recently installed a blue-flame heater and like it very much. Maintenance is easy; we just vacuum the dust occasionally.
Oxygen Depletion Sensors
Some catalytic and ceramic heaters come with oxygen depletion sensors that monitor the level of oxygen and shut off the heater if that level drops below a safe point. Consequently, these heaters may not work above certain elevations because the oxygen levels
drop below the sensors’ shutoff point.
Unfortunately, these altitudes eliminate most of the American West, places where most RVers wish to travel. If you plan to camp at these higher altitudes, discuss this issue with your dealer to find the safest heater for the altitudes you’ll be at.
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Staying Safe: Carbon Monoxide
Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that can cause symptoms from a mild headache to death. CO is a byproduct of combustion. Your car engine produces it, as do gas generators and propane heaters and stoves. It is important to take CO emissions seriously, be aware of their health symptoms, and take preventive measures to control and detect CO.
Carbon monoxide enters your bloodstream through your lungs and binds with the hemoglobin molecules in your blood that carry oxygen throughout the body. The danger comes from the fact that CO binds quicker to hemoglobin than oxygen, thus displacing the oxygen. This decreases the amount of oxygen getting to your body’s tissues and vital organs (i.e., your heart, lungs, and brain). The more CO you inhale, the less oxygen your body gets and the more severe your symptoms will be.
The symptoms of CO poisoning depend on how much CO is in the air, how long you are exposed to it, and your general state of health. Initial symptoms include:
Tightness across the chest
Headache
Fatigue
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Nausea
Sudden chest pain in people with angina
Prolonged exposure or higher concentrations of CO cause increasingly severe symptoms:
Vomiting
Confusion
Collapse
Loss of consciousness
Muscle weakness
Death
Some people are more susceptible to CO poisoning: infants, children, and the elderly; anyone with heart or lung diseases or anemia; and smokers, who already have CO in their bloodstream from cigarettes. CO poisoning poses a special risk to fetuses. Also if you are camping at a high altitude, where there is a lower level of oxygen in the air, you may feel the effects of CO sooner.
If you or your family members feel you are experiencing symptoms of CO poisoning, leave the RV and get to fresh air. Contact the fire department or local emergency services and also seek medical attention for a proper diagnosis. Have your propane appliances checked before reentering the RV.
However, since CO is odorless and colorless, you may be incapacitated before you can request assistance. The best way to prevent CO poisoning is to install a CO detector, which detects the presence of CO and sets off an alarm when levels reach a preset point. Be sure to buy one that meets the requirements of the current Underwriters Laboratory (UL) standard 2034 or the International Approval Services (IAS) 6-96 standard. CO detectors that withstand vibration shock, humidity, cooking fumes, and temperature extremes are available specifically for RVs.
If your alarm goes off, The American Red Cross (www.redcross.org) advises the following: Treat the alarm as a real emergency. If it sounds and you don’t have any symptoms, press the reset button. (If you do have symptoms, leave the RV immediately.) If it sounds again, call the fire department and have your system checked to determine why the alarm continues to sound.
A carbon monoxide detector mounted in the bedroom for protection.
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A propane hose and T-fitting connecting two propane heaters to one gas connection.
Connecting a Propane Heater
If you decide to connect a propane heater to a gas line, call in a professional. He or she should only use pipe fittings or flared fittings, not compression-type fittings. Compression fittings, which are the small brass rings used on many appliances, can leak propane. The installer must use a flared fitting on copper tubing. We recommend first installing a good-quality large-handled shutoff valve in the -inch copper tubing, then placing a flared brass T-fitting next to the heater. The unused side of the T-fitting should be capped so it won’t leak. Later if it gets really cold you can place another heater, equipped with feet, on the unused side of the T-fitting by using a gas hose.
One final note: Government agencies, both federal and state, have made a mess with laws and requirements concerning the heaters discussed in this chapter. One of the worst things that produces carbon monoxide is the good old cookstove, particularly the oven. Yet all these agencies have given their seal of approval to these appliances. Nothing is mentioned about the need for ventilation.
We have used these appliances without harm. As mentioned, catalytic heaters, which are ventless, do use up the oxygen in the air, so ventilation is necessary. Open-flame heaters are also ventless and additionally produce carbon monoxide. We have had a blue-flame heater for six years now and have used it almost continuously during the winter without problems. We must strongly stress, however, that the decision to use any of the propane heaters we have described in this chapter must be made by you. You must assume the responsibility for your own safety. (Note: Some people do not like or tolerate the smell of burning propane. It can make their eyes tear and cause nausea. These people should not use propane appliances.)
Propane is a very safe fuel to use and burns cleaner than diesel or gasoline. The solution to using any propane product safely is, as we’ve said, ventilation: open a window, stove vent, and/or a roof vent. And install a carbon monoxide detector in the bedroom area.
COOLING
As important as heating is, it is far more likely the average boondocker will be more concerned with cooling his or her RV. Air conditioners are not a good option for boondocking (unless you have a generator of at least 4,000 watts), and can have their own CO problems, so we won’t cover them in this book. We will, however, cover fans, swamp coolers, and window coverings as ways to keep the inside of your RV cool and comfortable.
A Fan-tastic vent fan is a great way to cool your RV.
Fans
There are several types of fans for RVs. For starters, a roof vent fan is a great choice for removing warm air from an RV—and we’re not talking about the dinky little fan found on the vent over the shower in many RVs. Rather, we mean a fan with blades large enough to fill the vent. One popular vent fan is the Fan-tastic Vent (www.fantas ticvent.com).
The Fan-tastic vent fan uses a small amount of 12-volt power, about 2.2 amps on low speed, and can move a lot of air. We often find it moves enough air through the trailer to keep it quite comfortable when the outside temperature is in the eighties. Since the heat of the day is usually in the late afternoon, our solar panels are able to keep up with the amperage draw of the fan.
Another fan option is a small 12-volt fan. Mount one on a wall or make it portable by fastening it to a small board. Then you can place it where you need it, plugging it into a nearby 12-volt outlet. We even suggest you place one on the wall over the foot of your bed to keep you cool on a hot night. This type of fan draws very little amperage.
You can also run small portable AC fans, either box type or oscillating type, off an inverter if their wattage is not too high.
Once several years ago, while visiting an RV show and walking through a fifth-wheeler, Bill came out of the bedroom and was almost decapitated by an overhead ceiling fan. At the time we thought putting a large ceiling fan in an RV was a rather stupid idea. However, when we later bought a trailer with a ceiling fan already installed, we found out how useful one could be. While most of them are low-wattage AC units, we understand several models are offered in 12-volt DC versions. They can cool the whole RV on moderately warm days.
Swamp Coolers
Another type of air cooler is an evaporative cooler, more commonly called a swamp cooler. Swamp coolers work best in a low-humidity location, such as the desert areas of the West. Warm, dry air is pulled into the cooler and pushed through a wet filter, where it picks up moisture. As the moisture evaporates, it cools the air. Several factors can affect the efficiency of swamp coolers; e.g., relative humidity, air temperature, the size of the RV and how wel
l the RV is insulated.
There are several brands and models of evaporative coolers on the market. Some are portable and run on 12-volt DC; other larger models run on 120-volt AC. If you are old enough to remember way back before automobile air conditioners came into use, people used to mount a similar type of cooler in their car window. Most of the 12-volt models are small portable units measuring from 7 by 12 by 12 inches to 14 by 12 by 12 inches. They not only cool the interior of an RV but function as a high-capacity fan as well. The nice thing about these units is that they draw only about 4.2 amps on the low setting to about 13.9 amps on the high setting. This low setting is low enough that solar panels could probably operate the cooler during the day, as long as the batteries were not too badly discharged the night before. Swamp coolers will also run on a small portable generator, making them very practical. They cost considerably less than a regular RV air conditioner.
One swamp cooler made specifically for RVs is the TurboKOOL Evaporative Air Cooler (www.turbokool.com). It fits in the standard 14-by-14-inch roof vent on your RV and runs on 12 volts (amperage draw is 4.6 amps on the high setting, 3.2 amps on medium, and 2.2 amps on low). The TurboKOOL will cool 750 cubic feet per minute (cfm) on high and 450 cfm on low, which will very nicely cool a 21-foot, fifth-wheel trailer. Larger RVs would require two or more units. When installing, you can connect the cooler to the RV’s water system so the water reservoir is filled automatically, or you can fill it via a hose. As an added feature, the unit has a filtration system that will remove dust, pollen, and impurities from the air.
