Mike..... Our Whale/Propex underslung has been there since 2014. No issues what so ever with water ingress, although I did uprate the external connector. We've done this more than once as well....although as @Dicky suggests I do carry bungs for the combustion air in and exhaust tubes and me being me I sealed around the sealed box joints with sealant A drain hole in a sealed box would allow for ...err water ingress !
Reading through the instruction manual and set up details, the manual says the end of the exhaust and combustion air flue should be 500mm apart, yet Propex sell kits for driving use that are very close together and would not be 500mm apart when stationary ! I also seem to remember seeing a lot of installations with the two pipes reasonably close. I'm I reading the instructions correctly?
The part sold to hold the exhaust and inlet pipes does contradict the manufacturer’s instructions. Mine sits between the front seats and is vented through the floor either side of the heater pipe. I use mine travelling and have had no issue in 5+ years.
Why not speak to Propex perhaps ?? I read the very same instruction and vented across the underside to the offside with the inlet being on the nearside . I honestly don`t think it matters as i`ve seen plenty using the silly little bracket giving about 100mm between the pipes and everyone seems to wake up in the morning ... The perfect location is between the front seats blowing into the cargo area but there was too much going on underneath to make it an easy fitment so i popped it neatly into a cupboard - no pics i`m afraid but mine is an HS1600 so different dimensions (much smaller) . As for the HS2000E being suitable for hook up , i very nearly bought one but the reality dawned that there isn`t an electrical heating element as such so it still munches through gas , just saves a bit of battery by powering the fan and circuitry . I got over this by - on the VERY rare occasions i use 240 - either using a tiny 1kw fan heater or plug in the battery charger to charge the battery if i`m there for a few days . Most of my winter camping nowadays is just a couple of consecutive nights without hookup and a 90ah leisure battery topped up with a 100w panel - never had a problem ...
Are you sure? I was in Congi's van once with it on electric and it was silent, no roaring combustion. Perhaps that was yet another model. Edit: Propex say: The Propex HS2000E is an automatic thermostatically controlled blown air heating system fuelled by propane/ butane gas or 230V mains electric
Hi Chris, thanks for the suggestions and Propex are superb and very helpful, but I thought I'd ask here as well. According to Propex's own literature the electrical E version is element driven, not gas. "Three settings are available giving 500W, 1 KW or 2 KW of heat output and drawing a maximum current of 9 Amps."
I stand corrected , maybe it was the earlier 2000 that was gas only ?? Dunno but good luck wherever you decide to mount it Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk
Yeah, this pipe length thing has come up before. It's confusing. Earlier instructions are contradicted by later advice from Propex. For example the inlet/outlet pipes used to be a specific length, not to be altered and therefore on our instal I had to bring air in and exhaust close to the slider on a lhd T2. Then, a couple of years late Propex themselves sold longer pipework for the furnace as an 'upgrade'. I've not 'upgraded' as ours just works and I can't be arsked, however the confusion remains. I 'think' pipework should be balanced in length and 1.5m per run was the latest recommended length. But not sure... separation as per your original post question wasn't a major issue for me coz as you say the bracket for driving and operating in motion was available, expensive and questionable. Fyi out exhaust exits in the rear ns arch backwards and the inlet is under the slider half way along. I repeat, never an issue but the latest advice from Propex would be appreciated coz things evolve. If I had an awning then my installation would be an issue . An issue purely down to the fact that they hadn't thought about lhd Vs rhd! As a footnote for your extensive info gathering...without a VIM bracket mine works whilst in motion. Go figure...
There is a part of extensive info gathering... you're right there, but also of getting info in one place for others if needed in the future (says he with his halo on show )
Instructions on website or I have a copy. Think inlet and exhaust should be similar lengths. Cant recall overall tract length but mines about 3m. Inlet to front. Exhaust to rear so not sucking in xhst to burner air. Possibly 100 mm gap between I think. Think I posted this somewhere when I fitted mine
Cheers. Propex sent me the instructions, which suggests the 500mm separation. Confusingly, the instructions mention various lengths of exhaust over inlet, but that for another day. Once I've figured out location of unit and then pipes etc, I'll give them a call to check.
If you want to use it on the move the trick is to arrange the combustion inlet and exhaust to be at about the same dynamic air pressure (same for windy days on a campsite) , subject to the need to also avoid recirculating exhaust gas into the heater combustion air inlet, or letting the combustion exhaust into an awning or the cabin. Hence the fitments with inlet and exhaust close-ish together. All to stop it blowing out or going out because of lack of oxygen . Pipe lengths reasonably short to allow the fan inside to suck/ blow fast enough to keep the flame burning.
I don’t have the special Vehicle in Motion bracket and it works fine without - who knows but I am a don’t fix what’s not broke kinda person
As an aside, I looked at the cupboard options again following your suggestions above @DamonW and unfortunately my version (HS2000E) is too long to fit even if I wanted it to. I may have got the unit cheap and I'm still happy with it, but it's length does limit options.
But the electric part is very good on hook up, almost silent and not at all like a rattily OTT fan heater. A winner if you can find somewhere to to install it.
Yep but good to stretch your brain to think of solutions - it’s the fun in having an ongoing project - I think you may have to reconsider the under bench seat option again It’s only 4inches in height - not too space hungry
Absolutely, that is why I'm still happy with it I'm hoping to do some measurements tomorrow and will post after that.
I spoke to Propex today regarding the spacing of the exhaust and combustion air pipes. They confirm they should be about 500mm apart but if using their 'whilst driving end pieces' then they obviously won't be that distance apart. So I think common sense might have to prevail here! My measuring of pipes etc went well and I am planning to site the heater between the front seats as there is room to drop the pipes through safely. Whilst measuring I came up with an alternative route for the pipes between the seats. This involves siting the unit on its side (confirmed OK with Propex) and routing the exhaust and combustion pipes sideways through the underseat void and put into the wheel arch (see picture for exit point) I can then drop the pipes down and vent just beyond the front jacking point. Two questions, I don't want to compromise my seat belt mounts, so how far away could I safely drill two holes and same question with wheel arch? See link to seat belt mount https://thelatebay.com/index.php?threads/front-seat-belts.83482/
