mtv wrote:

Rogue wrote:The northern companion ones look great but I'm cheap so I used one of those little buddy propane camp heaters and just modified a sheet metal floor register duct a little to form a hood over it. Works awesome for preheating and also drying boots and socks in the tent at night, or just warming up, the thing cranks. I've swapped out the more rigid flex duct in the photo for the more flexy dryer duct stuff in 5" that packs up real tight. Just had to play a little with the hood design a bit to stop it cutting out from high temp, and use minimum 5" duct. All in all I think it cost maybe $110 and couple hours of time. Tried and tested down to -26 Celsius. Cheap and warm, just the way the Kiwis like it!

It’s possible that it wasn’t shutting down from heat, but rather running low on oxygen. That can be a problem with catalytic if they’re not properly vented.

MTV

Yep that sounds pretty bang on.

Brilliant - thanks for the replies guys!
That is exactly what I had in mind.
I am sure I can make something like that.

mtv wrote:

Rogue wrote:The northern companion ones look great but I'm cheap so I used one of those little buddy propane camp heaters and just modified a sheet metal floor register duct a little to form a hood over it. Works awesome for preheating and also drying boots and socks in the tent at night, or just warming up, the thing cranks. I've swapped out the more rigid flex duct in the photo for the more flexy dryer duct stuff in 5" that packs up real tight. Just had to play a little with the hood design a bit to stop it cutting out from high temp, and use minimum 5" duct. All in all I think it cost maybe $110 and couple hours of time. Tried and tested down to -26 Celsius. Cheap and warm, just the way the Kiwis like it!

It’s possible that it wasn’t shutting down from heat, but rather running low on oxygen. That can be a problem with catalytic if they’re not properly vented.

MTV

I have that model heater for my big tent--and it makes all the difference in the world in marginal weather camping. It burns a lot of fuel to keep my big tent warm in 25F weather, though!

But it has a reputation of shutting down due to lack of oxygen at anything over 7000'. Mine has worked well at Marble and La Garita, both at about 7800', and when I was tenting at Red Feather Lakes, CO, elev. about 8400', last year when anyone with a lick of sense wouldn't be, it also worked fine--just went through the 16 oz. canisters like no tomorrow, and I hadn't thought to bring the hose and a larger bottle. So perhaps mine's oxygen depletion sensor is set higher than others.

Cary

Cary wrote:

mtv wrote:

Rogue wrote:The northern companion ones look great but I'm cheap so I used one of those little buddy propane camp heaters and just modified a sheet metal floor register duct a little to form a hood over it. Works awesome for preheating and also drying boots and socks in the tent at night, or just warming up, the thing cranks. I've swapped out the more rigid flex duct in the photo for the more flexy dryer duct stuff in 5" that packs up real tight. Just had to play a little with the hood design a bit to stop it cutting out from high temp, and use minimum 5" duct. All in all I think it cost maybe $110 and couple hours of time. Tried and tested down to -26 Celsius. Cheap and warm, just the way the Kiwis like it!

It’s possible that it wasn’t shutting down from heat, but rather running low on oxygen. That can be a problem with catalytic if they’re not properly vented.

MTV

I have that model heater for my big tent--and it makes all the difference in the world in marginal weather camping. It burns a lot of fuel to keep my big tent warm in 25F weather, though!

But it has a reputation of shutting down due to lack of oxygen at anything over 7000'. Mine has worked well at Marble and La Garita, both at about 7800', and when I was tenting at Red Feather Lakes, CO, elev. about 8400', last year when anyone with a lick of sense wouldn't be, it also worked fine--just went through the 16 oz. canisters like no tomorrow, and I hadn't thought to bring the hose and a larger bottle. So perhaps mine's oxygen depletion sensor is set higher than others.

Cary

Someone also mentioned that to me Cary and was my concern also but I've use it up to 8800 ft and down to -28C/-18F one time, most of my trips are at 7500 ft around -15/20C, it worked great every time, maybe when its warmer at altitude in the summer or something they cut out, I dunno, worked flawlessly for me though in those conditions. I use it in a one man tent just to dry out boots and socks. I imagine if you used it to heat the tent it would chew up the bottles like nothing. For just preheating and drying socks I use it probably 1 1/2 hrs per day on a trip, a bottle would last me a two days at full heat, a little more cranked down. I keep 3 spare just in case the weather comes in and I get stuck.