Campingas BlueCat Heater

[SunsetSeeker]

Hi folks,

Anyone out there had any experience of the Campingas BlueCat catalytic heater? Thinking of buying one and looking for info.

Cheers

Bill

 

[Deleted member 3011]

Regardless of potential problems with low oxygen or whether it is possible for them to produce CO (both of which are always fiercely debated), using heaters with integral gas bottles inside does bring the danger of having a high pressure gas bottle into a very small living space. Normal advice is they are intended for use outside. If the heater is plumbed in to the low-pressure gas system, that issue obviously doesn't matter.

just leaves the first two problems.

 

[SunsetSeeker]

Thanks Tony

Thanks for that Tony - never thought about the explosive potential.
You can tell I'm new at this lark!!

 

[Deleted member 3011]

Realistically the risks are minimal - however some use adaptors and hoses to hook the small cat heaters (those intended to be run off the disposable canisters) up to large bottles brought inside the living space. Again, most people who use gas for heating and cooking in the third world do exactly that and I guess not many die as a result, but the practice is still not recommended.

Motorhoming in such countries certainly requires a lot of dampening down of normal survival instincts. Here in Morocco, most park outlets have no earth connection and there are usually many outlets on the one circuit. Driving is also a new experience although I must admit to feeling more comfortable here on a narrow unguarded road covered in slush and snow at 2000 metres than I did on many so-called "A" roads in the SW of England. Gas bottles are another revelation. No neck rings to protect the valve and the usual way of unloading the huge trucks that carry bottles laying on their side is to just throw them off. Those that spear valve-first into the ground are just pulled out, dusted off and put into the rack. Have to use them regardless as autogas outlets are a bit scarce here and the 13kg bottles cost €4 to exchange so it is nice and cheap.

 

[missElaineous]

I had the Black Cat heater, which was Colemans equivalent of the Blue Cat. The Blue Cat is only 850w output, whereas the Black Cat was a full 1kw. It was a great heater for when my daughter was really young, as these catalytic heaters are flameless so much safer, but now she's a bit older I use a Sunngas Parabolic double burner, 2kw of heat, much better for winter camping.