ab thermotron porpane heater installation - how to ?

berryst

I have an ancient AB Thermotron natural gas heater that I would like to install. It is in perfect shape but I don't now how the get it going let alone figure out the wiring. Does any one have or know where to get a manual. The darn thing looks so clean and so simple even a cave man could figure it out.... wish I were a cave man
Chris

Dreamer · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 10:29 pm Post subject:

Aren't natural gas and propane two different animals? I remember having to change jets in my dryer and stove to use propane here in Sequim. I'd say extreme caution is in order here. "Ancient" raises another red flag for me.

thataway · Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 11:17 pm Post subject:

Agree with Roger, but it is the heater a natural gas heater? The Remotron heaters made in Sweden were propane or butane and used in boats and campers. Although there are some compressed natural gas appliances, they are very rare, and mostly in the US.

So check to be sure that it is really a natural gas, rather than propane or butane. You may find the manual on line some where, but the company (Remotron) is out of business I believe.

berryst · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:59 am Post subject:

yes yes yes ....its "natural" propane gas
Chris

starcrafttom · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 1:52 am Post subject:

Propane is not natural gas and can not be used interchangeably. propane is a by product of natural gas or petroleum production. propane is supplied under a high pressure. natural gas is supplied under a low pressure. This is why pat is right about having to change the orifice out in a natural gas dryer if you are going to use propane as your fuel supply. You can not have a natural gas supply on a boat. As a low pressure gas the tank for 1 gallon would be huge.

are you planning to use this heater on the boat? is it propane or natural gas??

G Gallagher · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 1:55 am Post subject: Propane heater

Seems to me that perhaps to keep you warm this winter you might pick up a Mr. Buddy propane portable heater at Lowes Hardware for under $150. That is cheap and easy and quick while you figure out more expensive permanet fixes.

Anyway, good luck. Laughing

rogerbum · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 12:39 pm Post subject:

Mr. Buddy is OK in an open cabin. In a closed cabin the water released during combustion fogs things up pretty well. You need an open or cracked window or something for a Mr. Buddy.

However, Old Growth Dave did install an Mr. Buddy with a computer fan (or similar) to circulate air in his first Marinaut.

Will-C

Natural gas and propane operate at much different pressures measured in inches of water column when measures with a U shaped gauge filled half way with water. The propane uses higher pressure and much smaller orfices. Natural gas is low pressure with larger orfices. Usually the equipment comes with the correct orfice and the correct pressure regulator for a given fuel. Sometimes the burners themselves can be different. I'd be looking for a heater that comes with a manual and has been designed for a type of fuel readily available. But thats me. Do you have fire insurance?
D.D. Razz

thataway · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 4:19 pm Post subject:

Compressed natural gas was a fairly common boat stove fuel about 30 years ago (I had boat with a CNG stove). There were many fuel docks which could exchange the CNG cylinders--it is not a liquid as propane. I understand that there is still at least one compressed natural gas exchange station in Seattle. Some gas utilities will fill CNG bottles. But there is a regulator, and the pressure is only slightly higher than Propane or Butane. The orifice is different. At times there is an adjustable orifice which will run on both CNG and Propane. CNG pressure is about 5.5 In of water, and Propane Pressure is 11 in of water. Not a huge difference.

The advantage of CNG is that it is lighter than air, and thus perhaps less of an explosion hazard. Initially CNG cylinders were allowed to be put in general storage lockers. I do not feel that is a good idea.

ABYC rule A-22 is specifically for compressed natural gas installations. It is not correct that you "cannot have a natural gas supply on a boat". There are many reports of the cylinders of CNG lasting for at least two months full time cooking on cruising boats. But the difficulty of getting the cylinders filled has made this a less than popular fuel.

berryst · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:43 pm Post subject:

The unit IS PROPANE!!!!

That said I found a guy with a manual and he said he would send it. Jury is still out on that

This is a cool heater. The air can be rigged to have both intake and exhaust to the out side. It is very small and compact, very clean and in excellent condition. I will have propane on board for the BBQ so I am trying to get the heater to work. The fan works When hooked up directly but this thing just doesn't want to fire up sooooooo the problem is probably me...we'll see. At this point without a manual I may give up. I keep throwing brass fittings at it until the hardware store greets me as "back again?"

By the way, the world is moving to natural gas. Did you know all the trucks at dead horse (northern terminus for the Alaska pipeline) run on natural gas?

Chris

Will-C

In our area natural gas is only availble thru a pipeline. No pipelines in your area you most likely would not be using natural gas. Propane is what we see trucked at least in our area.
D.D.

berryst · Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 7:17 pm Post subject:

So I think my project AB Thermotron is dead.

But from the ashes arises the New and ancient Thermortron or Remontron

God Bless the Swedes for building these babies anyway.

I found a vintage 1980 heater in Alaska Craigslist. The unit was never installed and has all the fittings and book. I could not get my old one to work but it is in such good condition I think that it still has life. These are sturdy units that last many years. The electronic brain is out of manufacture as far as I can tell. So if the brian goes in the next 30 years or so I might have a problem finding one.

The units can draw the air from the outside, run on propane and have a 12v squirrel fan to circulate the cabin air. The unit exhaust goes directly to the out side. They are very hard to find. Beats a used Wallas by about $600. Wallas heaters seem to run about a grand used.

The cabin moisture problem of Mr Buddy style heaters is eliminated and I may rig it to blow hot air on the front windows to prevent condensation.

I will have to decide if I want to set up the propane to feed the BBQ and the heater. This is a little spendy to set up with the hoses and all. So I may be stuck with the little toss-able propane tanks

I am planning to post pictures but I am having technical difficulties in that department

Chris