A-Frame Camper Forum

Re: Installing an Olympic Wave 3 Catalytic Heater to An A-frame Trailer

brianhovander@... (Brian Hovander) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:34:49 -0700

It is still at the huge sale price of only $234 at Camping World.

Re: Installing an Olympic Wave 3 Catalytic Heater to An A-frame Trailer

brianhovander@... (Brian Hovander) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:33:06 -0700

It is just the generic "Wave 3" model that produces either 1600 or 3000 BTU of heat (no need for battery power). Someone was selling their Aliner due to issues like no heat when the battery went dead (off grid). I looked up these and found that Camping World has them right now on sale for $234. I was going to buy one in a year but the price was good (normally quite expensive). I called Butch and Bonnie Penrose (sponsored a former National AOC rally) for comments since they had one for their Aliner. They said that when they sold the Aliner they kept their Wave 3 and offered to sell it to me for less than the current sale price.

So, I paid $150 for one that was only used twice. I had taken pictures of how they installed it a few years ago. I have been using catalytic heaters for decades, but they required 1-pound cylinders. The big issues were: 1) the ever increasing high price for the Wave 3 (perfect for an Aliner) and the fact that nobody has ever posted an article on how to plumb them in functionally for an Aliner. So once committed I had to study all the combinations and figure out how to best connect it the plumbing system. I preferred to not cut into the factory installed 3/8" copper tubing. Replacing one of the three "tees" with a 4-way cross fitting was so easy. The factory had already smashed the flared ends so that it took very little effort to put connect each of the three lines to three of the four ports of the new 4-way cross.

The heater is still on sale at Camping World:

Camco Olympian Wave-3 Catalytic Heater | Camping World

Re: Storing up or down?

carl.blum@... (Carl) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:27:52 -0700

Hi Connie:

We store ours up in a shed with a dehumidifier. I don't fully latch the roof to protect the roof to wall sealing foam.

Carl.

On 4/17/2025 5:34 PM, ConnieM wrote:

Re: Issue with Tire Size

dansm@... (dan smartt) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:11:36 -0700

The Goidtear endurance are a good choice, much better brand than the stock tires. A little less surface area 10mm on the road shouldn't matter and technically will give less road resistance. The wider tires are more off road but shouldn't make much difference.

Happy camping

Dan S

Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

Issue with Tire Size

saseve@... (Steve S.) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 15:45:08 -0700

Hi,

My 2021 Expedition Offroad came with Klever A/T 235 75 R15 tires, Load range D1 - 65 psi max, load index 110/107. I am at the 4 year mark and am going to replace these tires. However, when I check the Aliner Owners manual, it does list this size tire. based on what I have read in this forum, I am planning to buy Goodyear Endurance tires. My problem is that they do not come in this size. I can get it in a 225 75 R15 - would that be a good replacement?

2021 Expedition Off-road, TV 2020 Ram 1500

Re: Storing up or down?

dansm@... (dan smartt) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 15:24:05 -0700

I store my aframe inside my garage, in the up position. I believe it's less stress on the springs and it makes it convenient to get in the camper. Etc..

If I stored it outside - I definitely would store it in the down position.

Happy camping

Dan S

Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

Storing up or down?

connie@... (ConnieM) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 14:34:01 -0700

I've seen some conversation about storing the camper up vs down. We have a boat stall for the camper, but I was wondering what everyone on here recommends as far as raising the roof panels or leaving them down.

Re: Installing an Olympic Wave 3 Catalytic Heater to An A-frame Trailer

patternman@... (patternman) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 10:30:21 -0700

Here it is at Amazon for $310

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Olympian-Wave-3-Catalytic-Heater

Re: Installing an Olympic Wave 3 Catalytic Heater to An A-frame Trailer

efbreindel@... (Eugene Breindel) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 07:03:50 -0700

On Wed, Apr 16, 2025 at 07:48 AM, elegy3983 wrote:

Very interesting Catalytic Heater installation, Brian. Can you post the mfgr, model number of the unit you installed? Thanks.

Dave

Here is a link to the Camco website. https://camcooutdoors.com/olympian-wave-3-catalytic-safety-heater-3000-btu/

Re: File /2021 Aliner Owner's Manual.pdf uploaded

JerryMol@... (jdmv12) — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 12:49:58 -0700

Do you have a photo of a better approach? Thanks.

Re: Installing an Olympic Wave 3 Catalytic Heater to An A-frame Trailer

dsmithsota@... — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 06:19:28 -0700

Looks like a well thought out installation but you have added several more gas connections that will need to be tested with a soapy solution after every move. To me that's one of the most annoying inconveniences of using my camper, crawling under it to test the fittings. I've considered replacing all of my lines and joints with dedicated lines for each gas appliance beginning from a manifold just back of the propane source to facilitate testing. Does anyone have an alternative?

Re: Installing an Olympic Wave 3 Catalytic Heater to An A-frame Trailer

airpilot1@... (elegy3983) — Wed, 16 Apr 2025 04:48:25 -0700

Very interesting Catalytic Heater installation, Brian. Can you post the mfgr, model number of the unit you installed? Thanks.

Dave

Installing an Olympic Wave 3 Catalytic Heater to An A-frame Trailer

brianhovander@... (Brian Hovander) — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:21:32 -0700

For years I tried to find a good article on how to install one of these in an RV. My (late) parents had one installed in the entryway of their large motor home decades ago. I presume they paid to have it installed. I searched everywhere and could not find what I needed. So, I spent quite a few days coming up with a combination of fittings, piping, connections, flexible hose, etc. to connect this to the propane supply lines under the Aliner. One item I felt was important was to mount it on a swinging panel so I could direct it as deemed best when it was ignited. I have used a portable Coleman catalytic heater (uses 1 pound cylinders) for decades and finally decided to buy one and then figure out how to install it.

I think I came up with a very simplified solution for installing it. I found lift-off hinges that can facilitate removing the heater very easily. If anyone has thought about it and similarly failed to find an article on how to install it, maybe my article would be worth perusing.

The catalytic heaters I have used have either a 1500 or 3000 btu output. I have run them on 1500 watts so they run all night. This one I bought is the smallest available and can be operated on the 1600 BTU setting for minimal heat at night or whenever it is cold inside. Refilling the one-pound cylinders has been a pain and I would rather provide propane to these directly from the 20 pound cylinder.

Re: File /2021 Aliner Owner's Manual.pdf uploaded

brianhovander@... (Brian Hovander) — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 16:01:43 -0700

They are all available and free on a site I set up to post them for free public access. There is no need to pay to download them.

You will have to scroll down a few hundred files to find them but they are all there in one consolidated location at:

A-frame Technical Resource Center (Aliner, Rockwood, Flagstaff, etc.) | Facebook

Re: File /2021 Aliner Owner's Manual.pdf uploaded

brianhovander@... (Brian Hovander) — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 15:57:43 -0700

Every known A-frame trailer brochure has been posted on a free public Facebook site (a technical resource center). This includes the 2021 Aliner Owner's manual.

All known sales brochures are posted on another free Facebook site at:

Northern California A-frame Camping (Aliner, Rockwood, Flagstaff, etc.) | Facebook

Re: File /2021 Aliner Owner's Manual.pdf uploaded

brianhovander@... (Brian Hovander) — Tue, 15 Apr 2025 15:50:17 -0700

Here is a picture of how the Aliner factory started installing gas springs beginning in 2019. This is a picture from their website in 2019 (top) and from their sales brochure they made and copyrighted in 2019. Note the placement of the gas springs starting that year. If you understand physics, you can see how very low force gas springs can be used when the springs are aligned better. And they apply torque when it is most needed.

Re: New Aliner owners seek maintenance advice

connie@... (ConnieM) — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 10:32:20 -0700

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will have to print this out!

Re: New Aliner owners seek maintenance advice

srtimm@... (Steve T) — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 07:40:12 -0700

On Wed, Apr 9, 2025 at 07:34 AM, JoeS wrote:

Steve,

Great maintenance list! One question: what do you use for a “blaster wand��?

You stick one of these up the drain hole:

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Rinser-Cleanses-Sediment-Collects-11691/dp/B002XL2IBS/ref=asc_df_B002XL2IBS?mcid=9e1700fb4d6b37f6a2cea6aeef5ba3ae&hvocijid=8851761295248561376-B002XL2IBS-&hvexpln=73&tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=721245378154&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8851761295248561376&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=t&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9031097&hvtargid=pla-2281435180738&psc=1

Re: New Aliner owners seek maintenance advice

joesears74@... (JoeS) — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 07:34:05 -0700

Steve,

Great maintenance list! One question: what do you use for a “blaster wand��?

Re: New Aliner owners seek maintenance advice

carl.blum@... (Carl) — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 05:43:27 -0700

Hi Gang:

Our new AC has a Dehumidify setting that is great at reducing human condensation!

When I'm working inside our camper the AC starts dripping condensation.

Carl.

On 4/8/2025 11:26 PM, Steve T via groups.io wrote: