Memories

[ThePlotter]

I was just thinking of some of the kit we used to have ( in the olden days ), such as the Windslammer aerofoil that generally was useless and of course the Retrovisor that was almost impossible to set up, I still have mine.
One thing I had and do not know if they still exist or even if these days are considered safe, it was a caravan heater made in Spain and was a catalytic heater that had no flame and worked by reaction between the gas and the ' matting ' in the fire and it was claimed that when alight you could pour petrol on it. I never tried that but they were very effective heaters.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello Plotter.

Yes indeed catalytic heaters were very good at warming things because the emitted their heat in the low frequency infra red wavelengths which travel further than the shorter wavelengths we see as light. There were more like the heat you get from a water filled radiator at home.

As ever gas appliances must be used ion a properly ventilated space. Unfortunately what most sellers omitted to tell customers is that just like an open flame heater, they produce just as much water vapour and products of combustion.

They do seem to have become less popular over recent years, and i'm not sure if its because they can't match the efficiency levels required by modern legislation, or whether their production costs are too high because they use a high cost rare material to seed the catalytic mat.

 

[emmerson]

Plotts, I'm not sure about your disparaging remark about the wind slammer. I used to use one on my Range Rover, and the front of the van stayed much cleaner than without it
The main problem I found was forgetting the bl**dy thing was on and tried to drive into a multi-storey!

 

[Raywood]

We had the Windslammer to. With an Escort hatchback and a flat fronted Piper it did seem to help a bit but the real advantage was no dead flies on the caravan front and the ability to find the car easily in a masive car park at Alton Towers.

 

[ThePlotter]

Windslammers were ok if set at exactly the right angle and did keep flies of the van front but their purpose was intended be to improve fuel consumption, which even if set correctly was minimal and the opposite as many left them on whilst driving solo.

As for the retrovisor well of no use these days as few vans have through vision sufficient to be of use.

 

[emmerson]

Plotter, I drive a Range Rover 4.2 V8.
What's fuel consumption?

 

[rosies]

I had to smile when you mentioned the Windslammer/ windjammer , think this was in the era of the bowl of fruit in the front window which became the vase of flowers that nowdays is often the biggest lcd tv blocking out the light :lol: :woohoo:

 

[RayS]

I had a retrovisor on my Volvo 122 Sprite Alpine in around 1970 which came off somewhere on the Frankfurt autobahn at reasonable speed but must have flown right over the caravan roof as there was not a mark on the van. Not possible to stop and look for it, but a good idea at the time. I now have a wireless camera on the back of the caravan with monitor clipped over car driving mirror. Much better idea

 

[ThePlotter]

Thats the thing Emmo a man of your substantial means can run such a gas guzzler and not even worry about only how many Morrison points you are getting when you fill up B)

 

[emmerson]

Thats the thing Emmo a man of your substantial means can run such a gas guzzler and not even worry about only how many Morrison points you are getting when you fill up B)

Not really mate, I'm the world's poorest man!
The RR is on LPG at 57p per litre!