Propex v Whale

MarkJ

Forum Member
I’ve been looking at space heaters. Am I right in thinking there’s a tie up between Whale and Propex? The underfloor heaters look almost identical (even to sharing model numbers) and the internal ones are amazingly similar, just slightly different physical size.

Are they one and the same really?

And has anyone used the Whale underfloor water heater, the Expanse. I like the idea of it saving space being external but I’m so not so keen on the price - the expense of the Expanse ho ho.
 
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Millie Master

Forum Member
Not answering your question Mark but I fitted a Propex 1800 that I bought off Gumtree, second hand but brand newnever used and still boxed for just £50, It is a brilliant little heater although it is noisy!

I had to make contact with Propex and I found them to be one of the fastest responding, most efficient and friendliest company I have ever dealt with.

Phil
 

MarkJ

Forum Member
Not answering your question Mark but I fitted a Propex 1800 that I bought off Gumtree, second hand but brand newnever used and still boxed for just £50, It is a brilliant little heater although it is noisy!

I had to make contact with Propex and I found them to be one of the fastest responding, most efficient and friendliest company I have ever dealt with.

Phil
£50? Blimey. What a bargain. The money saved could soundproof it!
 

RAW

Forum Member
I’ve been looking at space heaters. Am I right in thinking there’s a tie up between Whale and Propex? The underfloor heaters look almost identical (even to sharing model numbers) and the internal ones are amazingly similar, just slightly different physical size.

Are they one and the same really?

And has anyone used the Whale underfloor water heater, the Expanse. I like the idea of it saving space being external but I’m so not so keen on the price - the expense of the Expanse ho ho.
From this link
https://www.whalepumps.com/rv/produ...=1&FriendlyID=Space-Heater-internally-located

Would suggest Whale rebrand Propex

If anyone has a Propex 1600 or similar going spare then I am after one. Also watching some on EBAY
 

MarkJ

Forum Member
Wonder why they say they only sell the underfloor ones to manufacturers and not us converter people?
 

Deleted member 12559

I’ve been looking at space heaters. Am I right in thinking there’s a tie up between Whale and Propex? The underfloor heaters look almost identical (even to sharing model numbers) and the internal ones are amazingly similar, just slightly different physical size.

Are they one and the same really?

And has anyone used the Whale underfloor water heater, the Expanse. I like the idea of it saving space being external but I’m so not so keen on the price - the expense of the Expanse ho ho.

Bit of a threadhijack but meh!
Propex have had various owners over the decades, I'm fairly sure the Whale (N.I.?)co. are the
latest in a line.
The spaceheaters were simple competent products, mainly intended for the truck industry ie cab heating.
1600W and 2000W early models restricted to just one heat setting and a thermostat, compared to the
Truma blown air equivalent rivals with 2 heat settings. I've fitted a few Propex over the years and, still
have 2 x 1600W models one at each end of the van, they've lasted 25 years., I've stripped then down a
couple of times for a decoke, which probably wasn't entirely necessary. Some for sale out there are
remanufactured units, nowt wrong with that, but I wouldn't expect to pay the brand new price.

On a related forum, "Fulltimer" asks, why my negative view of the Propex Malaga W/heater?
Well, the models 2, 3, and 4, were based on a cast aluminium boiler which could have porous
areas resulting in water leaks, the folded sheet steel flue could have unsealed overlaps which
meant rain or wash water could get into van unnoticed, possibly for years, they did address this
issue when I pointed it out to them on future runs. The heater only had one heat setting, 70degs,
you had to be careful in the shower and mixing adjustment could waste water. The tank is in 2 halves with 2 rubber and a stainless steel gasket between sealing flanges......a recipe for potential leakage? Mine did! Maximum pressure of tank to be no greater than 13PSI, have a look at the the stated pressure of many pumps such as Shurflo, best of luck getting anything much below 20PSI. Propex recommended draining the tank of water before taking
to the road, yep right I'll certainly do that!
All above is based on personal experience, not anecdotal, the very latest Malaga W/heaters may now be
a completely different beast, but they do look very similar to me though........... just saying!
 

Millie Master

Forum Member
Not at all related, but woth a heads up for those of us who ever use EHU when on sites in the colder months of the year.

The vast majority of the sites we stop on in the UK are C&MC CL's, of which many of them have EHU facilities included into the site fees.
Now because I am somewhat of a tight ar*e, during the summer months I always negotiate a discount off the site fees because I don't normally want or use the EHU and at most sites they will give me a £2 or £3 discount.

However during the colder and more cloudy months I will use the EHU facility and because of this I decided to have a look around for a very small, very low powered electric heater that was also virtually silent and eventually came acros one of these little gems https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pro-Bree...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

It is very small and the heat output isn't high enough to heat a large van, but in my LWB Master, I place it in the cab next to the foot pedals and it works away silently (You honestly have to strain your ears to hear it), it is thermostatically controlled and it is built with a fail safe device that cuts it off instantly if it is knocked over by one of the dogs and at only £17.99 it is very affordable. It is also very small and fits into any one of our cupboards and will even fit inside the under-seat boxes fitted to a Master.

Phil
 

RAW

Forum Member
It is very small and the heat output isn't high enough to heat a large van, but in my LWB Master, I place it in the cab next to the foot pedals and it works away silently (You honestly have to strain your ears to hear it), it is thermostatically controlled and it is built with a fail safe device that cuts it off instantly if it is knocked over by one of the dogs and at only £17.99 it is very affordable. It is also very small and fits into any one of our cupboards and will even fit inside the under-seat boxes fitted to a Master.
Similarly I purchased one of these. I was hoping the inverter would power it in emergency but it does not, throws out good heat for a small device though https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123928576271

Also on the Van for electric I have one similar to this, left by the last owner, also around 1KW and with No Fan, the Inverter can power it though obviously kills a 230AH battery bank in pretty short time so don't use on battery
eh.jpg

I would like to find a decent heating solution for Sylvia and thing Propex may be the best option as now Gas is refillable after LPG conversion so makes it cheaper than the bottled version. However if I utilise the same copper pipe as currently goes into the Carver I could be left with another non-effective heating system

What to do ??

:unsure:
 

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