Coleman 5053A751 ProCat Perfectemp Catalytic Propane Heater with Instastart Technology
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Description of Coleman 5053A751 ProCat Perfectemp Catalytic Propane Heater with Instastart Technology
Heater, ProCat E.I. Catalytic 3,000 BTUThe Coleman 5053A751 ProCat Portable Catalytic Propane Heater with Electronic Ignition provides consistent heat where no other sources are available without the danger of open flames. Whether you need a backup heater for power outages or want to heat a garage, shop, tent, boat, or ice shanty, this cordless heater for indoor use is ready to go wherever you might need some warmth.
Constructed with 3,000 BTU output, the catalytic heater with platinum technology provides flameless heat from a pressure-regulated propane fuel system that produces a steady fuel stream, even in cold weather, at high altitudes, or when fuel is low. The starting mechanism is a fast-acting piezoelectric sparker that ignites the propane in the presence of atmospheric O2. Easy to operate, you simply screw a 16.4-ounce propane cylinder on the back, turn the knob to "on" for a few seconds, and hit the ignition switch. The portable heater moves the heat efficiently with a fan, powered by two D batteries (not included), for better circulation. The Coleman ProCat operates for up to eight hours on 16.4-ounce Coleman propane cylinder.
Manufacturer Warranty
Limited lifetime warranty
About Coleman
The Coleman Company has been creating and innovating products for recreational outdoor use since W.C. Coleman started selling gasoline-powered lanterns in 1900. Inventor of the hugely popular fold-up camp stove, Coleman developed a plastic liner for his galvanized steel coolers in 1957--the birth of the modern cooler--and the company has been improving their utility and design ever since. The array of products that bear the Coleman name now includes just about everything you might need to work or play outdoors, from tents and sleeping bags to boats, backpacks, and furniture.
Sports reviews of Coleman 5053A751 ProCat Perfectemp Catalytic Propane Heater with Instastart Technology
Customer Review: Great tent heater
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
I do most of my camping up in the High Uinta mountains of Utah starting about the first of June. I camp at the snowline starting at about 6,000 feet and follow it up to the 10,000 foot level later in the summer so the nights are always cold usually in the high 20's to low 30's.
2 years ago I ran across this little heater and decided to give it a try to see if it would help keep me warmer. What a difference it made. I have a Coleman 8' X 8' dome tent that has the large screened sides that makes it difficult to seal and hold the heat in. I have to keep the rainfly collapsed at night to try to hold what heat I have in. Even so, I have found that if I run this heater for about an hour before I go to bed it will heat my tent to about 75-80 degrees. If I open my sleeping bag and point the heater at it with the fan going it will blow the hot air into the bag and make for a nice warm bed to climb into. They claim that you can run these all night with about a 4" opening to let the oxygen in but I usually shut it down when I go to bed. If during the night the temperatures drop to the uncomfortable point, it doesn't take much to reach over and fire it up again for a little while. When morning comes I fire it up again and when I get out of bed to get dressed it's nice and warm. Shucks, I don't have it this good at home.
The heater has a piezoelectric start which usually fires up right away. It puts out a fair sized fireball when it starts which can startle you if your are not ready for it. It takes about 3 minutes to warm up and really start radiating the heat but once it gets going it puts out quite a bit of heat. It is a flame less heat and although it will not catch anything on fire the heat is hot enough to melt synthetic items that get too close.
The only con I have with this unit is that you have to be very careful when you screw in the propane bottle, and that you don't cross thread it and ruin the threads on the heater.
It is supposed to run for about 8 hours on a tank of propane but I with the way I use it, it's hard to tell but I would say that's about right. A 16.4 oz tank will usually last me about 3 weekends of camping.
The fan is what sold me on this catalytic heater. It moves quite a bit of air and it will heat an area about 4 times faster than without it. In a tent environment that means it will circulate the air and the lower levels will be about as warm as the upper. The batteries have a pretty long life span and I usually change them out after 4 or 5 weekends just to make sure they don't go out on me in the middle of the night.
All in all these are great little heaters for small spaces or as an emergency heater.
Customer Review: Takes the chill off
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
I have camped in 20 degree weather in a 3 season tent with a -15 sleeping bag. It gets cold especially any uncovered areas like your face. I end up covering it with my jacket. Then I got this ProCat heater - what a difference!
Takes the chill off
One thing about winter is that you are usually in your tent pretty early because it is dark around 4 pm or so - especially out in the woods. There really isn't any time for pre-heat. But I found this takes the chill off within about 15 minutes. I camped about a month ago in a 30 year old canvas tent with flaps over the door and window (no zippers like today's tents). It got down to 20 degrees but I still felt very comfortable - with my clothes on of course. Once in my sleeping bag, I didn't need to cover my face, in fact, I kind of got a little warm.
Use the fan
Definitely use the fan. You will need D batteries. I started about 5 pm and used it until 7 am the next morning and the batteries were still running strong. The fan makes what I consider typical noise from a fan, nothing loud and didn't bother me.
Have two tanks for all night use
As others have said, the propane runs out in the middle of the night but the fan of course keeps running. In my case I just hooked up the second tank and it wasn't long until it was warm again. This is in a one room tent (about 10x10x6 feet high). And yes I lit it inside the tent; just don't put your face (or any combustible) right in the thing. Next time I will change the tanks around 10 so I don't wake up cold in the middle of the night.
Safe?
I did have a tester which never measured anything. And I obviously woke up alive. However, I did have a bit of a headache. I also have tried this heater in my house and had a bit of a headache as well. Could have been coincidence and I haven't noticed any other side affects so I guess that is determined 'safe'. But you want to have some air come in anyway so the thing doesn't consume all of it...
Around the house
I have used it inside the house. I feel more comfortable always using a tester. Common sense - we need to breath air and some things are easy to ignite so keep them away from it.
Conclusion
I have camped in the summer when it unexpectedly got down in the 30s. I doubt I will still think of taking this. But if you want to enjoy winter camping this is ideal. Take a set of batteries, two tanks of propane (per night). It is not going to feel like home or a roaring fire but it still makes camping comfortable. And you can use it around the house.
Customer Review: Coleman ProCat
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
We recently purchased a large tent (15x12) and needed a propane heater that could stand up to the task of keeping the inside of the tent comfortable on cold nights. We purchased two of the Coleman ProCats for this purpose and they worked absolutely beautifully! I was skeptical at first, preferring to keep warm with multiple sleeping layers, but gave in when my partner insisted. Now that we've used them, we won't camp again without having them with us. The battery operated fan made all the difference in the world when it came to dispersing the heat throughout the entire tent, even though the roof was completely mesh (with the fly elevated about 6" above it). Our heaters ran constantly on high for over 8 hours without giving up. Two hours before turning in for the night, my partner turned them on. By the time we went to bed around 11:00, temperatures outside were in the 30s, while inside the tent, it was comfortable enough to wear t-shirts. By morning, it was a little cooler, but still warm enough to not see your breath - an oddity in the Colorado mountains at 5:00 in the morning, for sure!
As is common sense, ALWAYS light the heaters outdoors or, at the very least, well away from the sides of tents or other flammable material, as they do emit a flame when first ignited.
Simply the best! We love you, Coleman! I've posted a photo from inside our tent.
Customer Review: Coleman Heater
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
This is a wonderful heater to own and operate. It is larger than it appears in the listing--about half the height and all the width of an airline carry-on bag. I bought one for myself and liked it so well my friends purchased one, also. We have taken it as high as 8000 feet elevation with no difficulty in performance. The lowest temperature in which it operated was 25 degrees. The unit is easy to operate. Simply screw in a 1 pound can of propane into the back, turn the knob to "on" for a few seconds and hit the ignition switch (being VERY careful to face the front of the furnace away from yourself or any other person). The heater lights instantly with a small burst of flame from the front grill. The flame immediately subsides and the heat is on. Camping becomes much more comfortable. The only drawback to this heater, and it is not even the heater's fault, is that 1 can of propane only lasts about 6 hours. So, obviously, a second can should be taken into the tent and/or camper to be changed at night. You could probably set an alarm but I personally just let the cold wake me up before I get up to change it. It's also best to start the heater up about an hour before you retire to allow time for the tent to warm up. My friends and I have no regrets in this purchase and we all highly recommend it.Customer Review: Perfect for camping, not for backpacking
Sport shop rating: 5 Stars
Simply, I love this heater. It is really big not suitable for backpacking. If you want to know more or less the size of this product go to the coleman web page, find this item and in there you will find a link to the owners manual, then click on that link. There are some pics showing an adult hand maneuvring this heater, so you will have a better reference of its size.
In spite of this size, I really like it. The size gives more heat than a regular coleman heater, but in addition the fan does a great difference by spreading the heat all around the tent. For sure it takes more room in the vehicle, but at the same tame I take with me less blankets and extra stuff to stay warm inside the tent.
I may suggest take with you one extra propane gas bottle (16 oz) and an extra pair of D batteries for each camping night. This is beacuse in my case one gas bottle and a pair of alkaline batteries last up to 8 hours average (batteries can last up to 10-12 hours depending on the brand).