Old Crow, the heater is an FA 7912, 1200btu, made by hydro flame corp.
Thank you, thank you. The 'made by Hydro Flame' part helped me also learn a bit about that... like the fact that Atwood merged with Hydro Flame Corporation in 1993 (I assumed the term was something Atwood came up with).
And dropping 'Atwood' in the search also led to this Hydro Flame maintenance and service manual where I learned there were D and P models where D=Direct Spark (electronic) and P=Piezoelectric (push-button) ignition. Also that the FA 7912 draws 2.7 amps and though it's called a 12,000 btu model, it's output is 8400 btu.
There's also a 7900-II and that causes some confusion (at least for me). Most manuals and parts lists I've seen are for the dash-2 version but I did find this exploded-parts-diagram page for the 7900-I.
And I think I learned why they're called an Everest Star model.... a Hydro Flame 79-series furnace was used at a basecamp on Mount Everest during the American Medical Research Expedition to Everest in 1981 (and one was also used on the Double Eagle V balloon crossing of the Pacific in 1981). Note- that info comes from seeing those expeditions mentioned in listings like this one at Vintage Trailer Supply.
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There was no rust in this one. How do most folks feel about these 38 year old heaters? I have a Wave 3 that I could use, too, but I like the idea of a built-in heater that doesn't add humidity and has a thermostat.
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I think it depends on the condition of the individual furnace and your needs. Your furnace appears to be in decent condition in the photos and you can bench-test it and assess its running condition before making a final decision. Many parts aren't that expensive and I wouldn't be afraid of the technology-- it's not so much 'old' as 'proven' (IMO) .
Also- some food for thought: I believe some WTW members who camp off-grid in freezing weather have both a furnace and a Wave heater. They run the furnace to heat things up quickly and thoroughly, then switch to the Wave 3 to save power, sip propane, and eliminate the fan noise. And I believe some run their furnaces to warm windows and soft-sides before lifting the top (to avoid damaging them). And in more extreme cases, some run the furnace full time while traveling in very cold weather. Also, the Wave heater is available if the furnace breaks down.
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Edited by Old Crow, 26 November 2018 - 08:13 PM.