Torpedo vs Furnace efficiency

[xtremek]

Ok folks, here's my question. I just got my propane furnace up and running in the barn and it's great. But it's not a high efficiency model, so I turn it off when I leave. When I go out in the "morning", I plug in the torpedo and turn on the furnace. So should I leave the torpedo on until the barn gets to the desired temp (68* ish), or turn it off when it gets bearable (50*ish) and let the furnace finish taking it to temp? This is strictly from an efficiency standpoint. I've heated the barn with the torpedo for years, with no major issues to my health, so this question isn't about the smell or toxic fumes, just which way will consume the least amount of energy (ie. the cheapest). The furnace is Johnson Controls NAS100 80k btu's output unit and the torpedo is a Toro 180k btu unit. Thx for your help.

 

[rlitman]

Unvented heaters are nearly 100% efficient. Vented heaters send heat out the flue.
That being said, with the proper amount of outside air exchange you need to run a torpedo safely, a torpedo is FAR less efficient than something that allows you to shut the doors and windows.

 

[Showkey]

No noticeable issues to your health.........yet........

Prolonged exposure to invented heat is not a good idea any way you look at it............unfortunately it might show up in the distant future as a respiratory problem or worse. It is not just the heater but the chemicals used in the garage/shop that pass through the flame.

Yes......safety is for sissies

Yes they are 100% efficient ....which means 100% of the **** is now in the shop air !!!!!! All to save a few bucks........there's a false economy here some where.

 

[chruler]

Torpedoes throw some serious heat but I just can't stand the noise.

 

[D45]

I loved and lived with my torpedo for years

The fumes were never bad, but loud.......took up floor space........tripped over the extension cord

And, I always seemed to run out of kerosene...........it does a great job at heating up the shop, and doing so fast

I now have a hanging NG heater

Kerosene is expensive by me, and finding it at a gas station has become harder and harder

Buying Kerosene at the store is damn expensive

 

[rlitman]

Kerosene at the store is insanely priced. It's fine if you need a gallon as a solvent or are filling lamps, but if you're heating with kerosene, you'd better find a pump source.

Hess used to have kerosene as a checkbox in their online store locator. I believe Speedway has maintained that function. I know of two Speedway stations along my commute that sell pump kerosene, and several more not too far out of my way.

I can't stand my torpedo heater. I've really got to sell it one of these days.

 

[-Brent-]

I guess we'd need some information to figure if it's worth it.

How long does the torpedo take to get up to temp?
How much fuel is consumed during that time?
How long would it take for the furnace to bring the shop up to that temp?

Without any info and just making assumptions, I'd guess it's way faster to get the shop to a comfortable temp with the torpedo and, to me, that's more important than the few bucks a week it will cost you.

My torpedo (it's smaller at 45k btu) uses about .35 gph if I were to let it run continuously. Since it raises my shop up to a working temp in 20 minutes or so that would be .12 gallon used. Kerosene being $6.50 a gallon, that time/consumption would be about 78 cents. That's probably worth it.

 

[xtremek]

Torpedoes throw some serious heat but I just can't stand the noise.

I loved and lived with my torpedo for years

The fumes were never bad, but loud.......took up floor space........tripped over the extension cord

And, I always seemed to run out of kerosene...........it does a great job at heating up the shop, and doing so fast

I now have a hanging NG heater

Kerosene is expensive by me, and finding it at a gas station has become harder and harder

Buying Kerosene at the store is damn expensive

Kerosene at the store is insanely priced. It's fine if you need a gallon as a solvent or are filling lamps, but if you're heating with kerosene, you'd better find a pump source.

Hess used to have kerosene as a checkbox in their online store locator. I believe Speedway has maintained that function. I know of two Speedway stations along my commute that sell pump kerosene, and several more not too far out of my way.

I can't stand my torpedo heater. I've really got to sell it one of these days.

I guess we'd need some information to figure if it's worth it.

How long does the torpedo take to get up to temp?
How much fuel is consumed during that time?
How long would it take for the furnace to bring the shop up to that temp?

Without any info and just making assumptions, I'd guess it's way faster to get the shop to a comfortable temp with the torpedo and, to me, that's more important than the few bucks a week it will cost you.

My torpedo (it's smaller at 45k btu) uses about .35 gph if I were to let it run continuously. Since it raises my shop up to a working temp in 20 minutes or so that would be .12 gallon used. Kerosene being $6.50 a gallon, that time/consumption would be about 78 cents. That's probably worth it.

So the whole reason for using the furnace is that I can't stand the noise and the start-up/shut down fumes of the torpedo. And you're right D45, running after kero constantly *****. The price isn't as steep as you guys are mentioning, just $3.55 a gallon around here, and the local Speedways and Meijers carry it. I think I'll continue my original plan of bringing the shop up to temp using both, and when it gets close, shut the torpedo off. Thanks for your input folks.

 

[toyotadriver]

Once I started using my vented propane heater, I put the torpedo heater away...don't want to use it again. It's better than no heat....but that's it. I don't miss the humidity condensing on my tools. It was good to be able to work in warmth but that's it. And, I used to think it was awesome...but that's because I grew up working in a very drafty, unheated barn.

 

[dsimatt]

A torpedo heater is for putting out alot of heat fast and not about efficiency, the amount of fuel you use might be close to just letting the furnace run over night without the noise and hassle.

 

[TractorJeff]

I kept my Torpedo Heater to heat up non-starting Diesels! I buy my Kerosene supply out of State as I would rather pay "Home Heating" price than what the local Gas Station charges (buy it 50 gallons at a time).
That being said, I would still fire the Torpedo to start the Heating process as traditionally a Furnace will dry the air in Winter which is why people install Humidifiers on their Furnaces!