Do they make vented torpedo heaters?

[mike758]

I have a pole barn that I use as a garage, which isn’t insulated or heated. I don’t work in there enough in the winter to justify insulating and heating full time. I want to get one of the propane or diesel torpedo heaters, but I’m worried about the amount of moisture they give off. I was looking for ones that are vented but couldn’t find any

 

[LS6 Tommy]

AFAIK there is no such critter.

Tommy

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Agree with Tommy. Answer is no.

Phil

 

[Jackfre]

Windows and doors.

 

[Lassen Forge]

I'm not sure you can - their design is forced air into a flame into a dome end. Not sure HOW you could vent it... there is no "heat exchanger" in these, it's the actual flame doing the heating of the air. I run one of these, outside the door of my shop, and while it works well, you DO have to keep the door open as it WILL asphyxiate you.

If you want a vented heater, I'd go with the old school ceiling heaters like they have in older industrial settings. They work well, and a plus is you thermostat them so you can keep your shop from freezing (one of the issues I have every winter). Kind of what I'm looking at now, once I get the space to install it. You can usually get them 3rd hand at municipal auctions, find them on Craigs or eBay, etc... even new online.

 

[gungatim]

the propane ones give off tons of moisture, the diesel/kerosene ones only give of a lot of stink.

I've had both in the past, and honestly you're better off with a twin head propane infrared heater (IMO), the kind that just screw on a gas grill tank. they work so good I still use one for short shop times where I don't fire up the big furnace or wood burner. a 2-stall garage will heat up enough (or you anyway) you'll need to turn off the second head.

those bullet heaters heat quick but are so loud they are annoying and as soon as you shut them off you're frozen again. The infrared ones really work pretty good and will keep you warmer.

 

[greenskeeper]

I have a pole barn that I use as a garage, which isn’t insulated or heated. I don’t work in there enough in the winter to justify insulating and heating full time. I want to get one of the propane or diesel torpedo heaters, but I’m worried about the amount of moisture they give off. I was looking for ones that are vented but couldn’t find any

Find someone who is upgrading to gas and snag their force air oil furnace for nothing.

 

[Jackfre]

the propane ones give off tons of moisture, the diesel/kerosene ones only give of a lot of stink.

I've had both in the past, and honestly you're better off with a twin head propane infrared heater (IMO), the kind that just screw on a gas grill tank. they work so good I still use one for short shop times where I don't fire up the big furnace or wood burner. a 2-stall garage will heat up enough (or you anyway) you'll need to turn off the second head.

those bullet heaters heat quick but are so loud they are annoying and as soon as you shut them off you're frozen again. The infrared ones really work pretty good and will keep you warmer.

If you burn a gallon of lp, ng or fuel/diesel oil and reduce the exhaust air all the way to dew point you will recover approx 1 gallon of water from each. PH of the gas is about 3.2. Oil, 2.8.

 

[gungatim]

If you burn a gallon of lp, ng or fuel/diesel oil and reduce the exhaust air all the way to dew point you will recover approx 1 gallon of water from each. PH of the gas is about 3.2. Oil, 2.8.

wasn't aware of that, I still occasionally use a kerosene heater and never notice any moisture, nor when I had a torpedo running Kero, but I sure do when running any of the propane heaters...

 

[Tduby]

You could always go electric heater if you are worried about fumes and water vapor especially if you just need a small heater to keep your hands warm for a quick task.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

If you burn a gallon of lp, ng or fuel/diesel oil and reduce the exhaust air all the way to dew point you will recover approx 1 gallon of water from each. PH of the gas is about 3.2. Oil, 2.8.

Which is why you have to have a neutralizer on condensing burner condensate lines.

Tommy

 

[danski0224]

Yes, but I'm sure that there is a heat exchanger inside.

I've seen them on a couple of construction projects, propane, some sort of high temperature flexible duct off of the front or stuck into a temporary wall opening.

Just guessing based on size, 500k btu or more.

Looks like a huge torpedo heater, with a flue stack.

 

[3rdgendslmech]

Also, diesel doesn't put out the carbon monoxide that propane will. I burned diesel all last winter and never had a problem with moisture. I also left my door cracked 2-3 inches

 

[GRivera]

I will be installing a mini split system- if it is really cold out and I used a kerosene heater as to supplement, will the mini split remove the moisture?

 

[LS6 Tommy]

I will be installing a mini split system- if it is really cold out and I used a kerosene heater as to supplement, will the mini split remove the moisture?

Why would you run A/C while trying to run kerosene heat? Even if you did or the mini split has a "dry" setting, it will not dehumidify as fast as you'd like it. All the metal and other cold objects will still sweat.

I'd just get a mini heat pump that does very low outdoor ambient heat operation.

Tommy

 

[GRivera]

The mini split does heat (heat pump) and ac- didn’t realize it won’t pull out moisture in heat mode.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Also, diesel doesn't put out the carbon monoxide that propane will. I burned diesel all last winter and never had a problem with moisture. I also left my door cracked 2-3 inches

That is really bad info. You shouldn't use diesel for unvented portable heating units at all. It has a higher flashpoint than kerosene and will produce much more smoke and CO. I'm surprised it even lit off. BTW, only wick style kerosene heaters produce lower CO than natural gas or propane fueled heaters, not torpedoes.

Tommy

 

[LS6 Tommy]

The mini split does heat (heat pump) and ac- didn’t realize it won’t pull out moisture in heat mode.

That is correct.

Tommy

 

[Farmall450]

That is really bad info. You shouldn't use diesel for unvented portable heating units at all. It has a higher flashpoint than kerosene and will produce much more smoke and CO. I'm surprised it even lit off. BTW, only wick style kerosene heaters produce lower CO than natural gas or propane fueled heaters, not torpedoes.

Tommy

Most modern torpedo heaters are rated for #1 and #2 Diesel. We've used it for years.

edit: no different than the industrial steam cleaners

 

[3rdgendslmech]

That is really bad info. You shouldn't use diesel for unvented portable heating units at all. It has a higher flashpoint than kerosene and will produce much more smoke and CO. I'm surprised it even lit off. BTW, only wick style kerosene heaters produce lower CO than natural gas or propane fueled heaters, not torpedoes.

Tommy

The torpedo heater I have is a 50K btu multi-fuel unit. It'll burn kerosene, #1&2 diesel, jet fuel etc. You get a small puff of smoke when it ignites then burns clean. No smoke and I didn't notice a diesel smell. I'll put it this way.....I had it running when I changed out 2 injectors in my truck. Spent 2-3 hours over 3 afternoons doing the job. My cloths smelled more from the fuel that went down into the Pistons at start up, than being down there for a few hours.
I'm not saying the CO amount in diesel isn't harmful. We unloaded a refrigerated cargo ship and work orders specifically said "due to CO amounts given off by LPG and gasoline forklifts it is mandatory that only diesel powered lifts are allowed in the cargo holds" They had CO detectors in the holds and none of them ever went off

 

[LS6 Tommy]

Most modern torpedo heaters are rated for #1 and #2 Diesel. We've used it for years.

edit: no different than the industrial steam cleaners

The torpedo heater I have is a 50K btu multi-fuel unit. It'll burn kerosene, #1&2 diesel, jet fuel etc. You get a small puff of smoke when it ignites then burns clean. No smoke and I didn't notice a diesel smell. I'll put it this way.....I had it running when I changed out 2 injectors in my truck. Spent 2-3 hours over 3 afternoons doing the job. My cloths smelled more from the fuel that went down into the Pistons at start up, than being down there for a few hours.
I'm not saying the CO amount in diesel isn't harmful. We unloaded a refrigerated cargo ship and work orders specifically said "due to CO amounts given off by LPG and gasoline forklifts it is mandatory that only diesel powered lifts are allowed in the cargo holds" They had CO detectors in the holds and none of them ever went off

I guess the tech has changed a lot. Mutlifuel is definitely a different thing. The last torpedo I bought was 25 years ago and it specifically said no diesel and it was always taught not to.

As for diesel vs. gas or propane for ICEs, yes, diesel is much safer in terms of CO. As for open flame heaters without a wick, not so much.

Tommy

 

[Justintime2]

Just got a propane fired DeWalt 35,000 to 65,000 btu heater unit for when the shop is super cold in the winter and the electric wall heater hasn’t yet had a chance to warm it up.

Shop is 20 x 50 with a 14ft high mezzanine and a sloped roof, how much ventilation is enough to safely run that thing until it warms up and the electric heat can take over? Cracking the 14ft bay door? Cracking the man door?

 

[Farmall450]

Just got a propane fired DeWalt 35,000 to 65,000 btu heater unit for when the shop is super cold in the winter and the electric wall heater hasn’t yet had a chance to warm it up.

Shop is 20 x 50 with a 14ft high mezzanine and a sloped roof, how much ventilation is enough to safely run that thing until it warms up and the electric heat can take over? Cracking the 14ft bay door? Cracking the man door?

Depends on how well insulated it is, tbh. We don't bother with cracks in pole buildings w/ the expanded mesh vents all along the eaves.

 

[rct]

Vented torpedo heaters are available, usually the hot air output is ducted to the area of need. They are called indirect fired heaters. Similar to a torpedo, but with the combustion air used with a heat exchanger to keep the fresh air fresh. I've seen only diesel fired ones, usually used as tent heaters for the Army.

Found Heaterstar and Wackerneuson listings on google.

Worth consideration if it fits your needs and will help keep moisture and oil smelling air out.

 

[SGKent]

fumes are weird. I painted a door in the garage last week. Cleaned it with rag wetted with lacquer thinner. Used a fast drying oil based primer. The house and garage was vented the whole time and fans were going to keep things aired out. That night went to cook dinner and the gas flame had unmistakable yellow traces and smelled like burned lacquer thinner from just the low level of fumes still in the air.