Kerosene vs propane torpedo htr

[ruby76]

Pro's and Cons for a propane torpedo heater vs a kersone model. I have a 16x22 shop so I wouldn't need it to run very long before It comes up to temp and then I'd shut it off.

 

[fireman]

Kerosene models stink. Propane is oderless. Make sure you have a fresh air source (open window/door) to avoid CO poisoning.

 

[ruby76]

Good point, I had read about leaving a fresh air source. I guess that could be closed though once it is shut off though right?

 

[Quadlinear]

Second the above!!!! Kerosene is also more $ than diesel fuel and getting harder to find.

 

[MXtras]

I agree with the consensus so far - propane.

Scott

 

[ruby76]

Thanks guys. I'll start researching different propane models.

 

[rick]

I have used both kinds propane is the best by far!

 

[krooser]

An oil burner is OK IF you get free jet fuel from your local Air National Guard reservist like I used to....otherwise get propane...

One way to quiet down the unit is to put the heater OUTSIDE. My buddy did this by cutting a piece of plywood the dimensions of his service door...he then cut a round opening into the plywood the size of the heater snout...then stick the heater nose into the hole and fire it up...made a huge difference in the noise level and when he was done in the shop he simply pulled out the plywood and shut the door.

 

[ruby76]

would that negate the need for a fresh air intake? Or is the fresh air for exhaust?

 

[DaveL.]

go with a vented heater

Personally I'd go the extra mile and mount a vented heater. I used a propane torpedo for many years at my old place. I could only take it for about 2 hours. I kept windows open so I wouldn't suffocate. The fumes would irritate my lungs and give me a bad headache. Mount a little Hotdawg HD30 http://www.gas-space-heater.com/modine-hot-dawg.html or any other vented heater. In the long run you'll be much happier. Just my opinion...

Dave

 

[fireman]

. The fumes would irritate my lungs and give me a bad headache.

Dave,
A headache is the first sign of CO poisoning. followed by fatigue, shortness of breath (your irritated lungs), nausea and dizziness. Glad you're okay and got rid of that heater. Jim

 

[DaveL.]

Dave,
A headache is the first sign of CO poisoning. followed by fatigue, shortness of breath (your irritated lungs), nausea and dizziness. Glad you're okay and got rid of that heater. Jim

Yep.I heard that Jim,thanks.

Dave

 

[MXtras]

Another sign is drowsiness or confusion. My brother in law died from this 8 years ago. They say he just fell asleep and never woke up in his garage.

Get the hell out of the space as soon as you start feeling a little sleepy or groggy. Maintain a fresh air supply no matter how cold it is outside. This is serious business as all of you know, but until you loose someone close to you in a manner that you could go, too - it may never sink in.

Scott

 

[ruby76]

Thank you for your opinion on the vented heater. I'd love to, but the garage is detached and has no gas line run to it. I do have electric though. Any good electric heater options out there? Preferable forced air and not radiant etc. I'm leaning towards the torpedo heater also because it is portable. Im planning on buying a house to refurbish and the torpedo could double as a heater in the "work" house too.

I havn't bought anything yet though, so I'm still thinking about it.

 

[krooser]

would that negate the need for a fresh air intake? Or is the fresh air for exhaust?

Well it does provide fresh air to the heater and reduces the noise...it also helps avoid "bad air" since you aren't using inside air for combustion...An old neighbor of mine went one step further and actually installed a "register" in the garage sidewall...he connected the torpedo to a large heater duct and it blew right into the garage...he also put the heater under a little lean-to to keep it out of the weather...that and a thermostat and he had a pretty good set-up..

 

[fireman]

Well it does provide fresh air to the heater and reduces the noise...it also helps avoid "bad air" since you aren't using inside air for combustion..

The problem is that it still exhausts into the garage and in that exhaust is not only the hot air but water vapor and CARBON MONOXIDE. The only safe combustion type heater is one that vents the combustion products to the outside.

 

[RonBou]

Thank you for your opinion on the vented heater. I'd love to, but the garage is detached and has no gas line run to it.

My detached garage is 80 feet from the house. I had a 100 gallon propane tank installed with my vented heater (Modine Hot Dawg).

 

[ChucksCrib]

I'm using a KeroWorld Kerosene heater I picked up at a tag sale for 5 bucks.. It was one year old(great shape) I do leave on of my 8x9 overhead doors open about a foot when I run it. My garage is usually about 40 degrees unheated up here in CT. I turn the kerosene heater on until the garge (28x28x11)reaches about 55 degrees. Thats plenty warm for me.

I will not however shut the unit off in the garage. It stinks to high heaven when I shut it off so what I do is carry it outside and shut it off. Otherwise I don't notice any fumes when I'm in there.

 

[ruby76]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I made the jump last night and ordered a small (35,000 BTU) Mr Heater propane torpedo. It arrives in a week. It was an Internet only, sale with no shipping costs. I went with the propane b/c of the comments in the posts above. The garage has good ventilation and I'll keep the window open when I use it. It is a small enough garage that I should be able to run it for a couple of minutes then shut it off, so that should help with fumes.

THanks again guys!

Jeremy

 

[ruby76]

My detached garage is 80 feet from the house. I had a 100 gallon propane tank installed with my vented heater (Modine Hot Dawg).

That was probably a very good idea. I may look into that at a later date. Then again, this isn't going to be my long term house/shop so I'll keep that in mind for the next one

 

[Hugh Morrow]

For a shop of your size I would get a oil over electric heater and plug it in. They look like the old hot water radiant heaters. A lot of woodworking fellows use them as they are safe from fire and explosion.

 

[ruby76]

For a shop of your size I would get a oil over electric heater and plug it in. They look like the old hot water radiant heaters. A lot of woodworking fellows use them as they are safe from fire and explosion.

believe it or not, I have one of those and tried to use it out in the garage and it didn't do much. I had a couple of guys over to help on the project car a couple of weeks ago, when we were done we got to talking etc and all ended up standing RIGHT next to the little radiator type oil filled heater.

The torpedo heats up the garage in about 10-15 minutes.

 

[stppinz]

I have a bit larger propain torpedo heater, 100,000 btu I think. My issue is that I have a vaulted cealing in my shop (32'x30') which is about 18 feet at the peek so there is a lot of room for the hot air to elevate to. It is currently infinished so I feel I am just out of luck until I finish and insulate. Luckly it has bee pretty warm this winter (40's).

Question - Is the exhaust that comes out of the heater lighter or heaver than air?

New to the forum. Glad there to see that there are people just as crazy as I am about garages.

 

[ruby76]

Mine is only 33,000 BTU, the garage is unfinished (no insulation) and you can see up to the roof sheathing under the tar paper, so I've got teh "cathedral" ceiling affect also. With 100,000 BTU, fire it up and let it heat up. Mine looks like two tubes, the gas burns in the inside one, and the outer tube has air from the fan blowing through it, so both normal "air" is being heated as well as the exhaust. Either way, hot air rises, so you have to fill up the triangle shaped part before the workable space can be heated. imagine putting the garage upside down and filling with water, except the water is heated air. Proably would just take alittle longer to reach temperature.

but what do I know?

 

[Charles (in GA)]

Problem with any floor level heater is the explosion factor. You are much better off with a heater hanging from the ceiling. A shop this small is no problem to heat with a propane or nat gas heater that is vented outside.

I use a kerosene Reddy Heater and it works OK, but I'm heating up 60x60 and simply trying to take the chill off.

Charles