[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-Mar-02 AT 00:54 AM (EST)]>Better check your information! CO is lighter than the
>mixture of gasses that we call air. CO is about 97% of the
>weight of "air" so it generally tends to rise. CO is usually
>produced by a combustion process which means warmth and warm
>gasses rise also. Most CO detector manufacturers recommend
>that they be placed high on a wall in an area of good air
>circulation (not a stagnant pocket or corner). Manufacturers
>do not recommend that CO detectors be mounted low to the
>ground. CO is so close to the weight of air though that it
>does mix well with any air movement.
>
>CO2, on the other hand, IS heavier than "air" and tends to
>collect in lower areas.
>
>You can check this information in any chemistry book. You
>can also go to the detector manufacturer web sites.
>
>
>Fix it right the first time! It's easier than doing it over!
>Drive 'em forever!



You know I will be damnd like a Chevy driver!! I am a degreed chemist with a 4 year degree and I got that wrong. I remember a prof talking about what I said a few years ago. That is what I based that on. I have never botherd to research it since the whole house is electric (radiant heat to dryer). My only defense is that I work with biological pharmaceuticals and havent done chemistry simce I graduated.

I do know a few things just not today apperently.

I stand corrected.

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 17-Mar-02 AT 10:42 AM (EST)]Yeah, I remember going through cords of birch wood in Chisholm, Minnesota.
I took a different approach, I moved to Arizona, today March 17, 2002 it will be about 65 degrees. I sure do miss those walleye dinners though! did I mention no mosquitos?
Steve

 

I use a old downflol forced air furnace that someone replaced in a house.Just built a stand for it to set on.It works great is vented to outside and runs on thermostat.And was very cheap. Wired it to the light switch so i would not forget to turn it off.About smoke detctors and co detectors i dont know about anyone else but in my shop i would have them going off all the time, cutting, welding,painting, lots of dust and dirt.

Larry

 

CO detectors seem to stand smoke and dust pretty well, just blow them out every so often. They can alarm if you start a car/truck in the shop. You can protect the detector from dust falling directly on it by putting up a little awning over it. Just leave plenty of breathing room for the gas but not for the dust. I also have my detector rigged on the end of an extension cord so that I can unplug it easily since it is too high to reach. I just have to remember to plug it back in after I test fire a vehicle.

I would not recommend a smoke detector in a shop or garage. Security & alarm companies use heat detectors in garage or shop areas.



over!

 

Hope your still following this string. I'm using a Kerosene torpedo style heater (125,000 BTU) to heat a 2.5 car garage and it works great. I like the idea of putting it out side the garage and duct the heat back in but the heater really shouldn't be left out in the elements. Two things that will help when using this type of heater:

- One, always use the best grade kerosene possible. I was not aware of the different grades until I refilled my kerosene can (Blue Plastic Only) from the gas station. I poured some into a glass mason jar and it looked like apple juice, not good. I had to find a hard ware store that sold the top grade kerosene (clear as water), which burns, much cleaner and odorless.

- Two, this may seem obvious but add insulation at least to the ceiling if anything. Not only does this help keep the heat in it also cuts down on the run time for the heater. Although the garage is large and has many air leaks it's still nice to turn off the heater for a while.

 

Kerosene seems to turn colors over time in storage also. I had some of the nice water clear stuff from the hardware store. It burned clean when I bought it. After being in storage for a couple of years in the original container it turned yellow. When burned, it had that nice odor to it :-(

It did provide heat and light when the power was out due to an ice storm which was better than nothing :-)

over!

 

Have a house in PA, 4 car garage, 2 are an add on to the house the guy I got it from put a used Forced air oil burner in. No thermostat, and a 35 gal drum for the fuel, heats that 2 car garage space up in 10 min.

 

A thermostat might be useful and are generally easy to install. Sounds like you have a great setup. I wish I had a 2 car detached garage setup. My wife hates it when the residual welding fumes etc. get in the house.


over!

 

 

Hi Guys,
I use an oil type forced air furnace I robbed from an old trailer house (mobile home.) It is a stand alone system, vents outside, no fumes. Forced air just blows straight out the bottom so I bent a piece of tin in a curve and framed it with 2x4s to blow across the floor. Used an old thermostat hooked it up to 110 volts for spark and we have instant controlled heat. I set up a 55 gallon oil drum outside the shop for fuel supply and have it filled by local oil suppliers. Works great and cost about $200 canadian (thats about 50cents for you yanks)
Larry in the Yukon

 

[updated:LAST EDITED ON 11-Apr-02 AT 04:45 AM (EST)]Will those oil burners burn used motor oil mixed in with the fuel? Might be a good way to run a collection point from trusted friends that won't dump in anti-freeze or solvent. Will it gum up the burner or create ash?

I don't know much about oil burners, any enlightenment is appreciated.

Thanks!

50 cents... Right -hehe

-Eric
Kansas Yank!

over!

 

My friend and I tried to get ours to burn it but never where able to keep it running. Since then he has bought a used oil burner for his shop. The thing works great but a few things that differ are it pre heats the used oil and it has to be hooked up to an air compresor.

 

Did you try 100% used oil or a mixture of fuel oil and used oil?

I have seen some guy around here in Kansas that sells a waste oil burner that he manufactures. Unfortunately that is all I know about it.

Thanks for the info!

-Eric the Yank!

over!

 

We tried mixing and it would work for a few days then it would clog the nozel on the burner. We tried all sorts of tips and filters and never could get it to be reliable enough. The one he has now works great and all his oil from oil changes heats his shop. He still has to clean it every once and again but all and all he likes it. The big differance I think is that his used oil burner pre heats the oil. I'll see who made the one he has now and post it.

 

I made a home made type drip heater for my garage. Its a 55 gallon drum turned on its side and a 5 gallon can with a drip tube going into drum. I use used motor oil and have a valve to control oil flow. Every time I change oil in my work truck I get 10 gallons of fuel for my heater. I change oil about once amonth or every 10,000 miles so I have a good supply of fuel for my heater. We only heat a few days a month here in Georgia so it works well.