Propane heaters
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Senior User
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: southwest michigan
Propane heaters
Im thinking about getting a 35,000 to 80,000 btu propane heater for my one car garage that doesnt have room for one car.Im looking at one of the round ones that sit on the floor and does not have a fan.I do a little woodwork and drink a few beers, watch the game and chill.I figure ill run it for a little to get the frost off and shut it off till it gets cold again.My garage is not insulated and during the day I can see light through holes in the walls.Im renting so i dont want to insulate or anything.I dont want to do electric because the wiring is old.
Does anybody have any suggestions or input on how those heaters work?
Thanks Fat250
Does anybody have any suggestions or input on how those heaters work?
Thanks Fat250
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From: Fallon, NV
That should be more than enough, just keep it away from combustibles as mil1ion said. We had an uninsulated 38 x 50 x 24 metal garage, set it at the bottom of the stairwell and it kept the gameroom upstairs toasty.
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Joined: Mar 2001
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From: So Cal
I am not sure what you mean by round ones. Is this a "home style" heater in a steel chassis etc? Or is it one of those "camping" types with big round red heat spots? This is the kind I have and can talk about. Mine looks like two giant red eyeballs at night.
The big round camping heaters like from Paulin are goot for infrared heating. They heat your skin from several feet away and of course generate a lot of heat in the room too, but the infrared hits your skin right away.
They are good but if you have both burners going on mine, it will suck down a 20# tank in about a day or so if it is running all the time.
We used ours to heat a big tent. Works good, but also showed us a drawback. The camping propane heaters put out a lot of water that will collect on the ceiling and cause drips.
That is all I know about the big camping propane heaters.
The kerosene home type heaters work good but stink things up a bit. The small propane camp heaters are almost worthless for room sized areas.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
The big round camping heaters like from Paulin are goot for infrared heating. They heat your skin from several feet away and of course generate a lot of heat in the room too, but the infrared hits your skin right away.
They are good but if you have both burners going on mine, it will suck down a 20# tank in about a day or so if it is running all the time.
We used ours to heat a big tent. Works good, but also showed us a drawback. The camping propane heaters put out a lot of water that will collect on the ceiling and cause drips.
That is all I know about the big camping propane heaters.
The kerosene home type heaters work good but stink things up a bit. The small propane camp heaters are almost worthless for room sized areas.
Good Luck,
Jim Henderson
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From: southwest michigan
I just have a few gas cans that I will set outside and some wood stain that should be in the house so it doesnt freeze anyways.Other than that some wd 40 and a couple things like that.
It is in a steel chasis but its not like a torpedo heater
Fat250
It is in a steel chasis but its not like a torpedo heater
Fat250
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From: Princeton, MN
I think he means like this.
I have one and while it does take the cold out of the air you don't seem to feel the heat like you do other heaters (unless you hover over it). Kind of disappointing. But it will raise the temp just as any other heater will. Mine is more like 120,000 BTU's.
Edited to add: Crap, this one is ding number 1000 (posts on FTE) and I spent it talking about heaters.
I have one and while it does take the cold out of the air you don't seem to feel the heat like you do other heaters (unless you hover over it). Kind of disappointing. But it will raise the temp just as any other heater will. Mine is more like 120,000 BTU's.
Edited to add: Crap, this one is ding number 1000 (posts on FTE) and I spent it talking about heaters.
Last edited by Buckarcher; Dec 5, 2007 at 05:55 PM.
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From: southwest michigan
Yah thats what I mean.Does anyone think a forced air propane heater would heat better in my garage or will my garage be to small?
Fat250
Fat250
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Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Lafayette, IN
One thing about propane heaters is that one of the byproducts of propane combustion is WATER--lots of it. If you have any cast iron or steel in your garage (woodworking tools?), the heater will throw all that humidity into the air, which will then condense on your tools when the temp drops.
Infrared heaters will work better because they will warm you and the tools, not the air, which will give the tools a better chance of not rusting.
Jason
Infrared heaters will work better because they will warm you and the tools, not the air, which will give the tools a better chance of not rusting.
Jason
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Learned some intersting stuff about propane today. We took a tank by to get it filled. Turns out the tank was leaking, and was junk. In talking to the propane tech, he said that propane boils a -40*. Tanks are not filled completely up, and the space above the liquid allows a sheet of ice to form over the liquid. When the pressure is released, this allows the liquid to start boiling forming the propane gas that comes out of the line. It works similar to freon which will boil at room temperature.
Propane was once a waste product that was burned by the refineries until someone figured a way to package it for sale. jd
Propane was once a waste product that was burned by the refineries until someone figured a way to package it for sale. jd
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Two problems with open flame heaters -
Carbon dioxide - if not properly ventilated. Holes in the wall are probably not sufficient. A partially open window may suffice.
Gasoline or other volatile combustibles can concentrate near the floor and become a bomb when you light the heater.
Your choice.
Old wiring can still do a job if not too small or too long a circuit to the panel.
Any incandescent source, including electrical heat, can cause combustion of volatiles given the right circumstances.
Consider a ceramic element electric heater with a circulating fan.
Cap and or remove the combustibles from the garage, including any vehicles, yard tractors, etc.
Carbon dioxide is odorless and can be a silent killer.
Airborne wood dust can be a combustible also.
Carbon dioxide - if not properly ventilated. Holes in the wall are probably not sufficient. A partially open window may suffice.
Gasoline or other volatile combustibles can concentrate near the floor and become a bomb when you light the heater.
Your choice.
Old wiring can still do a job if not too small or too long a circuit to the panel.
Any incandescent source, including electrical heat, can cause combustion of volatiles given the right circumstances.
Consider a ceramic element electric heater with a circulating fan.
Cap and or remove the combustibles from the garage, including any vehicles, yard tractors, etc.
Carbon dioxide is odorless and can be a silent killer.
Airborne wood dust can be a combustible also.
Last edited by ronwilll; Dec 5, 2007 at 10:51 PM.
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: North of Boston MA
I have one similar to the one shown in the picture above. I use it to heat my garage and it works pretty well as long as I am running off the 100# tank. It will run on low off the small (grill) tank in a pinch but to get serious heat you need the larger tank.
Thanks for the info on the water Jason. I was wondering why the windows fog up when I run the heater for a while. You would think heat would reduce the condensation, not cause it.
Another suggestion would be to add a circulating fan (I got someones thrown away ceiling fan) to bring the heat down from the rafters to where you will be working - no sense heating just the roof.
Thanks for the info on the water Jason. I was wondering why the windows fog up when I run the heater for a while. You would think heat would reduce the condensation, not cause it.
Another suggestion would be to add a circulating fan (I got someones thrown away ceiling fan) to bring the heat down from the rafters to where you will be working - no sense heating just the roof.
Lead Driver
Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Rhode Island
Originally Posted by ronwilll
Two problems with open flame heaters -
Carbon dioxide - if not properly ventilated. Holes in the wall are probably not sufficient. A partially open window may suffice.
Gasoline or other volatile combustibles can concentrate near the floor and become a bomb when you light the heater.
Your choice.
Old wiring can still do a job if not too small or too long a circuit to the panel.
Any incandescent source, including electrical heat, can cause combustion of volatiles given the right circumstances.
Consider a ceramic element electric heater with a circulating fan.
Cap and or remove the combustibles from the garage, including any vehicles, yard tractors, etc.
Carbon dioxide is odorless and can be a silent killer.
Airborne wood dust can be a combustible also.
Carbon dioxide - if not properly ventilated. Holes in the wall are probably not sufficient. A partially open window may suffice.
Gasoline or other volatile combustibles can concentrate near the floor and become a bomb when you light the heater.
Your choice.
Old wiring can still do a job if not too small or too long a circuit to the panel.
Any incandescent source, including electrical heat, can cause combustion of volatiles given the right circumstances.
Consider a ceramic element electric heater with a circulating fan.
Cap and or remove the combustibles from the garage, including any vehicles, yard tractors, etc.
Carbon dioxide is odorless and can be a silent killer.
Airborne wood dust can be a combustible also.
Your body would tell you if there was too much Co2 in the air, and knock you out. Plain old Co is the really deadly one.My friend uses a torpedo diesel heater and a propane heater to keep his garage warm, he usally puts the propane heater on very low, just to help keep temp, and has the torpedo to come on at a certain temp when the propane heater on low can't keep up.
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From: North of Boston MA
I forgot to mention earlier that I have a CO detector in the garage and it has never shown anything but 0 on the meter. It is the digital type and very sensitive. I know it works - every time I fire up the snowblower or lawn mower in there it starts reading immediately.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: Lafayette, IN
The airborne wood dust is NOT an explosive concern. You'll leave before it reaches the LEL, and it will be very uncomfortable to breathe in there long before that.
A properly-maintained vent-free propane heater puts off no CO, as Nitramjr has witnessed.
Jason
A properly-maintained vent-free propane heater puts off no CO, as Nitramjr has witnessed.
Jason
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From: southwest michigan
Thanks for all the info and input.I have a two 20# tanks and it is around 16 dollars to trade one in.Im going to see how much it is to get one refilled at Uhaul or something.Im going to get it tomorrow and try it out when i get out of work at 1130pm.That will be a good excuse to buy some beer and brandy and get away from the old lady for a minute.Ill let you know how it works monday.
Thanks
Fat250
4
Thanks
Fat250
4