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Kerosene, Diesel and Torpedo Heaters

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  • Kerosene, Diesel and Torpedo Heaters

    We have decided to heat the garage with a torpedo heater the rest of the season. When the weather warms we plan to insulate, drywall and install an electric furnace. But for now a torpedo will do. Problem is kerosene is hard to find in the city these days. Home Depot sells it in a five gallon can for $45 but that is way too high to be using it for heating. A friend says he knows someone who runs one on diesel with no problems. Anyone have any experience doing so. Any safety issues? What about soot or odor?
    sigpic

  • #2
    Diesel will not burn as clean as Kerosene. I would look into a heater that burns LP gas and lease a small tank from the gas supplier. Some LP gas suppliers will give you a portable heater to use for free provided that you give them a deposit for it and purchase your gas from them.

    Oh, and be careful of carbon monoxide poisoning!
    sigpic
    In the middle of MinneSTUDEa.

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    • #3
      Originally posted by BubbaBear View Post
      We have decided to heat the garage with a torpedo heater the rest of the season. When the weather warms we plan to insulate, drywall and install an electric furnace. But for now a torpedo will do. Problem is kerosene is hard to find in the city these days. Home Depot sells it in a five gallon can for $45 but that is way too high to be using it for heating. A friend says he knows someone who runs one on diesel with no problems. Anyone have any experience doing so. Any safety issues? What about soot or odor?
      If the space is already enclosed I'd avoid both Kerosene and Diesel. I"ve had two kerosene heaters and both were rated to run diesel. I used diesel once and the fumes will drive you out. Whenever the heater starts or stops it reeks. Kerosene is better but you still have the odor issues.

      I now have a similar heater that runs on LPG. Much less odor but lets not kid ourselves, you will be burning fossil fuel in an enclosed space so you will get some odor and CO2, possibly some CO. The more enclosed the space the more issues with odors it will generate. I run mine for limited increments to reduce the odor/contaminate issues. These units are generally only used in poorly enclosed areas for a reason.

      There about two months left to heating season, so let me suggest that before you spend $150 or so on a "torpedo" heater that you consider just buying the furnace you plan on using and install it.

      Lastly, there are catalytic heaters that reduce the CO and odor emissions but they are not cheap and the moisture they produce will rust the heck out anything in the garage.

      My last comment is: Unless you have no sense of small you will not be happy with Diesel.

      Bob

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      • #4
        That is the going price for kerosene here also.

        I have this shop heater...



        It runs on kerosene, diesel, or jet A.

        I don't use it anymore. The risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is too great (I would get light headed after a long session with the heater on), I come home from the shop smelling like a diesel/kerosene heater, and that flame is a little scary around car stuff (like gasoline).

        I use electric heaters now. Maybe more expensive but a lot safer.

        If you use a combustion type heater, get a carbon monoxide detector...but I'll bet it goes off pretty quickly with one of those running.
        Dick Steinkamp
        Bellingham, WA

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        • #5
          The problem with getting the permanent furnace now is that it will be electric and the garage is not wired for it. We plan on digging a trench and laying a new 220v line.
          sigpic

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          • #6
            can you run the electric service for it on top of the ground routed out of the way temporarily? I've done that but only when i didn't have to worry about kids and cars running over it?
            when the time comes let me suggest using Aluminum 60 Amp SE cable (SE= Service Entrance) . You can easily slip it into some PVC piping to protect it as you bury it
            It is dirt cheap and will get the job done. I also make welder extensions out of this stuff. While a 60 Amp service is nearly a thing of the past (the old Main-Range - and 4-fuses boxes from the 50s-60s, and now everyone has at least 100 amp, they still make the cable. Be sure to use Alnox or equiv brand anti-corrosion paste which you can get at Lowes and other suppliers (at Lowes it is with the wire nuts, in a smallish squeeze bottle on the ends when you tighten them down. I have used this trick this for over 30 yrs without problems, learned it from a master electrician who was a good friend.
            The spec is Aluminum SE cable 6-2 w/ ground. (the ground is woven around the outside of the black and red current carrying conductors). As with any SE cable, you use the ground as the neutral also, since both of those end up connected together back at the pole anyway, and in most states the 2 are bonded to each other in the panel anyway
            1947 M5 under restoration
            a bunch of non-Stude stuff

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            • #7
              The LP gas heaters I speak of do not require any electricity and are portable and can put out a LOT of heat.
              sigpic
              In the middle of MinneSTUDEa.

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              • #8
                This is going to be a lonely post. I have the exact same heater as Dick's picture and love it. My shop is small, about 400 sq. ft., and rather open to drafts and fresh air. No insulation, the only "air-tightness" is created by the wood construction quality. I have an exhaust fan/vent in the peak of a gable.

                I don't notice any odors, and diesel isn't much more than regular gasoline, right now about $3.50 per gallon. It heats up my shop on a 30 degree day in about 15-20 minutes, and then operates according to the thermostat setting I have chosen. As drafty as my shop is, the heater never runs more than about 30-40% of the time. The case does not get hot, and I have total confidence in that there is no danger from the small open flame at the radiator part.

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                • #9
                  A year ago I was at the point you are...
                  What to choose? I want a full heat-A/C setup, but just can't get myself to pull the trigger...
                  I thought a lot about a salamander torpedo setup.
                  Then, a good friend (Sonny) made this screwy face at me and said
                  "You don't want kerosene or diesel film and soot all over everything in your shop".
                  He suggested this.... http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200178774_200178774

                  Now, I don't remember if I bought mine there,
                  but I was comparing $ vs BTU, and stuff like that.
                  Swiped the BBQ propane tank and used the snot out of it.
                  Now... I didn't try to heat the entire shop. Just where I was working.
                  And found out that this thing would add 15-20 degree's real fast and make it comfortable.
                  Was stingy on propane, and there is no stink.
                  Easy to set up (110v), easy to start, easy to store.
                  Might not be your cup of tea... But it sure works good for my shop.
                  HTIH
                  Jeff



                  Originally posted by BubbaBear View Post
                  We have decided to heat the garage with a torpedo heater the rest of the season. When the weather warms we plan to insulate, drywall and install an electric furnace. But for now a torpedo will do. Problem is kerosene is hard to find in the city these days. Home Depot sells it in a five gallon can for $45 but that is way too high to be using it for heating. A friend says he knows someone who runs one on diesel with no problems. Anyone have any experience doing so. Any safety issues? What about soot or odor?
                  Last edited by DEEPNHOCK; 01-22-2012, 09:46 AM.
                  HTIH (Hope The Info Helps)

                  Jeff


                  Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as much as you please. Mark Twain



                  Note: SDC# 070190 (and earlier...)

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                  • #10
                    This is what I use. It heats up my shop real fast and it runs on propane. It's adjustable from 75,000-200,000 BTU and it's only $130.00 from McMaster Carr.

                    sigpic

                    J&JW Machine Co.
                    Bubbaland South
                    Resident Machinist

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                    • #11
                      Dick makes a good point: whatever combustion heater you get, spend a few bucks more and get a CO detector. Place the detector between the heater and the place where you plan to be the most. These indoor heaters are designed to put out zero CO, but anything made by Man can go wrong, or maybe your shop is so airtight that the heater depletes oxygen in the room, and starts producing CO by default.
                      Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands

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                      • #12
                        My garage is insulated and this is what I use. I have 2 of them.

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                        • #13
                          Posted by DEEPNHOCK
                          <snip>Now... I didn't try to heat the entire shop. Just where I was working.
                          And found out that this thing would add 15-20 degree's real fast and make it comfortable.
                          Was stingy on propane, and there is no stink.
                          Easy to set up (110v), easy to start, easy to store.
                          Might not be your cup of tea... But it sure works good for my shop.


                          I own this exact heater and I'll stand by my initial comments: In a situation like Jeff describes, heating a small area with air circulation will work fine. In my pole barn in the dead of winter with the doors closed, I'll develop a headache in a couple of hours, so I use mine intermittently to minimize the effects.

                          Those that are describing the catalytic LP heater are correct that you can warm a confined area and not have the same issues as the salamander types. We use the Buddy Heater style in ice fishing and deer hunting enclosures routinely.

                          Bob

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                          • #14
                            I recently bought this thing and will be trying it out soon . . Might be to much for a one car garage i`m thinking . . . we`ll see..........

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                            • #15
                              Too much in this case would be better than not enough....you can always turn it off right?

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