Heaters for Portable Propane Tanks

oros35 · Post by **oros35** » Tue. Nov. 06, 2012 9:08 am

We got an old oil furnace for $100 including a tank. For the convienince of flipping on a switch and having heat, it works great. Our shop is 30x48 10' ceilings. minimal insulation, but the walls and ceiling are either particle board or drywall. I've had it in the 80's when outside was in the teens (painting)
Most of the time we just turn it on for a half our or so, that will knock the chill off for most of an evenings worth of work. The oil used isn't much. I'd think it would take quite a few 20# bottles of propane to get the same effect.

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Tue. Nov. 06, 2012 9:55 am

[quote="NWBuilder"]I think I am going to find that I need to bite the bullet /quote]

I put a Miller mobile home oil fired hot air furnace in my garage. It heats fast & even at today's stupid high prices, it is cheaper than propane. The chimney is triple wall, straight up, air comes in the outter shell, exhaust out the smaller middle pipe. Simple! I put in a 138 gallon tank. It would surely do what you need done. ( of course it gets used very little now that the Axeman is on line.)

KLook · Post by **KLook** » Tue. Nov. 06, 2012 10:00 am

Come on NWBuilder!!! This is a coal forum. You need a handfed unit in there cranking out some heat with Anthracite!! Use up the scrap wood also. Must be plenty of old units just waiting to go in there.

Kevin

europachris · Post by **europachris** » Tue. Nov. 06, 2012 10:13 am

I've have installed vented garage heaters in two homes. Both garages were insulated, but not as large as your shop. I used the 30,000 BTU size and it was more than adequate. They are also available in 45,000 and 70,000 BTU sizes, I believe. 45,000 BTU would be enough if you gave it some time to get the place warmed up.

My only complaint is they are relatively noisy in a quiet shop - a squirrel cage blower would be far less noisy compared to the propeller fan.

Chris

NWBuilder · Post by **NWBuilder** » Tue. Nov. 06, 2012 6:48 pm

Definitely a few options to consider. I was going to put in a large coal boiler and feed both the house and shop but the money got a little crazy. The shop is 150 feet from the house so the insulated piping made it cost prohibitive. I will talk to my plumber and see if he ever gets any decent oil burner pull outs. Good to have options. Thanks again guys!

japar · Post by **japar** » Sun. Dec. 09, 2012 6:37 pm

I use a 75K BTU kerosine bullet heater in my shop 50X50 does a realy good job except on realy cold days. Works great when new but can get outta adjustment after a few years. I can move it around and heat areas or objects. Get the one with a thermostat so you can set it on low at nite.

grumpy · Post by **grumpy** » Sun. Dec. 09, 2012 6:59 pm

How about a Heat Dawg.

http://www.gasheaterstore.com/Modine_bymfg_8-0-1. ... MgodniYAvQ

Post by **Lightning** » Sun. Dec. 09, 2012 7:03 pm

I know a guy that heats a small apartment with an electric hot water tank and a few base board radiators. I wonder if that would work for you...

McGiever · Post by **McGiever** » Sun. Dec. 09, 2012 8:11 pm

grumpy wrote:How about a Heat Dawg.

http://www.gasheaterstore.com/Modine_bymfg_8-0-1. ... MgodniYAvQ

That kind of money could buy a bunch of underground pex pipe from the AHS boiler out to the workshop/

Post by **franco b** » Sun. Dec. 09, 2012 8:31 pm

Vented heater and can be converted to propane.

http://www.homedepot.com/Building-Materials-Heati ... MU6l-TAeLI

coalnewbie · Post by **coalnewbie** » Sun. Dec. 09, 2012 8:40 pm

I have a 250k top hat propane heater as well that will blast me out of there

My 200K+ propane heaters are connected to two manchester tanks and after about 20 mins they freeze so hard in the winter that the stove is useless. MY 650,000BTU Frostfighter from Canada runs on kerosene and injects heat into the building thru a 20 inch hose. Incredible except it costs about $200 a day to run it. Our barn manager is a pottery fanatic and uses a Godin coal heater when her ovens are not going and that kicks out just fine. Love that coal.