Need some advice on a shop heater

[cnsranch]

(Wanted to make sure my title was comprehensive enough :cool:)

Shops' pretty big - 40x60 - and all I've got is a pellet stove that won't get it.

It gets cold here in the KC area, and I need some power.

Propane or natural gas is out, entire house and shop is electric.

I'm looking at a reddyheater, multi fuel (kerosene, diesel, jet fuel) torpedo heater - 110k to 150k btu per hour.

Can find them used for a reasonable amount, but my question is -

What does a diesel heater that blows like this do to humidity factors - will I have problems with electronics, shop tools, lumber, etc?

Ventilation is not a problem for me, I know ventilation is important to a unit like this.

What say you all?

[Icutone2]

Hello, I have found that using a torpedo heater with diesal fuel that the moisture in the shop is a lot higher and the cast iron will start to sweat and rust. Had to keep wiping things down and past waxing them. That is all I can tell you. hope it helps you decide what to do.
Lee

[rjustice]

Lee,
My Dad and I noticed that we were having severe coughing a few years back, and it took a while to pinpoint what was causing it. He was using the torpedo kerosene heater in his garage. (some people also call them salamanders, or nibco's) and im sure there are a dozen other names for them. His doctor was the one that finally suggested what it could be, and sure enough when he stopped using it and went to a forced air furnace in his garage the coughing stopped. Of course he wasnt happy with this because the torpedo heater was much quicker to heat and you could take the chill off almost instantly, and he went back to it. He found out for sure this was the coughing problem, as it started back up again. I tried out one of the propane versions of the torpedo and it didnt cause the irritation for me. Long story short his Doctor said that the kerosene fumes were not good for you at all. I am sure that diesel would be worse as it is a dirtier version of kerosene. I would suggest staying away from either if it is a ventless type. Especially if you are spending a lot of time in the garage.
If you like oil (which it sounds like you do), perhaps finding a used forced air unit and put a plenum on top with 3 or 4 good size vents on it would work well. This is actually what Dad ended up with, and while it isnt "instant heat" it doesn't take long to warm it up. You dont get the fumes, and it is probably the quickest to heat up of all of the feul sources. You may be able to find a used unit for free if you take it out of the house for someone. That is how Dad got his.
Here is a link from a quick search i did on the kerosene heaters...
http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/Fire/Fire+and+Life+Safety/Kerosene+Heaters+.htm

Hope this helps...

Ron

[jww922]

What Lee said.

I used to be around construction sites quiet often and I've seen the "sweating" problem many times and unless you keep a somewhat moderate temp 24/7 then it will be a problem.

Have you thought about using plastic to divide the shop and decrease your square footage? I did this once in a bigger area than you have with an 18ft. ceiling and it worked quiet well, just a thought.

[Ike]

(Wanted to make sure my title was comprehensive enough :cool:)

Shops' pretty big - 40x60 - and all I've got is a pellet stove that won't get it.

It gets cold here in the KC area, and I need some power.

Propane or natural gas is out, entire house and shop is electric.

I'm looking at a reddyheater, multi fuel (kerosene, diesel, jet fuel) torpedo heater - 110k to 150k btu per hour.

Can find them used for a reasonable amount, but my question is -

What does a diesel heater that blows like this do to humidity factors - will I have problems with electronics, shop tools, lumber, etc?

Ventilation is not a problem for me, I know ventilation is important to a unit like this.

What say you all?

I have a Reddyheater and it works great! I haven't had any issues with humidity so far anyway! I do know diesel burns quicker but is cheaper then kerosene. So how much faster? I am using diesel since it is about $1.50 cheaper where I live.

My shop is half insulated and the front is for my 67 Firebird uninsulated. I used to have a 30' by 40' shop and now a 20' by 30'! Anyway back to the heater I am using it in the front getting ready for a local Christmas craft fair and one day when it snowed I did get condensation. In my shop half it is insulated and I heat it with a wood stove zero condensation.

Is your shop insulated? If so I think the Reddyheater would work great! With that big of shop you may still need to use the pellet stove.


Ike

Just read Ron's post well that changes some factors! I have noticed less smell with the diesel then kerosene. Maybe that is a bad thing? I also have a couple kerosene heaters and used them for years. Maybe you might put a wood stove in the shop big enough to heat a large area?

[want2b]

I agree with everything noted by all the above with reservations. I would have no problem with using the Reddy/Salamander for the occasional quick warm up. Reality is that any 'unvented' heater will leave you with the unburned portion of the product to suck up in your lungs. What price you place on your health and anyone sharing the space is up to you. I tried the 'Kerosun' years ago for my house when oil first went crazy. Didn't bother me a lot for during my first winter, didn't associate the kids having problems with it then, I wasn't home all day. Second winter everybody started getting sick with respiratory issues. Then we went to clean our windows and found an oily film on them and when we started looking realised the walls were coated, saw the obscure spider web was black. Still have the unit for an emergency such a multiple day power outages but will never burn in any area that is reasonably airtight.
My choice would be either oil or propane using a vented system. Found that by looking around you can find a unit that has been removed from a home or a junked mobile home cheap. If you want quick heat then a propane fired Reddy/Salamander type but be sure it has an oxygen depletion safety shut off, can happen quicker than we think in a tight shop. Possibly a combo of a wall mounted vented heater for long term warmth amd a Reddy type when you want to get it warm quick. Northern Tool sells reasonably priced heaters.

Whatever, good luck, keep warm & safe.
Rick H

ps: I have a propane non-vented I use in the early season but use a wood stove for the winter. I made a small all metal shed on the back of my shop and I duct in the heat. Keeps the fire/ash/dirt all ouside and save the space in my shop. Also easier to set up the chimney, no wall flue.

[Woodpecker]

Try the on line look at the 220 electric Fujitsu. I purchased one several years ago for about 4 K installed as it needed a special 220 hook up the electrician cost about $500.00 it works great for 3000 sq ft garage. It is remote controle with various adjustments for heat / cool air flow, direction and all on one small remote control. A local plumber should be available with more info. I can't be more pleased with mine.
Woodpecker let me know what you find. Thx. Ken

[DocWheeler]

I have a question along this line. I want to raise the temperature in an area, like my garage, so that I can use some spray-paint that needs to be about 75 degrees. It is very flammable and I need to avoid breathing the vapors as much as possible (spray and run away!).

Most heaters that I've seen seem like they might ignite the fumes and I don't want my garage to get that big!

[Woodpecker]

See www.hvac@fujitsugeneral.com .
or fujitsugeneral.com

Fujitsu General America, Inc
353 Route 46 w.
Fairfield, NJ. 07004
(973) 575-0380
I would love to attach some photos, my experience or restrictions prohibit me
from adding a copy of some pages from the sales brochure. It has nothing to do with the fact that I don't know what I am doing!!
Woodpecker please confirm receipt.

[rjustice]

I have a question along this line. I want to raise the temperature in an area, like my garage, so that I can use some spray-paint that needs to be about 75 degrees. It is very flammable and I need to avoid breathing the vapors as much as possible (spray and run away!).

Most heaters that I've seen seem like they might ignite the fumes and I don't want my garage to get that big!

Doc,
You are very wise to be concerned with this. If you look at most spray cans they say not to spray near open flames... Most any ready heater, or torpedo heater is exactly that. If the fumes get to the point of being thick enough to ignite, you have a very serious problem on your hands!... always extinguish any open flames before spraying...

Ron

[jww922]

Doc,

In my post above where we used the plastic to divide the space, we were sandblasting and then re-painting a large truck. We had the janitrol natural gas heaters. We would heat the area for a few hours to make sure everything was at room temp then shut the heater and pilot light out, spray, then wait for the fumes to dissipate or sometimes run a fan to help dissipate the fumes then turn the heater back on before the area dropped much in temp.

I don't know how much you have to spray but we just repeated the process until we had the truck done. Hopefully you don't have that much area to spray.

[DocWheeler]

jww922,

I suppose it can wait, but I wanted it for the holidays. It is a tea box, the one I posted the parts of in another post.

I was given a heads-up here on the Forum to use a UV protective coating on my purpleheart to have the color last longer. I found and purchased some spray (rattle) cans but did not get good results, so I read the directions (usually the last resort of course); 70 - 80 degrees is specified.

I had thought of radiant heat panels or something like that but did not want to pay a lot, so I posted here for ideas.

The fumes are bad, and if I just had a small area, I feared that it would not cure/dry nicely if there was not good ventilation.

It really isn't a biggy, I can wait for summer, I just wanted it sooner. I'm thinking of taking it to work on the weekend and doing it in the loading-dock area or something like that (probably still stink up the building).

Thanks for the response.