Replies

1. 
   Mooney | Jan 08, 2004 02:59am | #1

   Only two come to my mind and only one I would buy.

   Propane or kerosene .

   Kerosene because you can add a thermostat , set it and leave it in a house. Before you go home you can top it off and know it will last . Two three point shots . Nothing but net . Propane fails to score.

   The new trend by rednecks is to wire an olf heat strip and fan to a thermostat. Then buy big wire to run from panel or temporary pole. Your problem with that is not enough BTU.

   Heres another three point shot ; Buy the biggest kerosene heater [300,000] , and leave it on thermostat for a week or more if you are trying to protect from freezing, and wont be there . Even for a weekend. 50,000 with a small tank might not last the night.

   Tim Mooney

2. 
   Piffin | Jan 08, 2004 04:23am | #2

   The biggest problem when the floor is already frozen like this is driving the heat DOWN.

   I vote for the torpedo heater ( can be propane or oil on thermostat) because you can take a scrap of sheet metal and shroud the hheat flare to direct it toward the floor and move the unit around every few hours.

   You other priority is to keep a low ceiling height to drive it down.

   We did one once that was abou a 3500SF firehouse with ceiling height up to 12 feet or so. With three burners, and insulated building, it took a week to thaw. But the exterior temps were way below zero.

   You might also need to run the compactor again once the ground is thawed

   .

   Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   scampernatra | Jan 08, 2004 04:28am | #3

   I'm leaning towards the torpedo as well. Thanks for the info

2. 
   Mooney | Jan 08, 2004 06:27am | #4

   I was talking about torpedo.

   I wanted to bring my self up to speed on a difference in our posts . I visited 5 sites for torpedo heaters .

   Biggest propane torpedo is 100,000 btu with manual igniter . A thermostat was never listed .

   Biggest kerosene torpedo is 350,000 with thermostat.

   Who makes an automatic ignition propane torpedo?

   The reason I have this interrest  is because torpedos are necesary in my work and always have been . If they make an atoumatic ignition you could hook it to a 500 gallon tank and get the use of the tank free , plus save more money because  you could buy propane from the distibutor delivered at bulk price. Small tanks are expensive and a lot of hassle as I mentioned above.  

   I will ask the propane distributor for information tomorrow if he knows.

   Tim Mooney

   Edited 1/7/2004 10:28:47 PM ET by Tim Mooney

1. 
   Piffin | Jan 08, 2004 07:29am | #5

   We buy a separate thermostat switch for the torpedo that the cord for the ignitor/fan plugs into. Mine are all kero but I have had subs with propane that do the same.

   IO just dug out the latest Northern Hydraulics sale catalouge flyer #1414. On page 123 I see a "Mr. Heater" propane unit with a fan/ignitor cord so I assume it would operate through the same power supply thermostat. They have 35, 55, and 170,000BTU units..

   Excellence is its own reward!

1. 
   Mooney | Jan 08, 2004 08:02am | #6

   Thanks . Information like that could help on a big job as  I was saying .

   Tim Mooney

2. 
   goldhiller | Jan 08, 2004 06:14pm | #7

   I've got a propane torpedo that's older than dirt. Standing pilot and puts out 160,000 BTU. Siebring. Works real nice and is reliable on a thermostat.

   Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.

1. 
   Mooney | Jan 08, 2004 06:23pm | #8

   Im not a fan of propane torpedos as you already read but I appreciate being set straight, and the readers of this thread.  Just goes to show how much misinformation you can read and that point came from me .  Im down to two three pointers .

   Tim Mooney

1. 
   goldhiller | Jan 08, 2004 10:59pm | #9

   Guess I'm the opposite if given the choice. I'd rather keep company with an LP heater in a more or less enclosed space than a kerosene heater. Less noxious vapors.

   My kerosene torpedo is less initial hassle for those "brief" jobs that only last a few hours and so gets used more frequently in that arena, but if I'm gong to be somewhere for days on end I'll bring the LP job and hook it up to a bulk tank with the hoses I've got. It'll even run on a small tank at -25 but you need to keep the bottle somewhere out in front (at a safe distance) or the tank can't generate enough to keep up. But like you said......too expensive to do that for long. Hook up to a bulk tank and there's never a problem. Don't have to pick up or haul fuel along everyday either.

   I've got an orifice set for this heater too so you can run it on natural gas as well if you want. Adjust the pilot size and away ya go.

   Knowledge is power, but only if applied in a timely fashion.