Air forced turbo heater/ salamander

[diesel lover]

Totally would love to purchase one. There is an old one i borrow but its something I need to purchase. I'm pretty stuck on a diesel fueled/ kerosene heater because I can easily drive a mile and get either diesel or kerosene plus it is something I readily will have for my tractor. Don't get me wrong propane is not a big deal either really as long as I had two tanks. Fill both at the same time/ empty one and switch to the other. Today's diesel salamanders are quite clean!!

Are any of the lower cost ones worth the money? I have seen some diesel/ kero units at lower cost from oreilly auto parts but I just don't know if they last.

I would easily go right in Craigslist and buy one but I'm not sure I can trust people or a used salamander.

I'm young but I'm not stupid. Although I grew up in some cold temperatures I don't force myself to work in colder temperatures than needed!!! It's too hard on my hands. I like to repair my truck in a warmer area.

Right now I'm using a neighbors garage. It would be nice to have a portable/ heated unit.

Indoors kerosene radiant heaters are nice but they only maintain a temperature, they don't heat up areas very fast like a small garage. They are 23,000 btu. The salamander I would like to get would be a 45,000 to 100,000. It would still be pretty decent on fuel.

Like I said I don't own a garage right now so portable heater would be nice for unexpected repairs under 200$

 

[mjonesnh]

Tractor Supply has a 75,000 btu on sale now for 179.99. Brand is Master Heater. Have one like for 2 years. Has been trouble free, Run on diesel, kero, jet fuel. Have been very happy with mine!

 

[hawkeye08]

Years ago, I bought a salamander heater and wired a thermostat in the garage to keep it at 70 degrees when I was working in the garage.

 

[deerseeker001]

I have both fuel oil and propane heaters.I use the LP one more because you don't have strong fumes

 

[grsthegreat]

i have two 220,000 btu (if i remember correctly) salamander heaters running on diesel. I use them to heat up outbuildings to get snow to fall off of metal roofs. They can also burn kerosene, but just look at the price of kerosene and youll see why i burn diesel.

they smell awful when being used, but these are storage buildings and barns.

occasionally i use one to take the chill off of the shop for 10-15 minutes for quick repair work. doors are up. if im intending to use shop for longer, i use the propane shop heater.

I got my units at lowes 5 years ago. have been trouble free

 

[nybirdman]

Propane will have "less"fumes but fumes no less.Not a great source of heat for a small area...better than the cold.

 

[BobRip]

Is carbon monoxide a problem with these. I suspect it could be and suggest you get a monitor. Sorry for the thread hijack. Now back to our regularly scheduled thread.

 

[grsthegreat]

Is carbon monoxide a problem with these. I suspect it could be and suggest you get a monitor. Sorry for the thread hijack. Now back to our regularly scheduled thread.

im sure it could be, but doors are open so not a concern. look at all the home depots that use propane and diesel forklifts inside. i wouldnt want to be closed up with it thats for sure

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

Carbon monoxide is not a problem with diesel fuel. Not that to much of the fumes won't make you sick but they do not create carbon monoxide.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Those things are always available on Craigs list. That's where I got mine years ago. Maybe not so much with the winter we have been having.

Mine ran OK for years although now it has a problem that I have not been able to get a handle on. It keeps flaming out. I checked the filter and the pressure and it was OK.

I always winced whenever I had to shell out the money for Kerosene. Those things love to drink the fuel. At least mine did.

A friend has a VAL 6 Diesel Infrared heater. They are hellishly expensive but AMAZING! I have been trying to find one cheap. I walked into his place yesterday, a HUGE unheated shop with high ceilings and full of hundreds upon hundreds of tons of steel. There was a sensation of warmth coming through the door and I would not have imagined that possible!

They do suggest proper venilation with the kerosene heaters.

 

[farmer2009]

I have a Mr. Heater brand. It's multi-fuel. 125,000 btu. Burn rate on k-1 is .96 gal/ hour. Better on diesel. No strong smell on diesel and has built in thermostat. It's on its 5th winter and all I have had to do is cut the ends off the fuel lines as they split on the hose barbs next time I will have to replace the fuel lines. But that was this winter and had a lot of K-1 run through it as I just switched to deisel this year.

 

[Industrial Toys]

What's the difference between running the two fuels? I have never seen one of those that runs on Diesel. I don't feel the cost as much if I use my bulk diesel but do when I gotta fork over the money for K-1.

I have a steam genny that also runs on K-1. Would love to see that on Diesel as well.

 

[farmer2009]

Diesel has more btu's per gallon. Not suppose to burn as clean though. My heater says k-1 but also says it's tested for multi fuel but recommended on k-1. Also has a fuel pressure gauge and adjustment screw. There maybe more differences.

 

[jel1988]

I have an old propane unit, no tags, no idea how old the unit is. It was used when I bought it 25 years ago. I don't know how many BTU's but we used to use it to heat work sites in the fall and winter. It would heat a 1000 sq/ft house to tropical temperatures in less than a half an hour. We once tented in a concrete garage slab at -40 and kept it at room temperature for a couple days to cure. At full throttle it would burn 100 lb tank every 8 hours, we would normally cut her back and get 24 hours out of the same tank. This unit is about 4' long and 12" in diameter, unless your heating a large area find something about 1/2 this size.

 

[grsthegreat]

mine says diesel or kerosene on the fuel tank. works with either.

 

[diesel lover]

What's the difference between running the two fuels? I have never seen one of those that runs on Diesel. I don't feel the cost as much if I use my bulk diesel but do when I gotta fork over the money for K-1. I have a steam genny that also runs on K-1. Would love to see that on Diesel as well.

Hey industrial! If a unit is designed to burn diesel it will burn it as well as kerosene and also just as clean.

Do not burn diesel in a unit that is not designed for it. My friends is not so I only burn kerosene. Diesel can clog up a heater that's only designed for the kero. Here kerosene is 4.30$ Per gallon while diesel is 3.80$ or so. I keep kerosene sometimes for starting fires and such but most of the time I keep diesel as it is very easy to get at the pump and also can be used in Diesel engines more readily .

On the heater itself it says it can burn #1 fuel oil but my friend asked me not to, he said to only burn kerosene as it will stay cleaner this way.

I kept thinking about buying a mr heater portable buddy but I'm not sure about that right now. At a max of 9,000 btu and propane bottles at 3$ per gallon it's pretty outrageous. My dad and I have refilled 1 pound bottles for years off a bulk tank but I still like the kerosene and diesel units. I have read more than once the propane units are less costly to run.

This heater would pay for itself as right now I'm trying to buy a house but do not own right now. Buying fuel is still much cheaper than taking anything to the shop. I service my own stuff and it sure pays off and gives me a large sense of accomplishment !!

 

[aczlan]

What's the difference between running the two fuels? I have never seen one of those that runs on Diesel. I don't feel the cost as much if I use my bulk diesel but do when I gotta fork over the money for K-1.
I have a steam genny that also runs on K-1. Would love to see that on Diesel as well.

We have one, its a Master brand from TSC (this one: Master® Kerosene/Diesel Forced Air Heater, 75,000 BTU - Tractor Supply Co. ). Running it on Diesel gives me a headache in 30 mins of running. K1 I am good for ~90 mins, then its warm enough to not be worth the smell. It takes ~4 gallons per 24 hours to keep our uninsulated shop at 65F when its in the mid teens outside (as I found when I left it on overnight).

Aaron Z

 

[diesel lover]

Is carbon monoxide a problem with these. I suspect it could be and suggest you get a monitor. Sorry for the thread hijack. Now back to our regularly scheduled thread.

Carbon monoxide could be a problem. Never a bad time to have a carbon monoxide detector in your garage.

After working with propane forklifts and running them inside a 20 foot by 20 foot shop even if the exhaust is "cleaner" I would not suggest running them long behind closed doors! They can still make you sick. Same goes for me on any salamander or any heater. Be careful within your own safety limits. I only use a salamander to jump start the temperatures, then I run them and shut them off as needed. Of course if the door is open or I am forced to work outside I will keep it running

 

[diesel lover]

I grew up in a 20x 25 foot garage. We had one of these radiant heaters that attach directly to the top of a propane tank.
http://www.menards.com/main/heating...heater-certified-tank-to/p-2189027-c-6863.htm
They work well and will not heat up an area extremely fast, but for what I'm doing it seems like a better choice till I have funds to buy a higher quality air forced or other heater.

This could also be used in a power out to heat the house. I grew up with one so I know there are not the strongest but they certainly do help behind closed doors!

I could get one of the dual head units

 

[hr3]

Carbon monoxide is not a problem with diesel fuel. Not that to much of the fumes won't make you sick but they do not create carbon monoxide.

Say What ????