Shop heater suggestions...which fuel?

[bkuhn]

I'm looking for a heater this winter to heat a shop (36x24). Right now I have a woodstove in it which works great on days when I know I'll be working all day (i zip out in the morning and give it a few hour head start). But for those evenings when I'm just there for an hour or two it seems like it just starts be warm up about the time I'm packing it in for the night. So what I'd like would be something that will heat it up quickly, but will only be used a few hours at a time at most.

I think I'm down to two options (links included below). I was thinking I'd go with one of these propane forced air heaters but ran across a diesel/kerosene version tonight and it got me thinking. Diesel is appealing since I have a large tank of that on the property for vehicles/tractors. But I wondered if there is an odor as it burns? Have not experience with any of these units (propane or diesel/kerosene) and would love to hear any input on the pros/cons. Again, in my situation it will be used a few hours at a times, probably a few times a week in a workshop (24x36).

I was suprised to see that the diesel version was actually a little less expensive and had a significantly higher heating capacity.

Propane - Universal Lock-Out Tool Set | Lock Out Tools | Northern Tool + Equipment 8674_200178674

Diesel/Kerosene - Item# 45604 Sold Out | Northern Tool + Equipment 8951_200338951

Thanks for the input!
Brad

 

[scesnick]

I think your links are wrong. But, I used to use a Salamander heater and i burned diesel in it. It doesn't smell all that bad but is very loud. I have since put a multifuel ( coal /wood/oil ) boiler in my garage that heats my house , so, I also hooked up a hydronic shop heater to it. it workds great.

 

[Willl]

Infrared Heaters

 

[bkuhn]

Sure enough, seems like I did something wrong when I pasted those links in. Let me try again...

Diesel
All-Pro Kerosene/Diesel Forced Air Heater 70,000 BTU, Thermostat, Model# PK70T | Diesel | Northern Tool + Equipment

or Propane
Mr. Heater Portable Propane Forced Air Heater 30,000 - 55,000 BTU, Model# MH55FAV | Heaters | Northern Tool + Equipment

Thanks!
Brad

 

[scesnick]

Yep, that is what I used to use. they work well but are fairly noisy. I ran offroad diesel in mine with no problems at all.

 

[jinman]

Those turbo heaters are great. They provide instant heat and are easily directed where you need them. They are very noisy and do put out a bit of carbon monoxide, so they are best used in a very open area or outside. To heat up your shop quickly, they would certainly work. Then, if you had a different quieter/cleaner heater to maintain the heat, you'd have the perfect solution.

My turbo heater has wheels and is 120,000 btu. It will make a garage "toasty" in a short while. I think you are on the right track. I also have a kerosene heater like this:

kerosene heater around $125

I was shocked to find the turbo heater on Amazon was over $400. I paid less than $200 for mine, but that was over 10 years ago.

 

[gordon21]

Could various waste oils (motor, hydraulic, ATF) be mixed in with the diesel in those jet engine type floor models? Something like 20% used oil to 80% fresh diesel? I can see the problem with using cruddy oil with a tractor engine with delicate injectors, but what type of fuel delivery system do those heaters use? Would they tolerate waste oil?

 

[SnowRidge]

Playing with numbers....

Okay, that heater is 70,000 BTU and burns slightly more than 1/2 gal an hour. Assuming off road diesel at $2.50, and a burn rate of .6 gallon/hr, it will cost $1.50 an hour to heat your shop with it going full tilt

70,000 BTU is 20.5 KW, so if your electric rate was $.073/KWh, costs would be equal, and you could use an electric heater with no fume or moisture issues.

A small heat pump could provide both cooling and heating and would cost even less to heat with in moderate temps. Window models are available. A through the wall motel unit might also be something to consider.

Food for thought.

 

[anojones]

A small heat pump could provide both cooling and heating and would cost even less to heat with in moderate temps. Window models are available. A through the wall motel unit might also be something to consider.

Food for thought.

This is what we are doing in our shop/studio. We are working on two finished areas, a studio space for my wife and a shop and have the thru the wall PTAC units for both. I haven't had a chance to try them out yet (still working on the place), but they should be fine for cooling, but don't have the BTU output of a fuel burning heater (propane/diesel/keronsene)- so if you want to go from 0-70F it may take awhile. They should be fairly quiet as well, but do have a fan/condenser in the wall so will make noise like any window unit. They are also expensive. This should work well in the studio which has a bath and will need some amount of heat year round to keep the plumbing from freezing, and the space will be clean (no dust). However, with the dust in the shop and not needing it heated all the time I probably would do it differently with a heater and maybe a window unit to cool only.

 

[Cottonhawk]

The All-Pro diesel forced air heater looks good to me. I just ordered one from Northern Tool.

 

[DieselPower]

Could various waste oils (motor, hydraulic, ATF) be mixed in with the diesel in those jet engine type floor models? Something like 20% used oil to 80% fresh diesel? I can see the problem with using cruddy oil with a tractor engine with delicate injectors, but what type of fuel delivery system do those heaters use? Would they tolerate waste oil?

I wouldn't even want to imagine how much smoke that would generate not to mention how fast it would fowl out the injector. Probably not a good idea.

 

[Rara Avis]

Clean Burn Reliable Waste Oil Heater Waste Oil Furnace & Used Oil Recycling Center

 

[MrWiggles2]

Those turbo heaters are great. They provide instant heat and are easily directed where you need them. They are very noisy and do put out a bit of carbon monoxide, so they are best used in a very open area or outside. To heat up your shop quickly, they would certainly work. Then, if you had a different quieter/cleaner heater to maintain the heat, you'd have the perfect solution.

My turbo heater has wheels and is 120,000 btu. It will make a garage "toasty" in a short while. I think you are on the right track. I also have a kerosene heater like this:

kerosene heater around $125

I was shocked to find the turbo heater on Amazon was over $400. I paid less than $200 for mine, but that was over 10 years ago.

That is what I use as well, but for the garage. Its a two car and it does a great job. Tall ceilings too, I'll start it up early and after a couple hours my cold garage is warming. After 5 hours its warmer than my house.

 

[Pilot]

Brad,

I use propane, but didn't price the kerosene or diesel kind. My 22X32 insulated garage heats up 10 degrees in a half hour with a 35,000 BTU unit, the jet engine style. Noisy. For the carbon monoxide, when the garage is warm, I shut off the heat and open the garage door for 30 seconds or so, depending on the wind, then close it up. Feels cold at first, but warms up again in a few minutes.

You might want to consider some kind of radiant heat so you heat you, not try to heat the whole shop.

I tried one of those little 8K BTU heaters that doesn't put out CO & it was worthless. They do make 35K BTU units; Northern carries them.

If you go for the diesel kind, I presume you know you can get off road diesel at Fisher's Mill and save a few cents.

I'm only a couple miles away from you on Springwater just off Hwy 211. Look me up in the phone book & stop by sometime.

Richard Scott

 

[ToadHill]

Hot air I blow on my hands. No heater I'm just glad to get in out of the wind.

 

[Skyco]

Could various waste oils (motor, hydraulic, ATF) be mixed in with the diesel in those jet engine type floor models? Something like 20% used oil to 80% fresh diesel? I can see the problem with using cruddy oil with a tractor engine with delicate injectors, but what type of fuel delivery system do those heaters use? Would they tolerate waste oil?

Since used motor oil is known carcinogen and contains heavy metals I sure wouldn't want to breathe combustion products from it Now if the combustion process was sealed off from the hot air like the used motor oil furnaces, then just your neighbors have to breathe it

 

[smitesmash]

you can check aroudn craigslist for a used diesel heater. there are a lot of rather new heaters that are being replaced for nat gas or heat pumps.

I saw one the other day that was 3 or 4 years old, and the were selling it for $150 or so. and there were some older shop heaters that people were giving away.

BTW diesel heaters still have injectors, and can still get clogged up.