Shop Heater won't run

[kennyd]

A few things come to mind here:

1) According to the specs, it is supposed to have a 100lb tank or bigger. THIS is your heater correct?

2) I assume the regulator you are using is for a grill? That will NOT work. You need one for an appliance set to 11"WC. And you need a Manometer to set that. They can be made for next to nothing if you search, mine is made from clear tubing mounted on a board and filled with water and food coloring.

Here are some references:

Propane101
Regulator Facts


I don't mean to sound like a butt head, but you need to get professional help. Gas is not something to practice on.

 

[tommu56]

I had an issue with the propane at my cabin I bought a plo fitting with some sort a excess flow thing in it it was for a grill and it kept shutting off.
I got one with out the thing in it and it worked fine.

tom

 

[DanD78]

I am no expert but what I have learned is from a friend in the propane business. A "U" tube Manometer will tell you if your pressure is correct. Once you get the hose off the regulator hooked to your manometer measure the difference between the high water and low water levels and that is your inches of pressure. Just a friction fit from hose to hose is good enough.

I would call for local help. You may need a two stage regulator. For my house I have one regulator at the tank and another at the house. You can get two stage regulators built in to one unit like used on campers.

The PLO that Tom talked about is a type of two stage set up. The orfice in the PLO fitting gives a pressure drop so the regulator can control better.

The Propane 101 link Kenny put up is a great resoruce.




  »   » Manometer

 

[DaveOmak]

Horsebroke,

This may have been previously mentioned but here goes. The new OPD propane tanks have a device in the valve or somewhere that will stop the propane flow if vented to atmosphere. Try opening the tank with it disconnected. Outside of course. If there is no propane flow the tank system is working as designed.
Connect the tank to your heater. Turn off the heater so no propane will flow to it. Crack the valve on the tank. Turn off the tank. Crack the valve on the tank. During this procedure the safety valve should reset so propane will flow as normal.
I bought a weed burner and had this problem. Some days it would light and other days it wouldn't. It is important that the hose etc. between the tank and your device is fully charged with pressure so the tank "knows" it is not venting to the atmosphere.
These new safety devices can be frustrating at times to say the least.
Hope that helps. Dave

 

[dave1949]

Horsebroke,

This may have been previously mentioned but here goes. The new OPD propane tanks have a device in the valve or somewhere that will stop the propane flow if vented to atmosphere. Try opening the tank with it disconnected. Outside of course. If there is no propane flow the tank system is working as designed.
Connect the tank to your heater. Turn off the heater so no propane will flow to it. Crack the valve on the tank. Turn off the tank. Crack the valve on the tank. During this procedure the safety valve should reset so propane will flow as normal.
I bought a weed burner and had this problem. Some days it would light and other days it wouldn't. It is important that the hose etc. between the tank and your device is fully charged with pressure so the tank "knows" it is not venting to the atmosphere.
These new safety devices can be frustrating at times to say the least.
Hope that helps. Dave

That's the doohickey I was thinking of in my earlier post, except I thought it was part of the regulator. It is in the OPD valve. They have made them so safe they almost work. The regulators must be in a state of bureaucratic nirvana.
Dave.

 

[DaveOmak]

Dave, It is the governments job to protect us. I don't think so!!!! Little do they know???

Dave

 

[horsebroke]

OK - Thanks to all who have replied and offered their suggestions. I finally found a number and called ProCom technical support (1-877-886-5989).

What I found kinda shocked me: This unit REQUIRES a 100 lb or larger Propane Tank!. The pressure from the BarBQue size tank is TOO LOW..

I purchased this from Northern Tool - and before I purchased it, I read all the reviews in detail - and several talked about how good the ProCom was, and how they used it with their barbcue tank and it was simple and reliable, etc.

WRONG!! ProCom tech support says it needs the high pressure feed, with a 2-stage regulator. ARGH. So my $199 heater will now cost an additional $130+ for the tank (empty), plus $60+ for the regulator!!.. NO WAY.

I've seen these issues before at various supplier's web sites - where they quote someone's evaluation/rating on the product - but the ratings get grouped together for a whole range of products - and don't necessarily apply to the specific model you're looking at. I think this is the case here. ProCom makes lots of different propane heater models, and I assume Northern Tool groups the ratings comments together for all of them.. Northern Tool's website doesn't mention anything about the 100Lb tank or external regulator requirement for this particular model.

Anyway - it's misleading. I'm going to try to return this heater for credit. And the 2 regulators, and the fan, and the plastic feet (believe it or not - the plastic screw-on feet cost $20!!).

Thanks for all your help. It was all a big waste of time and $$.
Call me disgruntled/unhappy with Northern Tool!! (or maybe stronger words?)

 

[dave1949]

OK - Thanks to all who have replied and offered their suggestions. I finally found a number and called ProCom technical support (1-877-886-5989).

What I found kinda shocked me: This unit REQUIRES a 100 lb or larger Propane Tank!. The pressure from the BarBQue size tank is TOO LOW..

I purchased this from Northern Tool - and before I purchased it, I read all the reviews in detail - and several talked about how good the ProCom was, and how they used it with their barbcue tank and it was simple and reliable, etc.

WRONG!! ProCom tech support says it needs the high pressure feed, with a 2-stage regulator. ARGH. So my $199 heater will now cost an additional $130+ for the tank (empty), plus $60+ for the regulator!!.. NO WAY.

I've seen these issues before at various supplier's web sites - where they quote someone's evaluation/rating on the product - but the ratings get grouped together for a whole range of products - and don't necessarily apply to the specific model you're looking at. I think this is the case here. ProCom makes lots of different propane heater models, and I assume Northern Tool groups the ratings comments together for all of them.. Northern Tool's website doesn't mention anything about the 100Lb tank or external regulator requirement for this particular model.

Anyway - it's misleading. I'm going to try to return this heater for credit. And the 2 regulators, and the fan, and the plastic feet (believe it or not - the plastic screw-on feet cost $20!!).

Thanks for all your help. It was all a big waste of time and $$.
Call me disgruntled/unhappy with Northern Tool!! (or maybe stronger words?)

Well good, you got to the heart of the matter. Sorry that didn't turn out to be the heater you wanted. Hopefully they will take it back. It sure doesn't mention that stuff on NT's web page for that heater. I think you have a legitimate gripe.
Dave.

 

[powerstroke444e]

What kind of gas do you have @ your house??? If you hired a pro they could hook it to you homes lp tank or to the natural gas hookup.

 

[tommu56]

The problem with the 20's is surface area you could put 2 0r 3 in parallel to the regulator to increase the surface area for the vapor to come off

I had to use 3 100 lb cylinders at my cabin in cold weather to have enough surface area to make gas from the liquid.

tom