shop heater

Tdog · Feb 10, 2006

I'm thinking of a Mr. Heater forced air propane heater for my shop. $119 for 30000-55000 BTU, model MN55FAV. Anyone have data on one of these??

Thanks,

Jack

MadDog · Feb 10, 2006

I bought a 75K btu model for my 24x26 barn. If it is about freezing outside, it runs maybe 15-20 min/hour to keep things comfortable. My only criticism is that the thermostat isn't too sensitive; It heats things up too far and if you adjust it so it turns off before that happens, then it lets it get pretty cold before turning on again.

Over all, though, a pretty cost-effective way to take the chill off when your working out there in the winter.

Ken_CT · Feb 11, 2006

I Bought that model about a month ago. TSC price was about $135. It doesn't have a thermostat to turn it on & off, just a flame adjustment. It's a nice unit and it does a very good job. Fuel consumption seems very good also. The only downside is it is a bit noisy. It burns pretty clean and doesn't smell much, but you should have adequate ventilation where you're using it. I bought it for use in the shed, but I have been running it in the basement for a short time before starting some woodworking projects and it takes the chill off nicely.

HGM · Feb 11, 2006

I dont have any infor to add, but I hope you dont mind a question...

When you guys mention prety low consumption, can you elaberate a bit? Do you run it on a 30# can or do you have a larger tank for it? How long between fill-ups? I have been thinnking about adding one myself, but I dont want to fill a 30# tank every week.. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif Just curious, I dont think I'd use it more than the average guy that hangs out working in his shop..

MadDog · Feb 11, 2006

My heater, (a bit larger than Tdog's) has a 5 gal tank built in and burns a bit more than 1/2gal/running hr. It doesn't run anything like continuously, at least in the weather I've used it in so far. When freezing outside, runs about 1/3 of the time.

I keep a 30 gal poly drum of kero (it used to be my deisel fuel station for the tractor until I put in a 275 gal tank) and a hand pump that screws into one of the top bungs. Makes if very quick and easy to top off the heater.

HGM · Feb 11, 2006

I was a little more interested in propane because of the odor. Since yours is kerosene, what do you think? Does it put off any objectionable odors?

I borrowed a turbo heater(looks like a large morter /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif) from a buddie of mine and although it heated my shop beautifully, the odor became prety strong and though I'm told it doesnt produce Co, I didnt like it.. Kerosene may be an option in one like yours though.. Is it vented?

midlf · Feb 11, 2006

It's real difficult to provide comments on fuel consumption. It depends on how cold it is, how windy, how much insulation you have, how big a space you are heating, and how high is your ceiling.

I had a kero heater before my propane. Even with K-1 kero it had some odor. With diesel it downright stunk. With either fuel it was very noisy. Think very small jet engine.

The kero heater could run on a thermostat but it was difficult to regulate the fuel flow to get it to run at reduced heat. The propane had to be manually started so it could not go on a thermostat however I could throttle the flame using the tank valve to reduce heat output. The BTU output required a 40# tank (twice the size of the standard grill tank.)

Both heaters are what we call "torpedo" heaters.

Be sure to provide the ventilation specified in the operation manual. All inside unvented heaters will produce CO if proper ventilation is not provided. I forgot to crack the garage door once. I got very lucky and noticed before it got too bad. I was very careful after that.

Ken_CT · Feb 12, 2006

Mr. Heater states 1.2 - 2.8 lbs. per hr. I haven't used up a 20# tank yet, but that seem like a realistic estimate. There is not much smell, but I wouldn't use it in the living room /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

PineRidge · Feb 13, 2006

We used a torpedo heater hooked up to a make shift thermostat when we were finishing the inside of the pole barn. Man after a day of putting up with the smell and noise it makes me real thankful for the Reznor natural gas unit heater that's installed at this point.

Tdog · Feb 13, 2006

PineRidge - - was that a kerosine or propane torpedo heater?

MadDog · Feb 13, 2006

HGM: Kero does have some odor, but you don't notice it very much after you have been using it for a while. My barn is vented, primarily in order to control condensation. I doubt that it has much affect on odor.

Hope this helps

HGM · Feb 13, 2006

Tdog,
Sorry... I didnt mean to hijack your thread.. I hope you got some info you were looking for out of it, I know I have... Thanks guys..

Tdog · Feb 14, 2006

HGM, not a problem. I wondered about kerosine vs propane too.

I did break down & order that forced air heater - - it was shipped yesterday. It will come just in time for our return to 70 degree weather. Oh well.

Jack

HGM · Feb 15, 2006

Yea, thats what I'm afraid of too..... Though you may have gotten a better deal when it starts to warm and they dont sell... /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

PineRidge · Feb 15, 2006

PineRidge - - was that a kerosene or propane torpedo heater? 

We were using kerosene. Your sense of smell acclimatizes to most any smell over a period of time. I have been in some real bad basements in my younger days and the homeowner never even realized that they had a problem. They had lived with it for so long they didn't even know that it smelled.

That said I could always tell when I walked into any home that burned fuel oil from the odor.

LBrown59 · Feb 17, 2006

( I'm thinking of a Mr. Heater forced air propane heater for my shop. $119 for 30000-55000 BTU, model MN55FAV. Anyone have data on one of these??

Thanks,

Jack )

I wouldn't recommend Mr. Heater to my worst enemy.

I've had 4 of them .
2 of them quit working within a year and couldn't be fixed.
The 3rd one caught on fire twice.
The 4th one I just hooked up a couple of months ago.
It exploded 3 or 4 days ago singeing my hair and eyebrows and would have burned down the building if i hadn't of had a half gallon jug setting close buy that was half filled with water

The things are nothing but a disaster waiting to happen ! ! !

MadDog · Feb 17, 2006

Hot d*mn, LB59, now you've got me worried. I bought one for my barn this winter (75k btu w/ thermostat) and it has been working fine. But I'm sure gonna keep a close eye on it now. But I bought a kero burning model. Hopefully, although it might still cr*p out, it's less of a risk to explode, at least.

SnowRidge · Feb 17, 2006

OK, I've just got to know. What made you buy a fourth, or even a third, if they are that bad?

Was nothing else available?

Inquiring minds and all that.......

Tdog · Feb 17, 2006

Well, LB59, you are too late to stop me. It came in a couple of days ago when the temp was ~~73 degrees. I put it together & fired it up. I'll give it a try in the next couple of days as a new cold front is moving in. And, I'll sure keep an eye on it. Were any of your units still under warranty? Anyone else have similar problems?

Thanks

PineRidge · Feb 17, 2006

Junkman just finished up installing a Mr. Heater in his garage. The burners wouldn't fire for more than a couple of seconds when the heater was fired for the first time. Turns out his had a defective printed circuit board. I wasn't real impressed with what the factory was telling him to check, and it sounded to me like they were going to replace parts one at a time until it was right.

I knew a few old HVAC technicians that worked the very same way, glad they weren't working for me at the time. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

That said I have a Reznor unit heater in our attached garage and an identical Reznor unit heater in our pole barn. Never had a minutes problem with either unit. Reznor makes a quality product.