Hot Rods Portable propane heater for the shop question

I have a portable torpeado propane heater for the shop it was acting up last season {it was getting hard to light} .This season I couldn't get it to light at all. I gort a new tank of propane and nuttin. I replaced the regulater and blew out the gas line .It looked like a little dirt came out. I got it lit but it doesnr seem to be throwing our the heat it did last year. I used to control the heat by regulatering the valve on the propane tank.Any ideas? Thanks.Bruce.

 

How does the flame pattern look when lit. I find the holes in the part where the gas comes out plug up. Gary

 

I hate to tell you this, but if it were mine I would replace it or have it checked by someone who services them.
Carbon monoxide is deadly!
When you use a heater of that type you should have a CO detector in the shop to be safe.
I worked construction for a long time and was overcome by CO because of a propane space heater being used in a building we were working in!
I STILL GET MIGRAIN HEADACHES TO THIS DAY BECAUSE OF IT!
KK

 

I finally junked the torpedo heater after it started acting up.

I bit the bullet and installed a heat pump in my shop,,worth every penny. HRP

 

I would get rid of that thing and get a safe means of heating the shop or garage installed.
As you know it's cold here in Alberta and last winter we had 3 people die in 2 separate garage fires caused by these type of heaters.
One was a fire that happened as they were trying to drain the fuel from a gas tank to change a fuel pump.
They died in the resulting fire, probably trapped in the garage.

I installed a radiant tube heater in my garage, it takes in combustion air from outside, and has no standing pilot light.
It has electronic ignition and is safe because it is a closed system not affected by any fumes that are in the garage.
It is also safe for CO as it exhausts to the outside as well.

 

I would think for the price for a new one it would be a no brainer.

 

In my opinion any heater with an open flame is a bad idea for an auto garage.

 

Hey Bruce. Love your wagon posts by the way.......but hey.....you do live in Tennessee......and this just comes from the heart in regards to where my family origins come from......not too far away from you......Allegheny regions. Those torpedo heaters are sometimes scary to use. Any type of open/non ducted gaseous heater is.

Anyways......hey.... have you any issues with an open hearth wood/coal burning stove ? That was always our go to choice in those parts for shop use. Plenty of downed lumber available, and once the fire is hot enough.....coal is a great "also ran".....burns hot, and clean when used at higher stove temps. The pipe jack on the roof, or side exit is reasonably cheap and easy to do......and with a heavy gauge constructed steel or chimney bricked stove...it will throw a hell of a lot of heat.....especially if furnace blown.....with some sort of electrical motor used.

No intention to go off your thread, I use those torpedos for open air heating.....enclosed spaces can really ruin someone's day. Doesn't matter how many times turned out fine before.....it's those last day used moments that change everything. Just be careful no matter what you do.

My apologies if offense taken....I'm just a construction guy.....that have purchased a few of those torpedo propane heaters. I had some sheet rock work done, and use them for mud curing in cold weather....there was no one in the home at the time. In any event, sheet rockers here.....aren't always used to cold weather construction.

I answered a call from a supervisor saying he was going to fire one of my crews for being "drunk and sleeping". Needless to say, there was not a can or bottle in sight, and am very thankful for being disturbed by an ignorant supervisor. My company would have buried some people on that job. To this day, I call time out.....and do my best to lecture every person on site when the torpedoes come in.

There's my two cents.......worth more then a dollar for anyone that listens. I can't believe how old I sound with these type of posts.......but I surely do. 43 and still kicking ! Be safe my friend, and keep cruising your wagon. That thing is way cool !

 

Well said kidcampbell. I used one on kerosene for along time. I also had some muratic acid in the same garage. A friend came by on day opened my side door and slamed it. He opened again and hit the door opener. He could not breath in the garage I had been in there for a couple of hours. Amazing what fresh air really smells like. The acid in the room was leaking vapor in the room also. My cars stainless and my tools rusted. Sure glad he dropped by.

 

For a permanent propane heater in your garage, install a direct vent wall furnace. Much safer, and you can leave it on all the time with the remote thermostat set low (I leave mine at 50* then crank it up when I'm in the garage).

 

since you did get it to light , the thermocouple is probably ok. is there a standing pilot light? electronic ignition? my guess is the jets may be dirty

but as others have said , i wouldn't use one of those unvented torpedo heaters

 

Roadster, thanks for the tip I will check it out.Thanks Bruce.

 

Thanks kool kat .I do have one in the shop for that but thanks.Bruce.

 

325W your damn lucky you didn't have pulmanary edema or suficate as thats hydrogen chloride vapors and burning them only concentrates them , they burn the chlorine in a flame ( one reason why not to use chlorinated brake clean near a burner type furnace as it produces a phosgene like gas )

 

36-3window It has an electric start like on a gas grill.Thanks Bruce.

 

I have one of those.(propane heater) I had to take it and get it cleaned out due to dirt dobbers. It now runs fine. but for what its worth I also have wood heater. Go down in the Morning, start propane to knock out chill, while lighting the wood heater. go back down in about 30-45 min kill the propane, stay warm with the wood. Bottom line carry it and get it repaired. Wrap it up good for storage, burn on wide open toward end of season to burn deposits off.Bruce don't play with it! From one Bruce to another.

 

Now I know for sure why I will be moving to south central Florida next year. Any type of heat with an open flame in a garage scares the hell out of me. At least in FL I don't have to worry about the AC killing me.
Good informative post though.

 

I used a torpedo kerosene heater for years and about 4 years bought a hanging gas heater fro the garage from the local Menards Store. That was the best thing I ever did to the garage after insulating and installing drywall. Now I can work in comfort, and don't have the smell of the torpedo heater

 

I use a convection heater in my shop. I have to keep turning o it off because the shop gets too warm.

But in answer to your question even a torpedo heater has a damper make sure that the damper is adjusted correctly.

 

I bought one of these from Mow to much, here on the hamb and I use mine a lot. It does suck the propane though.
https://www.google.com/shopping/pro...Xg&ei=e-5sVKuBCLiJsQTj1IGQDQ&ved=0CPgCEKYrMA0

 

Roadmaster.I took everything apart and clean everything and seems to work fine now .Thanks.Bruce.

 

I cleaned everything out and it works fine now.Thanks.Bruce.

 

Thanks for all the help on the propane heater.I just have an 1 car over sized garage not a big shop.It has a P Tack unit in the wall with heat and air cond, but when it gets down to around 12 degrees like it did here this morning, I just use the propane heater to take the chill out of the garage and then shut it off. I cleaned every thing like some of you said and she seems to work fine now . It will be warming up the rest of the week so I wont need the propane heater .Again thanks to you all. Bruce.

 

Bruce thanks and I am glad it worked! Stay safe, Gary