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Opinion Looking for a.................................................................

Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Looking for about a 125,000 BTU propane forced air heater to use in our garage to make it toastie now & then. We have a 160,000, but it's kerosene, so some people don't like the odor. It doesn't bother me in the least, even if it's on most of the day. However, my clothes will stink when I go home, then I hear about it from that end.

I was looking at a Mr Heater which goes to 125k and it's next to nothing in cost, but I can't find anything much better, until ya get up to $500 and $700. Any opinions out there ?? Also, I cant' seem to figure out how fast I'll go through a 20lb tank. The kerosene holds 11 gallons and will last about a week with intermittent running it.

metallics-mr-heater-propane-heaters-mhc125fav-64_100.jpg


thanks.................. Gino
 
Stacey K

Stacey K

I like making signs
Are you open to having a propane heater like a Hot Dawg? I have one in my garage on the ceiling and we love it. I have a 100# propane tank outside that cost me about $90 to fill. I can get a couple months of a few nights a week and Saturdays set at 65 degrees. I refill it 2 times a winter and then one last time in March or April. 2.5 car garage. My calculations are not very scientific sorry LOL
 
rjssigns

rjssigns

Active Member
Gino said:
Looking for about a 125,000 BTU propane forced air heater to use in our garage to make it toastie now & then. We have a 160,000, but it's kerosene, so some people don't like the odor. It doesn't bother me in the least, even if it's on most of the day. However, my clothes will stink when I go home, then I hear about it from that end.

I was looking at a Mr Heater which goes to 125k and it's next to nothing in cost, but I can't find anything much better, until ya get up to $500 and $700. Any opinions out there ?? Also, I cant' seem to figure out how fast I'll go through a 20lb tank. The kerosene holds 11 gallons and will last about a week with intermittent running it.

metallics-mr-heater-propane-heaters-mhc125fav-64_100.jpg


thanks.................. Gino
Click to expand...
Something else to consider is using the heater you have.
If you want to minimize the smell here are some tips:
Clean or replace the filters. There will be one for the intake and one for the fuel.
Clean the igniter.
Clean the flame sensor lens.
Instead of kero I run mine on ULSD right from the pump. I also add a touch of isopropyl alcohol to keep things clean. Couple ounces in a full tank is enough.
Install pressure gauge on back of motor housing and run pressure at 5.25-5.5psi.

I only run it if it's bitter cold and I need to bring in a vehicle from outside and get it defrosted and warmed up.
When I run it I put the intake end by the back shop door and open the door just a smidge.
Works a treat and very little smell.

Main shop heat is a couple Space-Ray radiant tube heaters. They are incredible and serve double duty. Not only will they heat the shop but if my back is really sore I crank one of them up and stand in front of it. Nothing like the penetrating toasty infrared heat on sore muscles. Yeah I know I'm a weirdo...
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
The shop is all steam heat and is great, absolutely great. It's just the garage area, which is about 2,200 sq ft. There's no insulation out there in the walls or ceiling.....and one gas heater on the ceiling and it's equivalent to a mouse p!ssing in the ocean. It's supposedly around 210,000 BTUs, but sure doesn't feel it. My torpedo heater will have that whole place up to 72º in about 10 minutes and I turn it off after about 1/2 hour. If we're out there long, it's 1/2 hour on, 1/2 hour off, but they still complain about the smell. I have it cleaned once a year, but it's old, real f*ckin' old. I bought it used 30 years ago. It's just not near as efficient as anything out there today. I still could use it to first warm up the place, then use the propane on & off the rest of the time. Also, that's the kinda fuel I use presently. I have about 22 gallons of it right now. Maybe I should just consider a new kerosene and be done with it. Just thought the propane would make others happier.
 
Texas_Signmaker

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
We had one of those heaters at the shop I used to work at and couldn't stand the smell either.. It's like breathing in car exhaust. When it would first start up in the morning I'd point it outside so all the initial smoke would go out. Then I'd turn it around and close the door. They really do warm a large space up very quickly though.
 
rjssigns

rjssigns

Active Member
Gino said:
The shop is all steam heat and is great, absolutely great. It's just the garage area, which is about 2,200 sq ft. There's no insulation out there in the walls or ceiling.....and one gas heater on the ceiling and it's equivalent to a mouse p!ssing in the ocean. It's supposedly around 210,000 BTUs, but sure doesn't feel it. My torpedo heater will have that whole place up to 72º in about 10 minutes and I turn it off after about 1/2 hour. If we're out there long, it's 1/2 hour on, 1/2 hour off, but they still complain about the smell. I have it cleaned once a year, but it's old, real f*ckin' old. I bought it used 30 years ago. It's just not near as efficient as anything out there today. I still could use it to first warm up the place, then use the propane on & off the rest of the time. Also, that's the kinda fuel I use presently. I have about 22 gallons of it right now. Maybe I should just consider a new kerosene and be done with it. Just thought the propane would make others happier.
Click to expand...
Get ya self one or two of these: https://spaceray.com/lts-series/
Can't go wrong. Sealed, explosion proof combustion which is important. I use mine to cure paint or "cook" vinyl onto vehicles/panels.
I have two of the small units in the shop. Maintenance consists of taking the leaf blower to the tubes/reflectors before I turn them on for the season.
May even be an energy credit form your local utility.
Always funny to see the look on someones face after they ask how I heat the shop and I tell 'em Space-Ray.
 
Notarealsignguy

Notarealsignguy

Arial - it's almost helvetica
We have that same heater, it may be in my head but it seems to heat the space a lot faster than our bigger diesel ones.
 
gnubler

gnubler

Active Member
You just used up the annual quota of ellipses...again. No more for you, and just "put a sweater on" as our moms used to say.
 
Texas_Signmaker

Texas_Signmaker

Very Active Signmaker
rjssigns said:
Get ya self one or two of these: https://spaceray.com/lts-series/
Can't go wrong. Sealed, explosion proof combustion which is important. I use mine to cure paint or "cook" vinyl onto vehicles/panels.
I have two of the small units in the shop. Maintenance consists of taking the leaf blower to the tubes/reflectors before I turn them on for the season.
May even be an energy credit form your local utility.
Always funny to see the look on someones face after they ask how I heat the shop and I tell 'em Space-Ray.
Click to expand...
Those are great. I've worked in shops / bays where they have them and they put out TONS of heat.
 
Gino

Gino

Premium Subscriber
Well, we ended up getting a 210,000 btu model, but it runs on kerosene. It's 60 years newer than the old one and runs quiet and so far, no real smell at all. Of course, it's new, but til you get all the crap ya need to run the smaller one, it was much cheaper to get the big one and be done with it. It's not cold out there this morning, about 50ish, but the garage is toastie after only a few minutes.

Thanks all for your input. Besides, the wife told me to go for the bigger one....... she's always saying that.
 
rjssigns

rjssigns

Active Member
Gino said:
Well, we ended up getting a 210,000 btu model, but it runs on kerosene. It's 60 years newer than the old one and runs quiet and so far, no real smell at all. Of course, it's new, but til you get all the crap ya need to run the smaller one, it was much cheaper to get the big one and be done with it. It's not cold out there this morning, about 50ish, but the garage is toastie after only a few minutes.

Thanks all for your input. Besides, the wife told me to go for the bigger one....... she's always saying that.
Click to expand...
If it runs on kero it should run on ULSD(ultra low sulfur diesel) The heater I have is ancient and was supposed to be kero only but that got stupid expensive. About that time ULSD hit the market so I gave it a try and been running it ever since. YMMV.
 
McDonald Signs

McDonald Signs

McDonald Signs & Graphics
We use 2 infrared heaters mounted up in the ceiling of my shop where I letter trucks hooked up to natural gas. They heat up my 30ft x 40ft truck bay in about 10 minutes.
We only use them while we have a truck in there so gas bill is not bad at all. Have them hooked up to a light switch and just flip them on/off when needed.
They are pricey though to install though but well worth it.
Got tired of smelling diesel fuel or kerosene on the floor type heaters.
 
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