Kerosene vs propane heaters

[rix313]

I have a propane heater in my workshop and it strike me as being expensive and inefficient. Does any one have any experience/comparison to the diesel/kerosene heaters available out there?

[flybynite]

I have a propane heater in my workshop and it strike me as being expensive and inefficient. Does any one have any experience/comparison to the diesel/kerosene heaters available out there?

If you can run them on paraffin they are OK but it is getting harder to get in reasonable quantities. If you run them on diesel they can be a bit smokey, and they can leave a bit of an oily residue on everything. A real PITA if you are painting something. Run for ages on a tank though

Propane do burn cleaner but you go through propane quite quick.

In a big shed like yours I would probably look at getting an infra red heater. Heats you and the car not all the air in the shed

[rix313]

Cheers for the reply! The thing is I noticed it was quite damp in there yesterday and after having the propane burner on it did (albeit I know temporarily) dry out so something pumping out fire is preferable. But I get what you’re saying, I’m more heating the roof space lol.

[Brianmoooore]

I can run a propane heater directly from my car. Another advantage of LPG powered cars!
Running a kerosene heater on heating oil should be possible if kerosene/paraffin is proving difficult to obtain.

[flybynite]

Running a kerosene heater on heating oil should be possible if kerosene/paraffin is proving difficult to obtain.

You can but the low-sulphur stuff doesn't burn any better than diesel. If you get the better 28 second oil it has a really high sulphur content and gets your throat, still doesn't burn as well paraffin.

If you get proper paraffin (not someone flogging cheap heating oil from a big tank) they burn almost as clean as propane when running just you always get a bit of a smell on startup / shutdown.

[DanThe]

The only downside to propane is the exhaust gas contains water which makes your workshop damp, I have a similar problem and usually just run the heater for less time to reduce the damp. A burner with a flue vented outside would be ideal, waste oil heaters are ok but take ages to heat a reasonable area, nowhere near as quick as a space heater

[Brianmoooore]

Running a kerosene heater on heating oil should be possible if kerosene/paraffin is proving difficult to obtain.

You can but the low-sulphur stuff doesn't burn any better than diesel. If you get the better 28 second oil it has a really high sulphur content and gets your throat, still doesn't burn as well paraffin.

If you get proper paraffin (not someone flogging cheap heating oil from a big tank) they burn almost as clean as propane when running just you always get a bit of a smell on startup / shutdown.

Ordinary heating oil is 28 sec - I've just bought 4500 litres of the stuff!
The sulphur content was dramatically reduced by legislation a few years ago, resulting in the accelerated demise of the oil pumps in many heating boilers. The new pumps always came with a label saying they were suitable for use with the low sulphur oil.

[Satan]

Mate only has a small heater hooked up but burns waste oil that is drip fed, may not be ecologically sound but at least its a way to dispose of the old oil from oil changes.

[flybynite]

Mate only has a small heater hooked up but burns waste oil that is drip fed, may not be ecologically sound but at least its a way to dispose of the old oil from oil changes.

Trouble is they have pretty much been banned by EU regs. You can't even get the Chinese import jobs now.

To do that now it is a DIY, or something old and second hand. Having been on site when a Salamander went nuclear as they had a tendency for I don't think I would try either old or DIY.

[Satan]

Mate only has a small heater hooked up but burns waste oil that is drip fed, may not be ecologically sound but at least its a way to dispose of the old oil from oil changes.

Trouble is they have pretty much been banned by EU regs. You can't even get the Chinese import jobs now.

To do that now it is a DIY, or something old and second hand. Having been on site when a Salamander went nuclear as they had a tendency for I don't think I would try either old or DIY.

Tony has been using his for a few years without issues, he is stuck in his garage nice and warm rebuilding the engine of his Daimler Dart....