Propane regulator?

I just bought a used 40,000 btu L B White propane heater that is made to heat barns. I want to install it in my garage for occasional use when I need to fix the car in winter. I am not looking to get fancy with this, since I will probably use it a total of 25 hours per winter. I plan to hang it the garage, connect a 20LB propane tank to some tubing and hook it to the stove. I'll have to manually light the pilot light when I want to use the heater.

Anyhow, I think that I need to use a regulator on the tank. I got several of those regulator / valve/ hose combo units from old gas grills. Should this be suitable? I know about using and installing regulators, but dont know if they are all different or not. I plan to try it, and just do it outdoors. But I thought I'd see what others say about this.

I may later connect a 100lb propane tank since I have a few of them, but I guess I'll see how long a 20lb tank lasts first. It's a lot easier carrying those small tanks to the filler, than carting around those 100 lb ones.

One other thing, these heaters dont have chimney vents. My garage is not insulated and has small leaks so I am not too worried about carbon monoxide, but I do find it a little odd that they dont have vents.

Thanks

Mark

Reply to
maradcliff
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first, install a carbon monoxide detector in the garage. second, reconsider. third, if the garage is attached to your house warm it up with a 20" window fan blowing room temp from the adjacent room, and then shut the connecting door. if the garage is detached, electric heaters would be the safe way to go, and you might find infrared electric lamps to warm the skin when you're at the workbench. but the outline you gave is just as dangerous as improperly using a propane gas barbecue grill indoors, but since you're living dangerously it would be better to use a new grill with a regulator already safely installed on it, and leave the garage door open to provide oxygen for combustion and exhaust. and don't work alone. let us know when the steaks are ready :)

Reply to
buffalobill

Wow, while I say thanks for the reply, people like you really should read the message before you reply. I think I was fairly clear when I said [QUOTE] "I just bought a used 40,000 btu L B White propane heater that is made to heat barns".

I am NOT trying to use a BBQ grill in the garage. This is a barn heater, similar to a small furnace that is intended to hang from the rafters in a barn. I asked if the regulator from a discarded propane BBQ grill would be a proper regulator for this furnace, since I have one on hand.

This garage is not even near the house. I would not even consider owning a garage attached to a house. I have been using an electric heater, they are pretty much useless in there. This garage is not air tight. It's not drafty, but far from air tight. Every rib on the tin roof has a small hole into the garage, and gap under the overhead door. So I am not too worried about CO2, and like I said these small furnaces are made to be used indoors. They are advertised for chicken, and hog barns.

You can see soem of these heaters here:

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I have one of the small 40,000 btu "Classic" models.

Mark

Reply to
maradcliff

Yes, you need a regulator. There are a couple of types so you must know the pressure needed.

There are propane heaters that are 99.999% (or something like that) efficient and do not need vents. This may be one of them.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

It should work but many gas grills are way under 40000 btu, 25-30 for cheap units and 100,000 for real good grills, so it may not put out full heat or may be to much gas, a Co digital read out alarm is cheap and then you will know if you are safe or not, holes in the garage don`t mean low oxygen or high Co wont hurt you .

Reply to
m Ransley

I'm guessing that the reason that buffalobill replied as he did is due to the reports of deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning from using the kind of propane heater you described. I looked at them and decided to get a kerosene heater instead. If you think you have adequate ventilation then that's fine and I wish you luck.

I don't know precisely which regulator you need depending upon the requirements for the heater but generally speaking old regulators are one-stage and the newer ones are two-stage which are supposedly safer.

Reply to
Ulysses

Actually, he kinda gave you the right answer...

Yes..you need a regulator..no..the one off a gas grill isnt the correct type.

Reply to
CBHVAC

It should be marked on the heater what size regulator is needed. It will likely look something like this. LPG min/max (W.C.) 10.5 / 13.5

Go to your local propane company and they should be able to help you out.

ChrisGW

Reply to
ChrisGW

That'll work just fine. There are different sizes but a propane grill regulator should work just fine.

You're not going to like using the 20 lb tank very much. At that rate of withdrawal, it will quickly frost up and lose pressure. I'd be surprised if you get more than a fraction of a tank out before it frosts.

A 100 lb tank will work fine. There's enough mass and tank surface area to supple the heat of vaporization at that rate.

That kind of heater doesn't need a vent. It burns very cleanly so the combustion products are Co2 and water vapor.

John

Reply to
Neon John

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