Propane heater help!

[4spdragtop]

Well I got my BigMaxx heater hung up on the weekend. So now I got my winter hideout. I went with propane, that way when $$ is better I can do a simple switch to NG. Furnace guy was out today and he says it looks fine, so I have to run the electrical, which shouldnt be a big deal, but I need 2 100lb propane bottles. I can go to Costco and get the propane bottles filled relatively cheap and they dont require for me to have a ROT(record of training), but I need bottles. Any other place I have talked to requires the ROT and that costs about $100. Im hoping that someone in the GTA or close by knows where I can get an empty bottle(s) cheap. I have seen them for sale, but in around the $200 mark. Anyone have any ideas?? Small ones just wont cut it, its 45K btu

Thanks
4spdragtop

 

[pettybludart]

Check around construction sites at night:snakeman: LOL.At least you could ask them where they get theirs.I paid $80 for one about 5 yrs ago,but sold it.

 

[67Dart273]

I don't know about the bottles but you DO know, do you not, that you have to change the burner orifice(s) and the regulator on the gas valve? Do you have the NG changeover kit? If not, I'd get it before that unit gets very old. You may find out you can't get it, later, otherwise

 

[4spdragtop]

Hey 67dart, ya I knew about the switch over. Its a brand new unit and name brand, so it will probably be available at least for another year or so.

Hey Scott, trust me I already thought about paying someone to "sell" me one!! LOL.....brand new shiny heater and I cant use the dang thing!!

 

[megajoltman]

Super Save Group where I got mine from quite a few years ago.

http://www.supersave.ca/

 

[4spdragtop]

Thanks megajolt, I will chk them out

 

[Mrpatel]

I got mine from United Rentals, I am not using it right now. It may be available.

 

[memike]

I have installed many over head gas heaters back 20 years ago and they had the change over kits taped to a inside panel by the igniter. Worth a look see, there should be one for the pilot light and one for gas valve, some require one on each burner, no big deal at all.
I hope you find the bottles you need 4spdragtop

 

[Dusterdude72]

I cant tell you where to get a tank but I will mention this.

a couple of years ago my buddy picked up a newer furnace and we converted it to a propane set up ( I had to solder over and drill out the orifice's with a very small drill bit......can't remember the size now) and that way it would be the correct size for propane and we also had to swap out the gas valve for a propane valve.

we picked up a used 100 lb tank off a family member of mine for $10.00 (cheap I know) then we got a new regulator and ran all new copper line and put on a shut off valve at the furnace and ran all of our chimney pipe and we made adjustable ducting for the furnace so we could aim the heat wherever we would be working.

we installed the thermostat and we installed an overhead fan to push the heat down.

now.....his garage was probably about 30x24 with 12ft tall ceilings but we filled the entire attic with blown insulation ....it was sealed up pretty tight.

it only took one solid day of working in the garage to go through a 100 lb tank of LP! and with what it cost to refill the dang thing and the kind of back breaking labor it was to load that tank into a truck so often and take it to have it filled it wasnt worth it so he ripped that furnace out of there lol.

so I hope yours is high efficiency and that you are very well insulated!

 

[412 Stroker]

I cant tell you where to get a tank but I will mention this.

a couple of years ago my buddy picked up a newer furnace and we converted it to a propane set up ( I had to solder over and drill out the orifice's with a very small drill bit......can't remember the size now) and that way it would be the correct size for propane and we also had to swap out the gas valve for a propane valve.

we picked up a used 100 lb tank off a family member of mine for $10.00 (cheap I know) then we got a new regulator and ran all new copper line and put on a shut off valve at the furnace and ran all of our chimney pipe and we made adjustable ducting for the furnace so we could aim the heat wherever we would be working.

we installed the thermostat and we installed an overhead fan to push the heat down.

now.....his garage was probably about 30x24 with 12ft tall ceilings but we filled the entire attic with blown insulation ....it was sealed up pretty tight.

it only took one solid day of working in the garage to go through a 100 lb tank of LP! and with what it cost to refill the dang thing and the kind of back breaking labor it was to load that tank into a truck so often and take it to have it filled it wasnt worth it so he ripped that furnace out of there lol.

so I hope yours is high efficiency and that you are very well insulated!

X2 that is EXACTLY what happened to me I have my garage heated with lp and a modine style heater, I used a 100 pounder in 6 hours, soooo fortuatly for me my gas company set me up with a 100 gallon tank looks just like the huge ones that heat your house but way smaller they charge me $25.00 per year lease and it costs me about $200.00 to fill it up and I only have to do it once a year as i keep the heat off except when I am out there working, I know you live in Canada, so not sure about your regs, but here in WI because it only hold 100 gallons i have it right next to my garage and have there is not any regulations preventing me from doin that. good luck

 

[4spdragtop]

Well I got my 2 100lb propane bottles..full ones and pigtails to connect the 2 together. So that problem is solved. Insulating is my next problem. Well the attic anyway. My walls are insulated, but my attic isnt. I dont have vented soffits, so there isnt much air flow. As for my attic, its all open as I put stuff up there and take it down all the time. So boarding and insulating is a no-go in my mind anyway. The only thing I can think of is to staple poly up and then take it down when I need to get in the attic?? Any other insulating ideas??

Thanks!!

 

[Dusterdude72]

just nail up some 1/2" celetex board to the ceiling and cut a piece to fit over your entry point to the attic.....that way you won't have to remove any of the insulation upon gaining access to your attic.

I have also seen people do this ( cheap but semi effective ) .....buying tarp and stapling it up in place..... not really any insulating property but it does bounce the heat off and send it back down.

make sure your garage door is sealed up well.

wouldnt hurt to have a ceiling fan that you could turn on low to keep the heat circulating since after all heat rises.

also, you could get a "magic heat" I think there about $60.00 or so......its basically a fan that connects into your chimney pipe and the heat the furnace exhaust heat up the magic heat and the magic heats fan in turn blows that generated heat out.

the true test is to see how long you are going to be able to make those two bottles last though and see if you should be investing your money into insulation or an alternative heat source.

 

[4spdragtop]

Hey dd72, covering up the attic isnt an alternative as my entry point is the whole darn thing...bumpers, console, 2x4's, 4x8 plywood,everything is up there and I take it down from wherever I can get my mitts on it. I hear ya with the poly and not much r-value. but at least it will keep the heat somewhat contained. The furnace is 45k btu, and my garage is only 22x23 so it will only run for 20 minutes then I will shut it off. My plan for the garage door(steel) is to insulate the inside with styrofoam. That should help. Im just happy to have the heater up and propane, now I am waiting on the furnace guy!!
Thanks!!

 

[67Dart273]

also, you could get a "magic heat" I think there about $60.00 or so......its basically a fan that connects into your chimney pipe and the heat the furnace exhaust heat up the magic heat .

Generally speaking, these heat recovery devices are NOT recommended or approved for gas/ LP appliances, and especially in this case, where the vent may be short and the draft may be poor.

Speaking of draft, a common problem with these types of devices in garages---if this one draws combustion air from inside the garage---is that if you rig an exhaust fan for painting or welding, usually the heater will "dump" (backflow) combustion gases back down the vent. Newer heaters have a "spill switch" up in the top vent hood which trips in this case.

 

[Dusterdude72]

The blower I am talking about has no open cavity into the furnace exhaust....no fume contact or anything......its basically a standard pipe with a sealed fan unit built inside of it that the exhaust heat passes by and upon doing so it heats up the blower housing and the blower blows that heat.

as for your ceiling, I see what you are saying......the only things i can think of would be to either make only one access point and cover the rest of the ceiling....OR maybe cover each individual 4x8 panel you have on your ceiling with a 4x8 sheet of insulation board...that way it would be the same process you go through to remove them as it already is but the boards would be insulated.

or you could always stretch out a tarp across the ceiling and it will atleast help in containing the heat.

and yes I agree for your garage door, I would get some 1" thick styrofoam and cut it into panels that would fit inside the cavities in your garage door.

being that your BTU's are what they are and your garage is the size it is you may be able to stretch your propane more than my buddy was able to....his garage was bigger and I think his furnace was atleast double the BTU's

good luck and I hope it all works well for you and keeps you nice and toasty so you can get some work done in comfort

 

[Dusterdude72]

P.S I think I may have misunderstood.

sounds like you were referring to them not being the best choice because of air flow....at first I thought you meant that they pulled fumes from inside the furnace and blew them into the garage.

I reread what you said and get what you meant now and I can see where what you said makes sense

 

[4spdragtop]

Hey dd72, temporary panels might work, I have to think about how I could put something up there that would come down fairly easily. Time to get out the zig-zags!!

 

[Dusterdude72]

Hey dd72, temporary panels might work, I have to think about how I could put something up there that would come down fairly easily. Time to get out the zig-zags!!

HAHAHA I am sure with as many members we have here that you can brain storm something up really quick.....and at the least...if no brian storming happens, it should still be pretty foggy where you are if it is zig zag time HAHA:happy10:

 

[67Dart273]

P.S I think I may have misunderstood.

sounds like you were referring to them not being the best choice because of air flow....

Those heat recovery devices are not normally approved or recommended on gas units because they cool off the vent temperature too much and can cause corrosion in the heat exchanger/ vent system

Additionally, on a typical garage--with the heater mounted high up, and using a short vent, there's not that much "headroom" on vent pressure. so now you put a recovery unit, which loweres vent pressure because it obstructs, and lowers vent pressure because it lowers vent temperture.

These are simply not a great idea on a gas fired appliance.

I've been out of the loop for a number of years, now, but I'd bet that ANY atmospheric burner is now up around 80% AFUE, and cannot get much better without going into a condensing unit (90% plus)