Torpedo Heaters

doehmke · Dec 12, 2009

I've been thinking of using a torpedo heater in the barn and burning Kerosene. How much ventilation do I need in an old, uninsulated drafty barn? Do i need to keep the doors open? Seems like that would defeat the purpose of heating, but don't want to have a CO2 problem either.

gene bender · Dec 12, 2009

Why would you use a open flame burner in a barn.

Uncle Ernie · Dec 12, 2009

I have used a kero burning torpedo for many years. Not dead yet (but the day is young)!

I reciently switched over to a propane fined one as the new shop is much tighter than the old. Propane is a much cleaner fuel gas.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 12, 2009

I run mine in a 24 by 24 garage when I have work to do. The garage has an insulated walk-in door and insulated overhead door. The walls and the ceiling are drywalled. So it is fairly tightly sealed up. I do not have any problems what so ever. I might go out and work for an afternoon on a project during the winter a couple times a month. Works good to heat my garden tractor up for snow blowing too. Once in a while the doors are opened and closed coming in and out. Alot cleaner and safer than a wood burner. Just my observation over the years. I would say in an old barn there wouldn't be any problems. The air is constantly changing.

Steve A W · Dec 12, 2009

Go get a Carbon Monoxide detector for your shop.

Rusty wheel · Dec 12, 2009

Don't think CO2 would be a problem in an old drafty barn but I wouldn't leave it unattended. I'd be more worried about having a fire. rw

Anonymous-0 · Dec 12, 2009

You should crack a door open a bit with any heater than uses a flame. Most of the kerosene torpedo heaters also burn diesel. The advantage over propane is that it is very dry heat, propane torpedo heaters cause a lot of humidity and condensation inside buildings. Dave

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Dec 12, 2009

My shop is uninsulated and not particularly tight either. Running a torpedo heater on kerosene inside a closed building is the same as running a car in a closed garage. For me, the CO/exhaust level gets too high before it gets too warm for me. Ideally, if the heater had a way to draw fresh air in, you'd be just fine. I used to have a shed with a small door in it so the heater was actually outside and could blow through the small opening. Worked really well.

Anonymous-0 · Dec 12, 2009

The flame is contained in a heater like a reddy heater. How to you get heat without a flame? You'd need a pretty big electric heater to get the same heat. Dave

Doug - Iowa · Dec 12, 2009

A Co detector might not be a bad idea but I've never had one. Used Reddy brand heaters for years with no problems. Switched from kero to Jet-A when the kero became more expensive around here, I found Jet-A has less smell.

john *.?-!.* cub owner · Dec 13, 2009

No advice on the fresh air, but I have found that modern low sulfur diesel burns as clean as kerosene in my old torpedo and in this area costs about half what kerosene does.

Torpedo Heaters

doehmke

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gene bender

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Uncle Ernie

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Anonymous-0

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Steve A W

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Rusty wheel

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Anonymous-0

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Brian Jasper co. Ia

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Anonymous-0

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Doug - Iowa

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john .?-!. cub owner

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