After the 2007 ice storm left our old house without power and heat for 10 days (we had a natural gas furnace, but it was part of a whole HVAC unit, so it was useless without power) my buddy's church bought us a ventless natural gas heater to use as backup heat:


Fortunately we never had to use it for backup as we never had another storm like that while living in that house. Well since the new house is on propane we've just traded it for this ventless propane heater we can use out here:


I know of course its meant to be permanently installed and connected to the house's propane lines but I don't want to use it that way. It has a floor stand I want to keep it portable and use it with a 5 gallon propane bottle (like BBQs use). I know i'll need a regulator for the 5 gallon bottle but my question is, do I need to by a fancy regulator like the one on our 200 gallon tank, or can I get away with one like this that appears to be meant for a grill?:


http://www.amazon.com/Mr-He...ane+heater+regulator

[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 12-31-2012).]

That hose and regulator should do just fine.
I'm no expert, but that is what I would use.

Hmmm, just realized the old propane BBQ that my brother traded me (he likes the old fashioned charcoal grills) has a regulator on it. Since I haven't touched that BBQ in two years except to move it out of my way, I think I might just rob it of its regulator. At least until payday. Thanks Boonie!

[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 12-31-2012).]

My only concern would be that most gas heaters, at least here in California, require a certain psi of gas to run correctly. I wouldn't imagine that you could just open the tank regulator wide open and have everything run correctly. I may be mistaken but you should look into what recommended psi the heater needs so you don't have a failure due to excess pressure from the tank.

Thanks! Yeah I'm in a weird position right now. I'm trying not to rush right into this however we're going to run out of wood for our woodstove in the next day or so, and won't be able to afford another rick or two until the middle of January, so I'm trying to set this up as soon as possible. (I could use the HVAC unit in this house, but my mom pays that bill, and she's hit some hard times right now so we've been trying to use as little of the propane from the big tank as possible).

The same buddy whose church bought us the NG heater also loaned us a setup similar to what I'm trying to duplicate (it was a ventless propane heater connected to a 5 gallon propane bottle). Unfortunately I only had it for a couple of days, 5 years ago, and he is difficult to get a hold of, so I have not yet been able to ask him exactly how that one was setup.

As far as I know there are two propane regulators. The high pressure one is 30psi and the low is 1/2 psi.
I'm fairly sure the heater would use the low pressure one the same as the grill.
Natural gas us usally 2-3 oz of pressure BTY. Hence why LP uses a smaller orfice than NG.

What I don't know is if the type of hose used on a grill is approved for use inside a structure.

Worth your time to read this link. Note that ventless still produce some CO2 http://www.thepropaneheater...less-propane-heaters

[This message has been edited by Dodgerunner (edited 12-31-2012).]

Not only does it produce carbon monoxide, but there's a tremendous amount of moisture in it, so expect your windows to sweat heavily. I had a ventless LP fireplace in a rental home and moisture on the windows was a big problem. The tenants began keeping a rolled up towel on each window sill. Might be a good idea to install a carbon monoxide alarm, too.

quote Originally posted by OKflyboy: After the 2007 ice storm left our old house without power and heat for 10 days (we had a natural gas furnace, but it was part of a whole HVAC unit, so it was useless without power) my buddy's church bought us a ventless natural gas heater to use as backup heat: Fortunately we never had to use it for backup as we never had another storm like that while living in that house. Well since the new house is on propane we've just traded it for this ventless propane heater we can use out here: I know of course its meant to be permanently installed and connected to the house's propane lines but I don't want to use it that way. It has a floor stand I want to keep it portable and use it with a 5 gallon propane bottle (like BBQs use). I know i'll need a regulator for the 5 gallon bottle but my question is, do I need to by a fancy regulator like the one on our 200 gallon tank, or can I get away with one like this that appears to be meant for a grill?:

Nice heater. That big drapey thing hanging down on the left kinda looks like a fuse designed to light up the rest of your house. Ya might want to move it.
But you got bigger problems, mostly from posting this in a publicly viewed venue. Wrong people read this, you're going to be in deep do-do.

All them different mafias got there own little niche carved out of the market. Sicilians have the prostitution--Russian mafia has the arms trade--Hispanics have the drugs--Slavic Mafia has the human trafficking--Jewish Mafia has the diamonds and jewel market all to themselves.
Keep being nosey and asking these kinda questions or try to horn in on the Heat Surge Roll & Glo Electric Fireplace Heater with real handcrafted cherry mantle racket and you'll wake up to find a sickle stuck in your front door and a dead rooster draped over your steering wheel, courtesy of the Amish Mafia. That, is just a 1st warning. You continue with this propane and and propane accessories BS, and that muscled up guy may pay you a 2nd personal visit (a hired enforcer--he's Mennonite to be exact) and a drive-by visit.
Clip-clop clip-clop Bang! clip-clop clip-clop BOOM! Clip-clop....

You've been warned.

[This message has been edited by maryjane (edited 12-31-2012).]

Get two battery CO alarms.

Gas and kerosene units make CO... Portable and Ventless units are easy to kill people. Worse when unit is dirty.

Check local fire/building codes.
Using LP tanks inside is a code problem in many places.

------------------
Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurassic Park)

The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top and bottom of every forum page...)

quote Originally posted by maryjane: Nice heater. That big drapey thing hanging down on the left kinda looks like a fuse designed to light up the rest of your house. Ya might want to move it. But you got bigger problems, mostly from posting this in a publicly viewed venue. Wrong people read this, you're going to be in deep do-do.

Not my pic, pic from the guy I got it from. I haven't even brought it in the house yet.

quote Originally posted by maryjane: All them different mafias got there own little niche carved out of the market. Sicilians have the prostitution--Russian mafia has the arms trade--Hispanics have the drugs--Slavic Mafia has the human trafficking--Jewish Mafia has the diamonds and jewel market all to themselves. Keep being nosey and asking these kinda questions or try to horn in on the Heat Surge Roll & Glo Electric Fireplace Heater with real handcrafted cherry mantle racket and you'll wake up to find a sickle stuck in your front door and a dead rooster draped over your steering wheel, courtesy of the Amish Mafia. That, is just a 1st warning. You continue with this propane and and propane accessories BS, and that muscled up guy may pay you a 2nd personal visit (a hired enforcer--he's Mennonite to be exact) and a drive-by visit. Clip-clop clip-clop Bang! clip-clop clip-clop BOOM! Clip-clop.... You've been warned.

lol

quote Originally posted by theogre: Get two battery CO alarms. Gas and kerosene units make CO... Portable and Ventless units are easy to kill people. Worse when unit is dirty. Check local fire/building codes. Using LP tanks inside is a code problem in many places.

Not worried about codes as it will not be a permanent installation. This will be a backup source of heat only and I want to keep it portable precisely because it will not be stored in the house. Most of the friends I have up in MO use these exact units (though permanently installed) and have few problems. I understand the dangers of asphyxiation. This house is very drafty so there's a steady supply of combustible/breathable air.

[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 01-01-2013).]

If it is just for temporary heat, get a "Mr. Heater" that attaches directly to the top of the propane cylinder. I bought a used one for $5 at a yard sale and have used it off and on for the past couple of years when my heat-pump won't keep up.

I've seen those. Not a bad idea 'cept I already have this one.

Using the propane grill regulator is the same setup I researched, and used on mine for over 2 years.

I even verified it with a local propane guy. I set it up as an emergency heater, for the same reasons as you, and ended up connecting it to 100lb bottles for convenience and used it full time since it was MUCH less expensive than electric heat. When we moved to our new house everything was propane, so we hooked it into the main line.

The regulator for the Grill that you purchase in Lowes, or Home Depot is the same as the one we needed for our 3 burner ventless propane heater.

Our camper even used the same regulator, and was running a stove, water heater, and ventless space heater, and it came from the factory that way.

Of course make sure to test all connections for leaks etc. etc.

Brad

[This message has been edited by Fats (edited 01-01-2013).]

Flyboy--are you going to have the bottle(s) INSIDE your house?

Forgetting state codes for a moment..........
Will the bottled volume exceed the volume of air in your house if it were released to interior atmosphere?

Ok PLEASE do not have the tank and regulator in the house. get a long enough hose to have the tank and regulator outside. other than that what you are doing is ok. but if you look at the regulator you will find a small area with a screen over it. that is the vent for the regulator. ordinarily nothing comes out of it, BUT if the diaphragm fails in the regulator then propane gas comes out of it. it needs to be outside. if you have a business locally that makes hydraulic hoses they can make the lp hose for you. Usually relatively inexpensive. I use what looks to be the same heater you have for backup heat in my mobile home. it heats my home well even when the temp drops down around 0. most newer ventless heaters do have carbon monoxide protection built into them. I don't know if yours does or not. They will shut down if the carbon monoxide gets to high. there will be a bunch of writing on either the end or back of the unit. read it. It will tell you if yours does. there will also be a tag that tells you of the gas supply requirements.... Good luck and I hope you never HAVE to use it.

Okay I see what you guys are saying and I think I have a solution. Where I planned to put it if I were to need it would be directly in front of my woodstove (which is my current primary source of heat). The woodstove is in a corner with a window only about a foot away. If I found, say, a five foot hose I could easily have the heater inside and the hose snaked through the window to a bottle outside.

Check and see if this heater requires a two stage regulator set up. I think it has to do with output and temperature. The larger tanks are not only for larger storage capability but amount of gas reaction in the tank and flow output without freezing up.

quote Originally posted by Red88FF: Check and see if this heater requires a two stage regulator set up. I think it has to do with output and temperature. The larger tanks are not only for larger storage capability but amount of gas reaction in the tank and flow output without freezing up.

A good point. /\

Don't these propane heaters release Carbon Minoxide Gas?

Yes they release carbon monoxide, but the OP has stated his house is well ventilated albeit unintentionally.
I believe he used the word drafty.

My insurance company MADE me remove mine. I had it permanently installed to a 100 pounder outside, they said it needed to be vented....HUH..it says ventless.... IDK. But anyways... thats what I warn you about also. If my house burns down and they find the cause was the heater, Im not covered... something for you to think about

Yes they release CO. I understand and honestly appreciate all the concern directed towards the dangers but I guess you'd just have to see the house to understand why I am not concerned with using up all the oxygen. As maryjane stated, this house is quite drafty, in fact, I'd say drafty is an understatement. This house was built in 1920, there are holes in the floor in both the living room and bathroom and the windows do no seal properly. Plus, as stated, we primarily use our woodstove for heat but we sometimes run out of wood and would like to have an option other then the central air as a backup. (Because, as I learned with my previous house, a gas furnace attached to a central air unit is useless if there's no power).

I thank you all for your advice and concern and I assure you I will use this heater with the utmost care and caution.

[This message has been edited by OKflyboy (edited 01-01-2013).]