Propane Heating - Radiant vs Blue Flame

Stuff · 10-19-2012, 11:42 PM

So as the title says, I was looking at heaters on evil bay and noticed there is quite a selection. Biggest thing i noticed was that there is a majority that is either radiant or blue flame. Anyone know really what is better? both claim to be ventless and have low O2 sensors.

Blue Flame

Radiant

crazycal · 10-20-2012, 12:25 AM

When you use a heater like that, does it use up all your oxygen?

Accordion · 10-20-2012, 06:43 AM

I have been using propane heaters for over thirty years. They have always been the catalytic type heaters. They are more expensive than the two types mentioned above, but those heaters work well though.

It is true that all three of these type heater will use oxygen. However, unless your bus is sealed tight as a drum, you will not use all your oxygen. It is recommended that you leave a window open just a little.

My bus has so many "air leaks", that I do not worry about it. I have three 3000 BTU catalytic heaters. They are helpful, but when it gets really cold,I use an electric oil filled radiator heater as well. Those electric oil filled radiator heaters are inexpensive and work well. Mine have three settings: low (600 watts), med. (900 watts), high (1500 watts).

Here are pics of my catalytic heaters. I describe their design and operation on my thread which you can access by the link below.

Stuff · 10-20-2012, 01:09 PM

I have the oil filled electric radiator for the bedroom. keeps it nice and toasty in there, the 40k btu forced air furnace, and an electric fireplace in the living room but that electric fireplace doesnt keep up and is an electric hog. Also seems the oil radiator in the living room area wont keep up. think its due to the amount of windows...

more or less im looking for a way to keep that furnace from running every hour on the hour... seems like it just shuts off and within 10 minutes its going again and its not even winter!

travelinwithus · 10-21-2012, 07:23 PM

I too have been looking at heating options. Currently I am using two electric space heaters which work fine as long as I am plugged in but when I am on the road that won't be an option and they are only going to run about two hours with my current battery banks. I have been doing a fair amount of research and looking and because of Accordion's post on his conversion thread I am really leaning toward the catylitic heaters. I was thinking of getting the 8000 btu version but perhaps I should get a couple 3000 btu models such as you did Accordion.

Anyway, not trying to hijack your thread but if I run into anything that looks like it may work better in my search I will be sure to post it.

Stuff · 10-22-2012, 10:38 AM

I did have one of those infared heater boxes.. worked well at first but it crapped out.. of course the box is gone and they want you to pay to ship it back and pay to ship it home again.. Canada post is not cheap so that would have been close to buying a new one. thinking ill mess around with it this fall and get it going hopefully. It was great that it has a thermostat, is dry heat, and safe to use.

like this one

at my work we have one of these propane furnace heaters made by williams. ZERO power needed and its vented. works very well. i go through maybe 2 fills the whole winter (300liters) for slightly above room temp around the clock. would be nice to find a smaller unit and if the price was right and there was a place to put it i would consider running a vent for it to.

Key word for those heaters is "HEARTH HEATER"

lornaschinske · 10-28-2012, 11:16 AM

I have an old Dyna-Glo Tag-a-long that is rated for indoor use (says right on it, all over the old box that I finally tossed and in the paperwork). I found one just last week at work that LOOKS identical to my old Dyna-Glo. Called a"Tag-a-long" Mr Heater/Sunbrite (same company as Dyna-Glo but different names?). I didn't look at it much.

Here's a pic of what ours looks like but ours is putty coloured.

We mounted it on the bathroom wall (so I can just heat the bathroom are rather than kick on the heat for the whole place). It has a ceramic flame pad. Heats great. Downside.... uses LP. On LOW, it heats well uses little LP. On HIGH.. it sucks a tank dry pretty fast. It can warm up the whole 40 ft bus on low, not greatly but liveable (I need to wear a sweater and shoes... ick). Still putting together the AC/LP hydronic system (need to work on the duct work... need more $$) . It will be our "whole house" heating system. Currently we are running two of those $20 Patton milkhouse heaters from Wal-Mart. 1350/1500 WATTS

One is in the front living area (between the front wheelwells) turned on most of the day and the 2nd is sitting about 10 ft from the rear of the bus (at the back edge of the rear wheel wells) facing forward. It kept the bus toastly overnight (low was 28°F) with the front set at "LOW" heat (or 1350 Watts) and the dial set all the way up, the rear is set on "LOW" as well and the dial set about 1/2 way (straight up). We get a lot of sunshine in the bedroom in the daytime, so we turn the heat off during the day. I plan on putting an electric faux fireplace in the old mantle we installed (LCD TV is in the top section where the mirror used to be). Maybe I can save the $$ up by Christmas.
Either this one that is actually in my store or this one that I would need to order.

So immediate gratification or the anguish of waiting for it to come in.... I kinda like the 2nd one.... decisions, decisions. And which one will fit better into the limited space available.

We stay in campgrounds on a monthly basis and that has tended to include our electric, we heat with electric. Because we have lived for decades in the mountainous areas of NC & TN, we have experienced power outages in the winter. So we are set up for both AC and LP. If the power goes out, we still have heat (LP), ability to cook (LP) and lights (inverter). Even when we have had metered electric, electric was cheaper than LP. We like the flexibility of using either electric or LP as the situation dictates.

Jarlaxle · 10-29-2012, 05:36 AM

If you can find someone scrapping an old office trailer (NOT a mobile home, something you'd see on a construction site), many of them have vented LP furnaces, very similar to what "Stuff" posted. They vent through a wall and use no power.

dirtygoat · 11-03-2012, 01:29 PM

A little off topic... I have an extra Hydro Flame 12,000 btu RV furnace(lp fuel and 12v fan)... I picked up a Coleman 19,000 btu RV furnace after that I ended up using in the bus... I've considered installing the smaller one that I didn't use in the living room of our house as an emergency heat source for when the power goes out... I would vent it of course and have wiring ready to go, so when needed I can grab a car battery and lp tank... The only source of heat in the house is an electric furnace... My generator is small and can keep the fridge, TV and a couple lights going, but not the big furnace... Any thoughts on why or why I shouldn't???

Stuff · 11-03-2012, 01:38 PM

under your circumstances I do not see why not. your genny can even charge the battery. just gotta make sure you got a bottle of LP lol. should last 2 weeks on a 30 pounder in winter

dirtygoat · 11-03-2012, 04:05 PM

I've got a tall 40 gallon that I might use just for that... Was thinking I'll put down some pavers for it to sit on and chain it up... I'd like to run another line off it for other lp related items if the power is out for a long period of time...

Stuff · 11-06-2012, 08:38 PM

should work no problem.

I'm just really hesitant to put a stack out the side of my trailer lol.

I do have to look into fixing/replacing the heater in the living room. that fake fireplace heater thing stopped heating lol

Ob1 · 11-08-2012, 04:19 PM

I like the radiant brick style heaters. Both types exhaust heat towards the ceiling from the combustion, but the brick radiates heat outward, warming objects and people.

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