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

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

On 2 Dec 2005 01:05:21 -0800, "buffalobill"
wrote:

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

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 he
www.lbwhite.com

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

Mark

wrote in message

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?

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





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.

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

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 .

wrote in message
...
On 2 Dec 2005 01:05:21 -0800, "buffalobill"
wrote:

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

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'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.



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 he
www.lbwhite.com

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

Mark

wrote in message
...
On 2 Dec 2005 01:05:21 -0800, "buffalobill"
wrote:

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

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 he
www.lbwhite.com

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

Mark

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

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

wrote:
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


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

On Fri, 02 Dec 2005 01:58:45 -0600, wrote:

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.

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


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.

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.


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.

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

John
---
John De Armond
See my website for my current email address
http://www.johngsbbq.com
Cleveland, Occupied TN