Forced air heaters (Herman Nelson’s)

[Taiga]

Are the propane versions any good or stick with the kerosene burners?
Everything takes so long to do this time of the year with cold engine problems.
I am concerned propane won’t flow at these temperatures and will be trouble keeping heaters running.

[poorboy]

poorboy

Depends what you are looking to do. If setting up in 1 spot inside and exhausting outside, then propane is better than diesel, but probably a real furnace would be more efficient and better yet.

For portable work inside or taking outside, then stick with diesel.

[Taiga]

Yeah sorry I meant portable heater, for aiming heat with duct pipe etc.
Seems like the kerosene heaters don’t last with diesel running through them.

[Taiga]

[helmsdale]

Yeah sorry I meant portable heater, for aiming heat with duct pipe etc.
Seems like the kerosene heaters don’t last with diesel running through them.

What's grenading on them? I have 2 180K dewalts (mr. Heater), and I'd be scared to know how many hours I have on them. Bought in 2016 for drying grain, and it seems I find all sorts of uses for them now. All they've ever seen is diesel fuel.

I've changed the pump fins numerous times, both motors have been re-bearing'd, the ignitors have been changed, and all the single walled fuel line was swapped to double wall nylon reinforced.

Used to have a propane one, and when it gets cold the depressurizing bottle gets even colder, so I'd have to blow the heat at the bottle to get it to gas off.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Keep in mind that any propane heater should also be able to run on natural gas, at roughly 1/4 the price of diesel fuel per BTU.

I had a 500 gallon propane tank on wagon chassis I used for the Herman Nelson before switched to natural gas. Drag the tank from bin to bin along with the heater. Needed a tractor either way.
Never had an issue with cold, but rarely tried to use it in really extreme cold, since drying grain in the bin doesn't work at those temps. I should say, it works, but the condensation and ice at the edges, top, and under the roof make it a nightmare.

I have a few natural gas risers around the yard now I can tie on to, and hundreds of feet of hose.

Hardest part is finding a propane heater to buy, it seems the diesel heaters are 20 times more numerous.

[shtferbrains]

Buy the largest you can get if you plan on using it in this type of weather.

I've got one I bought from JD that I used to blow dry newborn calves in a cold barn in February. Sometimes it wasn't big enough.
Havent caved in winter in a while but used that blower 24 hrs day during calving when weather was like this. Can be finicky when realy cold cause it has to vaporize the fuel to fire it.

Weather like this nothing is to big.

[helmsdale]

Keep in mind that any propane heater should also be able to run on natural gas, at roughly 1/4 the price of diesel fuel per BTU.

I had a 500 gallon propane tank on wagon chassis I used for the Herman Nelson before switched to natural gas. Drag the tank from bin to bin along with the heater. Needed a tractor either way.
Never had an issue with cold, but rarely tried to use it in really extreme cold, since drying grain in the bin doesn't work at those temps. I should say, it works, but the condensation and ice at the edges, top, and under the roof make it a nightmare.

I have a few natural gas risers around the yard now I can tie on to, and hundreds of feet of hose.

Hardest part is finding a propane heater to buy, it seems the diesel heaters are 20 times more numerous.

Stuff a big exhaust fan into the top opening. Keeps the air moving and prevents it from condensing and "raining" in the bin.

[Taiga]

What's grenading on them? I have 2 180K dewalts (mr. Heater), and I'd be scared to know how many hours I have on them. Bought in 2016 for drying grain, and it seems I find all sorts of uses for them now. All they've ever seen is diesel fuel.

I've changed the pump fins numerous times, both motors have been re-bearing'd, the ignitors have been changed, and all the single walled fuel line was swapped to double wall nylon reinforced.

Used to have a propane one, and when it gets cold the depressurizing bottle gets even colder, so I'd have to blow the heat at the bottle to get it to gas off.

My understanding was the diesel created a heavy soot that plugs the unit up eventually, that kerosene doesn’t. Kerosene is not handy at all.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Stuff a big exhaust fan into the top opening. Keeps the air moving and prevents it from condensing and "raining" in the bin.

I've tried that, but couldn't get enough air flow, and it still doesn't stop the grain from freezing to the walls. Maybe if I could carry a 3 HP fan up, and seal it, it might work, but I'm not that strong.

[helmsdale]

I've tried that, but couldn't get enough air flow, and it still doesn't stop the grain from freezing to the walls. Maybe if I could carry a 3 HP fan up, and seal it, it might work, but I'm not that strong.

Biggest I've put up is a 1/2hp. Keeps the condensation down, but yes there would still be a ring of frozen grain at the top. Provided I was pulling the dry and refilling with wet, I'd stuff the heater in and let that stuff fall to the bottom. Sweep into the middle and go again.

I dunno, honestly 2016's experience of refilling diesel heaters every 4 hours for 4 straight months is something I'd prefer to forget altogether.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Biggest I've put up is a 1/2hp. Keeps the condensation down, but yes there would still be a ring of frozen grain at the top. Provided I was pulling the dry and refilling with wet, I'd stuff the heater in and let that stuff fall to the bottom. Sweep into the middle and go again.

I dunno, honestly 2016's experience of refilling diesel heaters every 4 hours for 4 straight months is something I'd prefer to forget altogether.

I tried getting frozen grain off the walls last winter when I needed the bin for fertilizer. Heating the empty bin was futile.

I find it is much easier and cheaper to just freeze it down when it gets cold enough, then deal with it in the spring/summer using warm air.

[poorboy]

I have 3 of those jet engine style heaters and they work great with winter diesel. Wouldn’t even think of using kerosine. Fuel lines are crap on those heaters and only last a few years. Tires also are poor.


Mine are John Deeres made by Mi-T-M in the US.

Don’t buy anything under 175,000 btu. I found an old 5 gal steel pail and cut the bottom out. Use it to direct the heat up/down as needed.

[Taiga]

Bought a 140,000btu kerosene/diesel junker from Canadian Tire for about $550, hope it works. Everything is selling out fast. Tractor won’t start and already burnt out the Kohler starter on the auger, another $120 found online ($550 at dealer and $350 at Napa).

[shtferbrains]

In my experience you will have to due a lot of hoarding to get any results with the tractor.