• Beware of Counterfeit Woodturning Tools (click here for details)
  • Johnathan Silwones is starting a new AAW chapter, Southern Alleghenies Woodturners, in Johnstown, PA. (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to Rabea Gebler for "Plum Blossom" being selected as Turning of the Week for June 24, 2024 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Installed a Diesel Heater

Randy Anderson

Beta Tester
Beta Tester
Joined
May 25, 2019
Messages
869
Likes
1,332
Location
Eads, TN
Website
www.etsy.com
For years I've used a small Mr. Heater Big Buddy propane heater to heat my shop along with an electric heater when needed. It's been a good solution for most days but had a few drawbacks. Chasing propane refills can be a hassle, when we have severe weather of near 0 deg with snow and ice like last week the local suppliers can run out of propane and it can be fairly slow at getting up to a comfortable temp when it's really cold outside. Plus the electric heaters are a big drain on my shop power and can lead to tripping breakers when I power up another machine. I decided to install a diesel heater in my shop and so far it seems to be going well. Time will tell. It did mean another hole in my shop wall for the exhaust and finding a place for it in my small shop wasn't easy. I'm hoping it will give me a better and more efficient way of keeping the shop warm, especially when we get long periods of well below freezing temps with wind chill below 0. Not sure if anyone else uses one for their shop but for the price it seemed worth a shot. My tractor runs on diesel so I usually have plenty on hand.
 

hockenbery

Forum MVP
Beta Tester
TOTW Team
Joined
Apr 27, 2004
Messages
8,768
Likes
5,153
Location
Lakeland, Florida
Website
www.hockenberywoodturning.com
Sounds great. I’m sure you have a CO alarm. Be sure you can hear it where you work with machines running.
keep an eye on the vent regularly too.

Every hurricane we get people dying from running generators in garages and some were thought to be vented.
 
Joined
Jul 19, 2018
Messages
1,742
Likes
2,288
Location
Ponsford, MN
I have to assume that when you say "diesel heater" you mean a fuel oil burner and not a diesel engine. The oil burner should fire into a heat exchanger exhausted to a chimney and air in the shop would be passed over the heat exchanger with a small fan assist, thereby keeping the products of combustion out of the work area.
In my previous shop I had a sealed off room for the lathe and a few other tools heated by a natural gas fired hanging heater and that was set up the same as what an oil burner would be, except for the chimney for gas has to have a SS liner because of the acidic nature of the exhaust.
In the MSP metro area that I used to live in we could get temperatures down to -30F, but where I currently live 200 miles to the north we have seen lows to -40F/C.
 

Randy Anderson

Beta Tester
Beta Tester
Joined
May 25, 2019
Messages
869
Likes
1,332
Location
Eads, TN
Website
www.etsy.com
Don, it's one of those self contained units you see all over Amazon and YouTube these days. Like many things from China now. Made by one or two mfg I think but sold under many different names. Small all in one packages. Initially designed for campers and RVs by a German company years ago. A glow plug in a combustion chamber with a heat exchanger and fan around it. Simple machines but very efficient at burning Diesel.
 
Joined
Aug 6, 2009
Messages
741
Likes
541
Location
Lummi Island, WA
These have been available in the marine market for decades - a great solution to heating a cabin, particularly if your auxiliary power is diesel. I’ve thought about putting one in the shop, think I’ll do a little research and see what’s available
 

Randy Anderson

Beta Tester
Beta Tester
Joined
May 25, 2019
Messages
869
Likes
1,332
Location
Eads, TN
Website
www.etsy.com
Jeff, it did a great job over the winter taking the chill off in the shop and keeping it comfortable. I ended up dedicating a 5 gallon yellow plastic diesel can as a fuel tank. It will go a very very long time on that much diesel. I run it on the lowest setting. There's a kit you can get for just a few $ that comes with the pieces (cap, hose and stiff siphon tube) to adapt a can to be a fuel tank. I knew it was inevitable that me trying to refill the small built in tank was going to lead to a messy and smelly spill.
 
Joined
Sep 19, 2023
Messages
554
Likes
1,054
Location
Columbia, TN
I use a propane patio heater in the winter. Half of my garage has a 20ft ceiling, so I feel comfortable running it indoors (so to speak) for short periods. Typically I will turn it on, let it run until the temp gets up around 60 degrees, then turn it off and get to work. Not preferred, but it's what I have at hand.

With the higher temps this summer, I'm thinking about A/C for the shop, too.
 

Randy Anderson

Beta Tester
Beta Tester
Joined
May 25, 2019
Messages
869
Likes
1,332
Location
Eads, TN
Website
www.etsy.com
Kent, I put in a small window AC unit in my shop a couple years ago. Works great. I looked at the mini split systems that are popular now but the cost was a bit much. I did have to cut an opening in my shop wall to slide the AC unit into but not that hard. I also tried one of the self contained indoor units that exhaust to the outside. That was a big fail. The exhaust hose generated a ton of heat back into the shop, it took up too much floor space and was in the way all the time. It also just could not keep up when the temps got high outside.
 
Joined
Sep 19, 2023
Messages
554
Likes
1,054
Location
Columbia, TN
I appreciate that perspective. I was just looking at the combo air/heat standalone units. I'll have to cut a hole in the garage for a window unit, but that shouldn't be a big problem. Fortunately, I have hardie-board siding (cement, sand, cellulose) and not brick.
 
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
5,528
Likes
2,894
Location
Eugene, OR
I use a wood stove in my shop to keep it tolerable in the winter, which is rather mild here, only below freezing a few times during the winter. My son in law lives in Maine, and has frequent power outages. Maybe it is a whole different animal, but he mentioned getting a propane fueled generator since they have propane at the house. Never heard of one of those before. Anyone know?

robo hippy
 
Joined
Feb 28, 2019
Messages
28
Likes
8
Location
Kingman, AZ
I use a wood stove in my shop to keep it tolerable in the winter, which is rather mild here, only below freezing a few times during the winter. My son in law lives in Maine, and has frequent power outages. Maybe it is a whole different animal, but he mentioned getting a propane fueled generator since they have propane at the house. Never heard of one of those before. Anyone know?

robo hippy
Onan makes them--6500 watt is the biggest. I am sure other manufactures also make them also.
I had some friends that used a propane generator for many years, since the lived just beyond the power grid.
 
Joined
Jan 19, 2024
Messages
63
Likes
253
Location
Hattiesburg MS.
After dealing with a window unit for one summer I installed a splitter system. Best move I ever made for air conditioning the 30’x17’ shop. We had 100+ temps last summer for weeks. I have a wood stove for heat only because I like a wood stove.
 
Back
Top