Temporary Heat Question

3123 Views 14 Replies 8 Participants Last post by bbrooksy, Jan 25, 2010

mudpad

Discussion Starter · Jan 7, 2010

I bought this propane heater used at a sale a few years ago, and have used it on several jobs. It's a Sure Flame model 1505, 1,500,000 BTU, and puts out some serious heat. It has a two stage operation, seems to work fine on low flame, but on high flame it will burn for 4 or 5 minutes and shut down, as if it is starved for fuel. I have it hooked up to 3- 500gallon propane tanks and all tanks are full. Don't know much about regulators, but the guy from the propane company changed the regulator this morning, didn't help. He says I have 10psi at the tank regulator (it's red) and 1/2psi at the heater regulator(it's gray). It puts out plenty of heat on low flame, and I have used it that way for several winters, but need the extra kick occasionally. Any ideas what I need to check? I'd say this problem is why United Rentals put it in the (as is) equipment sale.

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Tinstaafl

· #2 · Jan 7, 2010

That's much larger than anything I've had occasion to deal with, but the first thing that comes to mind is that perhaps you have an undersized supply line. This manual for a similar model suggests exactly that for such a symptom.

mudpad

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 8, 2010

Yeah, in fact me and the propane guy called Heat Wagon and got a tech support guy on the line, he suggested the same, but that hose that is visible in the picture is 1 1/4 fill line hose, recycled from the propane delivery truck. DOT reject it when it gets a little bit of wear, so they use it for this kind of installation. Plenty capacity according to Heat Wagon. Last year I had it hooked up with 1/2" supply line, and it did the same thing. I was hoping the 1 1/4 would fix it.

Tinstaafl

· #4 · Jan 8, 2010

Yeah, I noticed the size of that hose in the pic, but straws are for grasping at. :laughing:

The only arrow left in my quiver is... perhaps the high heat creates enough of a draft to divert flame from a thermocouple, thus shutting it down because it's not sensing enough heat. Ran into that with an unvented space heater once.

If you do ever get this resolved, I'd really like to hear what it turned out to be.

The Coastal Craftsman

· #5 · Jan 8, 2010

lol dam that things a beast. That must use some serious amount of fuel.

mudpad

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 8, 2010

I'll let you know. I got a repair guy from United coming to take a look tommorrow, I suspect he will leave scratching his head. Next step will be to call Heat Wagon back and see if the have a local factory rep/ repairman any where in the area.

Reactions: Tinstaafl

jdmartin

· #7 · Jan 8, 2010

I had a small 50,000 btu heater like that with a similar problem once. Turned out to be something with the thermocoupler. I don't know enoug about that sort of thing to know exactly what it was, that's just what they told me when I picked it up from getting fixed. They may have just blown it out with a compressor and wiped it down for all I know. :laughing:

I have an old Redline 97,000 btu kerosene job that will run me out of an enclosed area. I can't imagine what that thing would be like to be around. I can see where it would be handy outside if it blows hard enough though. How hard will the fan blow, before you start to lose the heat outdoors?

robert c1

· #8 · Jan 8, 2010

Never dealt with anything that large but
the regulator is good, the supply line is good. What about the valves?

mudpad

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 8, 2010

BCConstruction said:
lol dam that things a beast. That must use some serious amount of fuel.

Yep. Here is a picture of the tank farm required to supply the required volume. It's not something you want to run 24/7. But it is the only thing I have found that will heat a building up to spec for painting, VCT, etc in the kind of weather that we have been having in our area lately. Project managers hate to see it show up on the job and the propane bills start rolling in.

mudpad

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jan 8, 2010

jdmartin said:
I have an old Redline 97,000 btu kerosene job that will run me out of an enclosed area. I can't imagine what that thing would be like to be around. I can see where it would be handy outside if it blows hard enough though. How hard will the fan blow, before you start to lose the heat outdoors?

I never ran it outdoors I have always used it in school construction, where you have long corridors to place it in, and heat a wing at at time. You can't set it up in a classroom, it will melt the enamel off the marker boards!

Once you get the building closed in with permanent windows and doors, you have to run some sheet metal duct to the outside for make up air.

PrecisionFloors

· #11 · Jan 8, 2010

Holy crap! That thing was designed in a Tim Taylor wet dream.

Save

mudpad

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 8, 2010

PrecisionFloors said:
Holy crap! That thing was designed in a Tim Taylor wet dream.

LOL. No telling what Tim would do if he got his hands on it, probably burn the building down.

The same company actually make one that is 2,2500,000 BTU, 750,000 bigger than this one.

mudpad

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jan 8, 2010

robert c1 said:
Never dealt with anything that large but
the regulator is good, the supply line is good. What about the valves?

They are in the ON position :laughing:

CookeCarpentry

· #14 · Jan 8, 2010

PrecisionFloors said:
Holy crap! That thing was designed in a Tim Taylor wet dream.

mudpad said:
LOL. No telling what Tim would do if he got his hands on it, probably burn the building down.

The same company actually make one that is 2,2500,000 BTU, 750,000 bigger than this one.

You answered your own question, kind of.

Just light the building on fire (a controlled burn, of course) fueled by excess construction debris and material.

It's cost effective - seems like the logical thing to do....:thumbsup:

bbrooksy

· #15 · Jan 25, 2010

i realize this is a tad late, but you may need a vaporizer between the supply and the heater. google propane vaporizer. good luck

bill

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