Heating my Shed with a Chinese Diesel Heater

[ADDvanced]

Hey guys, thought I'd share this video of my install in case any of you have unheated workshops. Running a propane furnace is expensive and I really hate lugging around tanks; diesel solves that pretty easily. Just take a gas can on any errand and fill it up if you need more.

Anyway, here's the install. Works great so far, let me know if you have questions.

[1990C4S]

I'm currently using a kerosene heater that's 'almost okay'. I'm buying a diesel heater next fall.

[LWJ]

Awesome! I’m building a shed in the near future. This seems like a great upgrade.

[Jeff Higgins]

I'm not sure I can source Chinese diesel locally.

[911boost]

jeff,

Have you looked at Walmart or Amazon? They seem to carry a lot of chinesium.

[gsxrken]

Originally Posted by 911boost

jeff,

Have you looked at Walmart or Amazon? They seem to carry a lot of chinesium.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

I'm currently using a kerosene heater that's 'almost okay'. I'm buying a diesel heater next fall.

I have a couple of the kerosene heaters... they're very nice for places without electricity.

[911boost]

Yes, I was joking about buying diesel there….

[unclebilly]

Timely thread. I was considering doing the same for the race timing shack on a remote part of our ski hill. Currently, we have a propane wall furnace that has been screwed with…

[pksystems]

LOL. Just started looking at this to heat my garage in the last week. Getting sick of using propane torpedo heater to take the edge off the cold and filling entire garage with moisture in winter.

[Zeke]

I watched a couple of videos on these. The good thing is they exhaust the fumes from the burned fuel and take in outside air for combustion to avoid 2 things, O2 depletion and negative inside pressure. So they are not portable, they are mounted.

[URY914]

I've seen where guys have used them on RV's/travel trailers.
Put them outside and duct the hot air in.
Simple and safe

[creaturecat]

using a non-proper propane heater set-up? inside?
it can result in a one way trip.to the morgue. it happened to a fellow at work. that's how i know.

[GH85Carrera]

When I was looking for a garage heater, I looked at a lot of different options. Flames and venting were an issue, as well as to where to put it. In the end, I went with a 220 electric heater that works great. It does not have to run much to keep the garage warm, and it has a simple knob as a thermostat. No messing with stinky diesel fuel or storing stinky diesel. No combustion, and no venting.

I have spent many days in the garage in just a t-shirt and jeans on bitter cold days. I have never had a second thought about my choice. If someone with diesel equipment, current diesel storage, and no ready access to 220, yea, that might be a good choice for the diesel heater. I personally would try to find something that is not Chinesium.

[ADDvanced]

Hard to do that when you're off grid, relying on solar power only. Also, that is by far the most expensive way to generate heat.

I have a CDH in my van, in my bus, and now in my shed. They're all great, efficient, small, and safe to use. I would suggest a carbon monoxide detector just in case, and mounting it outside would be even more ideal, with ductwork towards the inside of the building. May be doing that at some point, especially so I can run a larger fuel tank.

[Baz]

Hey Rob - nice job on the video. I really enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing with the community!

I'm in Florida so cold weather not a big issue here.

I enjoy learning about new things - especially pertaining to improvements to the homestead!

Your comments about the economy and convenience of this unit were important and appreciated.

I wish I had a shop/shed but for now am in the process of modifying a fairly large area adjacent to my 2 car garage to make it all one enclosure to be climate controlled with a ductless mini-split. As things move further along I will probably create a thread for it.

Most of my experience in space heaters has been for homemade greenhouses I have built here where I needed heat for only 1 or 2 nights after a cold front came through and along with it a hard freeze. In those situations I have used an Aladdin Blue Flame kerosene heater. I have 2 of those in fact stowed away for possible future use. They have always done a great job for me in that kind of application.

Thanks again for creating and sharing your vid....it was great!

[rfuerst911sc]

The diesel heater looks like a good option . If I was going that route I would frame up an outside the building enclosure to house the heater . That would add some safety margins and more importantly allow spillage of fuel to not be in the main building . As we all know diesel stinks and the smell will linger . And no matter how careful you are you will spill some . I enjoyed the video .

[Turbo_pro]

There seems to be a plethora of heater/brand options.
Do any of the brands/models stand out?

[Rusty Heap]

Another option to electrically heat a large shop is keep and eye out on classified ads for Electric furnaces from house or mobile homes. Large squirrel cage fan and elements built right in.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Turbo_pro

There seems to be a plethora of heater/brand options.
Do any of the brands/models stand out?

Some testing videos focus on similarities suggesting, like many things, all come from the same place originally. These things are a little bit of genius and this will get milked by hundreds of sellers.