anyone use a portable gas heater at home?

[steveo3002]

we dont have mains gas and the storage heater costs are getting a bit rude

looking at something like this

SUPERSER TYPE PORTABLE GAS HEATER 4.2kW BB-PG510I

This heater has 3 heat settings and requires a butane gas cylinder which is not supplied. It comes with ceramic heating plates, built in ignition and anti tilt safety system. It is mounted on castors making it fullyportable and has a high thermal efficiency, being able to heat an area of up to...

www.samuelkirk.co.uk

wondered what i could expect a bottle of gas to last ? i see theres butane /calor gas which is best to get?

 

[AVI_8]

Roughly 14 KW/H per kg so a 15 kg bottle using 4.2 KW per hour is around 50 hours.
You‘ll notice a bit more condensation though with a non indirect gas heater.

 

[steveo3002]

Roughly 14 KW/H per kg so a 15 kg bottle using 4.2 KW per hour is around 50 hours.
You‘ll notice a bit more condensation though with a non indirect gas heater.

so full on for 50 hrs...what are you paying for gas?

 

[AVI_8]

I’m not, I have GCH, don’t go there with the cost of that!
My parents had one of those heaters when I lived on an old exposed farm with no heating when I was a kid, to try to prevent ice forming on the insides of windows

 

[Gareth J]

Interesting back of envelope calculation; say you pick up a s/h heater and bottle for neutral cost (plenty of old ones about).

At about £45 for a refill, using the above estimate of 14 kWh/kg, unit cost is about 21p/kWh.

So, probably more expensive than your night rate but less than the day rate?

With it you'll have to increase ventilation too so you'll loose a bit more efficiency there too.

By the time you factor in carting bottles about, you might be just as well off to get an oil filled rad.

Or maybe another few storage heaters.

Or, oil would be cheaper.

Or a heat pump should be cheaper to run than the storage heaters but not a quick/cheap fix!

 

[steveo3002]

what we had been doing is having a coal fire when its extra cold , i like seeing the fire and it boosted up the heat , but now its hard to get reasonble priced coal and those nut things they sell dont seem great

just thought if the gas didnt work out too rude it might be ok for a boost , or at either end of winter turn off the storage heater and use the gas for an hour morning/eve

 

[Bryan Williams]

I had one years ago, worked OK but gave me a banging headache so got rid.

 

[oddbob]

I got hold of one when I lived in a draughty old flat twenty odd years ago thinking it might be a cheaper option than the electric oil filled radiators I was using. I can't remember the numbers involved, but I soon went back to the lecky heating, and not just 'cause I got fed up humping bottles up three flights of stairs ...it was definitely more expensive. If you can easily go to storage heating I would've thought that your best bet.

 

[steveo3002]

I had one years ago, worked OK but gave me a banging headache so got rid.

yeah any saving maybe lost in having the windows cracked to clear the damp /stench ?

had to ask though...enough of them about

 

[AKN]

How about the good old electric fan heater? I’ve always found them to be very effective.

 

[steveo3002]

How about the good old electric fan heater? I’ve always found them to be very effective.

yeah they work ok...was just hoping to find something cheaper to run that doesnt involve a 10-15k install

 

[OJCar]

We sometimes use a gas fire like that when we aren't lighting the coal fire.
We use it in front of the fire place so it can ventilate up the chimney.

If you have a gas fire that causes a headache, it is faulty and must not be used.

Where about are you in the country?
Here in Scotland we still have proper coal available for sale, so if you are near enough to the border you could become a coal smuggler.

 

[winchman]

We just wear more clothes

 

[gaz1]

yes but i wouldnt use one

as im aware you need air within the room for fumes and also keeping the fire going

instead i went down the rocket stove route

nowadays and due to cheapness id fit a diesel heater in

but i wouldnt think twice about going through a window for the exhaust or new fresh air for the heaters

 

[OJCar]

We just wear more clothes

Jarg Armani ? and keep your hands warm in Joy Division Ovengloves !

 

[fizzy]

I don't like those gas heaters - fumes make my eyes water. Bottled gas expensive as well.
I use one of these

SRE4600 / 4602 4.6kW Liquid Fuel Heater + FREE FUEL - Liquid Fuel Heaters - Heaters

<ul> <li><strong>4.6kW / 4600W output Liquid Fuel Heater</strong></li> <li><strong>Digital temperature control</strong></li> <li><strong>Virtually odourless operation when powered by Paraffin Extra ROLF</strong></li> <li><strong>Fully automatic output

www.dry-it-out.com

Serious amount of power. They do a 3.2kw one as well.
Expensive to run on paraffin but household Kerosene works just as well. Far less fumes than a gas heater!
Of course you have to have a supply of kerosene. I have a 1000L IBC - cost me about 50p per litre for a refill. Some rural petrol stations sell kero at the pump. Our nearest garage sells it for 64p per litre which is pretty good.
I have run one of these now for about 3 years - fantastic!
Need a bit of ventilation but so does a gas fire.

 

[frank horton]

nobody mentioned a wood stove......
we buy hard wood in at €130 per ton and add to it by damaged pallets and old furniture from the dumps....
it does heating and hot water.....

 

[fizzy]

Oil works out at 4p per kw/h - electric is 22p - no brainer!

 

[steveo3002]

I don't like those gas heaters - fumes make my eyes water. Bottled gas expensive as well.
I use one of these

SRE4600 / 4602 4.6kW Liquid Fuel Heater + FREE FUEL - Liquid Fuel Heaters - Heaters

<ul> <li><strong>4.6kW / 4600W output Liquid Fuel Heater</strong></li> <li><strong>Digital temperature control</strong></li> <li><strong>Virtually odourless operation when powered by Paraffin Extra ROLF</strong></li> <li><strong>Fully automatic output

www.dry-it-out.com

Serious amount of power. They do a 3.2kw one as well.
Expensive to run on paraffin but household Kerosene works just as well. Far less fumes than a gas heater!
Of course you have to have a supply of kerosene. I have a 1000L IBC - cost me about 50p per litre for a refill. Some rural petrol stations sell kero at the pump. Our nearest garage sells it for 64p per litre which is pretty good.
I have run one of these now for about 3 years - fantastic!
Need a bit of ventilation but so does a gas fire.

yeah id looked at the parafin heaters , need to keep an eye out for somewhere i can buy smaller amounts of fuel as im not buying the 4ltr cans for £9.99 at the diy stores...could be an option if the fuel was affordable

 

[tom2207]

super sers destroy houses ,, ive thrown dozens of them out of rental property over the years ,,, including one out of a second floor window . Im not a fan of them at all.