Torpedo heater question

[HaywardBound]

My karosene heater really stinks, like it is too rich. There are 2 adjustment screws for it. I'm thinking it is a fuel/air mixture?

Anyone know how to adjust these?

Thanks.

[YukonDew]

Hi Hayward -

Looks like we are from the same neck of the woods - I had a similar symptom with a heater I had up until last winter (replaced it with a NG hanging heater). My heater had had a brass turbine like contraption, about the size of my thumb, in the center of the main tube just behind the fan. That brass assembly has two fittings - one was connected to the fuel source and the other had a vacuum line that went to a positive vacuum source - almost like an aquarium aerator. When the unit was turned on, air from the positive vacuum source was forced into the brass assembly which would spin a very small turbine inside of it. The vacuum also created draw (or siphon) on the fuel source through the other fitting in the brass assembly. Fuel entering the brass assembly would hit those turbine blades - creating a super fine mist of kerosene and mixing with the air from the positive vacuum source. - Which of course gets ignited to generate all that heat.

Every year I had that thing, I would have to disassemble that brass assembly and clean it up a bit. My heater always stunk like kerosene - no matter what kind I bought. But for whatever reason early every winter I noticed that cleaning that assembly made a huge difference in how clean it ran and how much heat it put out. I would start there - how well your fuel get atomized will impact how completely you kerosene get burned. The way I understand it, the fuel entering the combustion area would be the same if that turbine turned well or not since the source of the siphon is the vacuum source. But what is critical is if those blades are turning freely. If they are slowed down a bit from debris or fuel that is gumming up or whatever , then you will get less than optimal fuel mixing with air. If they are slowed down enough, the unit would still draw the same amount of fuel but not enough would get atomized and the heated would not be able to ignite the mist.

[HaywardBound]

Thanks for the info, Yukon. I'll check that stuff out. Very informative.

My wood burning stove burned through the bottom, so I have not been heating the garage much this winter.

I did buy a NG furnace last fall but need to run a gas line to the garage.

Did you do all the gas work yourself? I think I'll have to have someone do it for me.

Thanks.

[YukonDew]

Hi Hayward -

Bummer about your wood burning stove! But if you get the NG heater hooked up, you'll be much happier than wood or kerosine. NG heat is quiet, hassle free, and dependable. I actually get to listen to the radio now when I am out in the garage! With my torpedo heater I coundn't even hear myself think! I ran my own gas lines. It was a pretty long run so I used corrugated stainless steel tubing (CSST) for most of it. Menards sells the tubing as well as the fittings. The nice thing about CSST is that it eliminates many of the fittings necessay in typical black pipe instalation. It's worth checking out if you are thinking of doing it yourself. Saves a ton of time and it's pretty easy to work with. New Brighton's building inspectors are pretty good guys too- they'll generally answer code questions and all that. Otherwise, I'm sure there are plenty of Heating/Cooling guys that would be happy to get you set up. Good Luck!

[HaywardBound]

Thanks for the help, Yukon. I will have to wait until I can run the gas line in the spring. NG was my plan, but winter snuck up on me.

What part of town are you in? I'm by City Hall....BTW did you see the new fire truck?

Jon

[YukonDew]

I'm just about a half block off of the east side of long lake on 16th street. Shoot me an e-mail if you tackle the torpedo heater and you run into trouble. Can't promiss I can be any help but sometimes another set of eyes staring at the same problem helps. New fire engine? which one is new? They all look impresive to me in the new saftey center! [email protected]

[HaywardBound]

Thanks, I should be ok. I may have some questions in the spring though.

Jon

(NBFD)

(Oh, the new truck is next to the ladder truck.)