Looking for a heater that doesn't run on electricity
Posted by MissPatBrown@reddit | preppers | View on Reddit | 47 comments
Hello, I'm looking for a heater that does not run on electricity. As far as propane and kerosine, I have never used it, please do not laugh at me, are those safe inside? How do you get the Propane and or Kerosene? What is the cost for the Kerosene or Propane? How easy it it to fill the heater with the liquid? Looking for something affordable. Thank you so much.
SheistyPenguin@reddit
What works for us:
This covers cooking and heating in an emergency. You don't need to heat the whole house, just pick a common room to use and tack up blankets over the doorways and windows to trap the heat.
BoxOfUsefulParts@reddit
UK, Late to the party as always - I just wanted to add that I am experimenting with Bio-ethanol.
It is clean burning, no smoke, slight smell but does come scented. Safe to burn indoors. You can see a range of burners on Youtube.
It seems great for small spaces (ie UK homes) but could get expensive for large homes or harsher climates.
DannyWarlegs@reddit
You can get a natural gas heater installed in your wall and they usually have a catalytic re-burner that makes sure everything is burnt.
That's what saved me and my girl in a blizzard in 2009. I currently have a propane one now that runs off my house tank.
If you use propane inside, get a propane alarm and a carbon monoxide detector
MadRhetorik@reddit
They also make propane wall heaters. We don’t have natural gas where I live so RIP. All I want is a gas stove lol
DannyWarlegs@reddit
So get a propane stove? I have one. We don't have natural gas here either. Just propane tanks in every yard
-echo-chamber-@reddit
Few things....
CO detectors now!. Multiple ones. Spread across the house.
Propane burns cleanest with the least smell and soot.
Kerosene typically has a noticeable odor, even the high end perfectly clear brands. Expect some soot also.
Propane heaters will _tend_ to be cheaper.
nukedmylastprofile@reddit
Do you have the ability to have a 12v battery and solar charger? If so a diesel heater could be the best option. While they use some electricity to start, the power consumption is very low once started and diesel is exceptionally efficient for heating. A good 2.2kW diesel heater burns around 1/2 a cup of diesel per hour and gives you thermostatic control so won't overheat the space or run when it's not needed.
They take ducted air from inside, heat it and pump it back in, leaving no fumes / exhaust getting inside keeping your home clean and safe.
A single 100ah battery and 100w solar panel would keep this system running no problem running the heater for 10-12 hrs per day
BoneyardRendezvous@reddit
Diesel heaters are the shit. I love them. Gotta keep that battery topped off, though.
nukedmylastprofile@reddit
Yeah I sell them for a living so have to avoid naming brands or pushing anything specific but I can share the benefits and technical aspects.
I really rate them and have both an air heater and diesel water heater set up at home for use during power outages
SuddenlySilva@reddit
Question, I've seen where people take a diesel heater and run the exhaust into a big cast iron radiator and capture all the remaining heat before the exhaust leaves the room. Does this work, and is there any downside?
-echo-chamber-@reddit
It was designed for a certain airflow (volume and velocity). Capturing that adds backpressure, changing combustion. Maybe it changes enough to matter, maybe not. Maybe it starts putting out (more) CO.
MadRhetorik@reddit
I use Kerosene heaters in the winter and have propane as well for backup.
fedffcg@reddit
Do you have the ability to use a wood burning stove?
StageSevere2947@reddit
When we bought our home, I told the realtor "don't even show me a house with an HOA or that doesn't have a wood burning stove". She nailed it. Has a river running through the property too.
Traditional-Leader54@reddit
So smart. Do you have well and septic too? Thats like the triple crown of a prepper home.
StageSevere2947@reddit
Yep. Fruit trees, garden, chickens, etc
Traditional-Leader54@reddit
Nice! So many times I see posts here like “I just bought a house. What should I do first as a prepper?” All I can think is I wish you said something before you bought the house and I would have told you look for well, septic, and wood stove in that order. Then you can store food, extra water and think about solar, generator or other backup power options and you’re practically set for 99% of situations.
fedffcg@reddit
That sounds awesome! I have a propane heater, but more for an emergency type scenario, then the wood-burning stove as the main source
MissPatBrown@reddit (OP)
No
MagicToolbox@reddit
Welcome. We got a MrBuddy heater that can run 1 pound cylinder tanks - available at Walmart and many other places. It is safe for use inside, but it's always a good idea to have a CO detector in the room to be sure. There is an adapter that lets you use a standard 20 pound grill cylinder as well. You may have seen heaters on restaurant outdoor patios that give off some good heat for larger areas. It all depends on how much space you are looking to heat.
We used to run a kero "torpedo heater" in the shop in the winter back home - it always gave me a headache and smelled of petroleum. I know there are other versions nowadays.
Wayson@reddit
I own one of these as well along with a hose to connect it to a 20 lb bbq tank. It is not big enough to heat my entire house but it works well enough to heat a smaller area like a bedroom. Propane is the best fuel because it stores forever and is versatile for cooking heating and generators.
LifeHappenzEvryMomnt@reddit
We have this. We’ve used it to heat our chicken brooder room. It worked well but was a stop gap until we got the central heat working.
chubby_hubby1984@reddit
Go with a diesel heater & start making bio diesel.
Internal-Eye-5804@reddit
When I need a little heat bit not quite enough to fire up the woodstove, I use a Little Buddy heater. You only get a few hours on the 1lb propane bottles, so I use a 20lb grille tank with a 20' hose and filter. On high setting it will run about 24hrs. On low, it will go 3 days. The tank should be outside, but I've done it with the tank in another closed off room. Not recommended, of course. But I do it at my own risk.
Hoyle33@reddit
Forgive my ignorance, what’s the risk?
Eleutherian8@reddit
The tank could leak, eventually venting its contents indoors, risking asphyxiation and KABOOM!
HappyAnimalCracker@reddit
Mr heater big buddy and carbon monoxide detector
rstevenb61@reddit
Wood Pellet stove. Some in on corn I think, but not sure.
Complex_Material_702@reddit
You need to spend some serious time on YouTube. All of these issues are addressed on there.
jusumonkey@reddit
It depends on the house. Efficient and well sealed homes usually are not ventilated super well. I can't recommend using a fuel inside without monitoring the CO and Co2 levels in the home.
This list contains heaters where the exhaust can be vented outside and are relatively cheap. To reduce fuel costs it's possible to dilute the diesel with things like used oils and other flammable liquids. The exact ratio depends on the liquids you are using but heaters like this generally aren't too picky.
Joshua De Lisle has a video regarding exactly this.
desrevermi@reddit
...wood stove?
Legnovore@reddit
Get a carbon monoxide detector, and your options open up a whole lot more.
FruitiToffuti@reddit
Wood stove
Prepandpraypeace@reddit
Today I bought a big buddy, arrives in 2 days and on sale. I paid around $100 and signed up for their texts to get an extra 10% off. Here’s the link: https://www.sportsmans.com/camping-gear-supplies/camp-accessories/heaters/mr-heater-big-buddy-portable-heater/p/1531387?channel=shopping&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADvVAnVQDJf_SacjemtUIa0TM0Aiu&gclid=CjwKCAjwpbi4BhByEiwAMC8JneRVoyEAqiGAGEryICCPLqHptA4S59qko_7-azNPB2hAUhiIHjyjUhoCioMQAvD_BwE
Big-Preference-2331@reddit
When I lived in Wisconsin i always kept a few kerosene heaters in my basement. They look like giant bird cages but they work.
SaltyFatBoy@reddit
I have a "Chinese Diesel heater" that I can use in the shop or in the house. I have mine set up to run off of a 100Ahr 12v lithium battery and exhaust it out a window through an insert I can stick into the window. The battery is charged with a simple charge controller and a solar panel. On low it'll run a very long time on a tank, and provide consistent dry heat. I know you said no electricity, but the battery will last for DAYS even without charging.
Or you can have the whole thing outside and just run a hose in the window if you want to be really safe.
There's a bit of setup to these, and some people hate the click noise the pump makes. For me it's a good backup option.
A CO detector is always recommended, no matter the heat source.
Kevthebassman@reddit
Kerosene gives me a headache. I have a Buddy heater that puts out a good amount of heat on propane.
DJH351@reddit
The Buddy heaters are practical. With the standard size propane tank you use for an outdoor grill, one of those will run for roughly 72 hours on the low setting.
Rocksteady2R@reddit
I grew up with kerosene heaters in hte house and out in the shop. they're super helpful.
Kerosene you can buy in most any town, but you've got to know where the pump is. obviously, not every gas station has them, and in some areas, there are business that operate on a membership basis where you just go to the pumps, run your club-card, and fill up your can. A quick goolgle of "kerosene pump near me" shoudl get you something.
Keep kerosene in a dedicated container. Dad always spraypanted a "K" on his.
We kept the cans in the garage, and did the filling out in the garage (spills can happen.). Some style of heaters have a non-removable tank, and some have one you pull out a 1gallon can, fill, and re-insert. these are best for in the house, but the non-removable ones are fine for hte garage or workshop. Or inside if you don't mind a l'il kerosene smell wafting about when you fill it.
current kerosene prices are around $4.5 a gallon. a gallon can last a modest time and create modest amounts of heat, but it certainly will run out on you. i do not know enough recent info to say "x amoutn will last Y time", though.
Bookish_NB@reddit
Insta-Fire VESTA Self-Powered Camping Indoor/Outdoor Heater & Stove
CleanCut2018@reddit
This is definitely on my list.
TheAncientMadness@reddit
mr heater buddy heaters work great and propane stores indefinitely. r/preppersales finds good deals on them
Successful-Street380@reddit
The Aladdin Heater runs on kerosene
analogliving71@reddit
Fireplace, Firepit
Backsight-Foreskin@reddit
We use kerosene heaters if there is a power failure. Kerosene heaters have been around for a long time and are fairly clean burning. It's still a good idea to crack a window if using a kerosene heater. Kerosene is available at some gas stations, it is normally a separate pump away from the gasoline. Blue fuel cans are designated for kerosene. When it's time to refuel the heater I take the whole thing out onto the porch.
G00dSh0tJans0n@reddit
I lived for a while in a house with no heat and a kerosene heater was my backup source for when it was really going to be cold. A Mister Buddy propane heater was my first go-to to knock the chill off. I found it had less odor than the kerosene heater. It was good to have e both options.
Long term it would be nice to get a vented propane heater so you don’t have any condensation issues
TheSensiblePrepper@reddit
You're new, so welcome.
Did you search the Sub before posting? This question gets asked very often by new people. Have you checked out the Sub's Wiki?
I would recommend you check my recent post about preparing for a Power Outage. On that post I have a few different heating options and how to go about using them. Take a look and if you still have specific questions about it, come back here and ask.