Propane tank

[poorfisherman]

Going to propane heat in the shack this year instead of a wood stove.  Is there anything wrong with having the tank inside the shack.

[surflizard]

takes up an area for a seat ! I always left mine outside, safer too, away from the heat source !

[Layne]

I ran my old one off propane 2 seasons ago and always kept the tank inside.. I find they are more efficient if kept indoors? Maybe im crazy but it sure seemed like it. It also kept it from gelling so I never had a problem running my buddy heater.

Im currently working on a new 8x12 and this one will have a propane furnance out of a camper as well as a wood burning stove, I plan on putting a 40-100 pound propane tank outside the shack to save on space and to reduce the number of times a guy has to change it. While using my portable the last couple years I can only remember my 20 pound tank freezing up one time outside but it was COOOLD.

I think its fine keeping it indoors, if its actually leaking so bad as to where it could ignite.. you have much bigger problems already.

[poorfisherman]

My new heater is a Mr. Heater 30,000 BTU blue flame.  It will mount on the wall and the tank will be in a cabinet along with my batteries for the camera.  I was just going to run 20lb tank. 

[Layne]

Whats the lowest setting on the heater? If you can run it at 10-15K BTUs you should get at least 4-5 days out of a 20 pound tank, maybe more dpending on how well your insulated.

Back to buffalo pound this year?

[poorfisherman]

I dont know the actuall range low-hi, just that max output is 30,000btu.  Book says 12 hours on hi off a 20lb tank.  It has a thermostat built in.  My shack is insulasted fairly well, the only loss is through the floor(its a converted camper) I have some carpet to skirt the outside this year should make a big difference.  As far as location the shack will be on the pound again. 

[campfindit2]

They put l.p. tanks on boats. They install them in sealed boxes that vent overboard. If you drilled some holes from the outside into the cabinet (down low, gas is heavier than air) I would think this would greatly reduce the risk of gas build up in the shanty.

[ice dawg]

I have done it, but my heater is a direct vent type and is sealed on the inside of the shack. If I leave my shack on the ice and leave the heat on during the night I will set my tank inside the shack.

[lund94]

So are you guys putting them inside to keep them from freezing? I was told to run a 100 pound tank with my heater because it pulls the gas so quickly that the valve would freeze.  Can I get around this problem by having the tank (with no leaks) inside the heated shack? It's a vented heater that gets the combustion air from outside.

[Youcanttuna Fish]

Propane suppliers and tank manufacturers  ALL warn that 20# tanks not be used inside. Maybe there is something to it. I know I have used them in 20 below with no problems.

[campfindit2]

Lund what size heater?

[lund94]

Camp - it is an Empire 18,000 BTU direct vent furnace.  Identical to the one Fishhousesupply sells - only way cheaper because I got it from Menard's.  Nowhere in the installation instructions does the manufacturer say 100 pound tank BUT on Northern Tools website their "expert" says to use the 100 pounder.  If I spent less time on Ice Shanty I could probably just call the manufacturer or better yet-----thought of this dilemma BEFORE I bought and installed this heater.

[campfindit2]

Lund a #20 cylinder should work just fine. For an example my BBQ grill has 3x 15,000 Btu burners and will run them all in the winter. The only thing you might experience, in the winter, is having trouble using up the very bottom of the cylinder. A #20 = 4.5 gal this would run that heater on high for 27 hr.. I wouldn't invest in a #100 cylinder, if you already had one, well thats a different story.

[snowman6902]

I ran a rinnai equator propane heater last winter in my 6x9. I had the tank under the heater. the heater sat on a shelf just higher than the tank.

[ice dawg]

So are you guys putting them inside to keep them from freezing? I was told to run a 100 pound tank with my heater because it pulls the gas so quickly that the valve would freeze.  Can I get around this problem by having the tank (with no leaks) inside the heated shack? It's a vented heater that gets the combustion air from outside.

I don't have a tank mount on my wheel house and I put it inside at night so no one walks off with it during the night.

[ice dawg]

Propane suppliers and tank manufacturers  ALL warn that 20# tanks not be used inside. Maybe there is something to it. I know I have used them in 20 below with no problems.

Kind of makes me wonder why my sunflower heater screws into the valve on a 20 lb tank and I use it inside.

[nonamer]

we had a couple of the 20s filled one winter and when they came home the grandson set them inside the kitchen door so he could clean the porch of.needles to say i heard this noise and when i went to the kitchen the one tank had popped off and was leaking. took it outside and only lasted for a minute or two. no more in the garage or house. they stay outside.

[poorfisherman]

OH the miss matched feed back,  we ALL never agree on anything.  That's what make this site so much fun.  Good point with the sunflower Ice Dawg  never thought about those, or the 1lb er i used to use to cook on in the shack for hours at a time with no issues (and yes hours at a time, we eat, eat, eat, when the kids are out).  If anything someone will get to see the silver bullet live up to its name either doing mach 1 down the lake or I'll be fishing on the moon.

[campfindit2]

I  put four #40 cylinders on a small commercial cruise ship. Four cabins only. They needed gas for the kitchen. This all needed to pass Coastguard certification. Bottom line seal the cupboard and vent outside. The battery also is supposed to be sealed off and vented out. Two birds with one stone. If I remember right we did a 1" x 6" slit. No one is certifying your shanty I realise, but if you simply apply the safety princaple of dilution is the solution, you will greatly reduce risk.

[ice dawg]

Better to be safe than sorry they tell me. My tank sits outside when my wheel house is occupied and I have a fifteen foot hose that I pull out through a port in a wall. My tank usually sits on the frame in front of my shack on top of the spare tire. One thing I like about doing it this way is I can move the tank around to keep it out of the wind or in the sun.

[lund94]

Well guys, thanks for the info.  My current setup has the 20 pounder mounted on the trailer frame outside the shack.  I guess the only way to see if the valve in the tank will freeze is to use it.  My first couple times out this year I will make sure to bring a spare 20 pounder with me.  Hopefully if they do freeze it will take several hours and not several minutes.

[Youcanttuna Fish]

Kind of makes me wonder why my sunflower heater screws into the valve on a 20 lb tank and I use it inside.

 Read the fineprint on any of those types of heaters that state "not for indoor use". Your ignorance does not proper procedure make.

[ice dawg]

Read the fineprint on any of those types of heaters that state "not for indoor use". Your ignorance does not proper procedure make.

I used it with ventilation, a carbon monoxide detector and went outside to check dead sticks quite often. Used to be about the only way to heat a portable shack even before we had carbon monxoide detectors. Must have been a lot of ignorant people in those days according to your expert opinion. For those of us that survived, the newer and safer heaters are great though.

[Youcanttuna Fish]

Must have been a lot of ignorant people in those days

Yeah you're right.

[gaspumper]

There was as many then as there is now.

[ice dawg]

I noticed that this weekend while watching Ice Men. They were in a popup shelter with a tank mounted double burner radiant heater for heat. They also must not have read the owner manual for the vehicle they were driving either since they weren't wearing their seatbelts while driving on the ice. Wow, talk about ignorant people!!

[Youcanttuna Fish]

I noticed that this weekend while watching Ice Men. They were in a popup shelter with a tank mounted double burner radiant heater for heat. They also must not have read the owner manual for the vehicle they were driving either since they weren't wearing their seatbelts while driving on the ice. Wow, talk about ignorant people!!

You're obviously even ignorant of the meaning of the word ignorant.

[ice dawg]

You're obviously even ignorant of the meaning of the word ignorant.

Always nice to read things from a someone who is a legend in his own mind.

[Youcanttuna Fish]

Always nice to read things from a someone who is a legend in his own mind.

You're also a belligerent jerk.

[Youcanttuna Fish]

Always nice to read things from a someone who is a legend in his own mind.

And your originality is refreshing.