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Home > Archive > Alternative Power sources > October 2005 > kerosene or propane heat?
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kerosene or propane heat?
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| Is it cheaper to use kerosene or propane for heating
a room about 10'x20' with a 7' ceiling, when kerosene
is about $2.50/gallon and propane about $14/20 lbs?
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| vaughnsimon@att.net 2005-10-26, 5:21 pm |
| "Is it cheaper to use kerosene or propane for heating
, when kerosene is about $2.50/gallon and propane about $14/20 lbs?"
A quick Google gives about 135,000 btu/Gal for Kero and 21,600
btu/# or 91,000 btu/gal for Propane. I will leave the rest of the math
to you.
Vaughn
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| Paul Crumpler 2005-10-26, 6:21 pm |
| Using your prices:
Kerosene energy costs = $18.66 per million BTUs
Propane energy costs = $32.55 per million BTUs
If your prices are correct, then Kerosene would be the way to go. However,
if you are buying larger quantities of propane, then you could get a better
price. Generally propane is less expensive than kerosene, but not in this
case.
Is it cheaper to use kerosene or propane for heating
a room about 10'x20' with a 7' ceiling, when kerosene
is about $2.50/gallon and propane about $14/20 lbs?
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<dh@.> wrote in message news:94mvl1tbu9rdbbmtnkuee4m0ks5n2t2kl5@4ax.com...
> Is it cheaper to use kerosene or propane for heating
> a room about 10'x20' with a 7' ceiling, when kerosene
> is about $2.50/gallon and propane about $14/20 lbs?
Before we talk about costs, are you speaking of vented or non vented
heating?
Non vented can be dangerous and violates some cities ordinances.
I had a couple of unvented Kerosun heaters that I used for an old drafty
house. They would indeed take the chill off. I hated the smell and washing
all of the walls and ceilings in the spring was a pain.
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| Winston Smith 2005-10-26, 11:21 pm |
| On Wed, 26 Oct 2005 15:31:03 -0400, dh@. wrote:
>Is it cheaper to use kerosene or propane for heating
>a room about 10'x20' with a 7' ceiling, when kerosene
>is about $2.50/gallon and propane about $14/20 lbs?
A twenty pound propane tank holds 5 gallons so you are paying $2.80
per gallon for propane. The BTU contents are very similar as is
combustion efficiency. It seems almost a wash. Probably which ever
is more available and convenient to use.
--
W§ mostly in m.s - http://members.1stconnect.com/anozira
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| Stormin Mormon 2005-10-27, 11:21 am |
| I thought this was fascinating. Now, lets see if we can figure out if
propane is cheaper at 2.00 for a 16 ounce (one pound) bottle. Versus 3.00 or
so a galon for kerosene.
I'm on "therm billing" and a quick call revealed that a therm is 100,000
BTU. So, looking at a typical bill, it cost me $68 to get 13 therms
delivered. Or about $5.25 a therm.
In terms of propane in 16 ounce bottles, it would take about 5 bottles, or
about $10.00 produce a therm.
It would take about 3/4 galon of kerosene to produce a therm, which would be
about $2.00.
In refillable propane bottles (twenty pounders) I havn't priced them lately.
But with the other fellow's figures, $14 for 20 pounds is about .75 a pound.
Needing 5# propane per therm, would be about $3.75 per therm.
When the electric is out, and the furnace is dead, it's well worth ten bucks
a therm. And kerosene is cheaper, but I have to drive to the store to get
it.
--
Christopher A. Young
Do good work.
It's longer in the short run
but shorter in the long run.
..
..
<vaughnsimon@att.net> wrote in message
news:1130357218.231237.203870@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
"Is it cheaper to use kerosene or propane for heating
, when kerosene is about $2.50/gallon and propane about $14/20 lbs?"
A quick Google gives about 135,000 btu/Gal for Kero and 21,600
btu/# or 91,000 btu/gal for Propane. I will leave the rest of the math
to you.
Vaughn
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| Stormin Mormon 2005-10-27, 2:21 pm |
| The propane would be cheaper if you could have it delivered by truck. Kero,
you have to go to the store and pump it yourself.
At least, that's my off the cuff guess.
--
Christopher A. Young
Do good work.
It's longer in the short run
but shorter in the long run.
..
..
<dh@.> wrote in message news:94mvl1tbu9rdbbmtnkuee4m0ks5n2t2kl5@4ax.com...
Is it cheaper to use kerosene or propane for heating
a room about 10'x20' with a 7' ceiling, when kerosene
is about $2.50/gallon and propane about $14/20 lbs?
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| Stormin Mormon 2005-10-27, 2:21 pm |
| Good question. Some companies like Harbor Freight have vented wall
heaters -- which could be a good deal.
There are good infared heaters for propane bottles. I use a little one in
the back of my van some times when I'm working. Have a larger one for the
home, in case of power cuts. Quieter than using the generator to power the
furnace.
--
Christopher A. Young
Do good work.
It's longer in the short run
but shorter in the long run.
..
..
"SQLit" <sqlit@qwest.net> wrote in message
news:uZR7f.54$z15.4100@news.uswest.net...
<dh@.> wrote in message news:94mvl1tbu9rdbbmtnkuee4m0ks5n2t2kl5@4ax.com...
> Is it cheaper to use kerosene or propane for heating
> a room about 10'x20' with a 7' ceiling, when kerosene
> is about $2.50/gallon and propane about $14/20 lbs?
Before we talk about costs, are you speaking of vented or non vented
heating?
Non vented can be dangerous and violates some cities ordinances.
I had a couple of unvented Kerosun heaters that I used for an old drafty
house. They would indeed take the chill off. I hated the smell and washing
all of the walls and ceilings in the spring was a pain.
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| On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 13:47:23 GMT, "Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61-#spamblock*-@hotmail.com> wrote:
>I thought this was fascinating. Now, lets see if we can figure out if
>propane is cheaper at 2.00 for a 16 ounce (one pound) bottle. Versus 3.00 or
>so a galon for kerosene.
>
>I'm on "therm billing" and a quick call revealed that a therm is 100,000
>BTU. So, looking at a typical bill, it cost me $68 to get 13 therms
>delivered. Or about $5.25 a therm.
>
>In terms of propane in 16 ounce bottles, it would take about 5 bottles, or
>about $10.00 produce a therm.
>
>It would take about 3/4 galon of kerosene to produce a therm, which would be
>about $2.00.
>
>In refillable propane bottles (twenty pounders) I havn't priced them lately.
>But with the other fellow's figures, $14 for 20 pounds is about .75 a pound.
>Needing 5# propane per therm, would be about $3.75 per therm.
>
>When the electric is out, and the furnace is dead, it's well worth ten bucks
>a therm. And kerosene is cheaper, but I have to drive to the store to get
>it.
There's something else to consider that I hadn't noticed before. The
kerosene heater I'm using: Dyna-Glo RMC-55-R7
http://www.milesstair.com/Pictures/DynaGlo_RMC-55R7.jpg
works very poorly with a low flame. So even when the room is warmed
up good and only needs a little bit to keep the chill down, I still have to
keep the heater turned up enough to keep it from smoking the place
out. If a propane heater offers more control, maybe that would make it
cheaper even if the fuel price is a bit more...
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| Lawrence_Glickman 2005-10-27, 9:21 pm |
| On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 17:11:55 -0400, dh@. wrote:
>On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 13:47:23 GMT, "Stormin Mormon" <cayoung61-#spamblock*-@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> There's something else to consider that I hadn't noticed before. The
>kerosene heater I'm using: Dyna-Glo RMC-55-R7
>
>http://www.milesstair.com/Pictures/DynaGlo_RMC-55R7.jpg
>
>works very poorly with a low flame. So even when the room is warmed
>up good and only needs a little bit to keep the chill down, I still have to
>keep the heater turned up enough to keep it from smoking the place
>out. If a propane heater offers more control, maybe that would make it
>cheaper even if the fuel price is a bit more...
I use a DynaGlo PROPANE (LP) heater hooked up to 20# tanks. Works
fine, and has a Lo or Hi setting. Man, when you put it on hi, you're
in for a toasting.
I also have a Kero O Sun in the basement, but _never_ run it because
the Mrs. doesn't like the smell ( either do I ).
LP wins hands down for cleanliness, odor-free heating, presuming you
have an adequate O2 supply of fresh air coming in from somewhere. I
leave the range hood fan on over the stove 24/7 to create a negative
pressure in the house so outside air comes in to clean/replace the
inside air.
Pricewise? I have enough Kero to keep my torpedo heater in the garage
running for automotive work in the wintertime. LP tanks need
filling...which presuming $15/tank or thereabouts will cost me under
$50. Not too bad.
Otoh, I have an electric space heater also, which I can use for
intermittent duty to just warm things up in a hurry.
IOW, they all work...
Electric likely being the most expensive in terms of fuel
then the LP
then the Kero
I haven't done the math, but this is my hunch at this time.
I always try to keep 1 full 20# tank, and will refill the other two
and a 10# when things get low. That way I've alway got something.
Lg
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<dh@.> wrote in message news:94mvl1tbu9rdbbmtnkuee4m0ks5n2t2kl5@4ax.com...
> Is it cheaper to use kerosene or propane for heating
> a room about 10'x20' with a 7' ceiling, when kerosene
> is about $2.50/gallon and propane about $14/20 lbs?
Wood gives the best bang for the buck. 1 cord equals about 150 to 200
gallons of fuel. At $200 a cord equals about $1.00 to 1.30 a gallon.
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| dh@. wrote in news:c5g2m1dbii2mv5n6dtttevsl88qqhq482v@4ax.com:
> On Thu, 27 Oct 2005 13:47:23 GMT, "Stormin Mormon"
> <cayoung61-#spamblock*-@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>
> There's something else to consider that I hadn't noticed
> before. The
> kerosene heater I'm using: Dyna-Glo RMC-55-R7
>
> http://www.milesstair.com/Pictures/DynaGlo_RMC-55R7.jpg
>
> works very poorly with a low flame. So even when the room is
> warmed up good and only needs a little bit to keep the chill
> down, I still have to keep the heater turned up enough to keep
> it from smoking the place out. If a propane heater offers more
> control, maybe that would make it cheaper even if the fuel price
> is a bit more...
Another consideration in really cold weather is the problem Propane
has with vapor pressure at lower temps. Even with a 20# bottle
once the temp gets down around 20 it is hard to get a lot of heat
out of a torpedoe type heater. Haven't tried with a radiant style
heater, but it is something to keep in mind.
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| Tim May 2005-10-30, 1:21 am |
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In article <Xns96FED69363AACtimothybilcomcastnet@207.69.189.191>, tim
<timothybil@comcast.net> wrote:
> Another consideration in really cold weather is the problem Propane
> has with vapor pressure at lower temps. Even with a 20# bottle
> once the temp gets down around 20 it is hard to get a lot of heat
> out of a torpedoe type heater. Haven't tried with a radiant style
> heater, but it is something to keep in mind.
But the BTU/pound will remain the same, so even if the propane system
is "sluggish" (my term here for "doesn't flow well at 20 F"), this is
just the equivalent in actual usage of the propane flow turned down to
a low flow rate.
Seems to me that this means the heater or furnace will run longer to
get to the same higher temperature, but should eventually do the trick.
At no greater cost of consumed propane, ultimately.
(Though a too-small propane heater that is trying to heat a space much
too large for it may never get much above the 20 F temperature you
cited as an example. That's a capacity problem. Certainly an awful lot
of people have propane tanks sitting outside their farmhouses in Iowa
and South Dakota, with temperatures way below 20 F. I don't hear of a
lot of mummified corpses found in the spring, so the flow must be
enough.)
Sounds to me like the solution is to not let the interior temperature
drop so low, or to use electric to slightly boost the temperature
(being very careful about aiming a radiant electric at a propane tank!,
or to up the capacity by having several small heaters and then turning
most of them off or way down once a working temperature is reached.
--Tim May
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| TheAlligator 2005-10-30, 2:21 pm |
| dh@. wrote:
> There's something else to consider that I hadn't noticed before. The
>kerosene heater I'm using: Dyna-Glo RMC-55-R7
>
>http://www.milesstair.com/Pictures/DynaGlo_RMC-55R7.jpg
>
>works very poorly with a low flame. So even when the room is warmed
>up good and only needs a little bit to keep the chill down, I still have to
>keep the heater turned up enough to keep it from smoking the place
>out. If a propane heater offers more control, maybe that would make it
>cheaper even if the fuel price is a bit more...
I have different models of the DynaGlo but be CAREFUL - it's not just
smoke problem - my manuals specifically state that a flame adjusted
improperly low can generate large amounts of CO.
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