Heater Efficiency and Choice

I was looking again at the Northstar Add-on diesel water heater for possible usage on the box truck. I still have the #4 LG sitting in my shop, but the company that was supposed to be rebuilding the propane tank has been struggling to find parts for it....don't ask me why, it sounds strange to me as well.

Anyway, what I am trying to find out is how much fuel do these heaters use per hour when cleaning carpet? It comes with a 4 gallon tank, but the only thing that I can find states 2 gph when pressure washing....would not be happy with that usage on carpets.

I should probably just buy a new propane tank for the LG (high psi unit), but those Northstars are good for 4000 psi and 250 degrees....at less than it costs to buy a #3 LG heater. It is hard to ignore the specs for this heater. The only thing that I don't like is the power cord for the burner, but maybe it can be wired into a converter on the truck?

Tough call or me....I have no experience with either units, but I need to decide this month before this build goes live in April.

I have a Kero-burner from a steamway unit built in to my TM is a horizontal running 220 at the wand with a 10 flow will burn about half a gallon per hour
I think Nick Nellos from EZ is making a unit with the horizontal burner is better fro exhausting the fumes

Horizontal burner? That's new to me, any pics?

I like the 1/2 gph rating.

I'd love to have the heat and the pressure rating that the diesel heater has, but don't really want to deal with the power need or diesel fuel, being a have a gas van.

BUT I would be seriously interested in buying your LG #4 if you don't use it.

So that would be some cash towards your diesel purchase.

Oh and also, a 4 gal. tank for propane isn't nearly big enough, if that's what you're talking about?.......especially when you said you don't have a place close by to get it.

With the big commercial jobs you do, I could see you having to refill mid job!

milspec6 wrote:Horizontal burner?  That's new to me, any pics?

I like the 1/2 gph rating.

here it go this will work for you 12volt no cords required
http://www.steam-brite.com/product_info.php?products_id=15473{51}344

gtech12v wrote:

milspec6 wrote:Horizontal burner?  That's new to me, any pics?

I like the 1/2 gph rating.

here it go this will work for you 12volt no cords required
http://www.steam-brite.com/product_info.php?products_id=15473{51}344

better price
http://www.discountcleaningproducts.com/product-p/cphl5dch.htm?Click=65&vfsku=CPHL5DCH&gpla=pla&gclid=Cj0KEQiAsdCnBRC86PeFkuDJt_MBEiQAUXJfLQUDa92ztFq9utxXf9CG-Cx_dViFT8RAeyeC86K_X3kaAjbq8P8HAQ

I really like that horizontal heater....wish it would get above 200 degrees though. At the end of 350 feet of hose, temps can really drop in the winter.

Cool option though, thanks for the pic

As for the LG heater, it might go up for sale soon. The propane tank I have is the largest I could find local (11 gallon, I think), but even that would get used up sooner than I would like on large commercial.

The worst part of propane is that I normally work inside the park and would have no access for refill if I was to run low. I can add a 100 gallon diesel tank to the truck if I wanted to...well, even a 30 gallon would be great. Then I can just tap the fuel tank on the truck...I do like that option quite a bit.

Please let me know first if you do want to sell the LG heater, as like I said I'd be very interested in it, as long as the price is right.

Sometimes these guys can get hard to find parts or heated washing units:
http://www.aquatech-usa.com/

eldiabloz wrote:Sometimes these guys can get hard to find parts or heated washing units:
http://www.aquatech-usa.com/

They have pretty neat stuff....thanks, never heard of them before.

Davey Cracker wrote:Please let me know first if you do want to sell the LG heater, as like I said I'd be very interested in it, as long as the price is right.

You will be first on the list

If you buy that number four maybe Ill buy that number 3 Dave. Anybody want to buy my number 2

were burning just over 1.5 gph for TNT and #4

cant really say how much of that is the heater

Mo wrote:If you buy that number four maybe Ill buy that number 3 Dave. Anybody want to buy my number 2

Sounds good.

NUMBER 2 ANYONE?!?!........guess that guy will have a number 1?

Number one will get you 120 ATW about the same as your jacked up number 3 Just messing with you. That number 4LG has got to be scary hot. I forgot why Rob is thinking about not using it.

LG would be good for you Dave since you do a lot of hard surface

I just cleaned the jets on mine tonight, and flame on burner looks wayy better, will see what it equates to in heat tomorrow.

I'm thinking I could have a plugged up thermostat, worse case........I still need to call LG and ask them.

Mo wrote:Number one will get you 120 ATW about the same as your jacked up number 3 Just messing with you. That number 4LG has got to be scary hot. I forgot why Rob is thinking about not using it.

LG would be good for you Dave since you do a lot of hard surface

Just lack of convenience.....diesel is much more convenient with a diesel powered truck for me.

My old (and still for sale steamway) unit would burn about a half gallon of kero per hour. I only checked it a couple of times when it was new and that was 15 years ago.

milspec6 wrote:

Mo wrote:Number one will get you 120 ATW about the same as your jacked up number 3 Just messing with you. That number 4LG has got to be scary hot. I forgot why Rob is thinking about not using it.

LG would be good for you Dave since you do a lot of hard surface

Just lack of convenience.....diesel is much more convenient with a diesel powered truck for me.

That make a lot of sense

I burn about 1/2 gallon per hour wanding with my #4 with a 12 flow wand. If you use a spinner or rotary the use goes up to about 1 gal per hour.

cush83669 wrote:I burn about 1/2 gallon per hour wanding with my #4 with a 12 flow wand. If you use a spinner or rotary the use goes up to about 1 gal per hour.

  That's very efficient especially with high flow

1/2 gallon sounds great...thanks for that update.

And the nice thing about propane is it is very clean. The van doesn't smell like a submarine. No electric needed simple.

How much are they per gallon ? Seems like it's adding up a lot at the end of the year ? Plus the time and fuel costs to go to propane station to fill the tank up ? Not to mention what if you run out of propane at the job site ?