Heating remote ro room

[butler]

How do most of you guys heat you small RO rooms without electricity available?
May have to heat the room for over 2 months??

[Sunday Rock Maple]

One option is to remove the membrane and bring it home, then drain the unit and/or fill with glycol.

[Russell Lampron]

How remote is your sugar house? A small propane heater would work if it's accessible enough to refill the propane as needed. I have a small Gas Buddy heater that works good when there's a power failure.

[butler]

My cabin is behind my house about 600 yards... propane heater should work but I thought it would cost a lot to run a heater for 2 months

[n8hutch]

Sounds like your just looking to heat it during the sugaring season? If so I think that yuo ou would be surprised how far a 100lb cylinder of propane would go. Assuming that you have a well insulated R.O. room, you only need it to be 40-50 in there.

I have a 3' electric strip in my RO room, granted it's only a 6x6 room but I keep it on the lowest setting and it keeps that room at 50° no matter how cold it is.

[SeanD]

How remote is your sugar house? A small propane heater would work if it's accessible enough to refill the propane as needed. I have a small Gas Buddy heater that works good when there's a power failure.

Hey Russ,

Thanks for the tip. I just was looking at that Gas Buddy. I didn't think propane would be an option for heating indoors - although I wouldn't be sitting in there. We never lose power here, but last March we had our first day+ power loss and the temp in the RO closet was getting close to freezing.

Have you run into any issues running the Gas Buddy in an unvented space? Without a thermostat, I feel like it would use fuel quickly. Do you have a sense of how long a 20 lb. tank would last?

Thanks,
Sean

[maple flats]

I use one of these. https://www.ebay.com/p/HouseWarmer-Slim-profile-Direct-Vent-Heater-W-blower-Propane-8000-BTU-HWDV081BP/11026205013?iid=332795463484&chn=ps
It runs off a small bulk tank. I use about $140-150/year to run the heater, plus my 2x6 finisher, my tankless water heater and my 500,000 btu torch that I use to light the fire in the evaporator. They all run off the one tank. I have no idea what the RO room heater uses, but the burner rarely come on until the outside temps go below zero, the pilot light does it the rest of the time. It is direct vented so there is no moisture build up in the heated space. I shut the pilot off at the end of the heating season and relight it about when the first below freezing temperature is forecast.
Heating it off a 20# tank might be risky, if that is your choice I suggest a 2 tank set-up with automatic switch over as one becomes empty. If there is any way a delivery truck can get to the sugarhouse the propane yearly cost will be less, 20# tanks are the most costly way to go in the long run, but the first fill on a small tank will not be cheap. I have my tank filled only when I call, not on auto fill because there is a $9.00 something haz mat fee regardless if the pump 5 gal or 40 gal. I just watch my level gauge on the tank, when it's down to 25% or under I call. If the truck can get to within 100' or less you are OK, it must be a firm driveway and if winter deliveries might be needed you need to keep it plowed so it freezes hard.

[Russell Lampron]

Hey Russ,

Thanks for the tip. I just was looking at that Gas Buddy. I didn't think propane would be an option for heating indoors - although I wouldn't be sitting in there. We never lose power here, but last March we had our first day+ power loss and the temp in the RO closet was getting close to freezing.

Have you run into any issues running the Gas Buddy in an unvented space? Without a thermostat, I feel like it would use fuel quickly. Do you have a sense of how long a 20 lb. tank would last?

Thanks,
Sean

The heater that I have is a Mr Heater, Buddy heater. If I remember correctly on the lowest setting it will go 4 or 5 days on a 20lb tank. The one that I have is safe for indoor use and it has no problem keeping my 10x12 RO room above freezing. I only use it as a back up heat source. I heat my RO room with my outdoor wood boiler.

[SeanD]

Ok, thanks.