Propane Indoors

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memetic
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Propane Indoors

Post by memetic »

It started snowing here already dammit and I have to go back indoors. Last year, I was running electric indoors; but, now, I have a bigger setup and bringing my boiler up to boil would take forever with electric. So, I was wondering, can I use propane indoors safely? I am sure I can actually, but what do any of you guys do to use it safely indoors. I have venting, my fear is mostly regarding fire. Any advice is appreciated. Thank you.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Prairiepiss »

By indoors are we talking in the house? In the garage? In the shed?

I personally wouldn't do LP in the house. I couldn't risk the death of some expensive ass birds. But a garage or shed I would do. With safety mods. Good ventilation, some sort of fire retardent floor mat (if not concrete) some kind of surround would be nice to? If it had a flue it would be even better. it could be vented out of the building. All you would need then is a fresh air vent.

Big fire extinguisher. And not leave it alone while its running. Ever.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by memetic »

In the house. I know, it's crazy; but, I have the cash to set it up right. I could do a ventilation system and even get a sprinkler in place if needed. I just need to find the line between being safe and being paranoid.

edit: it's just to bring it up to boil. After that, I will be switching to electric.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Prairiepiss »

I would say look at it as a pot belly wood stove. Need plenty o room around it. We always did 2 to 3 foot from walls with the stoves. Need something under it. We always used a sheet of metal on some bricks. Someone around here made a shroud that fit over the keg out of like a 55 gal drum or something. That would be good if you attached a flue to it and ran it out side like a stove? That would keep the flames more contained. And the fumes would be piped out of the house. The room would need a vent for fresh air. I don't think I would use a fan to bring it in. I would let the hot air going out the stove ipipe suck it in to the room. A extra long hose for the burner. So the LP bottle can be outside. With a shutoff valve easily accessible away from the burner. That way if something were to happen you don't have to reach down by the flames to shut it down. Fire extinguisher. Stay away from halon if you don't have a fire serpresent vent hood. And a ton of ventilation. It will suck all the oxygen out of the room. And leave you there without any.

Or you could just install some internal heating elements in your boiler. And get a good controller like a MK5500. And run it on electricity and not worry about all that other crap. Except the fire extinguisher. Of course. It would be a lot cheaper in the long run.

Did I mention I wouldn't run LP in the house?

Oh Yeh I'm sitting here in my house running mine on electric elements as I type this.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by memetic »

Haha. Made me realize how silly I am -- I guess. I got hooked on propane because it is more economical to run vs electricity. I can afford electric, but I don't want to. Ideally, I'd like to heat up with propane, then, switch over to electric.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Prairiepiss »

You really think its more economically to run LP?

Here's my run on electric.
2 elements at 1375 watts.
12 hours
1375 X 2 X 12 = 33000 watts a run
Going rate here right now is $0.095 a KWH.
33 X 0.095 = $3.13

So it cost me a little more then 3 bucks to run it for 12 hours.
How much would it cost to run on LP?
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by The Baker »

I probably get six x six hour runs from $30 of propane so that would be four times as expensive as electricity on your figures.

I run the pot still in a shed away from home so the only other option would be a wood fire; but I may get a reflux still (would love to have a flute...) which I could run at home using electricity or possibly the natural gas.
One day....

P.S. If I do get to use gas at home it will definitely be outdoors!
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Mud Mechanik »

memetic wrote:In the house. I know, it's crazy; but, I have the cash to set it up right. I could do a ventilation system and even get a sprinkler in place if needed. I just need to find the line between being safe and being paranoid.

edit: it's just to bring it up to boil. After that, I will be switching to electric.
I would also invest in a carbon monoxide detector for the room.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Tater »

Treat it like ya would a lp gas cook stove/or heater and be safe. .Always have fire extinguisher handy
I use a pot still.Sometimes with a thumper
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Coaster »

Don’t care what ‘Precautions’ that are taken operating a Still with a propane burner in a Residential Building is not a safe and/or sane endeavor.

Besides all the ‘Precautions’ an individual might undertake operating a propane burner in a Residential Building violates all city/county/state municipality Residential NFPA Fire Safety Codes.

Ignoring the fact of operating a Still you are now dealing with violating Residential NFPA Fire Safety Codes.

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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by memetic »

You know, I think I'm going to just tie into my gas line. No more tanks and refilling. I can easily vent into my existing chimney.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by memetic »

Coaster wrote:Ignoring the fact of operating a Still you are now dealing with violating Residential NFPA Fire Safety Codes.
Haha.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Prairiepiss »

You will need to properly change the orifice from LP to NG. They are different. Depending on your burner. You may or may not be able to do it?

I don't know if I have mentioned this or not? But I wouldn't run a gas fired still in the house. And I wouldn't want to end up on the front page of the news paper either. :crazy:

Posting while you did. And making a mockery of safety isn't very becoming.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by ozone39 »

That what I did, all you have to do is change the orifice on your propane unit (i soldered my exiting one shut and drilled a smaller hole, if you are changing over to NG)....Running natural gas is much cheaper..And you do not have propane bottles laying around....
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by memetic »

Tater wrote:Treat it like ya would a lp gas cook stove/or heater and be safe. .Always have fire extinguisher handy
Right.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by blind drunk »

I'd worry about invalidating my house insurance should the unmentionable happen. But that's just me - I'm a worry wort. Take care.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by memetic »

ozone39 wrote:That what I did, all you have to do is change the orifice on your propane unit (i soldered my exiting one shut and drilled a smaller hole, if you are changing over to NG)....Running natural gas is much cheaper..And you do not have propane bottles laying around....
Right. My friend knows all about this. He is getting me another regulator.

I never mock safety. EVER. That's why I started this post -- to come up with a SAFE solution. People use propane in their houses for all kinds of stuff: kitchens, water heaters, etc. I wasn't intending on setting the tank in my house!
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Prairiepiss »

memetic wrote:
Coaster wrote:Ignoring the fact of operating a Still you are now dealing with violating Residential NFPA Fire Safety Codes.
Haha.
That's the mockery I was talking about.

Good luck with your endeavors.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by memetic »

Oh, I wasn't mocking safety; I was laughing because I am operating a still... I can't imagine that would fly with the Residential NFPA Fire Safety Codes no matter how I hooked it up!

I plan on going with NG and proper venting. I already have carbon monoxide/smoke/heat detectors all over the house (wired into the alarm system). I might get a sprinkler installed in the room with the still, for peace of mind.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Coaster »

@ memetic,

It is your Residential Property and you are free to do what you believe is appropriate there. It should be noted if you unfortunately have an accident using a Propane Burner specifically design to be used Outdoors and use it inside Residential Property your Residential Property insurance becomes null and void. Unfortunately accidents do occur unexpectedly. Ask yourself if you can really afford to re-build your Home if you burn it down.

With all the money you will be expending modifying your Home with exhaust ventilators and sprinklers and the Propane Burner with different regulators to be able to use it in your Home you could expend the same amount of money and modify your Still keg boiler for an internal electric heater element.The beer keg boiler internal electric water heater element modification is not that difficult or expensive. You will find that the beer keg boiler internal electric water heater element modification will be simpler and less expensive than performing the exhaust ventilators and sprinklers modifications to your Home. Have you ever thought about that?

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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Prairiepiss »

I already tried to tell him that coaster. But for some reason he is hell bent to run it on gas in his house? And to that I say good luck.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Linedog »

A good idea when running propane in a enclosed area is to get a carbon monoxide detector for some added safety
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Large Sarge »

High enough proof and you have a jug of gas next to a flame in a house. Be careful....
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by grainhopper »

I heat my home with a ventless propane heater.

As far as using a flame for your runs, some of you guys have your distillate outlet too close to your flame, no matter where you run, including myself. And since I now realize that I will change it before my next run.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Large Sarge »

Bama, I agree that there are many inherent risks in our hobby, but I try to mitigate them as much as possible.

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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by grainhopper »

I also have a kerosene tower heater may beef up the cage to hold the boiler. The flame is encased, may be harder to haVE AN ACCIdent with that kind of set up.
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Re: Propane Indoors

Post by Tutu »

I wouldn't use a still in the house period, flammable vapour in any room in the house is a bad idea where sparks can easily happen and in my case I have the boiler in the kitchen.

I'm going to use lpg for my burner for convience, I can get my LPG 47kg for £40 which I think should do a hell of a lot of distilling lol, my greenhouse heaters burn through a bottle a month this time of year I have no doubt my distilling needs won't even dent the bottle lol.

I got no qualms about distilling in the snow lol but I work outdoors anyways so the cold is neither here nor there to me.
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