propane heater modification

hmmmm ??? i guess i could undo what i did and do that instead. the only reason i did the switch on the igniter is i would think after a while it would burn out. but then when i was looking in the front of it while it was fired up (from a distance of course !) the igniter is right in the middle of the flame and glowing cherry red ! !  so now i'm thinking that can't be much better for it ! ! I don't know. maybe i will be a copy cat and extend the cord and put a switch in it 

xtm10 wrote: but then when i was looking in the front of it while it was fired up (from a distance of course !) the igniter is right in the middle of the flame and glowing cherry red ! !

Edited by whizkidder - Jan/14/2010 at 8:15am

Mine came WITH the stat, and it's an L.B. White brand stat, and was in the catalog shown for my heater. I bought the setup from the dealer (wife of a friend worked there and I got a discount, too)
I can plug it in direct to a cord and not run the stat but mine is totally safe and being used as intended.
The switch that's on the heater is inline with the power and operates the fan and ignitor as I outlined - so does the stat. Power off, heater shuts down instantly. Or, turn stat down to full left, kills power and shuts it off. I have to turn the switch on on the heater for it to run, regardless of the thermostat setting, but shutting the stat off does the same thing - like two switches in series.

And yes, that "stick" in the middle of the flame that glows orange - that's the thermocouple and ensures there's a flame! If that doesn't sense heat really quick, it shuts off the gas. IT's a safety device. IF those go bad, it won't keep running, you'll get it started and it will shut right down.


Edited by billd - Jan/14/2010 at 9:59am

Or you can buy the thermostat that is "inline in a cord".........................I used one and it worked well enough...................my heater is a kerosene 65K BTU torpedo heater..........................Ive never ran kerosene in it....................only diesel fuel.............Its cheaper.  I have an LP one but it wont work......................where could I look to see why?  I think the valve in it shuts off. and wont open........(Safety feature,) but way too safe now since it doesnt work at all and never has. (Its still brand new and I dont remember why I didnt get it fixed)

Edited by purple72Gremlin - Jan/14/2010 at 1:32pm