I grow my orchids indoors in NE USA. I've been looking at back-up heat
sources for my orchid room for this winter, just in case the power grid
goes down again.

After doing some on-line research, I have concluded that Kerosene burns
dirty and gives off ethylene gas, which is supposedly not good for
orchids and causes bud blast, at the very least. By contrast, Propane
gas burns clean, but the tank must be kept outside because if the tank
leaks, it's very dangerous--Propane gas settles in the lowest point in
a house (like the furnace room in the basement) and is highly
explosive.

There is another product called a snap-on stove, which is really a
small assembly that looks like couple of soup cans that screw
together. The top bottom part burns gelled ethanol fuel. It produces
2,500 BTUs of heat per hour, and will maintain a room at about 60
degrees for 4 hours. The manufacturer says it's safe to use indoors. It
is cheap. Does anyone know if this product gives off fumes, such as
ethylene fumes, in an amount that would be harmful to orchids? Thanks
for any feedback.

Unfortunately is does give off ethylene fumes, and the heat goes
straight up...unless there is a small battery fan, there is no
circulation of the heat.

The heat curve also changes as the gel burns and the surface area
changes with it.

Ensure that you have a steel bucket of sand to install it in, I would
use a wide mouth bucket, so that if it tips the gel ends up in the sand.

Doug

In article ,
dd wrote:

I grow my orchids indoors in NE USA. I've been looking at back-up heat
sources for my orchid room for this winter, just in case the power grid
goes down again.

After doing some on-line research, I have concluded that Kerosene burns
dirty and gives off ethylene gas, which is supposedly not good for
orchids and causes bud blast, at the very least. By contrast, Propane
gas burns clean, but the tank must be kept outside because if the tank
leaks, it's very dangerous--Propane gas settles in the lowest point in
a house (like the furnace room in the basement) and is highly
explosive.

There is another product called a snap-on stove, which is really a
small assembly that looks like couple of soup cans that screw
together. The top bottom part burns gelled ethanol fuel. It produces
2,500 BTUs of heat per hour, and will maintain a room at about 60
degrees for 4 hours. The manufacturer says it's safe to use indoors. It
is cheap. Does anyone know if this product gives off fumes, such as
ethylene fumes, in an amount that would be harmful to orchids? Thanks
for any feedback.

A decent kerosene heater, kept well-maintained, is not dirty and does not
emit ethylene gas. ANY hydrocarbon fuel, if the combustion is incomplete,
can emit ethylene.

I have used a propane backup heater for years - the kind that runs off of a
gas grill tank. Unless you know nothing about tightening fittings, the risk
of leakage is minimal. A simple copper line can be run through the wall or
floor if you're that concerned about bringing the tank indoors in an
emergency.

I would be very wary of "Sterno" type heaters. Ethanol is chemically closer
to ethylene than propane or kerosene, and those gels do not necessarily burn
evenly and cleanly. AND, depending on just how NE you are, or how windy the
winter is, 2500 BTU's might not be sufficient.

--

Ray Barkalow - First Rays Orchids - www.firstrays.com
Plants, Supplies, Books, Artwork, and Lots of Free Info!
..
"dd" wrote in message
...
I grow my orchids indoors in NE USA. I've been looking at back-up heat
sources for my orchid room for this winter, just in case the power grid
goes down again.

After doing some on-line research, I have concluded that Kerosene burns
dirty and gives off ethylene gas, which is supposedly not good for
orchids and causes bud blast, at the very least. By contrast, Propane
gas burns clean, but the tank must be kept outside because if the tank
leaks, it's very dangerous--Propane gas settles in the lowest point in
a house (like the furnace room in the basement) and is highly
explosive.

There is another product called a snap-on stove, which is really a
small assembly that looks like couple of soup cans that screw
together. The top bottom part burns gelled ethanol fuel. It produces
2,500 BTUs of heat per hour, and will maintain a room at about 60
degrees for 4 hours. The manufacturer says it's safe to use indoors. It
is cheap. Does anyone know if this product gives off fumes, such as
ethylene fumes, in an amount that would be harmful to orchids? Thanks
for any feedback.

dd wrote:

I grow my orchids indoors in NE USA. I've been looking at back-up heat
sources for my orchid room for this winter, just in case the power grid
goes down again.

After doing some on-line research, I have concluded that Kerosene burns
dirty and gives off ethylene gas, which is supposedly not good for
orchids and causes bud blast, at the very least. By contrast, Propane
gas burns clean, but the tank must be kept outside because if the tank
leaks, it's very dangerous--Propane gas settles in the lowest point in
a house (like the furnace room in the basement) and is highly
explosive.


Keep a fan on? I actually have a couple 'catalytic' heaters. They
use a Coleman gas cylinder (like a camp stove), or I suppose you could
use a propane tank and the right fittings. They 'burn' gas using a
catalytic reation, at a lower temperature than combustion and much more
effficiently. Supposedly the only products are CO2 and H2O.

Found them at Home Despot, of all places. I bought them three or
four years ago, and have used them a couple times. They don't put out a
lot of heat, but one will keep a few hundred square feet warm enough to
keep your plants alive.

Rob

--
Rob's Rules: http://www.msu.edu/~halgren
1) There is always room for one more orchid
2) There is always room for two more orchids
2a. See rule 1
3) When one has insufficient credit to purchase
more orchids, obtain more credit
LittlefrogFarm is open - e-mail me for a list )

When I was in Argentina, in winter my residence went down to 55 F. I had a
catalyctic converter which screwed directly on top of a propane tank. It
did not give toxic fumes but burned a lot of oxygen. so I had to leave a
window ajar.
I bought one here in Canada. I tested it. It's easy to install and use.
Really, I never had to use it yet.
Ed Cormier

What did you do in Argentina? and where in Canada are you?
I live in Canada, form Argentina originally

--
Paulo
"Edmond Cormier" wrote in message
news:CQTVc.170828$M95.93018@pd7tw1no...
When I was in Argentina, in winter my residence went down to 55 F. I had
a
catalyctic converter which screwed directly on top of a propane tank. It
did not give toxic fumes but burned a lot of oxygen. so I had to leave a
window ajar.
I bought one here in Canada. I tested it. It's easy to install and use.
Really, I never had to use it yet.
Ed Cormier

Thanks to allwho responded. I think that I will go for the little
propane heater in Charley's Greenhouse catalogue.

In article , dd
wrote:

I grow my orchids indoors in NE USA. I've been looking at back-up heat
sources for my orchid room for this winter, just in case the power grid
goes down again.

After doing some on-line research, I have concluded that Kerosene burns
dirty and gives off ethylene gas, which is supposedly not good for
orchids and causes bud blast, at the very least. By contrast, Propane
gas burns clean, but the tank must be kept outside because if the tank
leaks, it's very dangerous--Propane gas settles in the lowest point in
a house (like the furnace room in the basement) and is highly
explosive.

There is another product called a snap-on stove, which is really a
small assembly that looks like couple of soup cans that screw
together. The top bottom part burns gelled ethanol fuel. It produces
2,500 BTUs of heat per hour, and will maintain a room at about 60
degrees for 4 hours. The manufacturer says it's safe to use indoors. It
is cheap. Does anyone know if this product gives off fumes, such as
ethylene fumes, in an amount that would be harmful to orchids? Thanks
for any feedback.

Lowes carries that heater. I bought one last year for $75 at the end of the
season. The regular price is $99.

I went to Lowes today and got an indoor propane emergency heater for
$75 too! It was not on sale--seems to be the regular price in MA. I
also bought a 4-pack of propane cylinders for under $9, and they should
last for about 24 hours of power loss. I'll probably buy more as
insurance. Thanks!


In article , TRAINMAN9
wrote:

Lowes carries that heater. I bought one last year for $75 at the end of the
season. The regular price is $99.