Hx or propane/kero

[alazo1]

From those of you that have had both, which do you prefer and why?.

thanks,
Albert

 

[lance]

I use a Little Giant heater and it works great. If I had a TM and wanted to use propane I think Savage's heater would be a great investment. If I wanted to use HX then John in Florida would be my first choice --- his reputation on the boards is great.

A badly designed HX is not free heat. A well made HX is not free either. Propane costs about $2.50 a gallon so that cost has to be considered. The way the water is heated is not always the most important question.

I gotta admit sometimes it fun to turn it up just to see the steam coming off the carpet.

 

[RichardnTn]

Kerosene burners can be high maintenance but heat output is good.
Propane burners considerably less maintenance but safety factor is higher.
HX not always capable of sustaining high heat unless smaller jets and/or lower psi is used. Usually with an single 06 jet and 500 psi, heat starts to drop to the 170-190 degree area.

I personally like Duane's used of a preheater and then Propane...
This is based solely on my experience, your mileage may vary...Richard

 

[Blue Monarch]

What is the maintenance invovled with kero heaters? I know nothing about them besides they provide good heat.

 

[Scottie]

Kero Stinks, LP trims eyebrows, HX rules I get 230-250 all day long running my RX with Heat Exchanger.

 

[Guest]

HX is evolved enough in the better machines to satisfy the needs of most cleaners.Those that want even higher heat output in a lower priced machine can always go the kerosene or propane heater route, but they have more things to go wrong with them , especially in the hands of employees.

 

[Shawn Forsythe]

Raptor heat. Grrrrrr. That will take you to the next level.

That, and "smart pills".

 

[Guest]

I don't like propane or kero....dangerous stuff. Almost blew myself up with a propane BBQ grill one time :shock:

 

[Greg Loe]

Does it really matter?

I like my propane heater from Bob Savage. I can run full cold if needed for some area rugs of extreme hot.

I have to keep an eye on propane fuel level. Extra 15 minutes to fill the tank.

If you pay to have a great heat exchange system things are great and easy, but if you go cheap you just have ok heat and maybe future problems.

Both work

 

[FastEddie]

I have a Hybrid HX/LP heating system thats kicks major ass. My water is pre-heated to about 170F before it enters the LP. I get 240+ ATW if I want it and I use much less LP than most cleaners. Pre-heated water is the ticket.

 

[supaclean]

I use a Little Giant heater and it works great. If I had a TM and wanted to use propane I think Savage's heater would be a great investment. If I wanted to use HX then John in Florida would be my first choice --- his reputation on the boards is great.

A badly designed HX is not free heat. A well made HX is not free either. Propane costs about $2.50 a gallon so that cost has to be considered. The way the water is heated is not always the most important question.

I gotta admit sometimes it fun to turn it up just to see the steam coming off the carpet.

I'm a certified heat junkie! I love the popping sensation at the wand and I love watching the heat destroy that nasty gunk at the local Chinese buffet. For me, Kerosene satisfies my cravings. I have used a HX in the past, but my current setup is a Steamway Powermatic with kerosene. The heat output is wicked.

 

[GRHeacock]

My first Truck Mount was a slide in with a propane heater. Worked fine for years. The main problem was running out of propane with 10 sq ft left to do.

After several years, I am working in the house, set the wand down to move some furniture, I hear POW!! from the truck. I go out there, and a huge cloud of steam coming from the machine.

The flow valve had died and the burner had kept on while I set the wand down. Blew the hose off the outlet of the burner.

I put on a new hose and finished with cold water. Could have ruined someones day if they were standing in front of the machine when it went off.

About a year later, the same thing happened, but the pressure ruined the Cat pump when it blew- which must have been the weakest point when the pressure of the steam got too high.

Not too much longer, I had a chance to buy an Astro brand new, had a Ballweber unit with a HX in it. No propane. Hey, I like this idea.

OK, so the heat is not as high as with the propane burner, but easy to compensate with agitation or chemicals.

No more running out of propane with 10 sq ft to do. No more steam explosions.

Gary

 

[Dolly Llama]

I must of missed this the first time around.

I've had all three, Al

The most reliable was the HX.
However it wasn't an exhaust HX, but the kind that transfers heat from the engine coolant.
Bullet proof reliable, but the least heat of the 3 systems I had.

Propane; I had a TM with a Little Giant 4HT.
(my TM also ran off propane)
Made oodles of heat, pretty reliable, and very clean.
but buying propane was a PITA to me, and also the most expensive.
I also always had the concern of having a BOMB strapped to my van

I've run Kero for the last 11 years.
(SW Powermatic)
It's the hottest of the units I've run.
Fully adjustable and HOT as i want to make it.
Odor isn't isn't a problem as long as I'm running K1 and not diesel through it.
Reliability compared to propane has been pretty even for me.
Both were/are reliable

Neither were bullet proof reliable like my liquid HX, though.

Exhaust HX are no where near bullet proof reliable either, though.
Diverter valves and serious accidents can happen with them as well


..L.T.A.

 

[lance]

I think most HX's probably don't work as well as they could because of design flaws. It's a great idea....you have to exhaust the engine, why not use that exhaust to heat up some water at the sametime?

From what I gather John's design is something special. The workmanship of the HX and diverter valve is top notch.

If I had to run the hose out 300 to 400 feet for a commercial job I would think that having a LP heater close to the wand would be great. HX would preheat and LP would get you the rest of the way....especially if you want to do comm. with 240 ATW and flow 010 to 012.

 

[hogjowl]

I have one of those smaller Little Giant heaters ... 180,000btu I think ... it's not hot enough and I get tired or filling the propane tank.

The next unit I buy, I hope, will be a HX.

 

[Guest]

I've had both kerosene and HX. Both work good but you do get tired of buying kerosene if there is no local pump. i used to go to Salinas, about 30 miles away with 5 gallon buckets. Talk about feeling like a bomb. I now have two heat exchange machines. 1 vortex 1 powerclean.