Propane consumption rate
Propane consumption rate
(OP)
Hi All
I'm from the Civil side of the forum, but I'm working on a project far from civilization and it requires solar power. I'm NOT here for the solar power question but for a heat quesiton. This system will push electricity into a battery. I need to keep the battery from freezing through the winter. This will be an inexpensive (I hope) automotive battery. The problem is that it will be located at 8500 ft in Wyoming and will be inaccessable from November to June. I want to keep the battery from freezing in the winter. I will have it in an insulated box, but I'm still concerned about freezing. If I put a small propane heater (I'm thinking of something that would be essentially a pilot light that would run all winter, or even something as simple as a "bernz o matic" torch connected to a 5 or 10 gallon tank.
Is something like this doable?
Is there a specific "heating box" made for batteries and I can avoid this whole cobb together process?
How much propane (gallons) would I need to run something like this?
Thanks
Mike
I'm from the Civil side of the forum, but I'm working on a project far from civilization and it requires solar power. I'm NOT here for the solar power question but for a heat quesiton. This system will push electricity into a battery. I need to keep the battery from freezing through the winter. This will be an inexpensive (I hope) automotive battery. The problem is that it will be located at 8500 ft in Wyoming and will be inaccessable from November to June. I want to keep the battery from freezing in the winter. I will have it in an insulated box, but I'm still concerned about freezing. If I put a small propane heater (I'm thinking of something that would be essentially a pilot light that would run all winter, or even something as simple as a "bernz o matic" torch connected to a 5 or 10 gallon tank.
Is something like this doable?
Is there a specific "heating box" made for batteries and I can avoid this whole cobb together process?
How much propane (gallons) would I need to run something like this?
Thanks
Mike





RE: Propane consumption rate
since ya have solar power, a 50 or 100-W light bulb will do just fine. a charged & well-maintained battery is not likely to freeze. so, if the solar power genset can deliver the power, no need for propane. remember, all your attempting to do is keep the battery slightly warmer than the surroundings.
fyi, many outhouses in AK use small 100-W heaters to provide some warmth. also, there are 50-W heaters placed below typical auto batteries that apply heat to the battery when plugged in (a few hours before starting the vehicle).
hope these ideas help you.
Good luck!
-pmover
RE: Propane consumption rate
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RE: Propane consumption rate
I had thought of that, but I figured I would be running the risk of discharging the battery just to keep it warm. This is a remote site, nearest "real" electricity is 15 miles. So, I would have to use battery power to run the warmer.
I was looking for an independent source of heat.
RE: Propane consumption rate
Energy density of LPG is around 13kWh/kg.
If we assume a 50 W load for 8 months, you get 329 kWh. 50W is 170 BTU/hr, which is roughly a stove burner on very LOW.
So, you'd need about 25.5 kg of LPG, or 11.6 gal.
However, running an unattended burner seems highly dubious at best.
TTFN
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RE: Propane consumption rate
I will enclose the entire operation in a vented box with a separate vent for the batt.
Yes, I'm in the process of making a financial contribution to Eng Tips now.
RE: Propane consumption rate
RE: Propane consumption rate
Actually, many many days are clear, cold and, believe it or not, sunny, yes, there are some cloudy, snowy days, (hence the battery), but the battery should get me through a week of no sun.
Thanks for the help.
RE: Propane consumption rate
RE: Propane consumption rate
RE: Propane consumption rate
There is a reason they are called the "Rocky Mountains" so I might have to shoot a hole, but I like the idea. The contr. should have a front end loader for a lot of the other work, so this shouldn't increase the cost (too much). I will use a prefab box with an insulated lid, and run the cables underground.
EXCELLENT IDEA.
As a Civil, I prefer siimpler systems that run on things like gravity, the heat of the earth, etc., rather than omplex mechanical systems.
RE: Propane consumption rate
Would love to know what the frost depth is there, are there charts for that kind of thing?
RE: Propane consumption rate
Even if the ground temperature is cold, you'll still be ahead by getting out of the cold air convection, etc., and with high-performance insulation, like maybe a VIP (http://w
The VIPs are pretty nifty, a vacuum aerogel sealed in an external shell, resulting in heat transfer coefficients lower than anything else available.
TTFN
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RE: Propane consumption rate
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RE: Propane consumption rate
RE: Propane consumption rate
Concur with the need to drain, but it isn't as bad as one would think. It is on a slight ridge that "generally" blows clear.
Getting sufficient fall to drain the hole to the surface may be a problem, but if I can shoot the rock and fracture it enough I should be able to just get it to drain into the subsurface.
BTW, where I am, 6000' frost level is about 3', so we put our foundations at 4'+. I will probably do the same here.
RE: Propane consumption rate
From E-NZ, a New Zealand engineering magazine.
RE: Propane consumption rate
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RE: Propane consumption rate
RE: Propane consumption rate