parafin heater

[hawthorns]

im looking at getting a parafin heater for my 6by4 greenhouse to keep the frost from the seeds. its in a sale for £20 parasene super warm 5. has anyone used this product

[Paul Wagland]

I've never used a paraffin heater - how expensive is the paraffin itself these days? And how long does the reservoir last?

[nick the grief]

I would have thought the 5 was a bit big for a 6x4 try this for size

https://www.parasene.com/vshop/details.asp?prodID=204

[shirlthegirl43]

Just a quick question Nick, the square meter thingy confuses me no end - would the '5' be right for a 6' x 8' greenhouse then? I have an oil filled radiator in mine which is brilliant for frost-free but might consider parafin in future.

[nick the grief]

Hi Shirl,

As most greenhouses are a similar size irrespective of make they just use the "footprint" as a guideline. So a 6sq m would be about a 10'x6' You could use a 5 but it's a twin burner so will use the fuel twice as quick as a single burner (just to confuse a burner can have 1 or 2 wicks so don't let that confuse). but what you can do is use 1 burner on one night and then the other one the following night and then it gives you chance to trim and clean the wick in daylight if you get a bit pushed at night.

I think my standby for the little house was only a 4 and that kept that well toasty (8x6) and I even used it in the big one and it kept it frost free (12x8).

Hope that helps

[shirlthegirl43]

Thanks, it was a query in case we have to move and I don't have the privilege of leccy to the greenhouse.

[nick the grief]

Or a power cut !!

[Madasafish]

I have 2 parafin heaters for my tiny 8x6 foot greenhouse.

One is a standard 1 burner yellow flame Pasene heater. 4 litres lasts 7 days on all the time. Or night only 2 weeks . Keeps night chill off. But if there is a hard and prolonged frost - say -2C or lower - not good enough.


Second is a blue flame Parasene heater - one burner. 4 litres last 3-4 days on all the time. I usuually switch on 7pm -9am.. lasts about 7 days of 4 litres. OK for hard frosts BUT need fleece covering inside if very bad. Wicks about £5 but cheaper on ebay about £3 incl post.

Paraffin around £5 for 4 litres...so it is uneconomic to start heating before mid March.. easily use 12-15 litres in 4 weeks...

I use bubble wrap insulation and a mnin greenhouse for very tender plants but nothing outside (in the greenhouse) before mid March. I have seen -7 to -10C in March plus snow plus pond frozen to 30cms.

[brooklynodog]

I have a 6x4 g/house and i use a parasene 4 with two wicks. On really cold nights I use both wicks, alternatively if no frost just chilly i use just the one. Even in sunny Somerset we had -7 a couple of weeks ago!

[nick the grief]

I have a 6x4 g/house and i use a parasene 4 with two wicks. On really cold nights I use both wicks, alternatively if no frost just chilly i use just the one. Even in sunny Somerset we had -7 a couple of weeks ago!

I must be sheltered here it's only got down to -5 in my little greenhouse that has no heating!

[Protea]

I use a parasene 4 in my 6x6 greenhouse with both wicks on all the time. Some nights it strugles to keep it above freezing so for a 4x6 i would say this would be OK for frost free but not for 'heated'. Last year i needed the greenhouse to be 'heated' fo some exhibition onions and i had to use 2 heaters (the other one is better at heat output but has a smaller capacity tank), this kept it mostly between 5-10 degrees at night which was fine, but thats TWO of these heaters in a tiny greenhouse.

Parafin cost at the moment (depending on where you buy it) is about £4.50 - £5.00 for 4L pre-pack although you can get it cheaper if you can find somewhere that refills cans from a tank. Some garden centres are charging £6 for 4 litres, its madness! A small electric heater is much more efficient and cheaper to run, unfortunately i don't have an outside leccy supply.....but i soon will!!!

[Norm]

im looking at getting a parafin heater for my 6by4 greenhouse to keep the frost from the seeds. its in a sale for £20 parasene super warm 5. has anyone used this product

That's what I use in an 8x6 with an 8x6 poly shed on the back. It's all bubble wrapped and kept the night temp at +8 while the outside temp was -6. Quick tip though, keep the tank topped up and the wicks trimmed or you'll wake up to a greenhouse full of soot

[Topaz]

the wicks trimmed or you'll wake up to a greenhouse full of soot

OOPS guess thats where i was going wrong, thanks for that tip

[Norm]

OOPS guess thats where i was going wrong, thanks for that tip

OOOOH Yes, that's personal experience. 2 days, 2 DAYS with cilit bang it took to get the greenhouse clean. Not nice dry soot you can put on the garden, 'orrible, greasy, sticky stuff with an "I'm not comming of here easily" atitude.

[Protea]

OOOOH Yes, that's personal experience. 2 days, 2 DAYS with cilit bang it took to get the greenhouse clean. Not nice dry soot you can put on the garden, 'orrible, greasy, sticky stuff with an "I'm not comming of here easily" atitude.

THis has happened to me too, twice! first time was my own fault, second time was OH's fault - i was soooo not impressed as i'd told him to make sure the wick was low (he of course denies all knowledge ). I keep the wicks closely monitored now!