Thread: Gas heater and solvent tank?

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I get the feelin I am gonna get picked on for this one, but thats ok I am moving into a new house in a couple months. This house has a shop in the back that is a little bigger than a one car garage. It's a nice little area, has good lighting, smooth floor and a gas heater( the kind that the flames are exposed). My question is, Is it safe to put a solvent tank anywhere in this shop? Will the flames chase the fumes and explode? I know I could probably blow out the pilot when I use it and let it air out after I am done before relighting the pilot, but if an accident is in high probability, I would rather not take the chance.

Eeek - I'd either get a new heater or stay away from anything that make fumes like the plague! We don't want to read about you taking an unexpected space journey!

Most fumes have a propensity to float at ground level and that's where your pilot light will be - fuel plus a source of ignition speels disaster!

A few years back I switched to the biodegradeable stuff in my parts cleaner....no more problem with flammable fumes.... It doesn't clean quite as well, but the fire hazard is gone.... However, once upon a time long ago I had a shop with an open flame pilot light furnace and a parts washer with a mix of stansol and white gas....it never blew up, but I don't think I'd ever recomend it to someone else!!!!!!It's a wonder any of us have lived as long as we have!!!!!

Right on Dave - I had a paraffin fired heater go off on me thirty-nine years ago while I was working in a shop in England. I soiled my doily and my eyebrows never grew back!