I hate it when that happens
Posted: Tue Nov 13, 2012 10:28 pm
Was working on an old 150,000 btu space heater, and had found that it had a bad ignition transformer, and was trying to light it with a torch to check it out and see if anything else was wrong before spending nearly $100 on another transformer. The blower would blow the torch out before I could light the flame, so I finally gave up on it, and turned the knob to shut the heater down. Scrivet came over at 8:30 this morning to get his truck and trailer so we could unload them, and when I got close enough to hear he asked what is running in your shed. When I got closer I realized I had messed up. The knob is both an on/off switch and a thermostat, and I had not turned it all the way to off. The temperature had dropped into the upper 20s during the night, and the heater started up, but had no ignition transformer in it. Their was 3 or 4 gallons of kerosene in it, and with no cover on it about 2 gallons were running across the floor that had not vaporized and another gallon and a half or so was a grey fog filling the entire 32x40x10 high building. We very carefully opened the big doors to let the air flow through and spread quite a bit of oil dry on the floor, and left it all setting. When we got back a couple hours later all seemed clear, but I bet after it sets overnight it will stink tomorrow.