[richard2510]

Hi,

I have a brand new Parasene 4 paraffin greenhouse heater. It was filled with paraffin a couple of weeks ago and tested. I have lit it for the first time last night, and I seem to have a problem I could use some help with.

If I have the flame low enough so it doesn't smoke, it burns itself out during the night. If I turn it up higher so it'll probably last the night, it smokes. 

What is the solution? I don't really want to get up every hour through the night and turn the wicks up a bit so they last through the night, equally I don't want a smoke filled greenhouse.

Help appreciated.
 

[m1ckz]

sounds like the wick is burning and not the parafin,,,check that the wick is wet when u lite it..someone else will be on soon   may have a better suggestion  gl

[richard2510]

sounds like the wick is burning and not the parafin,,,check that the wick is wet when u lite it..someone else will be on soon   may have a better suggestion  gl

Yeah, I wondered about that. The, admittedly poor, instructions say to leave the paraffin to soak up the wick which I would have thought would have happened by now.

It just doesn't seem quite right somehow

[mumofstig]

I usually have to go and readjust mine about an hour after I've lit it, it seems to have settled down by then 

[shoozie]

try trimming the wick then re-light (new wicks can be a bit hairy, and they'll smoke then not burn efficiently thereafter).  Might take a few lights and very light trims to settle the wick.

Then practice the dark art of adjusting it til it's just right 

They're reliable enough with practice

[Elmarto]

Hi,

How much would it cost to run, I have a small greenhouse 4'x4' and don't fancy running a supply cable out. I guess it might give me a bit of a head start.

[gremlin]

I have had a Parasene 4 for several years.  I have to turn up the wick slightly to light it and then let it warm up with the chimney on for 10-15 mins.  Then the flame is smoking and the wick is then turned down so it just stops smoking, and it is good for the night.

The tank of 4 liters lasts for 7-10 days.   4 l of paraffin is about £7 if I hunt around for special offers.  £9 if I dont.

The bad news is that it is next to useless to heat anything.  Much experimenting with max min thermometers in an 8 x 6 greenhouse.  (Draft-proofed but no bubble wrap because I need all the daylight I can get) suggests I am getting about 1 degree C temp rise.

I think I need four heaters to make the greenhouse sort of frost proof, or about a 2 KW fan heater.

[angelavdavis]

I strongly recommend creating a tent within your GH and only heating this.  I use an old "blow away" GH that someone was giving away on freecycle within my greenhouse.  I then only heat that.  Another idea is to put a coldframe inside the GH and only heat that.  You can also use bubble wrap and clothes pegs to create a tent.

[Elmarto]

That's a cracking idea!  I think I might be investing in one!

[savbo]

Endorse the tent idea...I make one over one side of my 6x6 using bubblewrap, clipping it to the bench with clothes pegs, so I am only heating a relatively small box....having said that, wouldnt fancy putting a  flame in such a small area, I use an electric heater from aldi or lidl

sav

[azubah]

The problem is that the heat rises and goes straight out through the glass roof. A sand box with a heating element in it works better as it heats the sand and the plants can be protected by transparent covers.