So I do have a question now I've I'm doing a test run...... Is it normal for there to be an odor close to the heater when on?  I haven't dealt with propane heaters before and I'm assuming since it's not 100% efficient that there will be some odor, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.  Also the instructions has a bullet in all caps that says "LP-GAS CYLINDERS MUST BE DISCONNECTED FROM HEATER WHEN NOT IN USE!", so this means every time I turn it off I'm supposed to remove the propane tanks?

You'll occasionally notice an odor for a while after lighting the burner. Typically, it gets a lot less noticeable after the burner has been running for a while.

The only other time you might notice a strong odor is when a tank is almost empty. The "odorant" they use in propane has a tendency to settle to the bottom of the tank, and more of it gets drawn into the heater when the tank is nearly empty.



If you're using 1 pound disposable propane cylinders, it's a good idea to remove the cylinder when the heater isn't in use. The connection between the cylinder and heater is at full pressure, and doesn't always make a perfect seal.

If you're using an extension hose to a large propane tank instead, you can turn off the valve on the tank and let the heater burn until all the propane in the hose is consumed. The next time you open the valve, be sure to do a "smell test" for leaks on the hose and fittings before lighting the burner.

Awesome thanks for the info, kinda sucks to have to remove the cylinders every time.... but then again when I use it, it will actual run for a bit and not that often.

I picked up a couple from Menards too (a portable and a big).  Tested both and now I have two disposable cylinders with slowly leaking valves.  They're about 2 years old and were unused prior to the heater test.  Menards and both nearby hardware stores were out of caps so I had to leave the bottles attached to the heater until an order of caps comes in.

I don't know if that is a common problem (I know refilled disposable bottles are prone to it) but just an FYI.

The heaters both worked fine; I ran them for 15 minutes each.  No undue smell except for some initial 'hot plastic' that cleared up quickly.

Sometimes, you can fix a "leaker" by re-connecting the cylinder to the device. If the disconnect valve seal in the cylinder didn't seat properly the first time the cylinder was disconnected, it might the next time.

Worth a try, thanks.  I've also got one bottle attached to a torch that flat out won't seal so it stays on the torch.  That one has been removed repeatedly but always leaks (but its also ~ 20 years old)