Question

[TinaH.]

Can someone please explain the difference between a Monitor 30 and a Monitor MPI 41?
Which one is best, and why?
Thank you!

[hawkins111]

Neither of those heaters are something you want to buy unless you are a good mechanic and have a very good understanding of Monitor heaters. Both heaters are over 25 years old and very few parts are available.

That being said, the Monitor 30 has a gravity feed fuel system. Fuel flows into the burner by way of gravity. There is no pump in the system. The 30 has safety systems that are sub standard by today's specifications. The Monitor 41 has the same combustion system as most of the newer Monitors. The electrical system is almost the same as the newer ones but has different parts that are not interchangeable with M441 or M2400. At this time it is very hard to find a new fuel pump and controller for M41. The blower motor, circulating fan and solenoid damper are interchangeable with M441. The combustion chamber and heat exchanger can be used with all Monitor 40K BTU heaters.

If you are going to stick with Monitor a M2400 would be the better buy.

[TinaH.]

We were debating on buying a used Monitor for our workshop. After reading your reply, we've decided on a new propane heater instead. We can't afford $1700 for a new Monitor, but we definitely don't want to buy an old unit that we can't get parts for.
Thank you so much for your help!

[akaothermick]

The Monitor 30 would probably be a good solid unit for a workshop, if you have any mechanical and fabrication ability, if you are using it for a workshop you must have, that being said the 30 is a easily repaired unit, the circuit board is basic with most failure prone items off the shelf stuff, most of a 30 is simple [at least I think so] to understand and repair, and I have found that you can find all the parts you might need like burner rings and igniter's without too much difficulty, best part about a 30 is most people are scared off, and they can be gotten cheap. Then do it right and your gotcha self a good efficient heater