Topic: Garage heater?

[grumburg]

You ever walk into one of those shops that has in-floor heat provided by a water heater in the corner? Now that's the ticket.


Kevin

A friend just built a 24x30 garage with radiant floor heat. That is the ticket!!. 

[TXmudman]

I bought one of these black body infrared heaters off of ebay for $100.  It's 4 kilowatts, which isn't much compared to a propane or kerosene heater.  I hung it like a fluorescent lamp from the ceiling.  It works pretty well.  I can cure paint under it, too.

[Bob Wessner]

I'm guessing it requires 220v?

[ProTeal55]

I think you can find them in 110v as well.
I am planning on going the same route (as propane makes me sick over long periods of time).

[grumburg]

My wife bought me a 3 channel wireless themometer for Christmas last year. I bought another transmitter and mounted it in the workshop (It's about 100 feet from the house). I can check the temperature from the house.  It is now...46.2 degrees and 59% humidity.

[TXmudman]

I'm guessing it requires 220v?

Yes, it's 220.  The circuit box is in my garage, so I just added a 220v outlet next to the box, and use a heavy (generator type) extension cord to plug it in.

The heater is hanging from chains.  I keep the heater portable so that I can use it in the base of a powdercoating oven that I made out of sheet metal. 

[TXmudman]

Here's how the powdercoating oven looks with the same heater.  Everything gets to about 400F inside of it with the heater full-on, so that is just about right.  I don't have any thermostat on the oven.

[Bob Wessner]

I'm guessing it requires 220v?

Yes, it's 220.  The circuit box is in my garage, so I just added a 220v outlet next to the box, and use a heavy (generator type) extension cord to plug it in.

The heater is hanging from chains.  I keep the heater portable so that I can use it in the base of a powdercoating oven that I made out of sheet metal. 

Guess I need to ponder this all some more. The garage is detached, 65 yrs old and currently has a single 110v circuit out there.. very limiting to say the least. 

[BobbyR]

I'd really like to have a vented gas heater, but the cost to run the gas line out to the garage could be right up there. Does anyone know of a wall-mounted, vented heater that can be fed from a 20# propane tank? It's use would be for working only, not to maintain a certain temp all the time.

Bob, how long a run do you have? I ran some black iron out to my BarBQue, did not cost much. I may go narural gas in my garage. I bought the Keros for emergency heat when the power fails.    

[Bob Wessner]

It's really not that far, I would say 30 ft to the front face of the garage. The real issue might be code issues. I'm sure it has to be buried and there is a huge oak tree and its root system between the house and the garage. That was one reason I was asking if anyone knew of a vented gas heater that could be fed from a 20# propane tank. I figured I could upgrade elec. power to the garage by running it overhead if necessary.

[grumburg]

It's really not that far, I would say 30 ft to the front face of the garage. The real issue might be code issues. I'm sure it has to be buried and there is a huge oak tree and its root system between the house and the garage. That was one reason I was asking if anyone knew of a vented gas heater that could be fed from a 20# propane tank. I figured I could upgrade elec. power to the garage by running it overhead if necessary.

Bob: I ran an extension cord to the barn for 2 YEARS because I had the same concerns. Only I have 2 big trees between the barn and house. About 140 ft box to box. Finally rented a trencher and it chewed through the roots like they were not even there. Used #10 UF with conduit and had it all done in 2 days. What a difference. Never dreamed I would have such a voltage drop. Spent more time fretting than it took to do it. You won't be sorry.

[BobbyR]

Well I have also seen gas pipe run overhead, you would have to check the codes or camouflage it.

[TXmudman]

Bob: I ran an extension cord to the barn for 2 YEARS because I had the same concerns. Only I have 2 big trees between the barn and house. About 140 ft box to box. Finally rented a trencher and it chewed through the roots like they were not even there. Used #10 UF with conduit and had it all done in 2 days. What a difference. Never dreamed I would have such a voltage drop. Spent more time fretting than it took to do it. You won't be sorry.

I agree.  If you run 10/3 wire, then you're all set up for 220v, whether you want to use it now or not.

[sparty]

I have three of these in my garage:  http://www.heatershop.com/7060_overhead_radiant_space_heater.html

It is a bit overkill, but they came as a package deal a few years ago.   They really throw out a good amount of heat.  I normally use all of them to heat up the garage and then just one to keep it warm.  I can work in shorts and a tee shirt in Jan. and Feb. if I wish.

Sparty

 

[Bob Wessner]

Sparty,

Thanks for the link. Definately worth considering, though at 13 amps I still need to upgrade the electrics out there, but alot easier than running a gas line I expect.

[sparty]

Sparty,

Thanks for the link. Definately worth considering, though at 13 amps I still need to upgrade the electrics out there, but alot easier than running a gas line I expect.

Upgrading the electrics is a positive because you can then use more tools that require more amps.  Also, I would never want any type of open flame in my garage period!

Sparty

[Dave K]

Well you are right, 10/3 will allow 220, but you only have 30amps. Wire the receptacles on a different circuit than the lights. If you trip a breaker running a power tool, you won't be in the dark getting to the breaker box, or looking for the problem. If I was going to the effort, the least I would run is for 60amps of power(100amps is better). That maybe a little overkill, but hey, if you have a trench to dig and fill, you might as well do it right. I have a 6hp air compressor, window A.C. (for humidity control in the summer), glass bead booth, 10pr of 2 tube 40watt fluorescent lights, welder and the usual grinders, drill press, etc.



When I did it, I ran water, TV cable, 6pr. telephone wire and of course gas. The 6pr. telephone wire made it nice for the garage door opener, that I can control from the house and of course telephone. I can also monitor the shed with an intercom. I did run a 12/3 for a light in the garage that I can control at the house and garage(3-way switches). With all of this, I can monitor the garage, if I feel something is wrong, I can turn on the lights in it, open the overhead door and stand at house with a shotgun in case there are varmints in there getting ready to run.

Yes, they do make gas heaters for LP that are vented. But, you might as well get a larger cyl. and you can buy LP when the price is down in the summer. Around here they are charging .70 a foot for trenching. My workshop is right at 80' behind the house, so it would cost nearly $60 for the trench. I really like the space heater. I can set a pot of water on it to heat the water and I have a wire above it to hang painted parts to dry. I really like the no noise!

[Bob Wessner]

Dave,

Nice set-up you have there, probably better wired than my 65 year-old house. 

[Dave K]

Thanks, when I was working as the HVAC tech (1982-2005). I was also one of the electricians. Well, my house was built in 1955, but I built the workshop in 1989. I really miss that job too, I would go back in a minute if I could.( pray I can someday) I do know they said the door is always open to me. A great bunch of guys to work for/with.

[grumburg]

$.60 a foot is cheap. I was quoted $1.00 a foot for 80 ft. Rented a trencher for $45 and was done in 45 minutes. Since I did it all myself, did not need permit ($104) but I did it all to code. As amazed with the difference in wire cost. Lowes wants .$96 a foot for 10/2 UF and $1.10 for 10/2 Romex. Bought it at a local electrical supply house for $.62. With conduit and all the trimmings did it for $190 and 2 days work.

[TXmudman]

Well you are right, 10/3 will allow 220, but you only have 30amps. Wire the receptacles on a different circuit than the lights. If you trip a breaker running a power tool, you won't be in the dark getting to the breaker box, or looking for the problem. If I was going to the effort, the least I would run is for 60amps...

Dave,  I'm with you on this one.  I actually have 8/3 running to my receptacle, so that I can use a welder or a bigger compressor one day.  If I were running a power line, I'd probably use 6 gauge.  But, I figured that maybe he wasn't in for the expense of the wire...

[Dave K]

I certainly understand that about the expense of wire. But sometimes, don't assume that bigger wire is always allot higher priced. Price shop the difference between 10/3 uf (direct burial) and 2-2-4 urd (direct burial) You will be surprised that though it is more, it isn't what you may have thought.

When I wired the shop, I put recepticles every other stud (16" on centers) on the work bench and split that work bench wall into 2 circuits. The rest of the shop is recpts. every 4th stud and each wall on it's own circuit. I hate extension cords. When you are passing the wire through the stud anyhow a recpt/box/cover will run you around $2.50 so I ended up with extra recpts. compared to some, but it still only adds up to the price of one good extension cord.

[grumburg]

I have 4 circuits with 6 outlets in a 10x14 building! One circuit for track lights and 2 outlets per curcuit on 3 walls. Have no regrets! Never more than a few feet from power.

[Killer Canary]

This diesel heater keeps me in shirt sleeves in -35 degrees Celsius.

[Bob Wessner]

You folks are making me very envious. Here I am trying to get by with a single 15A circuit.. unless it's shared with something in the house.