My electric heater died in my shop this weekend. Just in time for the -20F weather we’ve been having. I was able to rescue my glues, and finished from the cold… but my poor table saw.
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What worried my is the way it died. I went into the shop (an attached garage) the next morning to find it cold, and little scorch marks in front of the heater (240V, 4800W). Anything hot enough to scorch the MDF would probably start a fire in a pile of shavings! I think the heater died due to overwork; although the shop is insulated, the wind was blowing onto the garage door with enough force to leave a sizable gap at some of the edges.
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So now I have to replace my heater, and I’m sure you can all understand why I’m a little hesitant. I’ve looked at getting a Natural Gas Heater installed; however the cost is too prohibitive at this point.
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What I’m looking for is a small heater that I can leave in the shop that will keep it at around 50F-60F, so I can avoid large temperature fluctuations. Preferably electric.
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I’ve been toying with the idea of purchasing one (or two) 1500W Oil Filled heaters, using them to keep the shop warm when I’m not around. I would supplement this with another 4800W guy to bring it up to ‘working’ temperature. Of course I will seal the garage door a little better.
What do you all think?
Replies
Buster: If your electric rates are low enough and you have two 120v circuits for the small heaters and a 220v circuit for the 4.8kw one go for it. It is the cheapest way in terms of equipment cost and installation. I have a 220v 3kw heater that I use sparingly as my electric rates are quite high. If I could get my natural gas over to the shop easily that would be the best course of action here, I mostly use propane from 5 gallon tanks. Duke
"... Buy the best and only cry once.........
Interim measure for the saw. Stick a hundred watt light bulb inside of it. It won't heat the shop, but will make the saw the warmest place so you shouldn't have a condensation problem.
You could put in a water heater, pump, and either base board heater, or a tempered air water to air exchanger. Either would be a good solution for electric heat. Both are a little spendy.
You need to insulate. Insulation is key to proper heating, unless money is no matter.
The better your space is able to keep the heat/cool in the beter it will serve you and the less you will spend on energy to run those stupid heaters/air conditioners.
Personally I would spend my money on insulation, preferably not the pink itchy kind.
J.P.
Thanks guys.
The shop is already insulated. I put the highest stuff I could in the walls, andthe biggest I could in the roof. Part of my house actually hangs out over the garage, so about half of the roof was already insulated. The biggest loss point is the garage door. It's insulated, but it's of course a typical door... and is poorly sealed around the edges. I need to use the door occasionally, so permanently sealing it isn't an opition.
With the 4800W heater I was paying about $50-$75 a month more on my electric bill. Usually only for 3 months out of the year then I disconnected the heater. But this winters been a long one and I put the heater on in October. The install/purchase cost for the gas heaters are +$2000. With two new family members on the way I just can not justify it right now.
I use the same kind of construction heater 220 volts 4800 watts. Mine is suspended from the drywall ceiling, 3 feet away from anything flammable in front of it. It is set on a low setting at night time. I crank it up when I get in the shop and it only takes 15 minutes before I have to take off the fleece jacket. If it breaks throw it out and get a new one, they are only 50 bucks.
As for condensation on the table saw: All my tools (hand and machine tools) get a coat of silicon free car wax every 6 month. I don't care if there is condensation on any surface: wipe it dry and you'll have no problem because of the wax coating.Martin
MHR,
Approximately how many BTU's is a 4800 watt heater? And where do you get one for $50?
Thanks,
Lee
I bought mine at a "Canadian Tire" store when it was on sale. Look on ebay for a construction heater, you should be able to find one there.
My shop is 12'x24' and has a 9' ceiling the walls are 2x4 with R12. The ceiling is 1" Styrofoam over 2x6 joist and R20(I think) insulation. The concrete floor pad has 3" Styrofoam under it.
Right now it gets down to -10 degree Celsius but it feels colder since we are close to the coast. I can't complain about the heaters performance. The only downside of the installation was that I had to run some new AWG 10 wiring and put a 30amp breaker in the panel. Previously when I built the shop I had a AWG 12 wire waiting for a heater but that was not big enough for this one.Martin
Mapleman
I heat my garage shop 18'X22' with a 4800W 220V electric construction heater made by Dimplex. Made in North America if that is important to you. The unit is very well built and essentially it is a heater element enclosed within a strong metal cage with a fan to blow the hot air - it heats up most of my garage although there is a colder zone approximately 15' from the unit when the temperature drops below -10 C. The basic temperature thermostat on the back works reasonably well.
4800W Commercial heater I use: http://www1.dimplex.com/productshow.asp?id=243
4000W Garage Unit: http://www1.dimplex.com/productshow.asp?id=234
I bought my unit at HD for $55+ approximately 3 years ago and it has heated my insulated garage to my satisfaction. If the heater quit working I would immediately by another one because the solution is simple, easy to install and works as advertised.
Good Luck
Bob
Hey guys,
The construction heater is what I was using prior to it's death. It's a great simple solution, I've been considering replacing it for heating the garage when I'm there. However, the way mine died is of great concern. The (new) cabinet it was sitting on shows the burn marks where very hot metal ran across it... the plastic tool box in front still has those metal chunks embedded in the top!
I don't think that they are really meant to keep a shop warm all the time. Though I would not hesitate to use it when I'm there.
My real issue is I want to keep the shop 'warm' all the time, and I want something a little safer.
I'm considering trying to find some electric radiant heat panels (As in the Workshop Idea Book), but I would like to know how well they work.
Thanks for the info. I just bought a 220V heater from a greenhouse supply house, 13,000 to 19,000 btu for $200 (I can't find a wattage rating on the thing anywhere). I'm just trying to figure out if I got ripped off, or if the heater I bought is significantly larger than the one you guys are talking about from HD. My shop is 30 X 40, but I haven't really given the heater a good workout yet because of unseasonably warm weather here lately
Lee
Mapleman,
Your shop is almost 2X larger than mine so give the heater you bought a try a see how it works! If it does not meet you needs then try the cheaper construction heater alternative - you can always get one at HD.
Good luck with some warmth to enjoy wood working with.
Bob
1 watt = 3.4 BTUs, so a 4800W heater produces about 16,000 BTU/hr.--
Todd
Toto,
Thanks, that's the info I was looking for. Looks like I got bent over a barrel on the heater I bought.
Lee
In searching for options to heat my shop, I talked to several HVAC contractors, as well as suppliers at home shows, etc. Thought I was headed to a gas powered "Modine" type, but the cost and fitting was prohibitive, as I was builing the whole shop from scratch in an empty basement area. I ended up with ventless gas fired heaters - recommended by several of the HVAC guys that were interested in my problem, and not generating some paying work. I put two in, since I got them on sale at Lowe's at the end of the season for half price. They are in the area with ventless fireplaces, etc. Think I spent $350 for the two. You need some fresh air - not much - and sounds like your gaps in the door, etc. will provide that. (Can't be in a thoroughly sealed area) They work great to get the shop warmed at the start of the day. After that, heat from the lights and machines keep the temp in mid 60's (I am in Slat Lake City, so it's cold at night).
The one problem I ran into occured when I left them running all the time before I insulated the cieling. The units create carbon dioxide and water wapor through the "complete" combustion of the natural gas. Running all the time in a closed and uninsulated shop caused the relative humidity to skyrocket, causing the thermopane windows to sweat profusely. After insulating, all I need is an hour at the start of the day, and moisture does not go up at all now.
I'm on a low budget and have a 2nd story, rather small shop, roughly 16' by 20'. After reading several articles in FWW about shop heating systems, trying to heat my shop with a small woodstove, getting discouraged as it took hours to get the shop warm enough to be confortable (55 degrees or better) in winter, I bought a used mobile home furnace for $100.
It puts out 64,00 btu's on No. 2 home heating fuel, more than adequate to keep my well insulated shop comfortable. I live in northern NH where winter temps can get rather cold, like -20 degrees. No. 2 home heating fuel in these parts of the country tends to be rather high, but #2 packs more heat for the buck than any other heating fuel I could find.
I don't heat my shop on a continuous basis so rust becomes an issue, but there are many simple inexpensive ways to combat this problem. As an example, I have a crosscut sled that I manufactured that is fitted to be just a little larger than the top of my tablesaw. When I'm thru working for the night, I place it on top of my saw.
My plane and chisel wall cabinet is fitted with inside light fixtures housing low wattage bulbs that provide just enough heat to keep them warm enough to prevent rust. I just have to remember to close the cabinet doors, which I lined the door edges with foam insulation. The foam provides a nice cushion for the doors and keeps out the cold from inside the cabinet.
All metal surfaces are coated with Butchers wax, including planes, chisels, jointer tables, etc. I wax them according to how much they get used. I also apply the wax with 0000 steel wool and a sanding block to keep everything nice and level, and protected.
So far the cost has been very resonable. If you're concerned about fires due to the open flame, consider that these heaters are used in living conditions, are easily outboarded so as to remote the flame and are capable of heating multiple spaces. After all, they typically heat a 14' by 70' foot trailer (980 Sq. ft.) to normal living conditions...............................
Just my thoughts,
Bob @ Kidderville Acres
Kidderville, NH
A Woodworkers mind should be the sharpest tool in the shop!
I tried a couple of electric 1500 watt heaters in my garage shop, but they didn't help much. It was still too cold to work when the temop dropped below 40 outside. I bought a 45,000 BTU propane heater at Home Depot last year, and find that it works great to warm up the garage. Today the outside temp was 33. It was 39 in my shop, but after 25 minutes my heater had the inside temp up to 60 degrees which is tolerable for me. I never let it run more than 30 minutes, as burning Propane inside can be dangerous. If you are real concerned buy a CO monitor, so you can be warned if the level gets too high.
What kind of propane heater is it? If it's a torpedo, it's not the driest heat but it does work. If it's like a Big Dawg heater, those are sealed, direct vent and not a problem. Being a garage, I would worry less than if it was really well sealed. There's usually enough infiltration that you shouldn't have a CO issue but you could always open the door occasionally.
"I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
Just a thought you might try putting up a heavy curtian over the inside of the garage door that should help a lot in the cold weather, here in California where I live it drops to the low 40s at night (sorry I can't always help my self) and if I leave the curtains open it makes a big differance. I do think this might help you a lot. Good luck and I have used the oil filled radiators in colder areas and they do help.
Troy
I have one of those oil filled units- It does the job for me.
I have a garage shop - 25x25.
Now I'm not in Maine or Nova Scotia- Just Northern California but cold is cold.
It rolls around on wheels so I can sit next to it if i want. Or just sits in a corner keeping the edge of the chill off.
regards,
dave
I use wood heat mainly. I save my scraps all year and have free heat in the winter. Usually the concrete slab absorbs enough heat all day to flywheel me for a couple of days if i'm not there to work. Longer than that I have a little nat gas heater I leave on low.
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