electric shop heater? (1 Viewer)

[swelltimes]

I have a ~750 square feet garage, insulated walls and ceilings, part concrete / part dirt floor, with two garage doors.

A Modine HotDawg or similar gas heater would be ideal, but I'm getting quotes of $3200 and up for an install.

Wondering if anyone has used an electric heater, like any of these units?
Dr. Heater 10000w
Dr. Heater 7500w
Farenheat 7500w

I live in MA, so winters get cold, and the shoulder seasons can be chilly, too. I wouldn't be using this to keep my shop at a certain temp, except when I know I'll be out there and working.

Thoughts?

 

[ToyotaMatt]

this is my set up , A TASKMASTER Series electrical unit

i highly recomend it , it keeps my 2 bay shop comfortably sweating in Feburary

they have a full line of bigger and smaller ones



this will keep the swell times going

 

[swelltimes]

Cool, I hadn't seen those. They look pricey at first glance, but solid. Thanks for the tip.

 

[PAToyota]

What sort of electrical bills are you seeing with that? I'm debating my options. Running electric would definitely be the easiest, but likely the most costly to operate.

 

[Varty Yo]

I had my 50k hot dawg done all in $2100 canadian $3100 US seems pretty steep

 

[swelltimes]

I had my 50k hot dawg done all in $2100 canadian $3100 US seems pretty steep

Totally agree.

I checked with a smaller propane / fuel company, and they said if I pulled the appropriate permits, and did the install and electrical myself, they'd be happy to send a tech up to do the gas and pipe fitting.

If that's the case, I think I'll start saving towards a unit that pulls combustion air from the outside, so I can don't have to worry so much about using solvents, paints, etc.

 

[Varty Yo]

Yes thats the thing i didnt research much before i did mine. Wish i would have got one that pulls the air from outside. Guess no painting in the winter haha

 

[swelltimes]

Yeah, it's tough. It's more $$$ for the heaters drawing in outside air, but I also like the idea of not having to worry about some flammable solvent flashing on me when I'm working on a project.

I keep going back and forth on saving up for the big heater, vs. using smaller propane space heaters, and dealing with their limitations.

My wife walked into the shop the other night when I had the heater on, and literally almost passed out, even though my CO detector wasn't going off. Makes me a little concerned, esp. if I want to try to have her involved in projects together.

 

[Varty Yo]

Ditch the propane man now!!! I did it for a few years in my garage and finally couldnt stand the headaches id get after 4hrs in the garage.

 

[swelltimes]

I have a 10000 watt ouellet electric heater in my garage. We also have 3 of them at work and they are fantastic.

Yeah, electric would be easy, but the rates here in New England keep going up and up, especially in the winter when I'd be using the heater!

I could probably time most of my propane purchasing around when the gas is cheap.

 

[swelltimes]

Wondering if anyone has run a Modine Hot Dawg or similar on a 100 pound propane tank? Something that you can fill on your own, as opposed to a tank that one would lease from a fuel company?

 

[Varty Yo]

You dont want propane heat!!! You wil lhave heaches all the time from the Co that builds up. Natural gas is the way to go

 

[PAToyota]

You know natural gas produces CO as well, right?

 

[swelltimes]

You dont want propane heat!!! You wil lhave heaches all the time from the Co that builds up. Natural gas is the way to go

I'm looking at a power vented unit that exhausts the combusted fumes / CO to the outside, so CO (and moisture) build-up shouldn't be an issue.

 

[LINUS]

Would a used pellet stove work for you?

They all meant to pull air from outside, and obviously you’re exhausting outside.

A older Lopi is a pretty easy find around here, and wiring is a simple single outlet plug for the blower & auger.

I have one I paid $400 for & has a thermostat port on it if I chose to let it idle when I’m not around.

No replacement for true pellet / wood stove -style heat IMO.

 

[swelltimes]

I'd love to have wood or a pellet stove, and even have a chimney on the shop. But, with garage doors on the building, the state of MA won't permit / allow an open-flame heat source due to fumes and solvents, etc. Don't think I could get away with it, or risk it with our home owner's insurance.

 

[e9999]

Man, you guys must be glad you don't live in Kalifornia. Not many can afford electric heating here with the Progressive (literally and figuratively) rates we have. They go to about 30c / kWh if you use a lot. Lessee: 10,000W as above x 8 hrs a day on the weekend * 30c /kWh = $24 / day = 12 decent ... Yikes! Hard choice to make.... Cold or cold ones...?