Mr. Heater or Hot Dawg?

[katoom400]

not trying to start a debate but wanted opinions on both, looking to heat my 26 X 30 X 10' high well insulated NJ garage. I've been looking at the modine 60k and the mr. heater 75k. here is what I found online.

$555 shipped to me from northern tool for the mr. heater 75k
$500 shipped to me from ebay seller for mr. heater 75k
$579 shipped to me from gas-space-heater.com for the modine 60k

just wanted to get some feedback from people who have these units.

I will be horizontaly venting and am already stubbed out for NG and electric at the location.

 

[GearHd6]

Check out Dornback heaters. I've got there 45k btu LP heater and love it. You can find them pretty cheap on ebay.

60k and 75k are about $500 shipped.

 

[mulepackin]

There has been alot of discussion on both of these units in the past. Several members have one or the other and I think for the most part everyone is pleased with what they have. I personally have a Hot Dawg HD 75 and am very happy with it. Vertically vented since I had that already.

 

[katoom400]

can anyone tell me more about the Dornback heaters, never heard of them but the price is competitive.

 

[GearHd6]

can anyone tell me more about the Dornback heaters, never heard of them but the price is competitive.

I've been running one all this winter with no problems. It basically a Mr Heater or Hot Dawg but its got all seperate components. So if something ever goes wrong you can replace seperate parts rather than a bunch of parts all together like i'd heard the Mr Heater and Hot Dawg were. My 45k Dornback works great and its nice and quiet. It heats my 20x20 garage from 25 degrees to 55 in about 10-15 minutes.

I had to call tech support one time for a minor problem and the people were very friendly and helpful. Within a few minutes they had my problem solved and everythings been fine since. Its hard to find good customer service anymore, it was kinda nice.

 

[katoom400]

ok, pretty much set on the Dornback but wondering if 45k will be enough? also the diff between the 60-75k is only $5. should I just go for the 75, or is that going to be too big?(if there is such a thing)

 

[mikester]

I have a 22x30 insulated garage, 8' ceiling and 2 9x7 insulated doors. I have a Modine 45 and I love it. I bought it 2 years ago. I bought the model that has the sealed combustion chamber since I paint parts every now and then with a spray gun and I didnt want to take any chances. Now that Ive been using it I think the 30 would have heated the place just as well. There are a couple of greenhouse supplys that sell the Modine heaters also. Do a Google search. I think one of them offered free shipping. I bought mine through the son of someone that I know. He worked for a major HVAC distributor so I got it for around $500. I think the model that I bought usually goes for over $800 with the concentric vent kit. If anyone out there needs a brand new vent kit, I have one that I want to sell. I didnt use mine. I vented the fresh air through the wall and the exhaust through the roof. I dont know much about the Mr Heater but I can say that the Modine works real well for me and most of the heating supply shops out here on Long Island stock parts for them. Hope that helps ! Also you may want to talk to an HVAC guy. 75K BTU sounds like it may be a little big for a garage that size. You dont want too big of a heater since it will "short cycle" and not run efficiently. Im sure there is someone reading this that can give you advice on proper sizing.

 

[porcupine73]

I went with the mr heater 75k ng, this was just before Christmas and I went wiht it because northerntool had it for about $445, and I think free ground shipping, and gave a $50 gift certificate as well. So it was a bit less than the hot dawg, though the hot dawg was what I had planned to get. My parent's house has those weird crank open windows, so I was looking at getting them a small casement air conditioner so they can sleep better at night. It seems those units cost a little more than the normal $79 specials at Wal*Mart, but based on free standing air conditioners reviews, it seems like the casement unit was the better choice. Many people don't like the amount of noise the free standing units make, and they seem to pull warm air in from outside the room as make up air.

 

[katoom400]

the only problem I see with the dornback heater is that it requires a $200 stainless vent kit for horizontal venting, that's half the cost of the unit!

 

[GearHd6]

the only problem I see with the dornback heater is that it requires a $200 stainless vent kit for horizontal venting, that's half the cost of the unit!

It depends on how you want to vent it. It'll accept all the same venting as the Mr Heater or Hot Dawg. Its powervented just like all the others. The $200 vent kit actually meets all codes and is the proper stainless steel. Do some research and you'll see what I mean. I bought the $200 vent kit because I didnt want to skimp and have it rot in a year or 2. Theres many grades of stainless steel, like the great grade most car manufactures use on new cars, that stuff is showing rust after a year.

The $54.95 vent kit like littlegreenhouse.com sells is only galvanized steel, not stainless steel so do your price comparisons accordingly.

 

[12gauge]

I got the same deal. I'd go with the 75K if its not much more.

I went with the mr heater 75k ng, this was just before Christmas and I went wiht it because northerntool had it for about $445, and I think free ground shipping, and gave a $50 gift certificate as well. So it was a bit less than the hot dawg, though the hot dawg was what I had planned to get.

 

[katoom400]

what I'm saying/asking is why the stainless vs galv spec for this unit? I understand the differences in the two materials but why can you use galv on the mr heater and only stainless on the dornback? does the dornback unit emit more condensation than the others or will the galv eventually rot on any of these heaters?

 

[GearHd6]

I dont think you can ONLY use stainless on the Dornback its just what they recommend. Like I said, they're pretty close to the identical concept so you can run either. Its just the stainless will last longer. And I believe the stainless is the only metal that actually meets ALL codes for that type of horizontal venting. The galvanized will vent it fine, but I believe it doesnt meet all codes.

This info is off the ebay listing related to the vent: "Installation codes do not permit Horizontal venting of any manufacturers garage heater without a listed Stainless venting kit. Horizontal venting kits for this type of heater MUST be manufactured from AL294C stainless steel. Installation code requires only this material. Some suppliers sell a less expensive horizontal vent kit that is not made from this stainless material. Don't be fooled!"


You could easily get the question answered by calling Dornback direct, like I stated before they are VERY helpful and pleasant. That might help with any doubts you may have.

Dornback Furnace Division
9545 Granger Road.
Garfield Heights, OH 44125
Phone: 216-662-1600

 

[katoom400]

I actually just got off the phone with them, and yes moisture is the only reason they are specing stainless. I can use Galv. as you mentioned. I'm placing the order on ebay now. They where very helpfull!

Thanks,

Andy

 

[Junkman]

I just replaced a high efficiency condensing propane boiler because the tank rusted out. Had the manufacturer used the high quality stainless steel that the venting system is made of, the boiler would still be in service. Go for the Stainless Steel chimney, and you will recover the additional cost many times over in the coming years, since the Stainless Steel chimney will never need to be replaced. The system that I just replaced was 12 years old, but the Stainless Steel chimney is as good today, as the day it was installed 12 years ago. The only reason to skimp on quality, is if you are not going to be owning it in 3 years when it needs to be replaced.

 

[katoom400]

I understand completely! not trying to be cheap, but money is very tight right now, and I can pickup the galv bvent pipe dirt cheap. I do know that you get what you pay for. just trying to talk the wife into another $200 on top of $450 for something that will keep me in the garage even more than I already am might be a deal breaker....sad but true.....

 

[Junkman]

The best way to sell the wife on something is to point out that it isn't another $200, but only the difference between the less expensive pipe vs. the better pipe that will last a lifetime. Since warm weather is coming, you have till next fall to save up the difference of cost, making it a lot more palatable for her. Also, if you keep an eye on Craigslist, and eBay, you don't know what good deal might show up.

 

[katoom400]

ok, spoke to dornback, and you can use galv, it just doesnt meet code everywhere. their stainless kit meets code everywhere. gonna use 3" double wall bvent, it's a straight run from the unit out the wall. does anyone know what the specs are? up pitch or down? 3" or 4" double wall pipe? How far must the pipe stick out past the exterior wall before the cap?

Thanks,

Andy

 

[Chris J]

You can probably convince the wife to okay the extra money by explaining what might happen if there is an insurance loss related to the heater, and the heater installation does not meet code. If the insurance company determines that the system was not installed to code, they can (and likely will) reject any claim. If that happens, your homeowner's policy and/or auto policies will also deny any coverage and you get to eat everything.

 

[GearHd6]

The spec is 1/4" per foot down pitch (pitching away from heater).

 

[katoom400]

I'm actually going to go stainless, but wanted to see if I could source the pipe locally. what comes in the "kit" from dornback? is it double wall? seems like all I'm going to need is once 36" peice directly thru the wall thimble and a cap. I'm mounting the unit directly to the ceiling and leaving 18" clearance from the back wall.

thanks,

Andy

 

[GearHd6]

Well the kit I recieved was a Z-Vent kit. My heater is only a 45k btu so the sizing could be different. My kit was 3" diameter single wall with a 12" long adapter to hook to the heater itself and then a 36" long piece of pipe, a thimble and a cap. My heater instructions claimed a MINIMUM vent length of 4' and a max of 8'. And the pipe has to protrude 12" from the exterior wall surface.

Try this link, it opens to 3" but you can choose 4" at the top if thats what you need.
http://www.houseneeds.com/shop/misc/vent/zflex/zflexbuypage.asp

 

[arthur1920]

not trying to start a debate but wanted opinions on both, looking to heat my 26 X 30 X 10' high well insulated NJ garage. I've been looking at the modine 60k and the mr. heater 75k. here is what I found online.

$555 shipped to me from northern tool for the mr. heater 75k
$500 shipped to me from ebay seller for mr. heater 75k
$579 shipped to me from gas-space-heater.com for the modine 60k

just wanted to get some feedback from people who have these units.

I will be horizontaly venting and am already stubbed out for NG and electric at the location.

do you want a normal heater like those or a separated combustion heater? I have a Reznor sep combustion, 45K btu heater. Probalby 26 x 28 x 10, average insulation and insulated doors. I probably could have gotten by with the 30K. The sep combustion means I probably wont blow myself up if the thing kicks on when there are lacquer thinner fumes floating around.

You could acheive this by putting a heater outside the garage and blowing warm air inside. Then you would be burning fresh air from the outside just like sep combustion. Sep combustion units cost about twice as much.

 

[katoom400]

ended up sourcing the specified stainless for $95 total, installed unit over the weekend and it kicks ***! I was worried that 45k was not going to be enough but it brought my well insulated 26X30 garage up to 68 in about ten minutes! I mounted a home digital thermostat on the wall behind the heater.

ended up comming straight out of the unit with a 36" length of 3" stainless thru thimble and then just put a 45w/screen facing down, it sticks out 18" past the siding.

 

[GearHd6]

ended up sourcing the specified stainless for $95 total, installed unit over the weekend and it kicks ***!

Which unit did you end up with? The Dornback?

 

[commuter]

ok just trying to find out my options for a garage heater,have a 20x22 w/10ft ceiling,well insulated I don't have NG or LP so my choices are really electric or tee off the boiler.I'm really leaning towards an electric but am concerned about safety if i spray.Is there a manufacturer that makes something safe and affordable without having to purchase an explosion proof unit??? And how many btu's would i need???

 

[BigChevy80]

the only problem I see with the dornback heater is that it requires a $200 stainless vent kit for horizontal venting, that's half the cost of the unit!

EVERY brand of heater requires stainless flue pipe. You can buy all the parts separately for way less than the price of the kit, though...

 

[mulepackin]

EVERY brand of heater requires stainless flue pipe. You can buy all the parts separately for way less than the price of the kit, though...

My heater (Hot Dawg) requires Type B-vent pipe. Says nothing about having to use stainless steel. I used Simpson DuraVent. It is galvanized.