"Best" Temporary Heat

[Spudland_Dave]

So a turn of events caused me to become the owner of a new SO toolbox at the cost of raiding my "Permanent Heater" money ...SOOO Temporary heat is all I can afford for the 2013/14 season.
Which is a better heater...Convection style like this:
http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-Propane-Convection-MH80CV/dp/B0000C6E2Z/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1384021475&sr=8-10&keywords=propane+heater

or a Torpedo style:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/masterreg%3B-gas-forced-air-heater-60000-btu

 

[Randy in Maine]

I have one of those torpedo style ones (30-60KBTU) that I used during my garage construction and it worked pretty well. I hooked it up to a 50 gallon LP tank.

 

[spotco2]

The torpedo style are usually loud when they are running.

I'm a fan of the 5 burner radiant heaters like this

Get a LP version and hook it up to a 100 lb tank.

 

[Motofixxer]

Or you can find an older standard forced air furnace torn out, from a local HVAC company. I paid $100 for mine it works fine. They usually have em around for temp heat for their regular contractors.

 

[jvitez]

Torpedo style has a fan so it distributes the hot air better, but it's noisy. I usually wear hearing protectors when mine's running (trying to not have hearing loss in old age). The convection style still makes a hiss but not nearly as loud, but it's strictly convection so it can take a bit longer to distribute heat.

I've also got a radiant style propane heater, and I use it much more than my torpedo one because of the noise.

 

[spotco2]

Also if using a radiant style heater, add a box fan (or some kind of fan on low speed) behind and /or above it to blow the hot air out into the room otherwise it will simply go straight up and warm that area before it starts to warm the area around it.

 

[Highbeam]

Big honkin tank top radiant heater. Silent and warms like the sun. Works outside too so you might get future other uses out of it.

Honestly, those palm tree patio heaters work really well and make no noise.

 

[sixball]

I use a radiant style torpedo heater to get my garage up to temp before switching on the electric. The radiant style isn't nearly as loud as the regualr torpedo. The one I have is 70,000 BTU. I'm happy with it, and when it's running you can actually hear the radio. I run diesel thru mine and it actually smels better than the ones I've been around that run kero.

Sixball

 

[Spudland_Dave]

**Update**
I bought the 60k unit at TSC while it was on sale...figured I had a couple 20lb tanks already full, and 80 bucks isn't a big risk...
Yes it is loud, heats my 1500sq/ft well, no fumes. If anything it was a proof of concept...my HVAC guy had speced out a 60k Hot Dawg, which I thought was a little small...60k is indeed enough to heat the shop, but I think I'll go with the 75k when I buy my permanent heat just to get it warmer quicker.

 

[jvitez]

Glad it's working well for you. Heat is nice.

But, be careful with your calculations. Your 60K propane heater is delivering 100% of the input into your space. Most fuel burning vented heaters have an efficiency rating of about 80%, so 20% of the heat is lost out the flue and 80% is delivered to your space, so the 60K is actually delivering 48K.

A 75K input vented heater will give you.......60,000 btu/hr output!

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Glad it's working well for you. Heat is nice.

But, be careful with your calculations. Your 60K propane heater is delivering 100% of the input into your space. Most fuel burning vented heaters have an efficiency rating of about 80%, so 20% of the heat is lost out the flue and 80% is delivered to your space, so the 60K is actually delivering 48K.

A 75K input vented heater will give you.......60,000 btu/hr output!

Hmm...Your right, and looking at the quote from my HVAC guy, he speced out a Hot Dawg 60k LP unit... Cant say I would want only 48k in my shop...

 

[NUTTSGT]

It's great that you got a new SO box but it ***** that you had to raid your heating mad money. Hopefully things work out so you can get you heat going for next year.

Looking on the bright side, now you have a decent portable heat source for the future. Don't sell it when you are done, just put it away for future use. I recently broke out my Reddy Heater 60k Kero space heater. It's been a 7-8 years and it's loud but it was warm in the house garage as I hung insulation.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

It's great that you got a new SO box but it ***** that you had to raid your heating mad money. Hopefully things work out so you can get you heat going for next year.

Looking on the bright side, now you have a decent portable heat source for the future. Don't sell it when you are done, just put it away for future use. I recently broke out my Reddy Heater 60k Kero space heater. It's been a 7-8 years and it's loud but it was warm in the house garage as I hung insulation.

Yeah...its bittersweet... My wife had this exact discussion with me...on one hand Heat would have been more useful....its not like I didn't have PLENTY if not too much tool storage already. On the other hand, I've wanted a KRL for years and the chances of me getting even a used one for what I paid for this brand new one are slim to none. The heater was "normal everyday pricing"....so next summer I can install one for the same money without any issues. PLUS I really wasn't ready to install a heater, I'd like to complete some site work outside where the LP Tank would go, easier to do without a tank in the way, etc... I like to take my time and do things "just right, my way".

I wouldn't sell it, so cheap new resale would be poor, plus I love the fact its tiny...next summer I can put it back in its original box, put it in my attic and if the need arises 5 mins I got it running.

 

[bullnerd]

**Update**
I bought the 60k unit at TSC while it was on sale...figured I had a couple 20lb tanks already full, and 80 bucks isn't a big risk...
Yes it is loud, heats my 1500sq/ft well, no fumes. If anything it was a proof of concept...my HVAC guy had speced out a 60k Hot Dawg, which I thought was a little small...60k is indeed enough to heat the shop, but I think I'll go with the 75k when I buy my permanent heat just to get it warmer quicker.

Can you post a link or pic of the one you bought? I am having a hard time finding it on thier site. Not sure which you one got, I'm in the same boat(building).

 

[ishiboo]

Remember by putting out 100% of the input products into the environment, that heater is also blasting humidity into your shop... so your tools and fancy new Snap-on box are gonna be gettin' it. I'd keep a close eye on humidity. Fortunately winter is dry to begin with, so sometimes it works out perfectly.

 

[rogerskevin]

I would go with the Propane Convection Heater, its big and has maximum heating capacity.

 

[Spudland_Dave]

Can you post a link or pic of the one you bought? I am having a hard time finding it on thier site. Not sure which you one got, I'm in the same boat(building).

2nd link in my OP...the link to TSC..

Remember by putting out 100% of the input products into the environment, that heater is also blasting humidity into your shop... so your tools and fancy new Snap-on box are gonna be gettin' it. I'd keep a close eye on humidity. Fortunately winter is dry to begin with, so sometimes it works out perfectly.

While I agree with the "science" of the whole moisture thing, out here in the real world specifically snow country, its so dang dry during heating season to begin with, we have to run humidifiers...

 

[bullnerd]

DOH!..thanks.

 

[burleyfarm]

Remember by putting out 100% of the input products into the environment, that heater is also blasting humidity into your shop... so your tools and fancy new Snap-on box are gonna be gettin' it. I'd keep a close eye on humidity. Fortunately winter is dry to begin with, so sometimes it works out perfectly.

Propane has a lot of moisture in it. Since your not venting the exhaust in this style of heater you will get a lot of moisture inside the building. Even though its hot air, it will still have a lot of moisture in it. Unlike forced air or baseboard heat in a home which I agree is very dry. Good luck, it sounds like you found a good solution to a temporary problem.