Gas Upgrade vs. Electric Upgrade

[FatFndr]

Which way to go?

I need 35,000 BTU to heat my 680 sq ft garage. Distance to the garage is approximately 150 ft. Currently underground electric to the garage is 220vac on a number 8 cable good for (I think) 25-30 amps.

Gas - The gas line installer just left. He said I only have a 1" low flow line coming into the house and that 1 and 3/8ths is needed to the 150 foot run. I need to upgrade to a 2" gas line from the street and replace all the 1" line in the basement. He will check with the gas company to make sure he is correct before he makes an estimate, said this could get costly.

Electric - The City Electric said I had number 2 cable to the mast head and down to the meter - that's a standard 100 amp service. They will come to the masthead for free from the transformer but I need to get an electrician to wire from the masthead to the meter and from the meter into the house. BUT the 35,000 BTU electric heater draws 41.6 amps, therefore the underground cable going to the garage would have to be terminated on both ends and a new cable installed that could accept the load. Also, very expensive.

My head is spinning after talking to the experts.....am I a candidate for Propane and if so what do I need to look for in a heater and additional equipment?

What are the alternatives?

 

[Ezzie]

Where do you live?

The cost of natural gas vs. propane vs. electricity for your area needs to be looked at.

I think you will likley be best off to "bite-the-bullet" and do the gas line upgrade since natural gas is usually the most efficient and least expensive cost solution and you have it available where you live.

 

[Chris Adams]

You are just looking for heat in the building right?
Don't know where you live, so can't really estimate how much energy you will need but several possibilities come to mind;

Oil fired furnace? With a tank in the ground all it needs is electricity, which you have.

On using Propane. A furnace like used in a motorhome would keep a shop nice and toasty. And they are not energy wasters if properly setup.

Kerosene? I personally hate them, but they do make some that mounted externally would keep the place warm and not cost too much.

The costs to plumb the gas and the costs to upgrade the electric would pay for a LOT of propane/oil/kerosene.

 

[FatFndr]

I live East of Cleveland Ohio (Mentor area) on Lake Erie. The cold NW winds are brutal coming off the lake in January/February, other than that it is a normal winter for this area. Kerosene in this area last winter was up to $10.00/gal, extremely cost prohibitive for me. Electricity is not bad at .06 cents/Kw, my natural gas bill seems to be increasing each year.

 

[ripsnortMN]

You should check with a propane tank. With a ceiling mouted mr heater/hotdawg type heater.

 

[Chris Adams]

When I live in the country at various times, we used a coal stove, a wood stove and a propane wall heater.

The propane wall heater kept a leaky two bedroom house warm as toast.

The wood stove kept a 1 bedroom warm, but was a lot of work cutting firewood. Buying it was way too expensive vs. cutting it yourself.

Coal stove worked well, was not too expensive but the smoke stinks. Not going to be using it if you have neighbors.

Propane heat is probably your best, easiest solution.

Price it locally, delivered, as you won't want to be carring 5-10 gallon tanks up there every week in the winter.

 

[HoosierBuddy]

I don't get the 2" gas line...at all.

Where does your gas meter sit? Does it have a regulator on it? (Sort of a round deal with a snout sticking out of it on the inlet side of the meter)

Phil

 

[Ezzie]

Yah, upgrading to 2" doesn't sound right. Where is the regulator/gas meter - at the street??? Should be high pressure up to the meter/regulator and then a relatively short run from there into your house/appliances.

 

[redsky49]

At a .3" pressure drop, 1" pipe for 150' is good for about 100 cfh. That's a lot of heat. Are we understanding this issue correctly?

What is your connected load at the house (furnace, stove, water heater, fireplace, etc.), and what is your new load at the garage? Are you confidant in the 35,000 btuh garage figure? Would you ever add to the garage gas load? Generally, a 65,000 btuh will suffice for many homes. Need more data!

As I have recently discovered (again), it is often difficult to thoroughly understand the questions that the OPs are asking, making an accurate response difficult.

As always, offered only as opinion

 

[BetterDays]

West side of Cleveland here (Go Steelers).

Are you planning constant heat (steady 60* when not in it, etc.) or just heat as needed when working in there?

 

[FatFndr]

I didn't realize the detail needed, thanks for all the input I'll try and provide more. As mentioned I have a 680 sq ft detached garage, 1/2 used for regular vehicles, 1/2 for working on my hobby cars - tight. The gas meter location is inside my house at the front. I have to come out the side of my house and back to the detached garage, a distance (including putting a "T" in the 1" line to a stub inside the garage) of 150 feet, give or take 10 feet. I calculated the size of heater I needed from this web site http://www.ultimategarageheater.com/electric-garage-heater/search.php which shows I need 35,000 BTU to heat this area. Current loads are a gas stove, 40 gal hot water heater and furnace which a Lennox G27M series (I would give the BTU's but I looked all over the furnace and in the paper work but it was not mentioned.....must be an industrial secret). As mentioned, this area uses low flow gas and that is the reason given to me that I would have to upgrade to 2" pipe.

Thanks for all the comments

 

[HoosierBuddy]

Gas Meter in the house. Super.

So...what we've got here is a gas system where the main, services, and meters are all run at inches w/c. There is no regulator in front of the house.

I ran it on GasCalc. 150' of 3/4" line with 40,000 BTU/hr load at 7 inches w/c inlet shows 6.86 inches w/c outlet. In other words...a 3/4" line will carry the load.

As far as your existing gas service, the meter should be plated as to capacity. You can add up your existing loads, plus the 40,000 BTU for the heater and compare it to your meter. Contact your gas company if it looks close.

Phil