Since I solicited your advice earlier this fall, here's the final report. The propane company showed up today to make the connections to my Sterling Garage Guy. I went for this brand since the separated combustion is already part of the design -- you don't have to pay a whole lot more just to get it.
The house propane tank was only about 25 feet from the shop so it was a simple matter to rent a trencher and get a line from that tank to the shop. (Although I do admit to getting the trencher stuck in the trench and having to have my neighbor bring over his Bobcat to lift it out.) The propane company supplied and installed the underground line after I dug the trench.
I ordered the Sterling GG heater from littlegreenhouse.com for $535 but the shipping added about $150 to that. I also got the concentric vent kit, a thermostat and flex connection from them. In retrospect, I don't think the vent kit was worth the money ($240 plus shipping). I could have just run a second vent to a second roof jack. The only advantage is one hole in the roof instead of two, and perhaps a little bonus from slightly warmer intake air, which in this climate is not an issue.
Installation was easy. I hired someone to help since I'm flying solo right now. The guy was a sheet metal man so he did the vent work while I did the piping and electrical. The whole install not counting the trench was about 8 hours worth of work.
I notice that most of the hot air stays up above the trusses, so I'll get a couple of old ceiling fans from the Habitat for Humanity salvage place in town to stir things up a little. Also on the list of things to do is to is to install some foil insulation under the roof to cut down on loss there. I bought some foil-bubble-foil stuff of the type used for steel buildings. Some time in the future I may blow some insulation behind the uninsulated drywall but since winter temps here rarely run below 28 or so that's a little lower on the priority list.
Hope this helps those of you still making decisions.
The house propane tank was only about 25 feet from the shop so it was a simple matter to rent a trencher and get a line from that tank to the shop. (Although I do admit to getting the trencher stuck in the trench and having to have my neighbor bring over his Bobcat to lift it out.) The propane company supplied and installed the underground line after I dug the trench.
I ordered the Sterling GG heater from littlegreenhouse.com for $535 but the shipping added about $150 to that. I also got the concentric vent kit, a thermostat and flex connection from them. In retrospect, I don't think the vent kit was worth the money ($240 plus shipping). I could have just run a second vent to a second roof jack. The only advantage is one hole in the roof instead of two, and perhaps a little bonus from slightly warmer intake air, which in this climate is not an issue.
Installation was easy. I hired someone to help since I'm flying solo right now. The guy was a sheet metal man so he did the vent work while I did the piping and electrical. The whole install not counting the trench was about 8 hours worth of work.
I notice that most of the hot air stays up above the trusses, so I'll get a couple of old ceiling fans from the Habitat for Humanity salvage place in town to stir things up a little. Also on the list of things to do is to is to install some foil insulation under the roof to cut down on loss there. I bought some foil-bubble-foil stuff of the type used for steel buildings. Some time in the future I may blow some insulation behind the uninsulated drywall but since winter temps here rarely run below 28 or so that's a little lower on the priority list.
Hope this helps those of you still making decisions.
with no extras .