Need help with my situation

[Hellcat6]

I live in Ohio. My garage is about 24 X 28 with 12 foot ceilings. It is attached to the house, fully insulated and drywalled, no outer windows or doors, only door to the outside is a single large isulated garage door. The house and garage are new with RaceDeck flooring.

I'm only interested in heating the garage in the winter on those rare occasions when I get some time to work on the Mustangs. I don't have a big budget and want to go electric. Garage is wired for 110, 220 and I think there is a 30AMP out there as well.

Is there a heater that could be just plugged in and placed on the bench and put away when not in use? Something to take the chill off, don't need to work in my boxers! I really don't think I would use a ceiling mounted unit often enough to justify the cost of heater and installation.

Yeah, I know most of you would not do it this way but that is my situation, at least for this winter. Any ideas? Thanks, Drew

 

[tdkkart]

A friedn of mine has 2 of these hanging in a shop that approx. 16x25, they work really well, especially if there's a car in there.

http://www.epinions.com/prices/Marvin_7060_Heater

 

[royalton10]

Take a look at the Dayton g73 heater. I will soon have it installed in my 22 x 26 garage. Do a search on this forum.

Doug

 

[Dragster Racer]

The only fear I have of suggesting any electric in this situation is the recovery time. If you are going to leave it unheated most of the time, and throw some heat to it when you want to use it, you are going to be heating it from basically outside temp to maybe 45 or 50. I'm sure that your weather isn't much different than it is here in northern IL, where you can have long spells of 0F or below. It will take a LONG time to bump that up 50 degrees in a shop of that size/volume with an electric heater of 7 to 10,000 btu. So, you turn it on a couple hours ahead of time, and wait, or work in the cold. This isn't even very efficient, since you heat it for a longer time. I have a 220V 7500 btu unit in my shop, and it is fine for maintaining, but just won't cut it for bringing up the temperature. IMO, the best would be something gas, even if you went non-vented (as long as you aren't using it all the time) with 100,000 btu. You could grab a used furnace from an hvac shop for next to nothing. Even without ducting it would heat up quickly.(but you will need to run exhaust) Or one of those open faced non vented hanging heaters are inexpensive, and would knock down the chill in a hurry if you are nearly in front of it. You could even run off of a 100 lb propane bottle if you don't want to run gas line. Ideal would be a hanging heater of large btu vented, but you already said that you don't want the hassle of installation and expense.
In a nutshell, hit it with some power if you want to be satisfied.

 

[Falcon67]

For another opinion, the G73 Dayton type heaters (most all the 5Kw heaters are similar) will work if you don't mind the wait. Same deal here, just not as cold usually. When I was using the 22K BTU Mr. Heater, it was no big deal for me to light it up, turn on the fan to circulate and go hide in the house for 30~45 minutes and let the place heat up. It's too much of a ***** to place propane here since we're in the city and the yard/fence/access layout prevent access to a tank. A gas line to the shop would be high buck and a PITA to put in, especially trying to dig a ditch. There's no tying in under the house - it sits too close to the ground. So I'll do the same with the new electric that I did with the gas - flip it on, go get some coffee and post BS on the internet for an hour. If it's real dang cold, Il still have the Mr. Heater unit to double up. A 5kW electric can use a 10-3 cord and plug, so you could sit it on the bench. On mine, the case does not get hot at all. A 7.7kW unit would probably act the same, but you'll need a 40A circuit I'd bet, big $$ plug and socket and #8 wire. You'd be better off mounting that to the ceiling IMHO.

 

[BetterDays]

I use a Mr. Heater Tank Top Propane Heater (3 burner).
It heats my 20x20 uninsulated old detached garage with no problems.

A normal tank of propane lasts for about 10 hours on the highest setting - - which has had my garage into the 80's when it was in the teens outside.

 

[porschedude996TT]

I wouldn't like your electric bill when you use the heaters. Why not a natural gas heater?

 

[t. jones]

I live in Toronto area and had a similar setup, well insulated attached garage it stayed fairly warm without heating. I would plug in the electric heater an hour or so before if I could if it was really cold I would supplement with tank top propane. Both methods are really easy to setup I still use the electric heater in my new shop rather than fire up my naural gas furnace if I know I won't be out there too long. Place the heater on the floor then it can't fall off and warm air rises. Thanx Trevor

 

[BetterDays]

I also use a $10 small fan behind the heater to circulate the air. It helps immensely.

 

[Hellcat6]

Thanks for the input guys. I will check out all of your ideas. Not worried about the electric bill, as I said, I will only be working out there when time permits and if it is crazy cold i'll just find something else to do. Budget says I need to use existing electric, no money for running gas lines and modding the garage.

 

[BetterDays]

Thanks for the input guys. I will check out all of your ideas. Not worried about the electric bill, as I said, I will only be working out there when time permits and if it is crazy cold i'll just find something else to do. Budget says I need to use existing electric, no money for running gas lines and modding the garage.

And it's portable.

 

[Hellcat6]

Decided to try the Mr. Heater 3 burner. Found it on Amazon for $116 and already have an extra propane tank so figured I would give that a shot. Thanks guys, I will report back on how it worked.

 

[BillK]

hc,
Sounds like you already decided, but thought I would throw in my 2 cents worth. My attached garage is a little smaller than yours, 22x22 and I have a small 220v electric mounted on the wall. I can come home on the coldest day of the year, turn it on, eat a quick dinner and by that time it will be at least 65 degrees in the garage. I probably use it about as often as you will and I really have never noticed any difference in the electric bill.

Personally, I hate the "smell" of the tank mounted propane heaters, plus they really do not heat the air in the entire garage, mostly infrared heat which heats whatever they are aimed at.

This is the heater I have:

http://www.heater-home.com/product/PH-5HW.aspx

 

[Schrodingers Cat]

for your size, assuming good insulation and an indoor temp of 50F at 0F outside, you need at least a 7.5 KW heater... a 40A circuit/240 VAC

a couple of these might work
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200395480_200395480

same, larger version
http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_6970_200395481_200395481

 

[BetterDays]

hc,
.... plus they really do not heat the air in the entire garage, mostly infrared heat which heats whatever they are aimed at.

I disagree. Throw a fan behind it and it heats the entire garage.

Trust me, I know.

 

[onewaydave]

All good ideas. I'd add these. Rig up a curtain around the work area instead of trying to heat the whole garage. Wood burning stove, ventilation needs to be considered. I like the small propane bottle idea, used that once to fuel a dryer in a rent house that didn't have gas plumed.

Portable Kerosene is another option. Dave.

 

[BetterDays]

Decided to try the Mr. Heater 3 burner. Found it on Amazon for $116 and already have an extra propane tank so figured I would give that a shot. Thanks guys, I will report back on how it worked.

Have you had to use it yet?
Initial thoughts?


Had mine on last night while cleaning the garage and watching Full Metal Jacket.

 

[Hellcat6]

Got my 3 burner Mr Heater but have not had to use it yet. I did fire it up just to test it and this thing really cranks! To be honest, I really have no experience with it's ability to heat my garage but given my limited needs I think this is going to work out. Thanks for all the suggestions guys.