Started my Hot Dawg install

[Mainiac Mat]

Strapped ceiling, insulated with fiberglass bat, hung 5/8” sheetrock then mounted a 3/4” plywood plate with sheet metal plate on the underside.



Cat III stainless vent from Z-vent. Nice quality stuff. Gaskets fit snug and clamps up tight.

 

[ponjohn]

Nice job.

 

[Mainiac Mat]

Finished up the electrical.... making up my first ever MC cable connections. Piece of cake once you understand how the system works (thanks YouTube). Maintenance electrician at work lent me his Roto-Splitter.... which helped a ton...





Note thermostat wire is zip tied to the MC power supply line

I powered up the unit, confirmed the green light on the circuit board was lit and checked voltage at the terminals.... then I bumped up the t-stat to check the call for heat and was happy to hear the fan kick on.

Broke out my plumbing kit and made the connections at the heater... shut off valve, drip leg and flex.



I started at the heater so I could figure out where best to pop out of the wall with the gas pipe.

Next up is installing the 2nd stage regulator on the side of the garage, popping though the wall and running black iron pipe up the wall and over to the flex.

 

[jonshonda]

I am in the early stages of planning/prepping for garage heat. Looks like a great install.

 

[ripperd]

Adjust your vent fins to angle properly? Looks like they are in a shipping position so they don't stick out.

 

[D45]

Looks like a 100K heater..........how big of a shop?

Nice clean install!!

 

[Mainiac Mat]

Looks like a 100K heater..........how big of a shop?

Heater is an HD60 LPG model. 60K BTU

Shop is 30'x26'x10'+ high ceiling.

I ran a pretty detailed heat loss calculation and 45K BTU would have been enough. But I want the ability to heat the shop up rapidly and the next size up (60K) was only $85 more and used the same vent kit. So installation material cost was going to be the same either way.

 

[Mainiac Mat]

The rest of the gas piping...



It’s alive...

 

[allinon72]

Looks great!

 

[LX-Markham]

Congrats!

I can still hear that sound when the burner fired up for the first time. I made fire!

 

[Mainiac Mat]

Quick update....

So far I'm really happy with the HotDawg and am very glad I went with the larger 60K BTU unit, as it brings the garage up to temp quickly and doesn't run for long when it cycles on.

So far my ceiling is 100% insulated with fiberglass batt and 75% sheet rocked and the walls are ~50% insulated. Yet even when it's 20°. outside, I can easily bring the garage up to 55-60° deg. and work in a sweatshirt, with the heater off much more than it's on.

I'm looking forward to seeing how much this improves as I finish up the walls.

 

[purediesel]

Just some food for thought, I would suggest putting the ball valve before the flex hose. This way if by any chance there is a problem with the hose you can make the repair without shutting the tank off. This may be helpful depending on if the tank would be feeding something else like a home furnace or something.

 

[Mainiac Mat]

Just some food for thought, I would suggest putting the ball valve before the flex hose. This way if by any chance there is a problem with the hose you can make the repair without shutting the tank off. This may be helpful depending on if the tank would be feeding something else like a home furnace or something.

Good tip

The LPG tank(s) do feed several appliances in the house, but the garage heater tees off of the main 5 psi line and has it's own dedicated regulator. I have a shut off valve on that regulator, so I can secure gas to the garage without the Mrs. losing her hot water (I'd surely get an ear full if that happened).



But if I ever put additional LPG appliances in the garage (i.e. if I ever finish the attic into living space, I'd put a Rinai heater up there) then I'd want to reconfigure as you suggested.