Sterling vs Reznor

[Milzo]

Hello,

I am shopping for a sealed combustion 75,000 BTU unit heater for my barn/shop. The heater will not run all the time in the winter, just when i want to work out there (NE Ohio). I've done a search and read a bunch of threads about one brand vs another and it didn't really give me any clarity on what to go with.

I've narrowed it down to the Sterling GC GG075A1NSA11 for about $850 or the Reznor UDAS-60 for $1425. The concentric vent kits and hook-up accessories for both are about the same price. I don't mind spending the extra $ if the Reznor is a lot better heater but also am compelled to save the $600 for something else in my shop.

Which would you pick?

 

[nadogail]

All I can say is that in my opinion the Reznor has been around for years and for all I know, it is the Standard Of The Industry; that means it is the one everybody compares every other heater to.

I have no personal knowledge of the Sterling Heater, therefor I can't objectively compare them.

Perhaps you can get opinions from someone who services these heaters in your local area.

 

[Done That]

Mestek (Sterling) is a respected brand, been around for years. Like most HVAC I suspect the gas valve, blower, control board, switches, etc come from a very small pool of similar suppliers.
I didn't dig into the specific spes to ensure its an apples to apples features comparison, but if so I'd probably save the $.
I work for a component supplier in the industry FWIW, but am more involved with residential split units and less knowledgeable on unit heaters.

 

[thammel]

I have the reznor udas 60 and love it. It's been great! I went that way because of its long heritage.

 

[Jarnipman]

love my udas 100, I used to run it only when I worked out there, but I was over the subzero stuff and just set it at 68 and let it run all winter. - best money I ever spend cause I would use my shop a lot more. One complaint about the UDAS is it made a crazy vibrating racket as the heat exchanger warmed up and expanded and vibrated against the cheesy brakets they have in it. It made me crazy so I tack welded the bracket to the heat pipes and it got really quiet. The brackets are flexible cheap metal so they can flex. The side of the reznor was also cheapskate thin sheet metal and would vibrate as well, so I double sided taped a piece of flat alumuminum on the side and it becamse quiet. If you are super **** like me and want a silent unit, this is what I did , but highly reccomend it

 

[cvairwerks]

We’ve got a building at work with a Reznor that was installed in the early 60’s maybe. Still running this spring. Still passes our FD and safety groups annual CO checks with no problem.

 

[finn]

I have two Beacon Morris 75k btu heaters in different buildings. These are, as best I can tell, rebranded Sterling units, sold by Menards. Menards is selling cheape r heaters now, from another manufacturer, so I don’t know if these are currently available.

One thing to look into is the heat exchanger material. Some low cost units may have plain steel, better ones alumininzed steel, and premium units are some grade of stainless.

The exchanger on my Sterling sourced heaters are aluminized, but even then, the manufacturer warns against maintaining building temperatures at freeze protection levels, ie below something like 50 degrees, to avoid condensation induced heat exchanger corrosion.

Mine have been flawless after several years.

 

[Milzo]

Thanks for the feedback. I guess i am going to order the sterling since it doesn't seem that there is enough difference between the two to justify an additional $600 in cost. Both come with aluminzed heat echangers, vent the same and have about the same warranty. The reznor concentric kit is a cleaner finished look but mine will almost never be seen on the back of the shop.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

I've been looking a 45k heater for my space. Comparing the known brands like Modine, Reznor and Sterling and they all seem very similar. Not sure what the higher price of say a Reznor UDAS gets you and they all come with aluminized steel HXs. They all offer SS (or additional $), but not the ones typically listed on retailers websites for sale.

The sterling units comes with capability for separated combustion, whereas the other models require more expensive models. I'm not sure if the sterling is more marketed towards greenhouses or similar vs. garage/hobbists.

One concern I would have is the noise level and I would be willing to spend a little more if it meant a quieter unit.

 

[Soccer918843]

I too am torn between the two brands can anyone comment on the noise level of the two?

 

[BIG-BRO]

I too am torn between the two brands can anyone comment on the noise level of the two?

Reznor 49dB
I was deciding between Reznor and Modine, and the Modine was 58dB

 

[Steve in UT]

Hello,

I am shopping for a sealed combustion 75,000 BTU unit heater for my barn/shop.

If you wouldn't mind, I have a couple questions I am curious about: What size is your shop? How did you decide on that particular size furnace? Thanks

 

[pvanderlugt]

I have a Reznor 60k unit as well, for the same reason as above, noise.... I hate noisy fans ....had this unit for 10 years, zero issues......
Pete

 

[D45]

My last two heaters, a 45K and a 75K, have both been Modine (Hot Dawg)

No issues with them, other than a burner pinch mod on the 75K