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Post by tothewall on Nov 27, 2008 8:18:02 GMT -4
What an excellent idea to discuss out poor unheated shops... I knew that there would be much knowledge to be had... Like with everything else... I just want to keep the temp above freezing... no need to be running it for a long time... I know when the garage has been heated up in the cold weather, it takes a LONG time for the heat to go away.
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Post by jeepnut on Nov 27, 2008 20:52:20 GMT -4
My garage is 28'x32'x10'. 2" Rigid insulation under slab, R-20 in the walls, R-50 in celing with R-16 garage doors, window low E and Argon. I have in-floor heat with a 3 way mixing valve running from my house boiler. The 3 way valve modulates to maintain the minimum of slab temperature or room temperature. When the outside air temperature drops below 0 Deg C, the circulator starts to ensure no freezeup. If there is no call for heat, the mixing valve will remain closed and just re-circulate the water within the floor and through the large pipe between the house and building.
The first year I kept the temperature around 15 Deg C and it used more energy then I would like to see as sometimes a week would go by when I was not working out there and it seemed wastful. The next year I set the temperature to 7 Deg C and the heat hardly comes on. I added one of the 4800 Watt construction heaters, hung it about 8' high in the corner and tied it into my automation system also. Now if I want to work in the garage I just let the unit heater bring the temperature up. The temperature will increase about 1 Deg C every 10 minutes or so. Works very well.
This year I have added a wood stove and put in a heat exchanger in it. I do not have the piping completed yet, but the plan is when I am in the shop working, I have a fire going wihich is keeping the shop warm and my automation system will sense that I have the fire on, it will start to use the same in-floor zone and actually pump heat back to my house boiler to be used in the house. It has not been proven yet, but should work (it does on paper).
Long story short, the construction heaters work well.
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Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
Posts: 18,718
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Post by Creepy on Nov 27, 2008 21:27:02 GMT -4
wowzers.
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Roy & Charlene
Jeeper
"Gettin' Older: It's no place for sissies"
Posts: 3,745
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Post by Roy & Charlene on Dec 7, 2008 16:58:29 GMT -4
My furnace in the garage hasn't come on since Friday. Not on, no cost. and still Set @ 41deg. Roy Digital Thermostat set @ 41 Furnace at the back of garage. This pipe blows hot air at the two front doors. This is all I have for duct work, 2 big elbows on the top of the plenum that are pointed to each front corner of the garage. The small one I can adjust to where I want it. At the Jeep if it's full of snow. My Garage I love it Roy
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Post by T-Dogg on Dec 7, 2008 17:56:09 GMT -4
The difference in prices depends on the size of the coil and blower fan. The 5000w one I just installed in Len's garage works well. We used a double pole stat like mentioned prevously. Its wired off a welder outlet, so is turned off when welding. Well worth the ivestment, plus added 2 15 amp circuits with the new breakers ;D Len is happy, this is a verry affordable heating solouton. Especially with Jeep club member discounts DA Dog
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Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
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Post by Creepy on Dec 7, 2008 19:55:32 GMT -4
what size wire did you have to use?
what size breaker was the welding circuit using?
i gotta stop over and check it out.
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Post by T-Dogg on Dec 7, 2008 20:46:49 GMT -4
10/3 armoured cabel. 30 amp double pole breaker.
DA Dog
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Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
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Post by Creepy on Dec 8, 2008 16:23:11 GMT -4
hey Roy, that furnace is not so big. the house furnaces i have had were twice the size.
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Post by DamnJeep on Dec 8, 2008 19:11:26 GMT -4
Now back to those of us who can't afford in floor heat..... I had been using a propane space heater. Worked well in my old shop which was fully insulated. Pumped out bag loads of heat but did consume lots of propane when it was cold out. But in my larger colder than cold no insulation shop it would warm it up from "fawking cold" to "damn cold". Just not enough. So it became another work bench . So I just bought an old furnace from a a mobile home. Vents from the bottom. It has a new pump etc on it. Just need to figure out a chimney and make a plenum for the pipes on the bottom. Best thing is its small and takes up less room than my old propane one. Does anyone know if they can be direct vented or do I need an actual chimney?
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Post by tothewall on Dec 8, 2008 21:22:08 GMT -4
I am keeping the garage between 7 & 10 degrees and everytime I go out there in -8 to -10 weather, the temp in the garage is right there and the heater is never on when I go in. We shall see on the electricity bills, but it seems pretty good thus far.
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Post by itsakeeper on Dec 8, 2008 22:07:38 GMT -4
This year I have added a wood stove and put in a heat exchanger in it. I do not have the piping completed yet, but the plan is when I am in the shop working, I have a fire going wihich is keeping the shop warm and my automation system will sense that I have the fire on, it will start to use the same in-floor zone and actually pump heat back to my house boiler to be used in the house. It has not been proven yet, but should work (it does on paper).
hmmm, post up how this works out, might be an idea to try out
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Post by Ken McIntosh on Dec 9, 2008 10:48:29 GMT -4
My 4800 watt on the -9 day was coming on ,running for 10 min and than shutting off for 20 or 25 min.Worked in a t-shirt.Garage is 14 x 26,12ft ceilings,uninsulated 10x10 and vapor barrier on about 25% walls and ceilings. I was impressed.worked well and very quite.Kent's Baker dr had a shelf full. Went out to the garage last night around nine,worked until about twelve.Turned the little heater on and started on the left side outer tie rod of the yj.Next thing ya know I'm sweating and taking off my jacket.I suppose I could have turned the heater down but wtf,the heat felt good. T-dog put the heater on about a 12' extention so I can move it around the front of the shop to wherever my work space is at the moment. By the time I shut things down there was no ice or snow left on the yj either.So far,so good.Just have to wait for the first relevent power bill. I'm still shutting it down when I go in for the night so I'm still looking for the right thermo controlled set-up to run 24/7.Probably set the propane furnace back up for that ,at least for this winter.
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Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
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Post by Creepy on Dec 9, 2008 12:55:42 GMT -4
i think i will be adding the overhead unit heater this weekend.....
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Post by ©Big6™ on Dec 9, 2008 13:03:46 GMT -4
Was up in Truro on the weekend to get my Dad's in floor connected. Here are some pictures of the final product, on the wall. Connected, and turned on. Set at 50F, and it hardly runs to keep the garage at that temp. Yes that white box is all that is providing heat. It is a neat setup. The only thing that the thermostat controls is the circulator pump. When it calls for heat, starts the water circulating. The on demand heater only comes on when it sees flow, and the incoming water temp is colder than the set temperature. Will automatically shut off if there is air in the system. Also have a low water sensor that will cut the circulator pump as well. As this system is not connected to a water source.
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Creepy
Administrator
Dartmouth
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Post by Creepy on Dec 9, 2008 13:09:30 GMT -4
very nice effecient looking set-up. wish i could go that route.
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