Rockytime Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 (edited) I have very little success heating a 112 sq ft shop. 8X14". That is hardly more than a closet. I am using a Dimplex 220V heater. I forget how many watts. This heater is marketed under different names. It is advertised to heat a one car garage. Unfortunately it does not mention that the garage is probably in Florida at the peak of summer. My shop is partitioned out of part of the garage and one side is opposite the kitchen. It is insulated although there is leakage around the double doors. The heater dial goes from 1 to 9. The problem is that the heater shuts down to default and the red light comes on if the dial is set to more than three. It shuts down too often to really do more than take off a slight chill. This morning it was about 21 degrees outside and about 52 degrees in the shop. With the heater and radiant floor heater the temperature came up to a whopping 60 degrees after an hour or so. I can work in the shop at 60 degrees but I don't want to. I have read some reviews the owner disabled the internal thermostat and rewired in a manual thermostat in order to make it work efficiently. The internal thermostat is about one inch under the heater coils which is so close that I think it is no wonder shuts down so quickly. Has anyone here had experience with this or similar heater? I don't like scrolling with cold fingers. Edited October 30, 2019 by Rockytime Add Photo OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Johnson Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 My shop is 8 x 12 and insulated. I heat it with a Stanley electric heater thermostatically controlled. This is my second season with this heater and works very well. I bought it from Rona on sale for $69.00 reg. $130.00. It can also be found on Amazon. It's yellow in color. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockytime Posted October 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 Hi Ron, I just checked Amazon. All the Stanley heaters were under $60. There were several Stanley heaters but none in the $100 plus category. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawson56 Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 I have a Small heater about the size of yours,forgot the name,[Sorry}.It,s called a Barn Heater.My shop is only 10x12 and insulated,so it does very nicely. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hineps Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 Almost all of that type heater has a fixed hi temp cutout switch. Sounds like it is opening before the adjustable thermostat can function. It is a safety for the heater coil. Just a ~$10 .00 switch usually easy to replace. Phil OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sycamore67 Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 (edited) I will do electrical work but do not fool with heaters. There is just too much downside. Edited October 30, 2019 by Sycamore67 OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimErn Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 I don't have your temps, but to me the 40's is cold enough for a heater. I picked up a propane construction site heater from HD, 60K btu ($99 and I get a military discount too). With the garage door cracked open some, I open a window, you should have plenty of fresh air for the heater. It heats my shop quick. Food for thought. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dyna-Glo-Pro-30K-60K-BTU-Propane-Forced-Air-Heater-RMC-FA60DGP/202223041 OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rustynail Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 I would get one of the infrared heaters as they work great and don't cost a lot to run, A lot less than just a standard electric heater like yours looks like. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sycamore67 Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 (edited) I use a propane heater in my garage and use a CO detector and have not observed any increase in CO. If they are running properly with a blue flame they give almost no CO. Edited October 30, 2019 by Sycamore67 OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Johnson Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 10 hours ago, Rockytime said: Hi Ron, I just checked Amazon. All the Stanley heaters were under $60. There were several Stanley heaters but none in the $100 plus category. Hi Les. Go to Amazon.com and search Stanley hearer. You'll see the same model listed under the name Lasko 1500 W for $69.95. It's black and siver. This is the one I have under the name Stanly and yellow and black in color. If it's not to your satisfaction it can be returned. Leave it set on high and adjust the thermostat accordingly. Knobs on side can be adjusted for height of air flow. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCtoolguy Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 (edited) I feel bad for all of you folks. I'm a wimp. I'm uncomfortable if it's below 65. I use a very small electric heater in my 9x13 shop. I keep the door & window closed because the ceiling is actually the aluminum awning and has plenty of vent holes. I inherited a small window a/c unit that I'm going to put through the wall for the "hot" months. My body thermostat has a comfort range that gets shorter every year. I'm old! Edited October 30, 2019 by octoolguy tomsteve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomsteve Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 3 hours ago, octoolguy said: I feel bad for all of you folks. ill take it. we dont have wildfires, mud slides, or the 405 here in west metro detroit. we have the I696 hundred! and on special dates the I275 hundred where 90 is the new 70 and drafting is the norm. kmmcrafts and OCtoolguy 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockytime Posted October 30, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 Thanks for the man y responses. I think I have found a solution. I went back to some of the 300 something reviews. One reviewer had my problem. He removed the front grill. It was reflecting heat back onto the little sensor. I did that last night. The heater now is acting as it should. Soon as we get another nice day I will relocate the thermostat back an inch and replace the grill. My shop is now 72 degrees. I can live with that. OCtoolguy and kmmcrafts 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 4 minutes ago, tomsteve said: ill take it. we dont have wildfires, mud slides, or the 405 here in west metro detroit. we have the I696 hundred! and on special dates the I275 hundred where 90 is the new 70 and drafting is the norm. I hear you on that.. and also on the I275.. Was 32F outside this morning but it was 37ish in my shop.. I run a small LP tank top heater on a 30# LP tank.. the small 20# tanks make me melt my shoes.. the 30# is just the right height to burn the sh&& uta my leg... and my hands are still cold, as most of the rest of me.. LOL.. Last year I put a fan behind the heater and it worked pretty well and I was surprised that after a short time running it had actually raise the temps in the shop by 5F.. I need to invest in a better heater.. This heater is not recommended to use inside a closed area unless you have a flow of fresh air.. Thinking about splurging on the ceiling mount MR Heater LP 35000 ( I think ) heater.. They have a thermostat that goes all the way down to 35F.. I don't want it to be 60-70 in there but a 50F is real doable for me and probably wouldn't take much fuel to keep it at 50 either.. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 That's great to hear Les.. I remember last year you wasn't satisfied with that little heater.. I may get something like that as well.. I just need to partition a section off in my shop before i try to heat the whole 24 x 32 lower part and the 14 x 32.. I work downstairs and we all know that heat rise's so if I run a heater as it is.. The upstairs would be 80 and still 32 downstairs.. I've gotta block off the stairway and the ceiling.. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCtoolguy Posted October 30, 2019 Report Share Posted October 30, 2019 2 hours ago, tomsteve said: ill take it. we dont have wildfires, mud slides, or the 405 here in west metro detroit. we have the I696 hundred! and on special dates the I275 hundred where 90 is the new 70 and drafting is the norm. I here ya but after living here since 1948, we've never been near a fire, never even had cracked plaster from an earthquake. But, we've experienced the horrendous stop and go traffic on all the freeways. There is no getting around that. So, we don't go anywhere. And that's fine with me. Now, if we still had our RV, then we'd brave the traffic on a night escape and be outa here for a while. I've been to Michigan and it is truly a beautiful place. For about half the year. Thanks, but no thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodmaster1 Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 My shop was a comfortable 68 degrees today and the outside was 43 and dropping. I have a bigmaxx 50,000btu natural gas heater. It only cost me $120 a year to heat the 30' x33' shop. Temperature will get below zero at times during the winter. kmmcrafts, OCtoolguy and OzarkSawdust 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kmmcrafts Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 30 minutes ago, Woodmaster1 said: My shop was a comfortable 68 degrees today and the outside was 43 and dropping. I have a bigmaxx 50,000btu natural gas heater. It only cost me $120 a year to heat the 30' x33' shop. Temperature will get below zero at times during the winter. Well crap that’s not too bad of a expense then. I think I run about $100 in LP in this little tank top heater I got at HF. You must have some good insulation in there? My loft is insulated but nothing down in the shop yet. OCtoolguy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodmaster1 Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 19 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said: Well crap that’s not too bad of a expense then. I think I run about $100 in LP in this little tank top heater I got at HF. You must have some good insulation in there? My loft is insulated but nothing down in the shop yet. R19 in the walls and R30 in the ceiling. kmmcrafts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NC Scroller Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 One of the real secrets to heating and cooling is to avoiding large temperate swings. So if 60 is your magic number you need to maintain 55-56 when not in use. Why you ask? You thermostat / thermometer is reading air temperature. Your heater warms the air. Well in a shop you have lots of metal ( steel and cast iron). They take a long time to warm up. Many hours. So while you heated the air the cold metal keeps bringing the temperature down. kmmcrafts 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rolf Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 On 10/30/2019 at 7:11 AM, JimErn said: I don't have your temps, but to me the 40's is cold enough for a heater. I picked up a propane construction site heater from HD, 60K btu ($99 and I get a military discount too). With the garage door cracked open some, I open a window, you should have plenty of fresh air for the heater. It heats my shop quick. Food for thought. https://www.homedepot.com/p/Dyna-Glo-Pro-30K-60K-BTU-Propane-Forced-Air-Heater-RMC-FA60DGP/202223041 I bought a propane heater like this for my garage, I had hoped to work on my car over the winter. I also plugged in a digital CO monitor. With my ROLL up door partially open I still got wicked headaches and the monitor hovered around the alarm threshold. I sold to a friend that was doing construction. So please be careful. It does crank out some huge amounts of heat. I ended up mounting a Modine 220 V ceiling heater. That I got for free from a friend. Not great but it takes the chill off. I never have worked on my car in the winter. Maybe this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rockytime Posted October 31, 2019 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 It tried a small propane heater with the same results as yours. A kerosene heater did the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimErn Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 Thanks Rolf I'll keep it in mind, so far no issues, but my shop is no where near as 'tight' as anything built in the last 50 years, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OzarkSawdust Posted October 31, 2019 Report Share Posted October 31, 2019 17 hours ago, Woodmaster1 said: My shop was a comfortable 68 degrees today and the outside was 43 and dropping. I have a bigmaxx 50,000btu natural gas heater. It only cost me $120 a year to heat the 30' x33' shop. Temperature will get below zero at times during the winter. That's what I'm going to do next summer...install a big natural gas heater. I built a 18x30 shop building after we moved in last year. Then I had a chance to get it insulated last winter...spray foam baby!!! Now my shop is an Igloo cooler! An electrician friend had an extra 220V electric heater, 18,000-20,000btu I think, so I hung that. Does well down to about 40* outside, keeps me around mid to upper 60s. When it's in 30s or below I fire up one of those propane patio heaters! I can work in a T shirt...lol. I crack the roll up door open about 6" for fresh air...and the neighbor kitties like to come in and warm up . A regular NG heater with a thermostat would be much better! One with A/C would be even better than that !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sycamore67 Posted November 2, 2019 Report Share Posted November 2, 2019 (edited) Interesting comments about the CO levels. I have a smaller propane heater that I use when I have to work in the garage. it looks like the 35K BTU Mr Heater forced air ones. CO levels are zero even with the doors closed. With my heater, the flame is completely blue indicating complete combustion. I always use a a CO monitor when using the heater. About 15 years ago, a CO monitor saved us as the gas furnace had a small crack and we were getting low level CO in the house of only 10 ppm. Edited November 2, 2019 by Sycamore67 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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