Technical Winter shop heat

Though I think some are the same amp rating there are different styles for different amps...Maybe even technically the welder is supposed to be on its own line/circuit [ as in dedicated] thats why the different style...Get a 110v then all the same.....

 

Ol'Blue, thanks for the reply and that is kinda what I thought. I think I will change the plu so it works with my welder's extension cord. I want to go natural gas andhavethe line all ready to connect. Just a little bummed out that both my 80000btu and my 40000 btu, that are new, won't do the job due to having only a 9-10 ceiling.

 

I had one in the shop, so I used it, UNTIL the day I noticed a very small leak in a fuel line connector. "Better tighten that", so I get the line wrenches and it got worse. There I was, on the floor, with gas running down my arm and all I had to do was turn my head to see that full flame thru the door on the pellet stove. I was not able to completely stop the leak until after I had unplugged the stove's fan (which popped some thermal switch) and gotten the hell out of there. I got lucky!

 

5000 watts, and if it's really frigid outside it'll add a c-note to the bill. but that's where mama goes to smoke, so i have a/c in the summer and heat in the winter!

 

Love the idea of the external fired heated water tank, thought a lot about building one using a large radiator and cycling through. Though, again wood fires in Denver are really cracked down on.
This does remind me though, I need to put a CO detector in the garage as I've had times when I felt a bit loopy and gone to the house to recover, My kerosene burner used to not run so well.

 

there was a well-known tavern in rural missouri near st. louis that had "free" a/c--the owner pumped cold spring water through a model a radiator mounted on a window. worked great!

 

Once the fire inspector finds your homemade wood stove among the ashes of your hotrods and tools your insurance is null and void in the USA

It took 20 seconds of google time to find that the national fire code (NFPA 211) states

12.2.3 Solid fuel-burning appliances shall not be installed in
any location where gasoline or any other flammable vapors or
gases are present.
12.2.4 Solid fuel-burning appliances shall not be installed in
any garage.

 

I don't see a problem unless your right on top of the stove with said gas leak. The fire is concealed in a sealed fire box. The way it was explained to me was, if you can smell smoke there is a leak in a seal somewhere better check it out. My stove is located on the other side of the shop from where I usually do any type repairs. Joe

 

Hope you are right. You might want to check where the intake for the fan that blows on the pellets enters the stove.

 

The air intake is on the outside of the building through the wall via a sealed pipe. Pretty much like a 92+ modern furnace. Other than if you would for some reason open the front door there is no open port inside the building. Joe

 

OK. We all know that IF that sealed firebox develops a leak we have a fire hazard in the presence of gasoline fumes or LPG fumes (greater danger than gasoline). But, we have a higher percentage of accidental ignition everyday in the shop than that presented by a possible faulty firebox. Every drill motor, grinder motor, light switch, etc creates electrical arcs that will ignite those fumes not to mention the sparks from cutting, grinding and welding. Only way to be completely safe is to insure that those fumes are not present. Easier to eliminate the fuel than the source of ignition. Insurance adjusters' job is to find an excuse to not pay a claim.

"I don't know but I been told", that back in the day, the easiest way to get out from under an onerous mortgage, was a cracked natural gas or LPG line and an old ringer type phone (placement dependent upon fuel choice).

 

I'm using an old "SuperFlame" dual burner oil heater. If you can find one of these in good shape, they work great! Heats my 36' x 24' shop up to 60 degrees, in about 1/2 hour, burns maybe 2 gallons of kerosene on the coldest days.

 

I had similar unit when i first built garage. They work excellent and would burn used motor oil if you thinned with 30% heating oil.. Generally find them almost free! On one occasion the flame had gone out, possibly flow had stopped and restarted??? and fuel continued to pour into pot, had I gone out of town would have ended up with 50 gallons oil on floor. There should be a "default" for that situation. As I recall heater was working best when the flap on the chimney vent was "rattlin''

 

Maybe a little different direction but I need heat in my garage so I can use spray paint and maybe some paint thinner. I am thinking radiant heat but not sure if that is safe from fumes. Anything with a flame or spark to me is out. I am not trying trying to heat a paint booth, just a small area in my garage. Ideas?

 

An externally vented radiant system would work. No open flame to worry about, takes in outside air on the intake side and exits fumes also externally. Would be fine for paint and whatnot.

 

Can you explain a little more?

 

On a standard radiant heating system, there's an intake and exhaust, just like any HVAC system. Radiant heaters can use ambient room air on the intake side and exhaust externally outside. On a dual system, both intake and exhaust are external, meaning, along with ducting exhaust outside you would run ducting on the intake side, therefore essentially 'sealing' the system from any ambient room air. The radiant heater usually is ordered with this option from the manufacturer, to my knowledge, you can't dual vent a system that was setup from the manufacturer to use ambient room air.

 

my God man, he said it is insulated and sheeted !!!

 

I just had a brain fart. For those who are afraid of woodstoves due to insurance: I've found that insurance company reps are box checkers. If there isn't a box to check or a blank to fill in you can slip stuff by. Some insurance companies are no doubt anti woodstove in garages and others may be anti woodstoves that aren't UL approved or inspected. But what if it's a forge? Hmmmm?

 

I don't have first hand experience with this, but I worked with a guy in the 70s that spent a lot of money making his home super insulated. He had his furnace replaced and was very proud to tell everyone that the furnace guy put in a duct for fresh (outside) air to the burner of his furnace. As I recall, it was just run to the fire box and not sealed to it. I'd talk to a furnace guy before I did it, though. a lot of people did a lot of things in the 70s

See post #38 for my convection radiant system. Water heater, Pex, baseboard radiators, DONE! No pump, drain and bypass in the summer, and so nice to wash up in warm water in the winter.

 

i was offering help.....and don't you have anything better to do than to pick on me me?

 

check you tube: jerrys waste oil furnace, looks good to me

 

Kerosene; It's cheap (relatively), it works, and it's what i know. And, since i don't sleep in the garage, i think it's safe.

My garage is about 380-400 sq. ft., possibly a little more, and it works.

Kerosene, $2.99 per gal, currently around me.

 

I think the Chevy's hold more heat because all that wood is absorbent!
Notice the red ^

 

Some good ideas. Thanks guys. We live in the country and use electric heat in the house so gas is out. Also water because of temps. I am not going to be painting anything like a car, just small parts so I don't need anything too complicated. I am thinking a kerosene heater to heat up the area where I will be painting, turn it off when warm, then paint. Hopefully not too much residue. I have also seen some small portable radiant heaters but not sure if they put out enough heat. Not all of my garage is insulated, just where I will be painting.

 

I've used kerosene for years, works great. Cheap heat, and heats rather quickly.

 

If all your painting is small parts I have used these lights to warm up the parts and help dry the paint. I painted a complete big block Olds motor in my shed, with no heat in the middle of February outside temp in the 20s with great results. Joe

 

I am in the process of installing a natural gas radiant tube heater in my attached garage-I have an outside air intake for it- but you don't have to have it for the heater to work - the heater will work either way- fresh air in or ambient room air in. If you are concerned about any flammable fumes or combustible dust getting in your heater - then outside air intake is the way to go.

 

Anyone from Iowa know where to buy 1-K Kerosene? I do like the light idea and it would be adjustable.
Update: I found out our local Co-op sells 1-K.

 

Some stations have K1 kero pumps off to the side. OK Petroluem (also has Cam2) and Citgo have them by me. Any fuel oil supplier should have it as well.