Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

[jstiene]

Hi.

I purchased a used Bass Tracker that I am going to be restoring during the "COLD" winter in my garage. Anyway, I need to get a heater for my 2 car garage. I am trying to decide between 2 types that I have seen at Lowes and also at BassPro.

1. ) Thermoheat - this is a fan type heater that attaches to the top of your propane tank from your gas grill. It comes in either a 1 or 2 fan combination. It looks like it can generate 5,000 - 30,000 btu's...

2.) Mr Heater - ToughBuddy. This is pretty coool also. It uses the small propane tanks that cost about $3 that you use on a portable tailgating type camp stove. It is also indoor.outdoor use. Its a nice portable unit with handle,etc. It also comes in 2 sizes, smaller costing about $79 and says 4,000 - 9,000 btu. the larger one is about $139 I believe. I prefer this product from looking at it

So has anyone used either of these in their garage and have any feedback? Any help would be greatly appreciated...


Thanks!
Joe

 

[Bondo]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

Ayuh,.... Neither of those heaters will heat yer garage to acceptable levels....

Maybe a propane powered salamander,..??

 

[Dewaynep]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

I think we need to know what part of the country you are in. But really, neither of those will do much as far as heating a 2 car garage or even heating a sufficent area to work in.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

My fuse panel is in my garage so it was easy for me to wire up a 220V outlet and to run one of these:

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200395481_200395481

 

[boatnut74]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

I got a wood burning stove in my garage and it will easily heat to 70 degrees.

 

[allCAD]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

I got a wood burning stove in my garage and it will easily heat to 70 degrees.

I do as well: a giant rusty old Fisher that will never die. It generates more heat that it knows what to do with, but the problem is that the garage itself is not insulated, so the heat escapes too easily.

So, when I'm in there working, or when I host a poker game in the winter, I have the stove going, and on the other side of the garage I get one of the deals going that you attach to the BBQ propane tank. 25,000 btus or something like that. It would be useless on it's own in there, but when combining forces with the stove, it's fine. Or at least none of my poker buddies have lost any fingers.

 

[fmjnax]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

What sort of unit do you think would be needed to keep a standard garage as close to 70 degrees as possible when the temps outside are 40-50? I'm in Texas and it doesn't get terribly cold outside, but if I could keep the garage near 70, I wouldn't have to bundle up as much when working in the garage.

 

[ezmobee]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

What sort of unit do you think would be needed to keep a standard garage as close to 70 degrees as possible when the temps outside are 40-50? I'm in Texas and it doesn't get terribly cold outside, but if I could keep the garage near 70, I wouldn't have to bundle up as much when working in the garage.

A unit like I posted above should work great for that.

 

[fmjnax]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

I would love one like that, but no access to 220V without a big headache. I'm guessing if I can find a propane unit in the 18000-20000 BTU range, I should still be ok?

 

[Woodonglass]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

I use this to heat my 8,000 cubic foot woodshop ( 20 x 30)
http://www.mrheater.com/product.aspx?catid=45&id=25

Will bring it from 30? to 70? in about 20 minutes. Runs on a Normal Barbeque grill propane tank. I have a 100# tank and it lasted all Winter (4 months) $60 bucks to fill it. Still 1/2 full
Crack the door a couple inches and you're good to go. Cost $79.00 plus shipping when I got it on sale.
Normally $99.00

 

[oops!]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

What sort of unit do you think would be needed to keep a standard garage as close to 70 degrees as possible when the temps outside are 40-50? I'm in Texas and it doesn't get terribly cold outside, but if I could keep the garage near 70, I wouldn't have to bundle up as much when working in the garage.

bundle up ?? bumdle up ???? BUNDLE UP ?

e gads man......that is prefect working temps. no sweat just work and go....

but if you must.....a propane burner type heater like this will last you all year on one botttle of gas

http://www.princessauto.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/8264533.jpg

i use this at -20 the garage is somewhat insulated... how long you run the heater for, depends on how well the garage is insulated.

if you have no insulation.......even a plastic sheet stapled to the studs will work wonders for you

 

[JDA1975]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

Really dependent on a lot of factors, how well, if at all is your garage insulated, how many square feet is it (typical 2 car would be 400-500 square feet), and how far away from garage is nearest supply (either electric panel, or propane/gas line). You would be better off installing something more permanent, like a 5 burner radiant heater, or an electric heater, considering the size of space, the right unit for space is always more economical since it does not work as hard. 2 car garage should with poor to average insulation will need around 45000 BTU to heat efficiently. heres a good choice, albeit more expensive

http://www.heater-store.com/mr_heater_mhu45lp_propane_garage_unit_heater_45000_btu_hr_3380_prd1.htm

Can also use something like this job-site heater, which i have used several on construction jobs and it heated the area well but comes with their own risks in home environments (kids, pets, ourselves!)

http://www.atlassales.com/heating_directfired_specs.html

 

[gus-gus]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

I am using a couple small electrics right now, but have a monitor oil heater I want to set up. I used them for years in Alaska in my garage and found them to be cheap to operate although expensive to buy.
See them here. http://www.monitorquality.com

 

[fmjnax]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

bundle up ?? bumdle up ???? BUNDLE UP ?

e gads man......that is prefect working temps. no sweat just work and go....

but if you must.....a propane burner type heater like this will last you all year on one botttle of gas

http://www.princessauto.com/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/8264533.jpg

i use this at -20 the garage is somewhat insulated... how long you run the heater for, depends on how well the garage is insulated.

if you have no insulation.......even a plastic sheet stapled to the studs will work wonders for you

HAHAHA, maybe I shouldn't have said bundle up. I spent most of my life in NE Idaho, so I DO know what the need for bundling up is. I'm ok down to about 55-60, but any lower than that and I have to put on a sweatshirt and long pants (I prefer T-shirts and shorts when working in the garage).

 

[jasoutside]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

Texas? 40 - 50 deg?

T-Shirt weather!

 

[fmjnax]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

Yeah, yeah, yeah! I'm definitely getting weaker with each year that passes. When I first moved to Texas in '97, I wore shorts and T-shirts year round. That same first year, my dad and I were sitting on the back porch on Christmas day in our shorts throwing water balloons at my two younger brothers.

We visited our relatives in Idaho last Thanskgiving and it was -20 and snowing the day we arrived. I don't know how I ever handled that weather. For the 2 weeks we were there, I even quit smoking because I didn't want to get out in the cold! Being a pack-a-day smoker, that's when I knew I had officially became a weather-wuss. HA!

 

[garzilla]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

I use this to heat my 8,000 cubic foot woodshop ( 20 x 30)
http://www.mrheater.com/product.aspx?catid=45&id=25

Will bring it from 30? to 70? in about 20 minutes. Runs on a Normal Barbeque grill propane tank. I have a 100# tank and it lasted all Winter (4 months) $60 bucks to fill it. Still 1/2 full
Crack the door a couple inches and you're good to go. Cost $79.00 plus shipping when I got it on sale.
Normally $99.00

I've got one of those too....but here in Chicago, a 20lb tank doesn't cut it....freezes up in minutes.
100 pounder is the only way to fly.
60ish bucks to fill at Amerigas locations.....those guys are dirt cheap!

 

[oops!]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

HAHAHA, maybe I shouldn't have said bundle up. I spent most of my life in NE Idaho, so I DO know what the need for bundling up is. I'm ok down to about 55-60, but any lower than that and I have to put on a sweatshirt and long pants (I prefer T-shirts and shorts when working in the garage).

sweat shirt and long pants?..........ARRRRRGH..... life up north is so unfair. !

 

[Jbird5363]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

I have a ranch just west of you and we use three of the propane rigs from harbor to heat the shop and it makes it bareable in there but its 2 story 6 car garage/shop. I think you will be fine with a 2 burner.

 

[Bondo]

Re: Winter Restoration - Heater for garage recommendation

Texas? 40 - 50 deg?

T-Shirt weather!

Ayuh,... Another 6, maybe 8 weeks, 33? will be t-shirt weather 'round here, for 4 months...

I've got an ole oil fired housetrailer furnace on a dolly in my garage,.....
It'll keep yer fingers from goin' numb, 'n little more...
'course, it's a Well ventilated ole barn....

Playin' with plastics is outa the question,...
Gotta use somebodyelse's heated shop then...