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Date:         Mon, 19 Dec 2005 10:46:00 -0600
Reply-To:     John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject:      Re: Garage heater: Propane or kerosene?(LVC)
Comments: To: Max Wellhouse <maxjoyce@IPA.NET>
In-Reply-To:  <6.2.3.4.2.20051219034155.048ed130@pop.ipa.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

I needed to heat my garage - a free standing building - and had a problem about which type heat to use. My garage is also my pottery studio, and is fully occupied by pottery related equipment. But to keep it's utility for mechanical work, Eveything in the studio is also on wheels. When I need to work on the van, I roll everything aside and pull the van in for work. I struggles ove the heating issue for some time, then decided on electricty for heat since I had 220V @200 amps available. Just made since, and thee would be no fumes, and I would not have to punch a hole anywhere for air intake or exhaust vent. To heat the space required a biger heater than I wanted to buy. But at night trying to sleep, and wrestling with the problem, it occured to me that I had an old electric heavy duty kiln that was in a state of disrepair so far as the bricks inside were concerned but it otherwise worked fine. I raised the lid, turned it on, set an oscilating fan behind it, and voila! heat for the shop. Works for me and does a fine job. Yes, the elctricity does cost, but so does diesel and propane. I just found this to be the most effective way for me to heat the shop.

BTW, after the first year with the kiln, I put up insulated doors, and insulated the walls and ceiling. Very effecting in holding the heat. My next project is getting air conditioning, and for that I think I am going to install central air and heat at that point.

John Rodgers 88 GL Driver Max Wellhouse wrote:

> Help!! I am needing to heat a 22x30 garage with minimal insulation > and a ridge vent in the roof(stands alone in back yard unattached > from the house. > > I tried one of those wall mount 30k btu propane heaters last year and > it didn't get the job done much below 20 degrees. I sold it and now > need a REAL heater. Don't have a natural gas line to the garage and > would like to not have to bury one, so that pretty much leaves me to > electricity(have a 220v line in there), kerosene, and propane too > heat this bad boy. > > So far, I've found a $480 mount in the rafters propane heater( with a > stainless exhaust system that adds another $130 to the cost) that > throws 45k btu. > > The other option is going to a kerosene fired Reddy heater or > something like that, but kerosene is higher than diesel fuel these > days and I would likely have to mount a CO detector in the garage if > I bought one of these, but its portability would be a plus. They > come in sizes from 55k btu to 175 k btu($200-420), and they drink > about a gallon per hour of usage. The other option is to get the > propane-fired version of the Reddy heater, but it wouldn't be as > portable if I used the tall propane tanks stationed outside the > garage. they also run in the 55k to 125k capacity range, but the > 125k is only $200. > > The initial cost is important, but I'm more concerned about what > either of these systems will cost me to run when it gets below 20 > degrees. > > Is propane substantially cheaper to use than the kerosene? Since the > 30k btu unit didn't do the trick, any guess as to how high I need to > go? the attic area oft his garage is substantial, although the roof > pitch is moderate at best. I think by cracking either the walk in > door or raising the bottom of the double garage door, I should get > enough ventilation with the heat escaping through the ridge vent, but > any help or experience from the list would be greatly > appreciated. BTW, I would be working on my Vanagon in this garage(RVC) > > Thanks > DM&FS > >


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