Here is what it looks like sitting out there - it is on wheels so it it easy to move.

Thanks for the inputs, I will use it only when I am out in the garage and like many of you I have the torpedo htr that heats the place up quickly except its so damn loud and does not have a thermo stat other than me to shut it off. Either way the htr that I go with needs to have a pretty good blower so it can heat the garage up quickly

I have the same 220 heater that Greg has as well as a second heavy duty 220 construction heater (a Home Depot one). My shop is a little bigger than a two car garage. I ran two 220 plugs in the shop, one at either end. I only use them when I want to take the edge off in the shop. One of the days I was out there, it was 0 Celsius so about 32 F. I have a thermometer in the shop and I got it up to about 17 C so 63 F using both heaters. I was wearing a t-shirt in the shop in the winter...it was nice. I usually don't head out when it get past -10C or 14F. I found this was the cheapest route and I can put the heaters close to where I'm working and it warms it up quite nicely. Being in Canada it gets a little too cold to head out to the shop, but this set up works for me.

If all you want is quick heating, then the daisy bud heads you can pick up for a 25 lb propane tank would do the trick. They don't make a whole lot of noise (hiss sound mostly) and put out plenty of heat - cheap - when you want it.

You don't want to leave them unattended, or overnight - but for taking the edge off and running the temp up, you can't beat them.

Nothing to plug in, nothing to maintain - just a full bottle of LP and you are good to go.

I run electric heaters in my garage which is 30 x20 something. They do not waste that much as everybody claims. Propane is not that cheap.

I have a cheap 220 barrel one like from Grainger at it gets the place warm to the point where no jacket is needed and within 1/2 hour.

I couldn't leave good enough alone and bought a $500 Dayton larger unit. IT SUCKS!! The biggest problem is it has a thermostat that won't allow the unit to stay on until the room reaches a certain temp. It takes forever to create heat. I have no idea why they use such a system as you are sitting there freezing and hearing that thing shutting down every two minutes. After about 2hrs it does heat very well. I use the cheapo to get it going than switch over.

I am all into buying USA but those Chinese sure know something about heat. Sometimes I warm up some hot dogs on top of it to feel more patriotic.

Brian,

Do you have any links or pictures of these heaters????

This place has a nice selection of all sorts of things good to use in a shop :
Tek Supply

:rofl: :rofl: Love it!! Now I'm going to have to get out the marshmellows!!

I was going to suggest to some here that have 220V 50 amp or so circuit in their shops - that they can get an electric hot water tank - a circulation pump - and a couple of "radiators" and build a simple closed loop hot water heat system in the shop. The tank doesn't take up much floor space - and some simple PEX or copper tubing and you could have some nice radiant heat.

When looking up some heat specs -- I found this INTERESTING table of BTU's required BY AREA... this is for heating a HOUSE - and calculates heat loss etc - but what I thought was interesting was the DIFFERENCE between areas of the country - and explains why I can keep my shop toasty warm just using my lighting (I live in the Pacific Northwest).


Rules of Thumb for Regions of the Country

New England, Upper Midwest, or Southern Ontario: 40 BTUH per square foot of floor area

New York City to Philadelphia: 40 BTUH

Philadelphia to Washington, DC: 35 BTUH

Seattle to Portland: 25 BTUH

Update...

last night we were around 7 degrees F...and were up to 10 below with the windchill.

Ran the Iheater (just keep the stat on 60).

This morning it was 44 in the garage. Not bad considering the swing - it will be in the teens all day and below zero with the wind getting into the 20s on Friday.

Now we will wait for the electric bill to see what happens there.

I'm also putting a 75 watt bulb under the sink cabinet and in the toilet room to add some extra insurance from freezing.