Garage Heater

[53gravely]

Working on the Tractor last night was the last straw!!...I need a heater for my garage and quick.

It's a typical suburban Garage. 2 car, sheetrocked, un-insulated, overhead doors, etc. I was looking online and has looking at Natural Gas Garage heaters like this:
ProCom Vent-Free Natural Gas 30,000 BTU Garage Heater, Model# MN300HGB | Heaters | Northern Tool + Equipment

I have Natural gas pipes right thru the wall in the basement....couple hundred $ to get a plumber in. Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[MrJimi]

Whatever you decide on, I would highly recommend something with a thermostat or different heat levels. I have a friend in Texas and he has one of THESE HEATERS and he says a tank of gas last long time and everybody has BBQ grill tanks and make sure you read the reviews on it
Jim

 

[tlbuser]

Infrared tube heater. Pricey compared to a hot dawg heater, but......they work so good.

 

[jimmer2880]

My wift just bought me this portable unit:

35,000 BTU Forced Air Heater

I love it. It is like the blast kerosene type, but since it's propane, it doesn't have the kerosene smell.

 

[ragkar]

If you buy a torpedo type forced air heater, be sure to buy a thermostat. I bought this one
GearTrade - Reddy Heater - NEW Reddy Heater Thermostat HA1210 Portable Forced
I bought two from this guy but he's sold out now. You can still get them elsewhere like amazon.
The second thermostat is controlling my tractor battery heater (keywords battery blanket) discussed in another thread on this forum.

 

[LBrown59]

Back about Oct 2006 I installed a 30000 btu thermostat controlled glow warm ventless natural gas wall heater in a 12x22 stall in my pole building.
Hung a 20'' box fan on the back wall above the heater & up close to the ceiling.
I angled the fan down toward the floor and the front drive in door to blow the warmed up air back down from the ceiling to the floor.
Bought a cheap forced air furnace thermostat that controls the blower fan on a furnace and wired it into the Box fan cord then plugged the cord into a wall outlet.

I just finished installing a 10000 BTU version of his heater in an 8 x 16 storage building today.
The building is so small I won't need a fan or blower
This little unit only cost $129.00.

 

[clundog]

That's similar to what I'm plan to use. Here's the one I'm looking at ProCom Blue Flame Vent-Free Natural Gas Heater — 30,000 BTU, Model# MN300TBA | Heaters | Northern Tool + Equipment .
Right now I have a convection style propane heater, it heats the garage up fine but its noisy and you have to keep a tank on hand.

 

[LBrown59]

Working on the Tractor last night was the last straw!!...I need a heater for my garage and quick.

It's a typical suburban Garage. 2 car, sheetrocked, un-insulated, overhead doors, etc. I was looking online and has looking at Natural Gas Garage heaters like this:
*ProCom Vent-Free Natural Gas 30,000 BTU Garage Heater, Model# MN300HGB | Heaters | Northern Tool + Equipment

I have Natural gas pipes right thru the wall in the basement....couple hundred $to get a plumber in. Anyone have any thoughts?

<< This is the same type heater I installed in the 12 x 22 stall.
A couple pieces of advice:

Don't buy one without the thermostat control, it will burn up more in extra fuel consumption than you will ever save on the price between thermostat and non thermostat style.

Don't bother with the extra cost blower option. I tried it and it was worthless so I returned the blower got my money back and rigged up the box fan system as like I just posted.
Works 10 times better than the blower kit and cost the same or less
I don't hire plumbers so I'd run the gas line my self.

== L B ==

 

[LBrown59]

My wift just bought me this portable unit:

35,000 BTU Forced Air Heater

I love it. It is like the blast kerosene type, but since it's propane, it doesn't have the kerosene smell.

These type heaters are gluttons for fuel and What's worse propane is the most expensive fuel you can feed them.
I know I have one.

 

[tony123]

Somewhat on topic.

I've got one of those little "hot spots" that mount right on the top of the propane tank. I'm sure its marketed as an "outdoor" heater. But, I've been using it to take the chill out of the garage and occassionally our basement. Usually 20 minutes of heating and then I turn it off. Both the garage and basement stay comfortable for an hour or more after doing this.

Are there carbon monoxide issues with these heaters? I heard that the radiant burners are so efficient that they put out very low levels of CM? any truth to that?

 

[BrianW]

This is the heater I am tempted to put in my garage. It has a thermostat and is up off the floor so I don't have to worry about what I put near it.
Mr. Heater Natural Gas Garage Heater 25,000 BTU, Model# MH25NG | Heaters | Northern Tool + Equipment

 

[LBrown59]

1*These are one of the most popular heaters for ice fishing shacks
(I have 2 of the larger version for my shacks) here in Minnesota.
2*They work absolutley great!!
3*I have not seen any info about explosions or any type of recall.
4*They also have no information on that page regarding any explosions or recalls.
5*Can you please provide a link or more information ?
Scott

I just finished installing a 10,000 btu thermostat controlled glow warm vent less natural gas wall heater in my 8 x 16 storage building yesterday.
After having 3 of these Mr Heater stoves explode in it.
Mr. Heater Big Buddy Indoor/Outdoor Propane Heater Model# MH18B | Heaters | Northern Tool + Equipment
****************************
1*But still quite dangerous.
Even more so since they are used in small confined spaces *which puts you next to or rite close to the heater when it explodes.
That's what happened to me when the 3rd one exploded had I been setting another 6 to 12 inches closer to the heater I would been caught up in the explosion and flash fire both.
As it was I though I was going to at least loose the storage building.
2*All 3 of mine did too till the 3 Big Bangs.
3*Just cause you hain't seen it don't mean it ain't so.
I didn't need to see any info = I experienced it first hand not once not twice but 3 times so I'm more than convinced not to use them.
4*Wouldn't make for good advertising would it?
5*If i can find the phone number I will post more on that later.

 

[LBrown59]

This is the heater I am tempted to put in my garage. It has a thermostat and is up off the floor so I don't have to worry about what I put near it.
Mr. Heater Natural Gas Garage Heater 25,000 BTU, Model# MH25NG | Heaters | Northern Tool + Equipment

After having 3 of their products explode in a row i just don't want anything to with anything that has their name on it.
== L B ==

 

[VT365]

Somewhat on topic.

I've got one of those little "hot spots" that mount right on the top of the propane tank. I'm sure its marketed as an "outdoor" heater. But, I've been using it to take the chill out of the garage and occassionally our basement. Usually 20 minutes of heating and then I turn it off. Both the garage and basement stay comfortable for an hour or more after doing this.

Are there carbon monoxide issues with these heaters? I heard that the radiant burners are so efficient that they put out very low levels of CM? any truth to that?

I have the "Dual" unit. I believe it's called "Mr Heater"? Dual round style that mounts onto the top of the LP tank. I had the same question, so being a HVAC tech., my CO meter showed only 1-2 ppm's CO in a enclosed garage. Thats about as clean as you will find.

 

[tony123]

Thanks VT ! That's good to know.

 

[cast_and_blast]

I did find a notice of a recall for some of the "buddy" units manufactured from September 2004 through December 2004. Here is a link with more info including the company's website and phone number:

Mr. Heater, Inc. Recall to Repair Mr. Heater "Big Buddy/Tough Buddy" Propane Heaters

Sounds like there were 26 reports of incidents with zero injuries. They recalled 55,000 units.

My questions to LBrown59 stand - please expound on the circumstances that led you to experience failure on 3 of these units.

Scott