Space Heaters

[Bobonli]

I'm shopping for a small, portable space heater to bring some warmth to my barely-1-car-garage which is our "shop" and storage area for bikes. My use would be: flip it on, let the place warm up, go out and do some projects, shut it off and unplug.

I found this, which gets some good reviews on shop websites. Specs say it has a 120v plug and draws 15 amps.

It's out of stock at the manufacturer but available on Amazon. The Amazon reviews, however, complain that it needs 220v and 30 amps or it will trip the circuit breaker. Realizing that the Amazon reviews might apply to a different product, I wrote to Newair and asked and they said "Yes, there's a 120 v plug!" They didn't answer the part about amperage and tripping the breaker.

My garage outlets are 3-prong, the breakers are labeled 120/240v, 20 amp. Should I be concerned?

I'm not married to that heater, BTW. If someone has a better suggestion, please share. I'm not interested in hard-wiring something because the garage is still un-finished. I just want it warm(er) when working out there and not burn the place down.

[Too Tall]

Looks like a winner.
FWIIW I use a 220 space heater in my workshop wired to a 30 amp breaker and it most assuredly gets the job done.
Heating a larger open space takes some muscle.

[thollandpe]

There is no magic to that heater. 1500 watts is about all you'll get out of a 120-volt plug. The electric resistance heating element is 100% efficient, it does not matter if it's tungsten, ceramic, quartz, whatever. It's still trying to heat a large volume of cold air like any similar heater would.

I think you'd be better off with a radiant heater, which will warm the surfaces instead of the air (which in turn warm the air), including the surface of your body. One benefit is that the effect is almost immediate.

One way to go radiant: two of these for the same wattage will be a much nicer solution. I get that they're relatively pricey and that wiring up a plug might be beyond what you want.
DAYTON Electric Convection Ceiling Heater, Surface or Recessed, Heater Voltage 12VAC, Watts 75, BtuH 2559 - 54UD18'|'54UD18 - Grainger

[Peter B]

These type little 1500 watt ceramic spot heaters will deliver warmth right where you stand but don't expect it to raise the temperature in your entire garage much unless you have superb windows and insulation and you are patient. You won't trip a 20 amp breaker unless this heater shares the circuit with other higher wattage loads (refrigerator, etc.). One feature that's good to look for when shopping is a tip over switch to cut off line voltage if the heater gets knocked over. Less of an issue on a concrete floor but of more value on wood or carpet.

[htwoopup]

This thought has the potential to have y'all tell me I am crazy but perhaps it would work.

Back before we got a wood burning stove in our beach house (uninsulated and drafty) on Fire Island, my practice wife and I used to heat it in the dead of winter when we were there with a small kerosene heater. Worked great all night and we are both alive still to talk about it (now that we finally talk).

They're inexpensive and easy and I think they make some that are more appropriate for indoors than what we used.

As I said above, that may be a ridiculous thought though.

[Bobonli]

Nope. I grew up with a kerosene heater. Looked like a small nuclear reactor. Maybe they are better now but they produce a noticeable odor and a GIANT fire hazard. My parents and I got accustomed to it but, when we’d have guests over, there’d always be a comment on how the house had a petroleum odor. I’d rather work in the cold.

[Mark Kelly]

The 1500 Watt heater will draw 12.5 A on a 120V supply once it's heated up. Before this it will draw a lot more because the ceramic used has a strong positive temperature coefficient of resistance. This is an inherent part of how those heaters work: the positive TCR ensures that the thing can't overheat: if the temperature rose, so would the resistance, reducing the current draw and thus the temperature.

Breakers are designed to cope with turn on surges* so they are harder to trip when they are cold. Carrying a high current heats them up so they trip more readily.

*Old fashioned tungsten filament light globes were dreadful for this, they often had a cold / hot ratio of 15 or so which is why they just about always blew at turn on.

[j44ke]

We installed a propane heater in our new garage. Hangs from the ceiling. Heats the garage quickly. No smell, no circuit breakers. Thermostat and timer. Reznor is the brand.

[colker]

I read Space Haters.. and thought "wow.. it´s gettiing everybody"

[Tristan]

We've got a Dyson AM09 and it's been the best heater I've ever seen. I'm not sure how many watts it draws but it does a fantastic job of heating a room and has a temperature sensor so will maintain a specified temp. It pumps out serious heat without hotspots, it's quiet, and the unit itself doesn't get hot.

My only frustration is that you cannot set a start time, or use a smart-plug to turn it on, to pre-heat a room.

[j44ke]

We've got a Dyson AM09 and it's been the best heater I've ever seen. I'm not sure how many watts it draws but it does a fantastic job of heating a room and has a temperature sensor so will maintain a specified temp. It pumps out serious heat without hotspots, it's quiet, and the unit itself doesn't get hot.

My only frustration is that you cannot set a start time, or use a smart-plug to turn it on, to pre-heat a room.

We have one of those as well. Very good heater. We use it in our apartment when the wind comes out of the NW and cools a corner of the building off. Allowed to run, it can warm up a surprisingly large space. No electrical issues with circuit breakers either. There is an intact around the base that needs to be cleaned periodically. And I don't know how it would like a garage, but maybe it would do just fine.

Pricey, though we got ours on sale and have had it for about 5 years now.

[Tristan]

And I don't know how it would like a garage, but maybe it would do just fine.

We used it in our old commercial workshop which had concrete floors and all the insulating properties of a sieve and it did a remarkable job...certainly much better than any oil column heater.

[j44ke]

We used it in our old commercial workshop which had concrete floors and all the insulating properties of a sieve and it did a remarkable job...certainly much better than any oil column heater.

Good to know. It is a great heater. Right after we bought it, there was a recall. Dyson sent us a box that had a pre-shaped cardboard cut-out inside for the heater. Open the box, put the heater inside, and take it to the PO. 2 weeks later, our box re-appeared and inside was our heater. I was curious, so before we sent it off, I put two small black dots in an inconspicuous place with a marker. Those dots were there when the heater returned, so we at least got the plastic shell but I'm betting we got the whole heater, w/o the defective part.

I thought it was pretty cool. Nice way to do a recall. I guess with a dangerous part (this one melted if I remember correctly) a company wants as many people as possible to send in the product, and Dyson's approach certainly made it easy.

[Bobonli]

We've got a Dyson AM09 and it's been the best heater I've ever seen. I'm not sure how many watts it draws but it does a fantastic job of heating a room and has a temperature sensor so will maintain a specified temp. It pumps out serious heat without hotspots, it's quiet, and the unit itself doesn't get hot.

My only frustration is that you cannot set a start time, or use a smart-plug to turn it on, to pre-heat a room.

Is this the model you refer to?

My garage is a junk show right now. No walls or ceiling which I know contributes to heat loss. But for that reason, I'm not really interested in hard wiring something or plumbing for propane etc. I just want something I can plug in once or twice a week as I fiddle with bikes or other things unsuitable for the kitchen table. I'm not looking for climate perfection, just take the chill off. This looks like a good deal.

[thollandpe]

Heating up all that air in your garage just to let it leak out is an errand in futility. So what are you trying to do? And how often are you trying to do it?

1500 watts = 5100 Btus. Applying that 5100 Btus to all that air (convection) isn’t as effective as warming the surfaces (radiant). That’s why patio heaters at schmancy bars in Naples FL and awnings at fancy schmancy hotels in New Yourk aren’t blowing hot air at you. They’re getting all infrared on your shit.

Here’s 5100 Btus of electric radiant, but in a more reasonable package than what I posted earlier: Comfort Zone

Here’s 9000 Btus, but it’s burning propane: Mr. Heater
That’s called bang for the buck.

You can even get 30,000 Btu’s (that’s like six electric heaters all plugged in to different circuits) of radiant that mounts on top of a propane tank but let Home Depot take that risk.

[jclay]

I'm shopping for a small, portable space heater to bring some warmth to my barely-1-car-garage which is our "shop" and storage area for bikes. My use would be: flip it on, let the place warm up, go out and do some projects, shut it off and unplug.

I found this, which gets some good reviews on shop websites. Specs say it has a 120v plug and draws 15 amps.

It's out of stock at the manufacturer but available on Amazon. The Amazon reviews, however, complain that it needs 220v and 30 amps or it will trip the circuit breaker. Realizing that the Amazon reviews might apply to a different product, I wrote to Newair and asked and they said "Yes, there's a 120 v plug!" They didn't answer the part about amperage and tripping the breaker.

My garage outlets are 3-prong, the breakers are labeled 120/240v, 20 amp. Should I be concerned?

I'm not married to that heater, BTW. If someone has a better suggestion, please share. I'm not interested in hard-wiring something because the garage is still un-finished. I just want it warm(er) when working out there and not burn the place down.

My shop is 16'x22, slab on grade (~70F earth), very well insulated, very tight wrt air infiltration/loss, 9' ceiling, four small windows (18"x18"), insulated doors, North Florida (think South Georgia). Given a little bit of run time my 1300/1500 space heater will take the chill off when the outside temps are low (upper 20s, 30s, 40s). Back before I sealed and insulated the shop the air infiltration was palpable, no ceiling, and the heater didn't really accomplish anything worthwhile.

[Tristan]

Is this the model you refer to?

Yep, that's the one.

[Mabouya]

In my experience the most important things you want to keep at a reasonable temperature when working in the cold are your hands and the tools you'll be using. The rest of my body will have no problems at, if my hands can handle it. Maybe a wool cap for my head and ears. If practical, you can always start with the tools inside the house, then bring them out at the beginning of the job. Sometimes that just doesn't work out and you're starting with cold wrenches and ratchets, that just suck the heat right from your hands. If you're working in a relatively small area, then just about any heater will do the trick, the less stinky the better. If you're moving all over the place, then it's more challenging.

I have yet to find a perfect pair of gloves that allow both very good manual dexterity and are able to keep my hands warm below, say, 40* over extended periods of time, but if anyone out there has a good pair, do share what works for you.

Wirecutter recommends a Vornado:

The Best Space Heaters for 22 | Reviews by Wirecutter

[Chad]

Mr. Heater was mentioned. I have the Big Buddy, 9000 btu. Use a hose and a 20 or 40 lb refillable tank. They are safe for indoor use. Use them in the garage, as you are describing, and in the duck blind.