On Tue, 13 Dec 2005 16:02:32 -0600, "Gig 601XL Builder"
wrDOTgiaconaATcox.net wrote:

What is the groups suggestion for heating a 40x50 insulated hanger. It
doesn't have to be hot I just want to raise the temp about 15-20 degrees
when it is 30-40 outside.

30 to 40 outside... we won't see that for highs for at least 4 more
months so I'm assuming you are in the south.

In most places, electric heat is *expensive*.

Do you want to raise the whole area by 15 to 20 degrees or just one or
two work areas. If the latter you can put up some banks of 150 to 250
watt IR lamps on a suspended frame and direct the warmth where you
want it. Make the frame about 3 or 4 foot square with a lamp on each
corner. Lowe's and Home Depot have gimbaled, clamp on (spring loaded)
reflectors at "as I recall" around $12 each. Maybe less. They work
well and you don't need to get close to them to take the chill off.

Here's the rub. No natural gas available plenty of electric though including
an unused 220 connection.

Depends on what you want to spend, but I put in one of the "tube
heaters", or hangar heaters, then added a programmable thermostat. It
used to go from chilly to uncomfortably warm and back with the simple
bimetallic thermostat. Now it stays on what ever temperature you set.
As the heat is really IR, the floors and even my tools are warm.
As I recall the furnace/tube heater was between $800 and $1,000. The
darn thermostat cost me over $200 by the time I purchased the
thermostat, put in the transformer, control relay and ran about 40'
of thin wall from the main panel, to the ceiling, over to the south
wall, west about half the length of the wall and then down to where I
can just reach the thermostat. I did all the work including the
furnace installation. With what I have, paying for the installation
would probably run at least another $500.


It is natural gas, but they are available in propane versions as well.
They normally use room air with the exhaust blown outside, but you can
get them in versions that use outside air. Mine is 75,000 BTU, 30
foot long, and far more than adequate in a 28 X 40' shop. With
temperatures just above zero it doesn't run all that often or very
long at a time. That is with two big garage doors and about a 12'
ceiling.It costs about half as much to heat as does our house.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

To see the hanger visit www.peoamerica.net/N601WR look in the contact me
area.

Gig