Radiant Panel Heater For Workshop?

Perused a copy of Popular Mechanics at the inlaws last night after dinner and saw an advert for "Econo-Heat" flat panel heaters

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and was wondering whether one of these would suffice to take the area around my workbench in my insulated but unheated half garage workshop from "damn cold" to merely "cold" over the coming winter months.

Anybody have one of these?

Also, though the working temperature is 175F and is said not to pose a great fire hazard elsewhere in the home, would a coating of sawdust and/or cobwebs make this unsuitable for workshop use?

Thanks,

J.

Reply to
John
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It uses 400 watts of electricity. That is the equivalent of four 100 watt bulbs. Is that enough to heat your shop?

They give a figure of 3¢ an hour to operate, but that is based on 8 cent electric. Most of us in the north a near double that.

400 watt = 1365 Btu. I use a 30,000 Btu heater in my shop and it is not enough on the coldest of days. I'd pass on it.
Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

Where is the room located? The OP is talking about a much larger garage with fairly large heat requirements.

Reply to
Edwin Pawlowski

I have 2 of these. I would say they are good for a small area. I use one in a 9 X 12 room with 8' ceiling and it does a good job if the room is left closed off. Last Winter I just left it on 24 hours a day and it was more than warm enough. This year I have put timers on them to cut down on usage figuring the electric was going to be higher. Good part is that nothing is exposed so should be very safe. It's just like a big piece of white corian. Solid. I wish they had a thermostat. If your shop is much bigger than 9 X 12 I don't know if I would use 2 or go for one of those oil filled radiators. Since both are enclosed.

Reply to
arthur.moore

Thank you. I had also been considering one of those mineral oil filled heaters until I saw the ad for the panels. Thought they might be more space efficient in a small shop.

J.

Reply to
John

I have something similar; Lee Valley carries a radiant quartz heater; I believe these are 1500 watt units. I have a couple. Working in the "zone" of the heater is tolerable enough for winter work in the Pacific Northwest with a sweatshirt on, it could be 30-40 degrees outside and I can do work in my uninsulated garage. I mounted them at about 10' high and I think I could go higher and get more area coverage and be comfortable enough.

Reply to
Jim Weisgram

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