Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

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MoonlightVFR
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Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by MoonlightVFR »

It is 19 degrees in St Louis, MO

feel fortunate that i have an enclosed T hanger (1100 sq ft) but I have hard time adjusting to the season.
Don't like cold hangers.

Read the heated hanger forums. Lot of methods.


Would like suggestion for a single electric heater. Have 20 amp CB.
gradyb, '54 B N2890C
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brianm
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Re: Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by brianm »

20 amps at 120 volts doesn't give you a ton of options, especially if you want enough left over to run some lights and tools. You probably aren't going to be able to heat the entire space. I've been thinking about getting an infrared heater (like this one: http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/page.a ... 65&p=44590) and mounting it to an old work light stand so that I can move it around the hangar to wherever I'm working.
Brian M
N2669V - '48
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GAHorn
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Re: Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by GAHorn »

1100 sq ft is a lot of space to heat with only one elect. heater,...even more-so if the hangar isn't also insulated and sealed.
For a work-area I have a Pro-fusion radiant heater I bought from Northern Tool which works very well at the workbench. I don't mount it overhead, however. I have it on a portable-stand which keeps it at knee-level. (I can't imagine how heat would descend from an overhead, non-fan-powered heater by convection.) https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools ... _200395479
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
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gfeher
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Re: Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by gfeher »

Grady, the most power you have available from your 20A breaker is 2400 watts. But you don't want to be operating at that maximum level. So a 1500-1800 watt electric heater is about the best you can reasonably use in your hangar. Any portable electric heater in that range will do. Probably the only real decision you need to make in that range is whether you want a blower on it or not. One without a blower will probably put out slightly more heat, as some of the power will be used to drive the blower. But one with a blower will likely distribute the heat better. What will work best for you depends on your setup in your hangar. In any event, as George implies, you'll need to keep the heater low in your hangar to make the best use of it.

A kerosene heater will give you more heat output (a lot more depending on the heater). But then you will be dealing with the inherent issues with them, such as the need to fill the tank and the smell on some types.
Gene Feher
Argyle (1C3), NY
'52 170B N2315D s/n 20467 C-145-2
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GAHorn
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Re: Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by GAHorn »

The heater I posted link to above claims 3500 watts, but I removed the halogen lamp bulb not needing it...and run it full-blast ...along with several other lighting devices...on a 20A breaker and have never "popped" the C.B. It heats my immediate work area very well.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

George, 3500 watts? Think you meant 1500w. 1500w is 12.5 amps. About all you can do on a 15 amp circuit if you have it set to high pulling all 12.5 amps. To go to 20 amps or 2400w one would need a heavier cord and probably a special plug that could only be plugged into a 20 amp circuit per code.

You can search high and low. It the heater is sold the general public it will be 1500w.

I'm confused on the heater George linked. Claims 1500w then says uses 35 watt quarts heating element and I can see two them for 70 watts. How do they get to 1500w I don't know. Even including the halogen lamp its only 95w.

BTW to compare apples to oranges a Btu is equal to 3.14 times 1 watt. This heater claims 5200 Btu at 1500w but 1500w is only 4710 Btus. :?
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GAHorn
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Re: Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by GAHorn »

Bruce Fenstermacher wrote:George, 3500 watts? Think you meant 1500w. 1500w is 12.5 amps. About all you can do on a 15 amp circuit if you have it set to high pulling all 12.5 amps. To go to 20 amps or 2400w one would need a heavier cord and probably a special plug that could only be plugged into a 20 amp circuit per code.

You can search high and low. It the heater is sold the general public it will be 1500w.

I'm confused on the heater George linked. Claims 1500w then says uses 35 watt quarts heating element and I can see two them for 70 watts. How do they get to 1500w I don't know. Even including the halogen lamp its only 95w.

BTW to compare apples to oranges a Btu is equal to 3.14 times 1 watt. This heater claims 5200 Btu at 1500w but 1500w is only 4710 Btus. :?
Like I wrote... THEY claim 3500 watts (in their brochure)…. BUT (I wrote) it works fine on less than 20A C.B. (perhaps they meant to publish 3500 BTUs)
I can only say it keeps things comfortable at the workbench. :wink:
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
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cessna170bdriver
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Re: Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by cessna170bdriver »

gahorn wrote:... For a work-area I have a Pro-fusion radiant heater I bought from Northern Tool which works very well at the workbench. I don't mount it overhead, however. I have it on a portable-stand which keeps it at knee-level. (I can't imagine how heat would descend from an overhead, non-fan-powered heater by convection.) https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools ... _200395479
It can heat from overhead without a fan because it works like the sun, by radiant heating, not convection. It doesn’t heat the air, just the objects in the room. The way you’re using it will work just fine as long as it’s pointed at whatever you want to be warm (usually YOU :) ). Overhead radiant heaters are pretty poplular up here in the cold country, as they begin warming the bodies and other objects in the hangar as soon as you turn them on.
Miles

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GAHorn
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Re: Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by GAHorn »

Well, just because it's got glowing radiant-elements.... doesn't mean I would have thought to keep my last comment to myself! Doh. (thx for the reminder Miles)
Originally, I never wanted to mount it permanently/in one place...but wanted a portable heater... and when I bought it I mounted it on a moveable stand...and it's worked so nicely I then have completely ignored it being radiant. The heated objects (seat, bench, tools) nearby certainly help the situation also.
Anyway, it's a good solution for low-power, local heating.
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
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An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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Bruce Fenstermacher
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Re: Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by Bruce Fenstermacher »

George, I was referring to the info at the site you linked. It says 1500w, 5200 BTU which as I pointed out does not add. The references to element wattage also came from the web site and they still don't add up.

BUT it doesn't matter so long as your happy with it.

It just makes it hard to compare apples to apples when one apple's stated info makes no sense electrically. I doubt the heater defy's Ohms law or the standard 3.142 BTUs per hour per watt.

I wonder if the issue with the watts to BTU math is that radiant heat uses a different formula. :?
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GAHorn
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Re: Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by GAHorn »

The source for my posting 3500 watts was their latest mail-order catalog...which could certainly have errors as well.
Anyway, for local heating it works fairly well. I bought mine 3 years ago at end of season in-store for $35. Of course, Texas doesn't have the winters you guys have up "nawth"...but we're weird here near Austin... where it got down to 17-degrees last year and 28 here at the house last nite. Brrrrrr….
'53 B-model N146YS SN:25713
50th Anniversary of Flight Model. Winner-Best Original 170B, 100th Anniversary of Flight Convention.
An originality nut (mostly) for the right reasons. ;)
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MoonlightVFR
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Re: Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by MoonlightVFR »

I purchased 2 of the Northern Tool Profusion as G A Horn uses, mounting on wheels, near work area,.
Clipped to wall for safety tipping.

Liked Bruce's math. He has sharp mind that helps us 170 persons.

Thanks
gradyb, '54 B N2890C
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ghostflyer
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Re: Need Electric Heater Suggestion.

Post by ghostflyer »

And I complain when I gets down to 65deg F here [ northern australia] in winter. But summers are a little warmer usually tops around 100 deg F but the humidity is a lovely 90 to 100%. Makes wearing a thin cotton T shirt a accessory. But fuel vaporization has to be a concern especially on a hot start.
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