- Thread starter JOEPRO
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ATGNI
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The 8.5kw heater runs in my garage at full output. Not sure how much fuel it actually uses but I would need to refill once a day. When it was zero degrees last week, I managed to raise the temperature from 0C to 7.5C after a couple of hours. If I insulated the garage, it would probably make a big improvement. My choice would be burn more fuel or electric as the cost is no issue to me for occasion use.
I do not want to shamelessly plug my small YouTube channel on this forum, but you can see my basic installation here for an 8.5kw diesel heater. I do not claim to be any type of expert I just produced a video for those that may be looking at buying one and trouble shooting some issues.
gaz1
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those heaters are not 8kw they are only a 4-5 kw model being sold
those that are advertising them as 8kw are making fraudulant claims
whilst i have an indirect rocket stove as wood is my preference and its free i also dont use any electric either
those that are advertising them as 8kw are making fraudulant claims
whilst i have an indirect rocket stove as wood is my preference and its free i also dont use any electric either
ATGNI
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It's not "no contest" the running cost is just a consideration when buying a heater. I would happily pay the extra for the convenience of electricity, no mess, and instant heating, unlike fuel heaters. Unfortinately I dont have the electrical capacity to run a large enough electrical heater in my home garage. hence the 8.5kw diesel. At work, I run a 15kw 3-phase electric heater, and it is great for occasional use.
gaz1
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if you think electric is better dont its one of the dearest
but if im forced down the electric side of it, i will go down the sand battery side of it
as its storage whilst also outputting heat when no power is there and solar can be used with it as well
but if im forced down the electric side of it, i will go down the sand battery side of it
as its storage whilst also outputting heat when no power is there and solar can be used with it as well
ATGNI
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The point I am trying to make, is that being cheaper is just one of many considerations. Being cheaper doesn't make it better for all circumstances, as we all have slightly different requirements. The solar solutions look great if you're going to pay 10k for the initial solar panel installation and then want the fuss of home-brewing your storage heater. What is better for me is buying a 15kw heater with no messing, installation, or development costs and just paying for the additional cost of electricity. I wonder if the storage heater boxes full of bricks still exist; they were popular when I was growing up in the 70s. I think it was called super saver 7 or something like that. many were activated by a sub audible tone from radio 4 long wave.
As Gaz has mentioned these heaters only put out 4kw. Electric heating 5x the price.
gaz1
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how old is your first chinese diesel heater fizzy
as i presume its well over 5 years now and been run hard as that keeps them clean instead of tick over heating
so lets say 5 years at 100.00 for the unit so thats 20.00 a year + power unit as well
its alot better than many may think
No doubt electric is convinient. Just turn on or off.
Sadly, at 5-6 times the price per kWh, its a luxury few can afford. Hence most people doing something oil based. I cant imagine anyone, "wants" to use oil.
And electricity prices are a one way bet, up.
I've got a 20kw indirect heater, but it rarely gets used now.
Good for getting the workshop up to temperature fairly quickly, but the big problem is it's either on or off, so you regularly go from sweating to freezing, plus it's fairly noisy when on.
Plus venting the exhaust outside, you lose a fair bit of heat out the exhaust.
Personally, since getting a single 4/5kw Chinese heater, and installing an Afterburner (+ compatible ECU), I just turn that on before I head out to the workshop. I can even switch it on remotely before leaving work.
I do have all the bits so I can build a couple proper mounts, and mount two of them more central (current one is at one end, so the far away end doesn't get much heat), but provided it's above 0degC outside, the single one makes the workshop tolerable.
Good for getting the workshop up to temperature fairly quickly, but the big problem is it's either on or off, so you regularly go from sweating to freezing, plus it's fairly noisy when on.
Plus venting the exhaust outside, you lose a fair bit of heat out the exhaust.
Personally, since getting a single 4/5kw Chinese heater, and installing an Afterburner (+ compatible ECU), I just turn that on before I head out to the workshop. I can even switch it on remotely before leaving work.
I do have all the bits so I can build a couple proper mounts, and mount two of them more central (current one is at one end, so the far away end doesn't get much heat), but provided it's above 0degC outside, the single one makes the workshop tolerable.
My oldest one had about 5000 hours on it. When i was really ill in hospital a mate of mine refilled the 40 litre tank for me. With 30L of industrial bleach
Funnily enough it never worked after that!
I couldn't shout at him. He did his best.
I wouldn't leave it unattended either. I won't even let the forklift charge overnight.
AVI_8
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I’ve got a Clarke xrv 100 indirect heater for my workshop, I use a metal tube to direct the gasses out of a window, it’ll get my workshop which is 9x8 metres length width and 4 metres high from 0 degrees temp to 10 degrees in about 20 minutes, that’s an uninsulated workshop, my estimate and I’ve not been counting is about 1 litre of kerosine to do so.
Once it’s up to temp it’ll obviously cool down by that time you’re working and when you are you don’t or I don’t generally notice cooling down so much it just gets the area into a nice place to start.
I got mine for what would be free second hand as it wouldn’t start when I went to see it it , when I got it home I realised that the reason it wouldn’t start is because there was no fuel in it, I gave the guy £20 as I knew it would be an easy fix. Which it was!
Once it’s up to temp it’ll obviously cool down by that time you’re working and when you are you don’t or I don’t generally notice cooling down so much it just gets the area into a nice place to start.
I got mine for what would be free second hand as it wouldn’t start when I went to see it it , when I got it home I realised that the reason it wouldn’t start is because there was no fuel in it, I gave the guy £20 as I knew it would be an easy fix. Which it was!
Provided that they're installed sensibly, and make sure nothing flammable can get near the exhaust, the fire risk isn't an issue.
You could always mount them externally, and pipe the air in to reduce any risk even more.
AVI_8
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These Chinese diesel heaters which are great for camper vans and are a copy of the eberspacher heaters in trucks are fine for a small garage, I’ve thought about buying one for my workshop to keep it warm after the big heater has dealt with cold, haven’t got round to trying one though, have a feeling that 262 cubic metres of uninsulated space might be a bit ambitious, but maybe 2 would do the job.
I wish they did a bigger one. Eberspacher do a proper 8kw one. For about £3000
