Garage heater

[bcj67chevy]

Here is a cheap way to heat your garage if you have some extra automotive and household parts laying around. It is temperature controlled with a thermostatic relay. It heats a 3 car garage very well. The fluid reservoir on top is to keep the system full so that there isn't any air in the system. The top fan/radiator assembly is hanging from the ceiling above the wate heater.

-40 gal water heater
-car radiator
-electric water pump
-squirl cage fan
-duct metal (fan to radiator)
-heater hoses
-thermostatic relay
-reservoir for extra fluid

[72 K20]

Looks good !!

Is it filled with antifreeze mix or straight water ?

I take it that it is an electric water heater.

How much a month does it cost to run ?

How high are your ceilings ? Total square footage ?

Could you elaborate on how you wired the relay ? Where did you obtain the electric water pump ??

Sorry for all the questions,,, but I really like this idea !!


Thank You !! Tom

[Andy4639]

Originally Posted by bcj67chevy

Here is a cheap way to heat your garage if you have some extra automotive and household parts laying around. It is temperature controlled with a thermostatic relay. It heats a 3 car garage very well. The fluid reservoir on top is to keep the system full so that there isn't any air in the system. The top fan/radiator assembly is hanging from the ceiling above the wate heater.

-40 gal water heater
-car radiator
-electric water pump
-squirl cage fan
-duct metal (fan to radiator)
-heater hoses
-thermostatic relay
-reservoir for extra fluid

I give you credit I never would have thought of this!

[bowtiecharlie]

You must of liked the tv show Mc Gyver?????? lol !!!!!!

[ecgate]

Is it a closed loop?

[Daddy Brim]

I like it, must have one of these.

[Lattimer]

Thats awesome!

[buckskins4ever]

I am a HVAC Tech and dont think I could have come up with this contraption......but ofcourse I wold have just installed a decent Air Handler and have the future hopes of AC as well. Anyways, very creative.

[jamesi20]

We need a "build thread" with details...

[bcj67chevy]

Originally Posted by 72 K20

Looks good !!

Is it filled with antifreeze mix or straight water ?

I take it that it is an electric water heater.

How much a month does it cost to run ?

How high are your ceilings ? Total square footage ?

Could you elaborate on how you wired the relay ? Where did you obtain the electric water pump ??

Sorry for all the questions,,, but I really like this idea !!


Thank You !! Tom

It is a electric water heater that i have antifreeze in, probably 70/30 mix (70 water). I mixed it mostly just so that the water wouldn't get nasty and corrod the inside since it doesn't get used in the summer.
The garage is 30x27 with 10 foot ceilings. I don't notice much of a differnce in my eletric bill, maybe $20 or $30 a month, but thats with running it probably 4 to 5 evenings a week for about 5 hours or so each.
The thermostatic releay is like what is used for base board heaters, i use it just to break the ground in the circut.

[bcj67chevy]

Originally Posted by ecgate

Is it a closed loop?

It is closed loop. And you could probably get away with a smaller water heater, but free is good too!!

-Radiator was $30 from a radiator shop (fixed for someone and they never picked it up)
-squirel cage fan and water heater were free.
-water pump was 50 bucks
-water heater hose and duct meter were cheap 10-15 bucks
-thermostatic relay was i think $15.
-maybe 6 hours to put all together.

[bcj67chevy]

Thanks guys!!!
I will post some more detailed pics tomorrow with some more info.
A build thread may not be a bad idea jamesi20

[72 K20]

Thank you for the information !!

I believe I am going to build one of these,,, Might try a gas water heater,,,, don't know yet !

How about the water pump ? Brand ? where purchased ?

duct meter ?????

Tom

[bcj67chevy]

water pump came from harbor frieght rated at 650 gallons per hour max. is bigge than what is needed, but they didn't have one any smaller that was heavy duty. $50.00
http://www.harborfreight.com/34-hors...ump-69297.html

[bcj67chevy]

The heater came from menards $13.00
http://www.menards.com/main/heating-...354-c-6334.htm

[72 K20]

Great info !!

What temp do you have the water heater set at ?

Tom

[AirSpeed]

I started to build something similar a few years ago, I was going to use a radiator out of a water cooled AC system that was used in a solar powered cabin, it was about 18" square and 8" deep. I was thinking of connecting it to my household gas water heater with a recuirculating pump. The rad had only been used with potable water, unfortunately I needed to climb on something to reach a shelf and stepped on it bending all the tubes!
This has me thinking again! Brilliant idea, how cold is your garage without heat? Do you leave the water heater on or just turn it on when you need it? If so how long does it take to heat up? Will it heat up a 32 Degree room? Thanks!
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[Gumby]

I just stuff rags in the cracks of the garage door so its nice and air tight and just run the car for a while. Gets nice and toasty but makes me sleepy.

[bcj67chevy]

Originally Posted by 72 K20

Great info !!

What temp do you have the water heater set at ?

Tom

Not sure on temp. Just factory setting i guess..
Posted via Mobile Device

[bcj67chevy]

Originally Posted by AirSpeed

I started to build something similar a few years ago, I was going to use a radiator out of a water cooled AC system that was used in a solar powered cabin, it was about 18" square and 8" deep. I was thinking of connecting it to my household gas water heater with a recuirculating pump. The rad had only been used with potable water, unfortunately I needed to climb on something to reach a shelf and stepped on it bending all the tubes!
This has me thinking again! Brilliant idea, how cold is your garage without heat? Do you leave the water heater on or just turn it on when you need it? If so how long does it take to heat up? Will it heat up a 32 Degree room? Thanks!
Posted via Mobile Device

It will get below freezing in the garage without heat, even with it bein insulated and attached to the house. I usuall set the themostat to 60 and it gets to that no problem. It usually takes a hour or two tp heat up the water before i turn on the restof the heater. I have he water heater off otherwise.
Posted via Mobile Device

[AirSpeed]

Originally Posted by bcj67chevy

It will get below freezing in the garage without heat, even with it bein insulated and attached to the house. I usuall set the themostat to 60 and it gets to that no problem. It usually takes a hour or two tp heat up the water before i turn on the restof the heater. I have he water heater off otherwise.
Posted via Mobile Device

I wonder if you insulated the water heater and just left it on all the time if it would be cheaper? When I had an electric water heater I put a timer on it to see if it would be cheaper, I ran it for two months with the timer and it actually cost more. I figured it was cheaper to maintain the temp than having to heat the water all over again. It might be worth trying it left on for a month and see what it costs, you wouldn't have to wait to for it to heat up!
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[bcj67chevy]

Good idea. I will give i a shot. Thanks.
Posted via Mobile Device

[JellyBeanDriver]

A bit confused.
Electricity heats water, pump pumps water through radiator, blower blows through radiator.

The heat is generated by electricity but instead of directly heating air, you're heating water instead first.

Doesn't seem efficient, nor direct. It works, and the cost was low, but are there no electric heaters that heat the air for about the same price?

Okay, not 220V ones, but a few 1500W 110V units should do the job too. I'd think it would be a bit less expensive to run too without the water pump, nor the need to raise the temp of the 40 gallons of water up first.

[black_sheep454]

Originally Posted by Gumby

I just stuff rags in the cracks of the garage door so its nice and air tight and just run the car for a while. Gets nice and toasty but makes me sleepy.

that's great.


Op, nice idea. If I just had a shop to tinker in this would be a great idea, but since I make a living from my shop I'd better stick to my propane furnace
Posted via Mobile Device

[72 K20]

Okay, not 220V ones, but a few 1500W 110V units should do the job too. I'd think it would be a bit less expensive to run too without the water pump, nor the need to raise the temp of the 40 gallons of water up first.

I have a 28' x 30' attached garage with 8' ceiling, fully insulated. I bought 1 of the ceramic heaters, 1500 watt and hooked it up running through a killawatt ez meter,,,,,,, it costs about 3-4 dollars a day,,, $90-$120 a month. I've tried other 110vac 1500 watt heaters and they are all similar wether new style or old.
The radiator type , small "space heaters",, the bottom line is 1500 watts is 1500 watts no matter what the configuration.

That's why I think I would run an LP water heater.