Tormoz

So I have this week off from work and wanted to get a few things done on my 98 Superhawk (I have 3" rise Apex clip-ons waiting for me to get off my butt), but my garage is unheated and yes I'm a wimp when it's only 30 degrees in there.

I'm thinking of getting an inexpensive (under $200) garage heater for my old 1-car garage, but there are a lot of choices: electric, propane, kerosene, etc. Electric is out for now because I don't have the wiring necessary.

I see there are vented, no venting required, and others. Anyone have any recommendations?

E.Marquez

kids, dogs, flammable vapor, weather (air tite)tite ness of the room, room on the floor, around the bike, all play in to the choice.
assuming this is a short term occasional use. propane is my stand by choice. A Bullet heater to do the initial warm up, and the a radiant heater head to spot heat near you. I put both on a small 20# tank.. Fire um both up.. 15 min later the garage 2 car size in 30 deg outside temp weather is warm enough to play in.. Kill the Bullet heater and keep the radiant head one close.

Did much the same in Oregon, Alaska, South Carolina, North Carolina

The Bullet I use is a Reddy Heater forced air RLP125V Heats up to 2,400 Sq. Feet, has two speeds and adjustable plus flame Electronic Ignition.

And MR Heater 15,000 BTU Single Burner Infrared

Tormoz

Thanks, I imagine the bullet gets things heated up fast. For a smaller 1-car garage, do you think the 15,000 BTU infrared alone would do the job?

Hawkrider

I have one of the kerosene ones. You need to vent the room somehow to get some fresh air in and the fumes out, otherwise it's stinky and there's a CO2 concern. The last house in NY had vents in the soffet (sp?). This one has a ROG so there's no vents. Luckily it doesn't get that cold here.

CrankenFine

If your garage is not wired, consider 2 to 3 old fasioned coleman lanterns. They have the added advantage of giving both heat and light.

Tormoz

Venting was something I wondered about, even though you can see daylight through a few ****** between wooden planks in my garage.

Tormoz

That's an idea too ... I do need more light in there. I need something that'll let me do things like put my bar risers on during the off season, because as soon as the weather gets nice I won't want to have it off the road.

nuhawk

I think I would do something about keeping the wind out and heat in before anything. Some cheap foam sheets from the local lumber store go up quickly and require mimimal fastening because they are so light. Cheaper yet, cheap tarps from Harbor Feight. Staple them to the walls and ceiling and you're good to go.

I use the same set up as Hawkrider and E.Marquez. Because this is not upstate New York I start warming the shop with a bullet fired with K1. I've got the single car garage door open all the way. My bullets used to warm a greenhouse so they pack a good punch - 150k btu I think.

After everything is warm enough to touch, I kill the bullet and close the door. I use a single head propane burner like is posted above after that. My 800 sf shop will hold 60F like this for hours after the sun goes down.

You're going to have to deal with the lighting problem. This is a finely manufactured motorcycle not a 58 Chevy. You drop something you may search for it for hours. Sweep the floor regularly.

You can buy shop lites at Lowe's pretty cheap. They hang from chains and are easy to install. They come with a standard male wall plug. They take little juice and put out a bunch of light. Daisy-chain a few of these together - almost any standard wall plug will have enough juice to power it. With a LED headset you're good to go all night long if you want.

Get one long extension cord that will make it to an outlet on the house. Unplug it every night when you're done.

Deephaven, Minnesota for years. I know about shitty little garages in Minnesnodalot.

E.Marquez

The 15,000 BTU tank top infrared is spot only. No it will not warm up a cold soaked 1 car garage.

You need a lot of heat fast and moving air, or Medium heat over a much longer period of time. I found I use less propane (read cheaper) to fire up both heaters for initial warm up, then to use the three tank top infrared heaters i have over many hours. (The tank top will run 24 hours on a 20lb tank, the bullet i have about 10-12 hours)

You can find cheap Kidde or other major brand CO2 alarms on sale at wally world for 10-15$ a twin pack.. Put um in the garage. cheap insurance.

On the task of lighting,, Oh now you dun it..

Lighting one rule, one rule only... If the shop can not be seen from space, there is not enough light.

Nuhawk has not seen my garage in many months, but even when he was in it he can attest to it's brightness, the 1000ft space was lit by 6 twin tube florescent 8ft T4 light fixtures.


There are now 12 8ft T4 light fixtures in general use and 4 more for spot lighting over the lift, lathe, mil, drill press, and suspension work bench. There is no such thing as "enough light" in a shop. "enough HP" in a engine or "enough MOD's" on a Super Hawk

Tormoz

That's one helluva garage.

Tormoz

Hah. Yeah, mine's a 1925 vintage garage. Great St Paul neighborhood not too far from the Mississippi, but the garage is hardly fit for a donkey. Trying to decide if it's worth putting any money into it. Lighting, heat and some quick insulation might be the way to go.

killer5280

Not to be too picky because you're putting out a lot of good info here, but don't you mean CO alarms rather than CO2 alarms?

E.Marquez

Absolutely, not picky at all.. But no, I meant CO2. if the tank for the Kegarator developed a leak, build up of CO2 in an enclosed space will displace O2.. And that friends combined with the Beer you have been drinking all night is a deadly combination.

But now that you mentioned it, yes,, a carbon monoxide alarm is a good idea as well.
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Or, it was a fat finger typo made in a hurry to post between briefings and a patrol i went in..

Thanks for the catch

nuhawk

If you can find wood that will hold a staple, install the cheap HF tarps and get a good propane heater. Erik's garage is beautiful because he is very practiced at building one and using it. 3 or 4 three foot - dual bulb shop lights should help you a bunch. You'll be able to change the oil, keep the bike clean and well inspected but you will be rebuilding no carbs.