Horizontal Hydronic Heater....Good Purchase?

[WireNut]

I just picked up a Horizontal Hydronic Heater off of craigslist for $125, and I had to drive an hour each way...so it prob. cost me closer to $150 with tolls and gas. What do you think, was it a good purchase? It's an older model, 1/8 HP and 60,000 BTU water. It's a Dayton (Grainger's brand) made by Modine, it's modern equivalent is the HC 86. It seems to be in great shape. My plan is to use it as a basement heater/emergency heat dump.

 

[heaterman]

If it performs as intended and you're happy with it I'd say you got a good deal no matter what the price was.

Price is what you pay, Value is what you actually get.

 

[WireNut]

I guess I asked that wrongly. I was wondering if others who have used this type of area heater were happy with it, and if so if a $150 price tag looks about right for a 60k btu hydronic heater, used of course. I've never seen one this cheap so I jumped on it, wondering if others have bought them at better deals

 

[arbutus]

I haven't personally owned one.

The National Guard armory I used to drill at had similar heaters for the main drill floor. Four of them, I think. If you were below one it was too noisy to effectively carry on conversation or instruction in a small group setting without shouting. (10-12 soldiers and the farthest ones couldn't hear well). That was likely a combination of age and the acoustics of the open cinderblock room with concrete floor. They were replaced in a recent renovation.

Two or three people could work under them and carry on a conversation though, and they weren't obnoxious like an old oiless air compressor. They also heated the air effectively.

 

[bmblank]

My dad has one in the basement. He rarely uses it, but when he does it puts out allot of heat. I was considering one for my attached garage and I'd probably jump on one at that price too.

 

[WireNut]

We have tons of them at work, all different sizes, usually they're in areas that have double doors or loading docks that lose heat quickly when they're open to the outside. They seem to work well there, but we have a steam system, I've never seen one on water. They can definately be loud. I'm thinking about putting the fan on a speed controller if it's too loud, but hopefully it won't even need to run in my basement since the boiler AND the storage will be there...I have a feeling it will be hot.

I also considered it in the garage, but with a detached garage I'd have to run underground lines out to it. It is in my 5 year "want" list though, to move it there. I'll have to seal up the garage better (old carriage house doors that don't even fully close without a padlock on them, hay door up top that isn't sealed, and two old windows that don't even stay closed) but once I do I think this could work well to heat the garage in the mornings before I go to work.

 

[mustash29]

Good deal, hobo on a ham sandwich.

 

[mikefrommaine]

I paid twice as much for a new modine half the size, so I'd say you got a good deal. They can be loud.

 

[rkusek]

I bought one on Ebay 5 yrs ago that was much smaller than I thought it was based on the model number. Your model appears much bigger. Mine doesn't put out much heat and makes a lot of noise. It's still hooked up in my barn along with my homemade heater that puts out the real heat. I still circulate water through it but leave the fan off. I thought about moving it to my garage but it never gets below 40 no matter how cold it gets outside. You got it cheap enough though.

 

[BoilerMan]

Price is what you pay, Value is what you actually get.

I think I recognize this from HH website, Hmmmm

TS