Shop woodstove

[BrotherBart]

Damn it. I let the heat pump die many years ago from lack of use and the stoves and the window units are doing fine. But getting old and reading this thread has got me thinking.

Usually an expensive thing.

 

[fossil]

...the inside unit looks like ass...

There may be some among us who would consider that a good thing. An asset, if you'll permit me. Rick

 

[begreen]

Damn it. I let the heat pump die many years ago from lack of use and the stoves and the window units are doing fine. But getting old and reading this thread has got me thinking.

Usually an expensive thing.

You let a dinosaur die a proper death and that was the right thing to do. The old unit was designed around the right idea, but old technology. But no need to replace a good working solution unless you want heat too. The window units are paid for and keeping the place cool.

 

[realstihl]

You could also use a heat pump window unit. Probably be noisey though. I had accsess to a practically new Mitsubishi Mr. Slim AC for free. Just new old stock. I rewired and replumbed both indoor and outdoor units to make it a heat pump. I use it in me 2 car garage. Super quiet and draws about 4.5 amps @ 220 volts. I installed it about 4 years ago. Not saying someone should try what I did but mini splits are way better than than little space heaters plus you have AC. The new ones are pricey.

 

[Ashful]

...no need to replace a good working solution unless you want heat too. The window units are paid for and keeping the place cool.

The way those window units eat electricity, they're never completely paid for! We installed a mini-split system in our last house, after living there more than 10 years with the obligatory small army of window units, and I can think of three good reasons you should consider them:

1. Our summer electric bill dropped a whole bunch when we replaced our window units with mini splits. Our window units were all new, and had high efficiencies for window units, but they just can't come close to the efficiency of a good mini-split.

2. We couldn't believe how QUIET our house was! Even the outdoor unit was quiet. Very nice.

3. Comfort. Window units are better than nothing, but usually it's freezing when they're blowing at you, and hot in any room except the one containing the window unit. Mini-splits have much better air diffusers, so being in the same room with them is more comfortable. Also, since it's an installed system and you're not juggling between comfort and which window you want to tie up with a window unit, you can configure the system to provide cooling where it's needed.

4. No more hauling window units in and out! No more drippling puddles on the floor when you remove them in the fall, no more scratching up your window sills, and no more looking at those eyesores!

Okay, I lied... that was four reasons.

I'm sure my memory is not entirely correct, but I believe the cost was roughly $2800 for the outdoor unit, plus $700 per indoor unit, installed.

 

[Realstone]

The dewpoint is the number you're after, keep the shop temp above the dewpoint and you won't get condensation.

I have a small shop, 16 x 24 with a concreat floor, insulated stud walls and ceilings. I was having a issue with condensation as well. I bought a small fan heater, similar to the one pictured below. it cost me $15 bucks on sale and has lasted 2 winters now. I keep it going on the lowest setting possible and it keeps my shop around 8 deg celcius. It also has a built in overheat sensor and will shut off it something were to go wrong. Mostly only run it at night since the sunlight is typically enough to keep the place above zero. Plus I am in there often and always have my old wood stove going.

If it were my problem, I'd probably go with the el-cheapo solution. That is if all that is necessary is to keep the temp above the dewpoint. Are there systems that measure dewpoint and are coupled with controllers? A Dewpoint-istat?

 

[blwncrewchief]

The Mitsu unit I just purchased this summer claims to maintain 100% of its heating potential at 5 and 80% of his heat down to -13. Time will tell, but for the cooling system, I've been extremely impressed with it's operation and cost efficiency.
I didn't buy from here, but this gives you an idea.
http://www.younits.com/mitsubishi-m...nit-air-handler-18000-btu-1.5-ton-p-4871.html

pen

They work as advertised. The 9k btu unit is the baddest unit on the market. I have many of the h2i Mitsubishi out there and they just flat work. I installed 3-9k units in my relatives 1800 sq. ft. house this summer. The result was there electric bill running the window fans was $157 and the next month with the units installed and maintaining the house at 70* there electric bill dropped to $88. No that is not a typo. There lowest electric bill since it is an all electric house with basically no heat or a/c running has been $56. So it cost them about $32 to run the a/c in July and $70 cheaper then running fans. That was also the hottest month we have had in 13 years with 7 days over 100* and only 2 days below 90*. That's what you can do with 26 SEER units. My advise is use the 9k units if at all possible due to the fact you pay an efficiency penalty if you use the larger units. If you are going to get mini splits get the Mitsubishi h2i units period. I have used all the other brands and I'm sorry but no one else really can match the Mitsubishi units. They also work better than they should for there size. The 3-9k's had no problem maintaining temp in the 1800 sq. ft. house at over 100*.

 

[Realstone]

Just goes to show that there is a lot of waste in the transfer of heat or cold.

 

[begreen]

This thread is getting off track. I love mini-splits too and have been an advocate for them for years. But further discussion on this topic is better for the green room where it has been often covered.

A wood or pellet stove can be great for a shop. The nice thing about a stove in the shop is rapid heating. It's hard to take a room up 30 degrees in an hour with a heatpump. I will probably be putting in a pellet stove in my shop supplemented with a small electric heater to keep it dry when the stove is not running.

 

[Highbeam]

A wood or pellet stove can be great for a shop. The nice thing about a stove in the shop is rapid heating. It's hard to take a room up 30 degrees in an hour with a heatpump. I will probably be putting in a pellet stove in my shop supplemented with a small electric heater to keep it dry when the stove is not running.

Just keep in mind that any solid fuel burner in a garage is prohibited by the NFPA, which is almost always adopted by your local jurisdiction as code.

I really really like everything about the minisplits except the indoor unit's appearance, oh and the cost is pretty high too. At 2000-3000$ a pop plus installation, and if you need a few of them, it can get pricey.

 

[begreen]

Indeed, we're talking shop here, not a garage.

 

[Ashful]

Yes... not all of us assume "shop" = "garage".

Don't you dare call my shop a garage! Ignore those two overhead doors. They're just for moving machinery in and out.

 

[Realstone]

Here in Ontario, there are blurred lines between what constitutes a shop and a garage. The intent of the law is always the key thing and that intent is to keep open fire from sources of combustion. Caveat Emptor!

 

[Highbeam]

As soon as you have a door capable of passing a vehicle, it becomes a garage. A straight shop, no big door, is another thing entirely but I've never seen a large building described as a shop or barn that didn't have a drive in door. Especially the subject's barn which is described as an old carriage house.

 

[Ashful]

As soon as you have a door capable of passing a vehicle, it becomes a garage. A straight shop, no big door, is another thing entirely but I've never seen a large building described as a shop or barn that didn't have a drive in door. Especially the subject's barn which is described as an old carriage house.

Ditto. Every machine shop I've been in has at least one overhead door, and usually several. I think the distinction is based more on use than the presence of an overhead door.

That said, the gallons of paints and solvents stored in my shop are likey as flammable as any fuel short of gasoline.

 

[ROVERT]

Only "ugly" part I don't particularly care for is the lines running up the wall outside.

I now use Slimduct on all of my line set installs. It adds a little to the cost, but everyone is always pleased with how it looks.

(broken link removed)

 

[Seasoned Oak]

I have a NC-30 in my shop for 2 years and i dont have a bit of rust on it. I do get rust in my basement over summer which is totally underground.

 

[billb3]

I now use Slimduct on all of my line set installs. It adds a little to the cost, but everyone is always pleased with how it looks.

(broken link removed)

I have the covers.
They'll be painted on the next paint the house go round.
Maybe they'll be a little less noticeable.