Best Heating Option For Your Hobby Shed

[Chris Walby]

Not noticed an issue on 12V power supply and heater in the shed, but do with the 5kw unit in my camper van (leisure battery) and that is the pulsing causes the battery voltage to dip a bit. this odes not effect the heater but makes the LED lighting go in to disco mode! So worth a good power supply or don't have anything else electronic running off the battery!

[Dale Bradly]

8 hours ago, Paul De Tourtoulon said:

Damned cold in my garage so this year I am looking at one, what does it use on 12volts,, will it run on a lipo, or an alimentation de charger / computer, I don't want to buy a 12 volt battery.

They pull 10+ Amps on startup, could be for a couple of mins (powering the igniter) so bear that in mind with whatever you use. Once running, the load drops (mostly the fuel pump)

Mine runs on the same converted pc power supply i use to power my batt charger.

[Barnstormer 52]

I wired one of these in to the mains in the workshop, this is its 4th year

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Redrex-Universal-Regulated-Switching-Transformer/dp/B01MRSAT39/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=3TY3QDWD8P2AL&keywords=Redrex+12v+power+supply&qid=1702060207&sprefix=redrex+12v+power+supply%2Caps%2C69&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

[Engine Doctor]

14 hours ago, Chris Walby said:

Not noticed an issue on 12V power supply and heater in the shed, but do with the 5kw unit in my camper van (leisure battery) and that is the pulsing causes the battery voltage to dip a bit. this odes not effect the heater but makes the LED lighting go in to disco mode! So worth a good power supply or don't have anything else electronic running off the battery!

 H8 Chris My heater runs off  a 10+ year old car battery charged up after a days running. Its an AGM battery so very similar to a liesure battery, with no issues or pulsing LED's . Could you have a poor power supply to heater  ( ie too thin gauge wire or a faulty/failing leisure battery unable to supply the current ) in your camper ? The fuel pump shouldnt draw enough power to cause current fluctuation from a good supply unless thats faulty . If I forget to charge the battery i just leave charger on while heater is running.

[FlyinFlynn]

14 minutes ago, Engine Doctor said:

 H8 Chris My heater runs off  a 10+ year old car battery charged up after a days running. Its an AGM battery so very similar to a liesure battery, with no issues or pulsing LED's . Could you have a poor power supply to heater  ( ie too thin gauge wire or a faulty/failing leisure battery unable to supply the current ) in your camper ? The fuel pump shouldnt draw enough power to cause current fluctuation from a good supply unless thats faulty . If I forget to charge the battery i just leave charger on while heater is running.

You could automate the re-charging process with a CC/CV step up regulator something like this along with a cheap as chips  12V 'wall wart' PSU. Set the charging current at something less than the rating of the wall wart and set the CV limit at 12.8v...job done and leave that permanently connected to the battery.

There is the fan in the heater drawing power too!

[Martin McIntosh]

Mine fired up a couple of years ago then died. I found a new one for £100 shipped from the UK so it arrived undamaged. It came with a remote this time, simply set it to a heat level between 1 and 6, no messing with upper and lower temperatures.

I stripped down the old one and found that it had a huge build up of soot. The glowplug worked but the protective gauze tube over the end had clogged and half burned away so new parts were fitted (slight problems with differing connectors). Worked fine so kept it as a spare but later flogged it to a mate.

The exhaust on each is identical so simple matter to refit.

 Forget a lipo because you cannot leave them on a trickle charge. Any old car battery should do if left at a low charge, or even a 12V/7Ahr lead acid would light the plug for the short time needed on power up/down.

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

Did you always ensure that you ran it on high for a few minutes before shutdown?   I'm told this limits soot build up so it's worth highlighting to any user of these heaters.

[Martin McIntosh]

They reignite the plug and run on high during shut down. When I was rebuilding the unit I googled them and excess soot is supposedly due to an over rich mixture for which there is no adjustment.

[Engine Doctor]

I stripped mine down after a couple of years good use due to fail to start . It was amazingly clean in the burn chamber hav8bg besn run until then on red diesel and the gauze was also good . It turned out to be crap in the kerosene id bought. Id ordered a spares kit but didnt use any so kept for next time together with an inline filter. Just tip i found its worth using a Mr Funnel to filter your fuel . They remove all water and debris often found in kerosene pumps . Red diesel if your lucky enough to find it is also usually ok altnough a fine sediment can settle out from it or even from ehite diesel. The stuff in the kerosene wa s like a brown rusty coloured bacteria . This can also grow in diesel fuel if left for long periods so a decent filter certainly helps. 

The day it lets you down will be the coldest and most inconvenient of days according to sods law 😉

Edited December 10, 2023 by Engine Doctor

[Wingman]

YOU WANT 

 

WIFE WANTS        

[Frank Day]

Smallish shed, anyone using the grey tube greenhouse/shed electric heaters just to keep it from freezing, I have a electric blow heater with thermostat when working.

 

This sort of thing:- https://www.futuregarden.co.uk/tube-heater?opt=2679&dfw_tracker=137793-2679&gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIv-Xc2tKFgwMVjOTtCh1EFQETEAQYBCABEgKB1_D_BwE

[HENRY GELSTHORPE]

This is quite an interesting thread, got me wondering where the break even point would be as regards buying one of these units.

So I did a bit of research:

so based on the price of a unit  approx £100

energy /ltr of red diesel  approx 10kWhr

cost of red diesel averages at £0.85

electric cost £0.27 / kWhr

lets assume the unit is 100% efficient so cost per kWhr would be  £0.85/10 = £0.085

saving obtained  per kWhr over electric  = £(0.27-0.085)= £0.185

If the unit was run at full chat always i.e.5Kw  it would need to run for  100/5x 0.185 hrs =108 hrs to break even. Now clearly that is not realistic since the unit is not going to be 100% efficient and would not run at full chat all the time.lets assume the unit is at full for half the time so now the time to break even would be  216 hrs in a very rough ball park figure manner. The  average modeller  might spend 10 hrs a week in his shed so 21 weeks .And thats assuming 21 weeks of cold weather.

Edited December 10, 2023 by HENRY GELSTHORPE

[GaryW]

 

I unfortunately don't have sufficient space in my garden for a Hobby Shed so I did the next best thing and turned one of my kitchen worktops into a Hobby Bench... Tea Coffee Snacks on tap within an arms reach full central heating  so when working on models I'm as snug as a bug in a rug.... Oh, and stole the shelves in the hallway cupboard come walk-in wardrobe turning the top half into a Model Hanger

 

 

 

 

[Paul De Tourtoulon]

I have been toying around and looking at the diesel heater to replace my infrared 2 bar heater, also looking at the warm up time, Henry's numbers are interesting,  With the 220v/12v alimentation price and fiddly exhaust and spending less than one hour at a time in my garage I am sticking with my electric heater, thanks to all for your reply's.

 

Ps, I did have an 11 square meter workshop, now an ironing/linen and would you believe a shoe storage room.

Edited December 11, 2023 by Paul De Tourtoulon

[Futura57]

Much of this thread seems to be about diesel powered heaters, which would be overkill for my little shed. My internal workspace measures only 3.5M x 1.5M, much of which is taken up by shelves of models and drawers and cupboards of accessories and tools. It's very cosy and there is just enough room to wheel a chair along the length of the worktop and swivel 90 deg to each side. A couple of years ago I completely insulated the inside walls and roof space with 4 inch Celotex-type insulation boards, boarded over with 12mm Stirling board. I use a 2KW ceramic electric fan heater which, on a cold day, elevates the temperature from 5C to near 20C in about 10 minutes. The thermostat does a good job of keeping it comfortable for the 2 or 3 hours I'm typically out there working. My toes start to feel cold after 15 minutes or so, even with slippers and two pairs of socks. So I bought a heated pet mat which is positioned on the floor under the worktop where I sit. With just one pair of socks my feet are toasty the whole time. Thankfully my cats haven't discovered it yet.

 

Pro Breeze 2000W Mini Ceramic Fan Heater - 3 Heat Settings & Fan Only Mode with Built-in Overheat and Tip Over Protection, Electric Heater for Home, Office and Bedroom : Amazon.co.uk: Home & Kitchen

 

HR Huare Technology Pet Heating Pad, Adjustable Temp With Waterproof And Chew Resistance Cord Puppy Heat Pad, Small Footprint Gray, 55X45cm 1Pack : Amazon.co.uk: Pet Supplies

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Outrunner]

That has got to be the poshist shed I've ever seen! 

[Futura57]

59 minutes ago, Outrunner said:

That has got to be the poshist shed I've ever seen! 

 

It was built by the previous owner to match the house. More a bungalow really, with just one upstairs room. It's a lot younger and more modest than it first appears. And also a bit of a maintenance burden. The shed is in the bottom right hand corner where my cat Puffin is 😁

 

 

 

Willow loves the inside too...

 

Edited December 11, 2023 by Futura57

[Outrunner]

A shed to match the house! Wow! Don't tell my wife!

[Martin Harris - Moderator]

3 hours ago, Futura57 said:

 

 

 

That’s one mean looking moggy!  Is he planning on writing some notes on the plan?

[Futura57]

He's not mean. He's a pussycat 😹

 

[Antony R]

On 10/12/2023 at 20:05, HENRY GELSTHORPE said:

This is quite an interesting thread, got me wondering where the break even point would be as regards buying one of these units.

So I did a bit of research:

so based on the price of a unit  approx £100

energy /ltr of red diesel  approx 10kWhr

cost of red diesel averages at £0.85

electric cost £0.27 / kWhr

lets assume the unit is 100% efficient so cost per kWhr would be  £0.85/10 = £0.085

saving obtained  per kWhr over electric  = £(0.27-0.085)= £0.185

If the unit was run at full chat always i.e.5Kw  it would need to run for  100/5x 0.185 hrs =108 hrs to break even. Now clearly that is not realistic since the unit is not going to be 100% efficient and would not run at full chat all the time.lets assume the unit is at full for half the time so now the time to break even would be  216 hrs in a very rough ball park figure manner. The  average modeller  might spend 10 hrs a week in his shed so 21 weeks .And thats assuming 21 weeks of cold weather.

I don't know about your sums but from practical experience in my 5x4.5m cabin with 44mm thick solid walls 50mm celotex ceiling and underfloor its first winter last year was unbuildable! Internal temp on -7 mornings was around -4, after 2 hours of a radiant heater + oil radiator + 2kw fan heater I was still wearing my hoodie, coat, wooly hat and neck warmer, temp had only risen to +2 and smart meter had shown around £1.50 used so I bought a diesel heater kit, install it internally with the inlet and exhaust and tank/pump all externally mounted, result is excellent, last weekend it was around +4 inside one morning, within half hour the heater has raised that to 14, I'm very comfortable, the dog loves it, I can build all day and it really doesn't use a lot of fuel on low setting. 

The reality is though, whatever the cost compared to electric without the diesel heater I'd not be doing any modelling all winter which is not an option!

[Jason Channing]

Love my Diesel heater, in the past ive had electric heaters in my garage which never moved any heat around and then an inverter heater (Corona 5086) which worked ok but need to be left on for longer periods and now use the Maxspeeding 8kw(debatable if it is ) and works superbly, Also use a 12 volt 20 amp power supply from banggood and the whole set up is very good, lots of heat with no condensation, and the hardest part of the install was making the hole through the brickwork for the exhaust.

 

Also sounds beautiful when its running.

[HENRY GELSTHORPE]

Hi Anthony & Jason,

Nice to hear of your personal experiences using the diesel heater, my "sums" were to give a handle on how long the unit would need to function before it became cost effective. In terms of a practical heating standpoint vers. costs then the diesel  heater  with its 5kw o/p clearly wins, providing the longevity of the unit  is reasonable.

I am going to see how my shed "performs"  in terms of heating with some measurements, I suspect I might be going down the diesel heater option.

[Martin McIntosh]

I have found that the quickest way to warm my shed on a very cold day is to stand a small oil filled radiator running at about 1kW in front of the diesel fan for a short time (10 mins).

[Sam Longley]

Am I the only one that found these diesel heaters useless. I seem to spend my time filling it with fuel & the heat from it is pretty poor inspite of my trying different settings & checking instructions on the internet. For the 12 V supply, a battery on its own is insufficient, so I hook it up to a battery charger. That in itself is not a problem

My shed is a concrete garage 22ft * 10 ft 8 ft storey with pitched roof.with 25mm celotex to all walls & ceiling. This is covered with 6mm plywood to avoid damage.

I found a butane heater far quicker to heat the building, but it kept going out due to the gas being cold.

So I have now bought a propane blower & I turn it on for 8-10 minutes with the door slihjtly ajar then it is so hot I have to take my coat off. The shed stays warm for 60 mins & i repeat the process.

Edited December 12, 2023 by Sam Longley