Game Changer Heat & A/C In the Shop

[Handy Don 15,742]

1 hour ago, Blue Chips said:

I think you overlooked something

Nope. Con Ed’s connection/transmission/“fees” are all higher than CMPs on top of the 77% higher basic kilowatt hour rate.

There is also, for many customers, a “time of use” escalation triggered by higher than “normal” demand or lower than “normal” available supply system wide. Typically this is during heat waves in summer but occasionally during cold spells or from storm damage. 

There is, too, a discount available to some customers for managed and/or off-peak consumption, typically in exchange for allowing Con Ed more monitoring and control access to your home or business, e.g. to shut down air conditioning, shut down an industrial process, or activate nighttime vehicle chargers remotely. 

Edited 1 hour ago by Handy Don

[JCM 10,619]

We have had only a few wood stove fires this year where it's been so cold. Putting the new hot water boiler through the test. Will post up some info and pics on that project. Also finishing up the second floor bathroom. Keeping very busy around the house.  Stay warm Bro.

[ebinmaine 77,044]

3 minutes ago, JCM said:

We have had only a few wood stove fires this year where it's been so cold. Putting the new hot water boiler through the test. Will post up some info and pics on that project. Also finishing up the second floor bathroom. Keeping very busy around the house.  Stay warm Bro.

 

The basement dwelling Mama starts a wood stove fire almost everyday.

Upstairs, depends on who's home and how long.

 

[wallfish 19,036]

13 minutes ago, Handy Don said:

There is also, for many customers, a “time of use” escalation triggered by higher than “normal” demand or lower than “normal” available supply system wide. Typically this is during heat waves in summer but occasionally during cold spells or from storm damage.

Just wait until more of those huge AI data centers come along and consume huge amounts of electricity 24 hours a day. Highly doubtful THEY will be footing those entire electric bills themselves as they should, but guessing a big chunk of that will probably fall on all of the customers.

[Handy Don 15,742]

For sure.

And shutting down a two-unit nuclear power plant about 10 miles away with an excellent operating record didn’t quite go to plan. The replacement power has been, for the most part, supplied using more costly gas turbine and oil-fired plants rather than the “renewable and eco-friendly” solar, wind, and hydro as promised (note that “less expensive” was NEVER promised ).

[Bill D 2,582]

4 hours ago, Blue Chips said:

 

I'm looking at getting something similar in the way of a ceiling-mount, direct-vent, sealed-combustion unit to replace the existing electric heater, which puts a big dent in my wallet.

 

 

I was considering something like that, but I think I'm going to go with a ceiling-mount unit, as I really don't have the available wall space for a wall-mount heater.

 

 

I keep my workshop (former 2-car garage) at least 50 degrees all the time and warm it up a little when I'm working in it. I've found that if I let it get too cold and then warm it up, it can create condensation on my equipment, primarily during the cooler parts of the spring and autumn when the interior air is more humid. It's not so much a problem in the winter, as the winter air in the shop tends to be very low relative humidity. I have a dehumidifier in the shop, but it virtually never comes on in the winter.

 

 

The current electric heater in my shop is a 5,000 watt unit (a little over 17K BTU), and it can keep the shop (about 575 square feet) warm when the temps drop below zero, but the power bill  !

 

 

 

We're on CMP as well, and I'd probably use an unprintable expletive to describe the power bill, a good portion of which is attributable to my electric workshop heater. My workshop is in our old two-car garage, which is pretty well insulated...walls, ceiling, and garage doors...and the current 5,000-watt heater keeps it nice and cozy, but it doesn't feel quite as comfortable when I remind myself that my power bill is helping to subsidize Spain's economy...not that I have anything against Spain, but gee whiz.

 

My Dad has that heater in the 7,500 watt model in his 2.5 car garage.   Works great 

[JCM 10,619]

3 hours ago, WHX?? said:

And then have framing studs in the way  ...   

Pic of the outside Plunge? 

The shop siding is 1'' rough sawn vertical/ board & batten  with horizontal 2x4' s. No studs in the way.  @WHX??  I had to make a screen outside to keep insects out. Will get a pic for you.

[Racinbob 12,620]

It was 16° this morning. My garage is pretty well insulated and is just under 1000 sq ft with some extra volume with 10' ceilings. 30k BTU would be considered minimum to heat it up. With us parking the warm vehicles in there is rarely gets down to the freezing mark. At  6:30 this morning it was:

 

 

Some time ago I decided to go the cheap and lazy way and to use a couple of 1500w milkhouse heaters. A little later I added a third. In an hour it was this:

 

 

That's a little over 15k BTU running. That works for me but I will likely still hang a 7.5 or 10KW unit.