Following on from my "Man Cave Is Go" thread, I've been investing some time in working out a simple yet cheap to run heating system for the garage. Many will know that above the garage is a double bedroom and ensuite bathroom, that already has heating and hot water in place. That's all well and good, but downstairs it's still pretty cold, which is something I want to address, so I can work through the cold winter months if I choose to. To this end I've settled on a diesel heater and an elaborate control system, using MQTT, that will let me monitor and operate it remotely. I am still in the process of ordering a lot of the parts I am going to need, and true to my OCD form, it will be an exercise in overkill but that's just my fastidious nature. As is the norm, I will document each step, as well as include plenty of photos, so if anyone else wants to do something similar, they can refer to my attempt. I'm hoping to have most of the parts I need by the early January, so stay tuned for more updates.
Sounds like it will be brilliant, but I did think you would have installed some kind of microwave in there by now...
So it will be ready just as the temperatures pick up in the Spring! (Sorry Rod, I couldn’t resist, given that you finally finished your V4 just as the fine weather broke in the Autumn!)
What made you chose to base it around a diesel heater? They are (normally) very bad on emissions, quite expensive to run vs gas, not very efficient (waste heat from the exhaust and incomplete combustion) and create other costs like delivery and storage of the diesel, and the need for regular servicing. I’m with Boots - For the sake of a bit of tubing, couple of rads, zone valve, stat and timer etc, not stabbing off from your domestic system seems an odd way to go.
Fair point, but it would have been a bloody boring thread....... "I've just added another radiator to my central heating" zzzzzzzzzz This way we have the potential for either success or a BBC TV " Breaking News " appearance on the telly!
Well contrary to popular belief, they are relatively cheap to run, if tuned correctly. They typically burn around 0.25 litres of diesel an hour. I'm only ever going to use it sporadically to heat up the garage for a few hours, so it suits my purpose. Upstairs heating is supplied by an electrical radiator so nothing to plumb in per say and it would prove too expensive to tap off from the house central heating to the garage. Heat loss from the exhaust and delivery ducting is easily mitigated through insulation. Storage/delivery of the diesel is not really an issue as it's only a 10 litre tank that I'll top up as needed. The heater will be located outside, so no danger of emissions reaching the internal area to be heated, as any exhaust gas will be vented direct to atmosphere. Hot air is provided by the heat exchanger within the heater itself and the combusted air and fuel are totally separate from this. In so far as servicing, apart from a glow plug change and yearly cleaning of the combustion chamber, they really require very little attention. Once I post up my set up you'll hopefully see how I've mitigated any shortcomings. Plus I have a few surprises up my sleeve, to further enhance the basic hardware and general setup by way of an aftermarket controller.
This sounds like a vw campers diesel heater. In which case dont shun the cheap chinese ones apparently. They are rated as okay and as good as the normal ones. Good luck toppo. I wouldn't fit electric rads either. Dont forget to get insulate too. Ill be fitting one of these to my bus in the spring. I’m m going cheap chinese as theyre a 10th of the price for more or less the same thing as the german ones.
i use a portable diesel heater to warm my garage. running costs reasonable look on UTube loads of info on there. i paid around £100 and spent another £25 on longer exhaust pipe and blower hose eBay item number:203509443759
Thanks. I have spent a fair bit of time researching them already. I ordered the heater a while back. Due to arrive any day now. I went with a Lavaner Pro, which is one of the better Chinese versions plus it is compatible with the enhanced controller and software I will be using.
Yes and Webasto too, but they are significantly more expensive and the Chinese offerings have definitely caught up.
I use a far infrared panel heater under the workbench ,it looks like a big whiteboard panel for when im sat working,it warms you not the room . Also have a electronic paraffin heater,electronic ignition ,5L tank ,electric blower fan built in Had a digital control with built in temp guage and on low runs for ages Put a layer of insulated plaster board on all the walls and insulated the ceiling ,glued polystyrene onto the back of the garage door .
Look forward to seeing how it works out. I nearly went down the same route with diesel heater too, but just had a full stand alone heating system fitted to mine by the lads at work last month. Got it’s own boiler and rads in there keeping the bikes dry. I only leave it set to 12-13 degrees when I’m not in there, it’s enough to not feel cold nor warm, just ok. If I want to do anything in there it up to 20 in minutes !
Sounds interesting, I didn’t have time and use Adax Wi-Fi rads that a mate was throwing away. Set to 12deg. I did use celotex everywhere and SIP panels for the walls so there’s 40-50mm of foam plus foil back bubble underneath the plasterboard. Celotex in the rafters. No idea how Much it costs to run.
