how much heat required for my workshop?

[devonwoody]

5mtrs x 5 mtrs. x 2.5 mtrs.

Thinking of putting some of those long life bulbs for 24/7 for the remaining two months of the winter. How much wattage do you think is required just to stop condensation forming.
No insulation installed, concrete blocks three walls and corrugated asbestos roof.
(Too big a job for me to install insulation. )

 

[kasandrich]

I would think you would be better off with a 2kw electric oil filled radiator and put it on frost protection.

I am not sure a couple of ordinary bulbs is enough for an uninsulated workshop that size.

How draughty is it?

 

[devonwoody]

its draughty, a freezer on full time gives some heat, and I was thinking of those low energy bulbs, I have around 10 x13 amp sockets so could put up plenty of lamps, they keep coming free to me in the post. I also thought they would be a better proposition re fire risk.

 

[Dibs-h]

hose low energy bulbs

I don't recall those putting out much heat, if any.

 

[9fingers]

If you have any draughts then attempts at space heating will be futile.


Low energy bulbs are just that - they produce minimal heat.

For a similar amount of power consumed then heat your machines and any condensation around will not condense on them.

I have used this method for 30 years on numerous machines

see https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=14547

Bob

 

[wizer]

see https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=14547

I just love that idea. It's been in my favourites ever since you first posted it. I almost wish I had problems with rust, just so I could rig one up

I wonder if it could be marketed Bob? There must be a way to produce it to fit all machines.

 

[9fingers]

It is so trivial to implement that it should be within the scope of anyone who can use machinery. The heaters need to be in intimate contact with the metal so every fit is machine specific which makes it difficult to market as a universal solution.

It has rather surprised me that I have had such limited response/questions about it since publishing it here quite sometime ago.

In my engineering workshop, I have a cupboard in which I keep my precision tools which has a metal rear panel with low power heaters on the back and insulation behind up against a wall. The inside of the cupboard and internal drawers stays gently warm and keeps rust away from micrometers, dial indicators and other precious instruments.

A little appliance of science works wonders!

Bob

 

[wizer]

If there was a way to make the capacitors 'stick' i.e. not need to drill the CI, then I really think they'd sell. If that circular saw blade holder thingy can sell, then this will for certain. The Americans will lap it up. I know people who use machinery should be able to do something like this. There is a large percentage of 'Can't be bothered'. Or in a pro environment 'Can't spend the time on it'.

Perhaps they could be extendible via some sort of plug and socket mechanism. Much like xmas lights.

As I say, if I had rust problems, I'd buy one. It's a good solution.

 

[wobblycogs]

Bob, that is truly a great idea. A very simple, low cost solution to a common problem. I wonder though if if could be made into a universal solution fairly easily. What you need is a mounting plate and spring mounted resistor so that the spring holds the heater in good thermal contact with the metal, a little thermal paste would help too. The sprung section could easily be glued onto the item in the location where you have screws. Fascinating.

 

[CNC Paul]

5mtrs x 5 mtrs. x 2.5 mtrs.

Thinking of putting some of those long life bulbs for 24/7 for the remaining two months of the winter. How much wattage do you think is required just to stop condensation forming.
No insulation installed, concrete blocks three walls and corrugated asbestos roof.
(Too big a job for me to install insulation. )

Can you stick 25mm polystyrene inside the roof ?

 

[Nev Hallam]

see https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=14547

I just love that idea. It's been in my favourites ever since you first posted it. I almost wish I had problems with rust, just so I could rig one up

I wonder if it could be marketed Bob? There must be a way to produce it to fit all machines.

You can always come rig mine up for me!

 

[Harbo]

I use a couple of low wattage tubular oil filled heaters.
1 under each tool cabinet.

Seems to work.

Rod

 

[devonwoody]

The roof area being that corrugated asbestos which gets damp naturally then freezes on the underside, then thaws makes it unrealistic to attempt fixing poly to its underside?

 

[9fingers]

Chicken and Egg DW

If you put the insulation up you would not get the condensation.
Spay foam would be better still as it is more fire resistant than polystyrene sheet.

Bob

 

[Benchwayze]

I would think you would be better off with a 2kw electric oil filled radiator and put it on frost protection.

I am not sure a couple of ordinary bulbs is enough for an uninsulated workshop that size.

How draughty is it?

A week or so ago, I watched a programme called 'Bang Goes The Science'. One of the presenters cooked a chicken to a tee, using two 60w tungsten bulbs, in an insulated oven. It took just 90 minutes apparently. This stunt was to prove how much heat was generated by a tungsten bulb.

It's true of course, and these bulbs generate a 'lorra-lorra' heat. One 60 watt bulb in a 'batten' lamp-holder, inside the case of an old paraffin stove, complete with chimney heated my single-car garage no problem. (A friend of mine used the idea for his greenhouse, with great results.)

That was in the days when bulbs didn't use as much power as is claimed today. 8) Therefore much less expensive than using paraffin or a proper heating element.

If you don't have an old paraffin stove, use a biscuit tin with a few holes in it and put a chimney over it.

(The presenter on the Science programme claimed it wasn't possible to cook a chicken with the new low energy bulbs. If that is the case, how did one of these bulbs almost start a fire in my bedroom, when it burned the hem of the curtains? )

In my experience, low energy bulbs get just as hot as the tungsten variety. I can't hold either in my hand when they have just been turned off. So you could probably use the same techs with the new bulbs, despite what that presenter claimed.

HTH
John

 

[OLD]

To heat the room fully around 5,000watts external temp -1c, internal 18c ,3500watts with roof insulated .

 

[devonwoody]

Yes these low energy bulbs do give off heat, I have one fitted to an anglepoise lamp for reading and I feel the heat. Perhaps the shade reflector has some bearing?

Yes I remember the biscuit tin heater, I think it was for my pet mice in the winter, kept them in the bedroom in the 40's , days before central heating.

 

[Benchwayze]

Yes these low energy bulbs do give off heat, I have one fitted to an anglepoise lamp for reading and I feel the heat. Perhaps the shade reflector has some bearing?

Yes I remember the biscuit tin heater, I think it was for my pet mice in the winter, kept them in the bedroom in the 40's , days before central heating.

Hi DW,
In my case the low energy bulb, being longer than the original tungsten bulb, stuck out above the shade. It just wasn't noticed one day until I smelled the burning! Fortunately it melted the curtain material before it could catch alight properly. I bought a new lamp that could take the bulbs!

Cheers
John

 

[Nev Hallam]

my workshop is a double garage it's about 5m2 by 2.2 high, also with a corrugated asbestos roof, I have studded all my walls and insulated with 75mm celotex, I was lucky to have a friend whos a site agent for a well known house builder who sorted me out. However I did not have enough for the ceiling so I used regular rockwool sandwiched between 9mm ply. All this insulation is great all except my garage doors are absolutely useless, they the old counter weight ones, and have at least a 5mm margin all around each door. The garage is still freezing and my machines still get a layer of rust. I know I need to sort out me doors but not the cash just yet.
I do like the sound of the wiring to the underside of the machine beds, but I'm not sure I want to undertake that project as I not good with wiring or electrics at all. I have just brought a decent paraffin heater but I can hardly leave it running 24-7. Oil heaters seem ok too but again leaving them running round the clock is a tad much! Maybe once my doors are sorted once I generate heat in there the insulation will hold it in better?

 

[Benchwayze]

Well Nev,

An ideal candidate for the light-bulb heater as described. Yes?

John