Shop heater mod

[atgcpaul]

I insulated my garage but it still gets cold in there. I bought a parabolic
dish heater a few years ago but it's supposed to sit flat on the ground and
it was always underfoot so I stopped using it. Anyway, I have to work in
there to finish my daughter's dresser so out came the heater (I use a space
heater, too, but the dish is good to keep toasty).

Well, I never use my left garage door so I made a plywood saddle that fits
under the opener and is screwed to the metal strapping that holds up the
opener. To that I attached a lazy suzan and then a board and the dish under
that. That last board also serves the purpose of depressing the safety
button on the heater to indicate to it that is hasn't tipped over.

The whole thing sits over my TS extension table and is out of the way. I
can easily reach up and set the temp. Most of the time I'm either in front of
the TS or at my assembly table which is also the outfeed to my TS. If I move,
I can just rotate the heater to follow me. It just so happens that it's aimed
at my chest and head so now I'm much more comfortable in there.

BTW, any safety concerns with this? I won't be spraying any finishes in here.

[LCHIEN]

well, with heaters there's electrical hazard concerns because the current is usually quite high near 15A and there's ignition concerns because of the potential high temperatures that may occur under both normal and fault conditions and then there's human burn concerns. I suppose a shop also has tripping and hazard concerns as well as flammables and combustibles in quantity.

I though through all of these and it seems OK but there's a nagging concern somewhere which you also have because you posted this, and because it not being used as the manufacturer intended.

One thing I'm thinking is that some parts of the heater may get hotter than designed for because heat rises and what was below the heater element is now above it.

Other than that the worry is that the thing may fall with all kinds of consequences. I know you said the door opener is not used but they do vibrate a lot when run. Is it disconnected?

Good luck, I know that nagging feeling and the old saying is where there's smoke there's fire.... (I hope this doesn't apply in all interpretations of the saying).

[Richard in Smithville]

Although this heater gives off radiant heat and is made to heat a surface rather than the air, I have to agree with Loring about not being the intended way to use it. There are similar heaters on the market that are made for a ceiling mount ( Lee Valley- http://www.leevalley.com/en/wood/pag...456,43465&ap=1 ). I had one of these and only used it one season as it put the hydro bill way up and only kept me warm when I was close.

[RAFlorida]

In agreement with Loring and Richard.

The heat will rise, (and a short distance to the ceiling), placing much higher temps to the controls.