Tubular heating part/all of a shed. Thoughts?

[Bm101]

I'm after a localised solution to keeping my tools rust free. I have a fan heater for me in the winter but I'm not in there all the time and thought this sort of affair with a thermostat on it might be a good solution to keeping two metal tool cupboards dry and rust free. I'm thinking keeping it just above ambient should work well.

https://www.alertelectrical.com/hylite- ... aters.html

My shed's insulated and pretty well built but I still get small breakouts of rust. It'd be nice not to have to worry about it.
I'm not really after solutions for protecting tools with wax, blo etc. as I'd like protection for electrical tools as well.
Does anyone use them, recommend them etc? Running costs would be minimal I'd guess for this purpose?
I have wondered about using them throughout the shed as well as a replacement for the fan if costs don't run too high. Never needs to be hot in there but hanging off a rope with your hands in cold water at work in January is not the best incentive for feeling motivated to go and stand in a freezing shed either. :|
I've looked online but can't find a guide to working out heaters per metre so to speak in case I go down this route. Can anyone help with working out an idiots rough guide or a link to somewhere I can look ? Could be I'm using the wrong search terms.
Sheds about 4.5 x 5 x 2(h) I'm not too clear on Wattage versus output etc
Regards,
Chris

 

[sunnybob]

the rated wattage is what the appliance uses. Most are in the region of 70 - 90% efficient. You would have to research the make youre interested in to get that figure.

bear in mind that even with the shed insulated, that heater will be running all night long, and most of the days If you want the shed to be damp proofed.
But the dew point will be the killer, if the metal tools are colder than that then condensation will form on them. To get the metal up above it will need a summers day temp, for 24 hours a day.
Thats why we use oils and waxes :shock:

Heres some light reading for you.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dew_point

 

[Sideways]

I don't know if it works or not, but I screwed a 40 watt version to a board and clamped it to the table of my (nice) Metabo induction motor sliding mitre saw. I then chucked some sheets of bubble pack over and topped it with a couple of towels to make an insulated tent. It was a humid winter for me last time around and some surfaces had running condensation but the saw was untouched in it's micro climate.

Don't worry about efficiency. It's a heater not a lightbulb or motor. Energy consumed isn't going to turn into anything else but heat somewhere in the device or it's cable so for all practical purposes it's 100% efficient.

Lastly - these are ebay cheap and simple. Mine were the ones with a white tube and beige plastic ends. Out of two, one packed up within 3 months. I unscrewed it and drilled out the rivets holding the tube end caps on. Inside there's a strip of mica board - heat resistant. The elements are actually fine wire wrapped around thick "string" made of silica fibres. The string in turn wrapped around the mica board. The connection to the elements was just folded metal tabs - super cheap tat. Pinch these tight with a pair of pliers and it worked again. An easy repair if you have a pop rivet gun to replace the drilled out rivets or some small self tappers instead..

 

[Lazurus]

I use a couple of these combined with a old dehumidifier seems to work ok on big cast lathe, table saw and the like.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

I think that a low-wattage, thermostatically controlled, electric heater inside the tool cabinets - at the bottom - is a great idea.

I know your workshop has insulation, but I'd put insulation on the metal tool cabinets too. The reason I suggest this is simply to save on your electricty bill - only heat the bit that needs heating. Ideally you want a situation where no part of your tool collection gets below the dew-point, which in the UK's climate means any temperature above about 10-12C should be good.

Cheers, W2S

 

[John Brown]

"the rated wattage is what the appliance uses. Most are in the region of 70 - 90% efficient. You would have to research the make youre interested in to get that figure."

Curious as to where the other 10 - 30% ends up.

 

[Bm101]

Many thanks for all your help and advice as always.
I'm still doing my 'research' so please forgive the lack of reply.
I appreciate you all taking the time to lend your experience.
Still trying to find a decent source of info on heating costs. Looking at BTU conversion rates at the moment and trying to let that settle in.... :|
Still. :roll:
We'll get there.

 

[RogerS]

We've been here before.

This thread gives a more lateral approach...

post633238.html?hilit=resistor#p633238

and also references further threads on this topic.