"Unquestionably Confused" wrote in message
m...
I have a fully insulated 13'x24' shop that I'd like to install baseboard heat
in. Tired of sniffy Kerosene fumes from either the Redi-Heater (to bring it up
to temp) or the Kero-Sun heater that keeps it comfy.

Electric heat is my only practical option and I'm well aware of the cost since
my entire home is electric baseboard and I've survived 30 years of bills
so...g

Question I have is I noted at least one gentleman here, Ken Vaughn, has used a
"soft heat" hydroponic electric baseboard. Not adverse to going that route
but why hydroponic? Is is safer than conventional convection electric
baseboard?

Price is about 8 times conventional baseboard and guarantee is 5 years vs.
lifetime. I could care less about smooth, even, quiet heat. I just want heat
and no open flames.

I realize that sawdust, etc. migrating to the fins and calrod element will
likely smell up the place but won't they also with the "soft heat"?
Installation and clearances are similar for both.

Bottom line: If the choice is between conventional and hydroponic, am I
courting disaster by installing conventional in a shop?

Thanks

Bob

As you have already noted, I use sealed unit 240V electric baseboard units in my
16' by 24' shop. The units (two 1000 watt units) contains something similar to
anti-freeze, not water, but I'm not sure that is significant. I built my shop
with this system in mind, and my shop is very well insulated and sealed, plus
double pane windows, insulated doors, etc. It is also important to note that I
live in Colorado, a normally dry state with more than 300 days of sunshine per
year. We do get some pretty cold days, but nothing like the Northern tier
states, or even the Midwest. I work in my shop almost daily, and I wear a
Tee-shirt. I keep the thermostat at 60 degrees, but with two south facing
windows it is usually over 65 by mid morning. By noon I often open a window.

I can't compare what I have to convection electric baseboard heaters because I
have never used them. These sealed units produce a steady heat with no drafts
and my cost has been reasonable -- I really don't know what they cost to run,
and at this point in my life, I don't care, but they are not that expensive. My
initial cost for the two units and the thermostat was just a little over $300,
but that was 12 years ago.

--
Ken Vaughn
Visit My Workshop: http://home.earthlink.net/~kvaughn65/