Posted for "Dr. Weinsweig" <WeinsweigD@tsnci.com>:

hi all-

don't know much about the effect of radiant heat on composites but did install a long radiant tube in my hangar/shop (50'x48'x16' sides, 26' high center) at a height which would keep the tube at an adequate distance away from aircraft per the heat tube manufacturers recs and the hangar (ground level) never got above 54 degrees F in the winter in west virginia even with ceiling fans-totally inadequate and unacceptable for a $2000 +installation system. ended up going with a forced air 300,000 btu system (bought from grainger) which works amazingly well.  check out whether the radiant heat system will be adequate for your needs before plunking down the money.

oh by the way, i'd be happy to sell the radiant heat tube if anyone's interested!

david weinsweig
ivp-t  (making progress)


[I've spec'ed those heat tubes into several factories I've setup in areas where we needed to provide some warmth for the employees without concern for heating the space in general.... I call them "head warmers", and on a loading dock or adjacent area that's difficult to keep heated those things work fine at keeping the help from freezing, but not much more.  The radiant IR works directly on body parts just fine but doesn't pump enough energy into the floor and contents to get them to re-radiate enough heat to actually warm the surrounding space.  Not unless you setup a bank of them, and then it would be cheaper to operate a regular forced air furnace.  Your 300kbtu furnace will go much further at keeping not only people but your project actually warm enough to do some layups <G>.  Just my 2c.

         <Marv>                ]