Shop Heater Remote Control

[Ron Willis]

I recently installed a Radiant Tube Heater in my attached garage/workshop. Since the thermostat must be located in the workshop it requires me to go in to turn on/off the heater. I do not have access to the garage from the house and I am trying to figure out a way to be able to control the heater from inside the house. The only solution I can think of is installing two thermostats in the work shop - one set at "on"/the desired temp and the other set at "off" and then install a by-pass switch in the house which would allow me to switch from one to the other. Does any one know of a better idea?

BTW - I am new to the post. I am in awe of some of you guys. The quality workmanship and knowledege blows me away. Love it!

[Kevin- Marcotte]

How about changing your thermostat to a programmable thermostat.

[Bruce Wrenn]

How about changing your thermostat to a programmable thermostat.

That is what I did in a friends garage. He is a mechanic. Thirty minutes before opening, heat comes on, and fifteen minutes before closing, it shuts off. You could use one of those Christmas light remotes to activate thermostat, but if someone close by uses same freq. you are SOL. The remote for my AC unit in shop, also works lights in tree in front yard, so it's back to the manual method.

[Rod Sheridan]

I recently installed a Radiant Tube Heater in my attached garage/workshop. Since the thermostat must be located in the workshop it requires me to go in to turn on/off the heater. I do not have access to the garage from the house and I am trying to figure out a way to be able to control the heater from inside the house. The only solution I can think of is installing two thermostats in the work shop - one set at "on"/the desired temp and the other set at "off" and then install a by-pass switch in the house which would allow me to switch from one to the other. Does any one know of a better idea?

BTW - I am new to the post. I am in awe of some of you guys. The quality workmanship and knowledege blows me away. Love it!

Put a switch inside your house in series with the thermostat contact, then when the switch is closed your thermostat will operate the heater, when it's open the heater will be off.

Regards, Rod.

[David Christopher]

if this is a " plug in " type heater, you can get a remote control like dust collectors have

[Tom Godley]

Is this a gas heater? If so then the control is more than likely 24v.

If you can run a wire through the wall -- the system can be as simple as a switch in the thermostat circuit or as complex as a new thermostat in the house with a remote temperature sensor located in the garage.


If there is no way to run a wire you will need to get a wireless system with a relay at the heater. This is something that can easily be put together. Do you have other houses close by that could cause interference??

[Dale Hemm]

I like the idea of the programmable thermostat as well, assuming that you are in the shop on a consistent schedule; if you're not it probably isn't the right choice as you'll be heating it up when you may not be there.

I just use a regular thermostat as I don't normally turn it all the way off during the heating season. I turn it down to about 10C when I leave the shop which maintains the temperature at a level that keeps moisture down and protects my tools. When I come in I turn the thermostat up, but it is still comfortable enough to start working right away. It probably helps that I'm in the Pacific Northwest, and that my shop is fully insulated; I only use the heater for about five months in the year.

When you say it is an attached garage/workshop, I'm assuming that you mean the garage and workshop are combined in a single building, but that building isn't attached to the house. If it was, and the layout allowed, I'd also suggest that you just take a day and put in a door!

[Keith Harrell]

http://www.smarthome.com/_/index.aspx
Has a number of options for programmable and remote control.

[Ron Willis]

Thanks for all your responses and ideas. Installing an in-series switch in the house sounds like a good idea. Also appealing is the installation of a thermostat in the house with remote sensor in the garage. I'm sure either of the two ideas will work just fine. Thanks again guys.

[David Hostetler]

If I recall, my Thermostat in the house is a Rite Temp programmable, touch screen, remote control unit. As long as you have line of sight to the unit, simply point the remote to the unit and nudge the temp up or down...

[mike wacker]

Ron,

This is pretty simple and we had to do it at our club for other different reasons. Assuming (that word?!) you have a two wire thermostat, you need a double pole double throw switch. A simple double pole open knife switch works fine at this low voltage. Place the switch and a second thermostat in the house. Run the shop thermostat to one side and the in the house thermostat to the other. Now from the "comfort of your home" you can set the shop temp to anything you want. When you head out to the shop switch the control back to the shop thermostat. When you start to bed one night and question "did I turn the heat off in the shop?", you can just switch the knife to the center position and the heat will be off.