So far we've proved that diesel space heaters are noisy and make you choke, gas ones are just as noisy and expensive to run, and wood burners use loads of wood and set fire to the ceiling

The electric supply is free so that would seem to be the best solution, but what's the cheapest most effective way to electrically warm a big cold workshop?

So far the most promising thing I've seen is these:

Norther Tool
£30 each can't be bad, can it?

I have a split pack (one box outside with the compressor etc and another blower inside) 18000 btu air conditioning set.

It provides heating in the winter and cooling in the summer. It is about the most efficient way of heating as it is extracting heat from the cold air outside & dumping it inside. It produces almost 5kw of heat for 2kw of electricity.

It has made the workshop habitable come summer or winter - totally fantastic.

Bought the AC packs from 'Just Lamps ltd' via eBay. Pre gassed, no special tools, easy DIY install and all for a couple of hundred quid. I have one in the workshop and another in the sitting room in the house.

Si

I can imagine how that would go down with the wife - I've got an air-conditioned garage, but you can sweat over a hot stove in the house

That's why there is one in the sitting room too. Not stupid - me!

Si