is fan forced heat safe for paintshop?

[cinlo]

Hello, I have just purchased a Marley 4000W 240 volt wall heater, intending to heat my 10 x 16 foot paint shop. In reading the dirctions, one of the warnings states: Heater has hot and arcing (sparking) parts inside. Do not use it in areas where gasoline, paint, or flammable liquids are used or stored.

SO....will I be setting up a bomb if paint fumes while I'm spraying parts get to the arcing inside the heater? I plan to put the heater on the "art" side of the shop, and the "spray" side does have a ventilation fan to exhaust most of the fumes. Shop is getting down to 20 degrees at night, so I've already had to move all paints inside the basement, but would like to continue painting!

If it is unsafe to use this electric heater, could someone suggest another method? Shop walls are insulated, ceiling is not, and it's a free standing shed out back of my house, in SW Virginia where it gets plenty cold during the winter nights.
Thanks, Cindi

[vetteman]

I have a 30X40 garage that I have a drop down paint booth in. It is approx 20 long 15 wide. I have 2-3 electric oil filled heaters that I use. Garage is insulated well, and they managed to maintain about 75 degrees inside the booth during painting and drying. running around the clock they add about 100.00 to my electric bill when they are running. Cheaper than picking up the pieces on what used to be me, and my garage after the big boom!!

[Phil V]

Cindy, that heat system will work fine for you use, just shut it off while you are painting. As soon as the over spray is exhausted out then turn your heater back on. No fire hazard that way. I guess it should also be pointed out that any heater that is exposed to bondo dust, primer dust, overspray etc can become a fire hazard if that dust is allowed to build up in and around the heater. Soooooo, use compressed air and blow the heater out once in a while to make sure no dust is building up.

[cinlo]

Vetteman and Phil,
Thank you so much for your replies. I think I will go ahead and install the electric heater, taking care to turn it off during spraying, and letting the fumes vent outside.

Do you think spraying the urethanes with my airbrush during artwork will be a hazard, since the heater will be located on that side of my shop? Airbrush work has nowhere near the fumes as actually spraying the sheet metal does.

Have a great day! Cindi

[Phil V]

The only danger I see with you spraying with the airbrush is breathing the fumes, it won't be a fire hazard with your electric heater (as long as the paint paint project isn't within a couple feet of the heater).