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We are attempting to use a class 2 laser photoelectric detector over an outdoor distance of 300 feet (through beam detection). We get a lot of short (one to several milliseconds) detector operations whenever a nearby warm air heater is on. Any idea as to the cause?

first, electromagnetic influences from the heather trigger your detector. use shielded wires from the detector to the electronic and connect the shield to ground.

second, if the heather blows thru or near the laserbeam, the beam may be flicker (like a hot street flicker if you look to a far point on it)

The heater actually blows across the laser beam. Any idea as to the "typical" duration of the flicker one could expect (our last from a few miiliseconds right up to a second or two).

did you check if the detector itself is sensitive for infra red radiation (by heaters and other sources)? Normally such light barriers work with a filter which lets pass the wavelength of the beam used and nothing else.