Has anyone used one of these? The one I got an ad for had light bulbs that heated some type of heat exchanger and able to heat 500 square feet using
1500 watts. I haven't seen any posts about these and wonder if they are as good as they sound or something in-between a space heater and a furnace as suggested in the ad? I just want to heat my living room and kitchen about
500 square feet and when I did the math by keeping my furnace off it would be cheaper to heat this way but if the thing doesn't work or work as advertised then that is another story.
A 1500 watt "furnace" is nothing more than a space heater. The heating capacity is roughly the same as a 1500 watt hair dryer. This limitation arises since the normal branch circuit / outlet you find in a home can only supply a bit more power than 1500 watts before it will blow a fuse / trip a breaker.
The term "furnace" is really misleading. Compare this product directly to other 1500 watt space heaters (there are many being sold) to see how it compares with regard to safety features, thermostat, air / blower functions / weight / size / warranty / etc. Then decide if it still appeals to you. There is nothing magical about using light bulbs to heat a heat exchanger. It is actually a poor way to generate heat from electricity, indirectly heating a heat exchanger with light bulbs. I would personally look elsewhere.
Run from this thing as fast as you can. It's no more efficient than a $39 space heater and IT COSTS 600 BUCKS!! The faq contains such absolute bullshit as,
"Unlike traditional systems, which may leave a differential of up to 18 degrees from floor to ceiling, the Portable Furnace heated air, using infrared absorption, does not concentrate near the ceiling. Heat stays down and evenly dispersed in the area where you and your family live."
I have one of these portable furnaces. The bulbs are not regular bulbs, they're infrared bulbs. They're warrantied for three years as is the entire heater. I'ev had mine for a year now and the bulbs are still fine.
Also, it's a lot safer than a space heater as space heaters can easily start a fire (do a search on leading causes of home fires). I like mine as it heats my basement pretty cheaply. Granted it's not cheap but, they do have a money back guarantee and a three year warranty (unlike the expensive quartz heaters). Just some thoughts from someone who owns one.
And im sure Clayton you sell them to. 600$ for a light bulb heater is dumb. A 35$ quartz or element heater with tip saftey is what I use. Bulbs last 100th the time as resistance heat, your units a scam.
I'm the one that started this thread and I'm greatful for all the responses and I settled on a nice $44 dollar heater with a fan a timer and a remote for my purposes. After reading the responses here I did an evaluation of the Portable Furnaces claims to keep the heat where your family is, did they rewrite the laws of physics to do this? Heat rises. Period. So then did the math and guess what 1500 watts is 1500 watts.
Thank you to everyone that took the time to write, Rich
Actually, The Portable Furnace is a client of mine and I do own one. I apologize I didn't say that outright. That was a mistake and misleading. That said, I encourage you to seek out the facts rather than enguage in conjecture. Please consider my points below and more importantly, please contact Sun Cloud Inc in Mission, Kansas (this is where we get them) to substantiate our claims. They've been making this unit for over 20 years and have documentation for all fo it. I can get it for you if you like too. I left the big advertising agency world to represent honest clients. I feel I am doing so now. All I ask is for a chance to be heard and a little logic behind your evaluations.
1) the Bulbs - Again, these are infrared bulbs and last approximately
5,000 hours. They're also warrantied for three years as is the entire unit. I highly doubt that reisitance heat coils will last "100 times" longer. Also, resistance coil heaters are a major cause of house fires (#2 cause in Canada). This is an apples and oranges comparison. Again, don't trust me, look it up!
2) Heat rises: Yes heat does rise, but at what speed? The hotter the air is, the quicker it rises. This is basic physics. The unit products a less intense heat than typical space heaters. So the heat rises slower which means the warm air is where you are longer. Which means that the heater does not need to be on as much to feel warm, which leads me to . . .
3) 1500 watts is 1500 watts: True. But once the energy is converted what kind of heat is produced and how is it distributed without losing heat or rising too quickly? The Portable Furnace lamps heat less intensely than resitance coils (see my point above). Further, the heat is distributed better (forced up and out with the help of the fan) than a typical space heater via a heat exchanger (just like a home furnace). Also, other space heaters heat the air more instensely, drying out the air. The more humid the air the better it is to conduct heat. Finally, it's been tested by Midwestern Utility and was proven to be more cost efficient than electric furnace or baseboard systems. That is what's meant when they say it's more efficient.
Again, these are simple, verifiable facts. I agree that the Portable Furnace isn't cheap, but it works, it's safer than any resitance or quartz heater and most certainly isn't a scam. Please contact me directly if you would like more information.
A 5000hr infrared bulb? I dought it, its more likely 1000-1500 hrs. And that filiment is of course shockproof unlike all other filament bulbs, so no worry about it getting bumped around. So its realy warranted for one heating season running 24x7. Of course in 5 years you replace the bulb free with no shipping or handling charge when anybody says it went in 1000 hrs. And bulb replacement costs? I have 30 yr old quarts, oil, and element heaters that still work. For 35-50 dollars I can get what is proven to work a long time. I bet in one year your shipping -handling charges on new bulbs are the same as a HD price.
I'm sorry you doubt it but it's what they've seen from their customers after 20 years in business. Again, you can call the manufacturer yourself for more information (Sun Cloud Inc. 913-831-3100). To address your other points -
1) The filaments hold very well. They ship thousands a year. Only a few people call saying the bulbs were damaged in shipping. When that happens replacements are sent free of charge. Most people keep their space heaters in the same location, occasionally moving them around. This is far less likely to cause damage to the bulbs than shipping. Further, since the bulbs are encased in a steel frame and this case is within an Oak/Plywood case, it would take a major jolt to damage the bulbs. Frankly, they seldom get complaints about damaged bulbs.
2) The warranty: They're not warrantied for hours but for three years. So, you are incorrect saying they'll only warrantied one season. Since the bulbs last for 3-5 years, you're looking at replacing the bulbs very infrequently. This is assuming normal use. It is thermostat controlled. Rarely is any heat source on 24/7 - I live in Winnipeg, Canada where it gets to -40 and my central furnace is not ever on 24/7. The cost for the bulbs is $79 and shipping is about $6. Amortize this cost over three years (at a minimum) and it's a pretty decent deal. Again, the bulbs are warrantied for three years. This means you don't pay for them or the shipping for three years. Compare that to spending more on fossil fuels. Further, given the Portable Furance's cost efficiency, I'll bet you'll save more on your heating bill compared to using the type(s) of space heaters you propose.
I hope this helps. I gather by your tone you've been burned (no pun intended) in the past. We all have by some product and we should all do our homework. I hope you can trust that I'm not trying to lie to you. All I can do is give over the information I know. I strongly encourage you to call the manufacturer with any more questions or thoughts. Thanks for your feedback.
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