In view of the recent energy price hike I am analyzing my heating.
What are the advantages or disadvantages of oil filed radiators, electric convector heaters or blow heaters.
A Honeywell blow heater I have has three heat settings and a thermostat control, I can't see the point of high and low heat settings if there is a thermostat.
Geoff Lane
The higher output will be capable of bringing the area up to temperature at a faster rate, after which the lower output, provided it is at an adequate level, would then be better, in conjunction with the thermostat, for maintaining temperature. The range of fluctuation in temperature would then also be lower (there is, of course, a built-in assumption about the separation between on/off temperatures over which the thermostat operates).
All electric heaters are 100% efficient, none of the heat goes outdoors. Plug in heaters are also all much more expensive than all other heating options.
Blow heater: high power, fast heating, small, noisy, fire risk if covered. Convector: medium power, medium size, no noise, fire risk if covered, but less. Radiator: low power, slow, large, touch safe, no fire risk. Good for kids.
PS theres only one type of electric heating not 100% efficient, and thats a heat pump. Those can give you 300% effective efficiency by using the leccy to pump heat in from outdoors.
NT
(and old people)
While this is true, it means "efficiency as heaters of stuff" rather than "efficiency as heaters of people". In terms of comfort / =A3, there are indeed differences.
Fan heaters will make you feel warm quickly (at a cost) in a way that radiants don't, but their running costs over a few hours of comfort will be higher. Best of all for workshop warmth are the long- wavelength IR (white ceramic) that make people in front of them comfortable without needing to raise air temperature in the entire workshop.
Oil filled radiators get plenty hot enough to burn people and some fabrics (not uncommon to find them with burn marks where someone thought it would be a good idea to dry some washing on them;-). I have a very old one (was my grandmother's) which has an adjustable thermostat for the oil as well as one for the air temperature, but when I looked at some modern ones, I didn't see an oil temperature knob.
Knowing that in nature one doesn't get something for nothing, what is the reason for the oil. I know it retains heat well but would obviously take energy to heat in the first place.
Geoff Lane
Transfers the heat from the element(s) at the bottom to the whole surface area of the radiator, where it can transfer to the room.
I don't think much of oil filled radiators for the reason you give - lag in the on and off cycles due to the heat capacity of the oil. I have chosen either electric convector heaters or electric fan heaters when I need an electric heater, depending on the circumstances. Some people might prefer one in a radiator format -- my desk chair is quite close to one of my central heating radiators, and the radiant heat from it can be quite nice (although most of the output is in the form of convected heat). They tend to be much lower power ratings than fan or convertor heaters though.
I know that used to be the case and appreciate all energy has gone up but electric is more adjustable, when it's off it is off so is it more expensive.
Geoff Lane
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