Oil fin heater or a panel heater

[CrazyFig]

Hi,

So I need to get a heater for my son's room. Salemans at DionWired started talking about the panel heater where you mount it to a wall and it uses convection to heat the room. Said it uses 400watts, compared with the oli fin heater (with a built in thermostat) that uses 2500 watts. So apparently the panel heater is waaaay for efficient.

So I searched a bit on the net an results say regardless of the wattage, they will consume the same electricity. Im no techie by a long shot, but that didnt sound right? Can someone explain, and which is better in terms of saving electricity?

One non-plus for the panel heater is it only heat a room 4x4m? So I would then have to get 2 panels?

Im confused

[Sinbad]

400 watts will consume 400 watts of electricity

To heat up the air in the room, you will need x units of energy. Call it 2KWH for argument's sake.

The 400watt unit will take 5 hours to impart that energy to the air. The 2500watt unit, less than an hour. The panels you leave on all day and all night if I understand right. The more powerful heaters you turn on as you need them.

Both heaters use convection, by the way.

[CrazyFig]

400 watts will consume 400 watts of electricity

To heat up the air in the room, you will need x units of energy. Call it 2KWH for argument's sake.

The 400watt unit will take 5 hours to impart that energy to the air. The 2500watt unit, less than an hour. The panels you leave on all day and all night if I understand right. The more powerful heaters you turn on as you need them.

Both heaters use convection, by the way.

Ok thanks for the info...so panel is much slower. I guess a plus with the oil heater is it has a thermostat? That should help I guess?

[Sinbad]

Ok thanks for the info...so panel is much slower. I guess a plus with the oil heater is it has a thermostat? That should help I guess?

Well, the thermostat will cycle the heating element on and off to maintain a particular temperature. How long the cycles last depends entirely on how quickly heat escapes the room - so it's a function of insulation, doors being opened, etc.

Fact is it takes a set amount of energy to heat that room up by x degrees, and then needs energy supplied at a fixed rate to maintain that temperature against losses.

The fin heater, with more power, can provide that energy more quickly - so the room will heat up quicker. However, once it's up to temp, your power usage is purely about heat losses out of the environment. So both should use identical power - except that the panel has no thermostat to turn itself off should the power requirement average out at below 400 watts. The oil heater does, so will be more cost effective in that case. The panel will just make the room too hot.

[AstroTurf]

Well, the thermostat will cycle the heating element on and off to maintain a particular temperature. How long the cycles last depends entirely on how quickly heat escapes the room - so it's a function of insulation, doors being opened, etc.

Fact is it takes a set amount of energy to heat that room up by x degrees, and then needs energy supplied at a fixed rate to maintain that temperature against losses.

The fin heater, with more power, can provide that energy more quickly - so the room will heat up quicker. However, once it's up to temp, your power usage is purely about heat losses out of the environment. So both should use identical power - except that the panel has no thermostat to turn itself off should the power requirement average out at below 400 watts. The oil heater does, so will be more cost effective in that case. The panel will just make the room too hot.

Would love to see a panel heater that can make the room to hot
our neighbor has 9 of the things in his house (little open plan kitchen with 1 bedroom).
He bought a gas heater as soon as it started getting cold

[CrazyFig]

This post basically sums up my question...

Hi.

now I know on paper that panel heaters such as the econo-heat panel are much less wattage than a large oil heater ie - 425 Watt V 2400 Watt.....but here's the thing.

I have a Delonghi 2400W oil heater. It has a 6 setting dial and switch for Hi and Low. In my sons 5x5m bedroom - weatherboard house, 12 foot ceilings, South facing room (ie....cold!) I can turn the dial up to 6 on the low setting for 30 minutes and heat the room. I can then turn it down to 1 or 2 and keep the room warm all night. The heater has a thermostat so it cuts in and out.

I don't exactly know how the whole Wattage thing works but I assume 2400W is when the heater is turned up to 6 on High? IF this is the case then as there is 12 possible settings on the heater, this would mean 2400 divided by 12 which means if I am able to run the oil heater on the Low switch and 1 to 2 on the dial then it is only using around 200-400 Watts at the most? Am I completely wrong?

If this is the case would this not be more economical than a panel heater which in the case of the largest econo-heat panel is 425Watts - a device that does not have thermostat and therefore runs at 425 Watts continously where as my oil heater - is only using 200-400 Watts will also be cutting out (and in) throughout the night - therefore not running at this constant wattage and therefore cheaper to run?

I would love someone to shed some light on this - I need to buy another heat source ASAP for another room and I'm not sure which way to go......also keeping in mind that the largest econ-heat panel MAY struggle to heat a space this large.........

thanks in advance

Chris

http://www.woodworkforums.com/f78/he...-heater-50822/

[AstroTurf]

Panel heaters are less than average.

have one in our daughters room and it has to stay on permanently just to make the slightest difference.

It comes with feet though so I just put in in front of her bed, that helps keep her in bed at night as well as that is the warmest part of the room.

Oil fin heaters are awesome, they last forever and you can change the temps as needed, we have one I bought at a swap shop about 9 years ago for R50 that is still going strong

[CrazyFig]

Ok lekker..seems panel is a not go then!

Just read now that oil heaters are bad at distributing the heat in a room...so the area near the heater warms up...but the room as a whole doesn't. They recommend to put a fan on too that has the option to change blades rotation (pulling air up or pushing it down), so for winter you want it pulling the warm air up so it distributes the heat in the whole room...

[Sinbad]

Ok lekker..seems panel is a not go then! Just read now that oil heaters are bad at distributing the heat in a room...so the area near the heater warms up...but the room as a whole doesn't. They recommend to put a fan on too that has the option to change blades rotation (pulling air up or pushing it down), so for winter you want it pulling the warm air up so it distributes the heat in the whole room...

Panel will have exactly the same issue.

Also, you don't need to pull warm air up. It does that by default.

For the record, I've bought a small thermostatically-controlled fan heater for our kid's room. Blowing warm air ftw.

[AstroTurf]

Ok lekker..seems panel is a not go then!

Just read now that oil heaters are bad at distributing the heat in a room...so the area near the heater warms up...but the room as a whole doesn't. They recommend to put a fan on too that has the option to change blades rotation (pulling air up or pushing it down), so for winter you want it pulling the warm air up so it distributes the heat in the whole room...

We just put ours at the door.

The cold air coming in under the door moves the hot air inside the room around plenty.

[ClintX]

Buy the kid some more blankets, from what I have heard the wattage on those is 0W

Or get him some of these which my GF makes and sells :

[CrazyFig]

Thanks for the replies!

Yeah if my son didnt toss off his blanket when he sleeps and move around like he does...the blanket might work. So we land up dressing him in layers, think a bigger heater is needed....lovely!

[Ockie]

I have read some reviews about Econo-heat panel heaters. Some people swear by them...others hate them and say its useless. I dont know who or what to believe. I am thinking of getting myself one of their new low voltage electric blankets. No one seems to stock it though.

[ShaunSA]

Ockie! I can just picture you in of of those flutterby Angelbugz PJ's!

[Ockie]

Ockie! I can just picture you in of of those flutterby Angelbugz PJ's!

I often sleep naked. Picture me now!