3kw Convector or 750w oil filed raditor

amtrakuk

Can I pick you're brains?

Below are theoretical energy consumption figures, forgetting the effect of the thermostat regulating the power consumption on each heater as the room heats up.

At the moment I have a 3Kw wall hung convector heater in my front room. The room is about 12 x 18 x 9ft. Typically on a cold day I would have the convector heater on for about 6 hours a day using 18Kw.

By my calculations I could have a 750w oil filled radiator for 24 hours a day and it would use the same amount of electricity therefor keeping the room warm all the time although it will take drastically longer to heat the room compared with the convector.

As the room comes up to temperature Im guessing both the oil filled radiator and the convection heater will drop their energy usage until both are just "ticking over" keeping the temperature of the room stable.

Is this a experiment someone has already done? Is my theory incorrect?

The reason for this question, although Im happy with the fast heat from the convection heater, last year when using it I had a lovely warm room although a few inches at carpet level was rather cold (cold feet syndrome). I did consider a fan heater but the noise would be an issue especially when trying to watch tele.

Despite making sure all doors, windows and vents were shut there was still a draft coming under the door and up the chimney where a redundant gas fire now sits.

I heard radiators aren't effected by drafts as much as convector heaters as they heat the room more evenly by heating the moisture in the air rather than drying the air as convector heaters are reported to do.

You're comments on my theory would be welcome.

Graham1

Assuming equivalent thermostatic control, you'll use more electricity keeping the room at constant temperature that heating it just during the day

Lookup Fourier's law (rate of heat conduction is proportional to temperature gradient between the inside and outside - so that night-time heating mostly just maintains the temperature difference between the inside and outside, only a small proportion is stored in the warm air inside the room).