Fan heaters vs ceramic/radiator

rustyboy21

Whilst I apprecfiate the science behind what you are giving and do 'Bow' to your superior intellect, we are still not answering the OP question which is why do they feel colder now they are using oil filled radiators, than when they were using fan heaters.

They only rational explanation is that the fan heaters are giving more directional, forceful heat out, which the OP is feeling more than they do from the radiators.

After a period of time, the fan would have heated up enough air to an ambient warm temperature that the fan will then be circulating the warm air around the room better than the convected heat from the radiators.

It is similar to the difference between a radiant gas fire and a convected gas fire. With a radiant one, you just get radiant heat from the flames and glow of the coals. With a convected one you get both the radiant heat and also the heat transferred from the radiant heat to the air bypassed through the rear of the fire to create convected heat.

But if you stand in front of a radiant fire and a convected one, you will feel the heat more on the back of the legs with a radiant one, than a convector one, but the room will be warmer with a convector gas fire, than a radiant gas fire. It is just the Convector gas fire is more efficient at heating and distributing the warm air it has created better than a radiant gas fire would.

Furts

rustyboy21 wrote: »

Whilst I apprecfiate the science behind what you are giving and do 'Bow' to your superior intellect, we are still not answering the OP question which is why do they feel colder now they are using oil filled radiators, than when they were using fan heaters.

They only rational explanation is that the fan heaters are giving more directional, forceful heat out, which the OP is feeling more than they do from the radiators.

After a period of time, the fan would have heated up enough air to an ambient warm temperature that the fan will then be circulating the warm air around the room better than the convected heat from the radiators.

It is similar to the difference between a radiant gas fire and a convected gas fire. With a radiant one, you just get radiant heat from the flames and glow of the coals. With a convected one you get both the radiant heat and also the heat transferred from the radiant heat to the air bypassed through the rear of the fire to create convected heat.

But if you stand in front of a radiant fire and a convected one, you will feel the heat more on the back of the legs with a radiant one, than a convector one, but the room will be warmer with a convector gas fire, than a radiant gas fire. It is just the Convector gas fire is more efficient at heating and distributing the warm air it has created better than a radiant gas fire would.

As I see it OP has largely answered their own question. Last year the fan heaters were 2kW this year the heaters are only 1kW ceramics. That is a huge difference in output. Add to this an oil filled rad that is quite likely highly ineffective - that was the logic behind my post. So this exacerbates matters.

Contrary to Istar337 considered view, it does not matter to consumers whether an oil filled rad thermostat measure the oil temp. All consumers, like me, want is control of the room temp. There is only one dial on the radiators to twist and set, so this should be related to room temp. Unfortunately many of these heaters are engineered down to a cr-p standard. So it is "Buyer Beware" when buying one.

As I stated the DeLonghi models are good, but they cost more than the usual drivel coming out of China.

lstar337

Furts wrote: »

Contrary to Istar337 considered view, it does not matter to consumers whether an oil filled rad thermostat measure the oil temp.

With respect, It can't be contrary to a view I never had or expressed. I only offered an explanation as to why the heater cut out befor the room got up to temp. I have an oil filled rad that has both. It will heat the room and click off, but it can click off before the room is up to temp if the oil gets too hot. This is a safety feature.

Op, chances are that your oil rads are either lower rated than the fan heaters you replaced, or they are not operating correctly. If you want the same level of heat you need to replace like for like.

The question becomes, why did you replace a heating system that seemed to be working for you?

dekaspace

Furts wrote: »

As I see it OP has largely answered their own question. Last year the fan heaters were 2kW this year the heaters are only 1kW ceramics. That is a huge difference in output. Add to this an oil filled rad that is quite likely highly ineffective - that was the logic behind my post. So this exacerbates matters.

Contrary to Istar337 considered view, it does not matter to consumers whether an oil filled rad thermostat measure the oil temp. All consumers, like me, want is control of the room temp. There is only one dial on the radiators to twist and set, so this should be related to room temp. Unfortunately many of these heaters are engineered down to a cr-p standard. So it is "Buyer Beware" when buying one.

As I stated the DeLonghi models are good, but they cost more than the usual drivel coming out of China.

At the same time though whilst things are weaker I use them in different ways,

I used to have a 1.5kw fan heater in kitchen, a 1kw ceramic heater in living room, 2kw in hallway and larger bedroom and 1kw in smaller bedroom both fan heaters.

So thats 7.5kw total and only needed to be put on a hour or two a day three at max.

Now its 6kw total but on for much longer periods.

With both once it reaches a certain point you can leave it off all night unless its a stormy day

And the living room is the most cold, I know its a stormy day but its freezing here with the heaters on but the bedrooms are not too bad and hallway ok.

The annoying thing was that it wasnt a cheap heater it was £30 for a 1.5kw one and it never stays on, I was thinking of changing it to half power to see if its constant but that may not work.

mkw87

rustyboy21 wrote: »

Although everyone says electric is 100% efficient, a convector fire with a fan on it, does use electric to work the fan. This cannot be classed as efficient as all it is doing is pushing the heat source out, it is not creating heat itself, so in effect they are not 100% efficient

Pedantic, but the momentum imparted to the air by the fan will eventually be converted to heat by viscous dissipation, so that's still technically 100% efficient.

rustyboy21

mkw87 wrote: »

Pedantic, but the momentum imparted to the air by the fan will eventually be converted to heat by viscous dissipation, so that's still technically 100% efficient.

Mmmm, Very Pedantic

Furts

dekaspace wrote: »

The annoying thing was that it wasnt a cheap heater it was £30 for a 1.5kw one and it never stays on, I was thinking of changing it to half power to see if its constant but that may not work.

Unfortunately this may be a cheap, poor, quality heater because retail price is not an indication of quality.

My up market Chinese heaters were purchased through the trade and cost around £12+. These would have retailed at £30. However the DeLonghi were available at around £35-55 trade price but are excellent. You pay your money and take your choice!

It is likely that your other heaters are manufactured to a similar standard and they too will have dubious thermostats and control. Consequently it is impossible to say what KW output is really going into your home each day. You could get analitical and start studying your electric meter - but this may be perceived OCD!

missbiggles1

dekaspace wrote: »

Last year I had fan heaters in my flat apart from a ceramic heater in my living room as noticed they warmed the flat up very fast and the heat stuck for hours if not all night.

This year I got a oil filled radiator, and ceramic heaters and yes whilst the fan heaters were 2kw and the ceramic ones 1kw I feel cold all the time even if they are on all day.

If I put the fan heater on in living room for 2 or 3 hours its hot all day, have oil radiator on all day and its cold.

Is this right?

I notice the oil radiator turns on for like 5 minutes at a time and turns itself back off even at max thermostat settting.

If you were satisfied with your heating last year, why did you change it this? What happened to the heaters you used last year?

lstar337

dekaspace wrote: »

The annoying thing was that it wasnt a cheap heater it was £30 for a 1.5kw one and it never stays on, I was thinking of changing it to half power to see if its constant but that may not work.

£30 is pretty cheap for an oil filled radiator. It's about as low as I would go for such a heater.

How long have you had it?

If you feel they are not performing correctly then return them.