Today, convector heaters are becoming quite a popular means of additional heating of rooms. These devices are silent, compact and efficient. Suitable for offices, houses and apartments.
In order to choose the best convection heater, you need to carefully study all the advantages and characteristics of the devices.
Structure and operating features of devices
Convector heaters have special operating principles. The device is based on the physical characteristics of the indoor climate. Its concentration depends on the air temperature. Low-temperature air is heavy and concentrates near the floors, while warmer air nears the ceiling.
Wall-mounted convector heaters have special-purpose upper and lower slots for air permeability. The lower openings absorb cold air, and the upper slots release already warmed and light air.
The heating elements are mounted directly into the device body. To increase the efficiency of the equipment, metal of at least 0.8 millimeters is used for housings.
Convector-type heaters are equipped with thermostats for independent regulation of air temperature.
Heating a country house with electric convectors - theory, experience of the portal’s craftsmen
One of the options for organizing the heating system of a country house is the use of autonomous heat sources not connected by a common main line. If previously these were mainly oil radiators, today electric convectors are becoming increasingly common. Among FORUMHOUSE participants, this heating method is also quite popular, not only in dachas where people visit on weekends, but also in permanent residences.
What are convectors
Unlike oil radiators and similar devices, convectors heat the air not only directly around them, but throughout the entire room due to convection - the cyclical movement of cold and warm air masses. Cold air from below enters the device through the lower grille, heats up passing through the heating element, exits through the upper grille and rises to the ceiling, cools down, falls again and enters the heater. Some models also have a fan that forcibly accelerates the circulation process.
Device
The convector is based on a heating element (heating element) of a tubular, needle or monolithic type, located in the lower part of an aluminum or steel body. Despite the fact that the heating element itself can heat up above 100⁰ C, the maximum temperature of the body is 60⁰ C – it’s hot, but does not threaten burns. This feature significantly expands the scope of application: even walls made of timber or logs are not an obstacle to installing the heater. The device is configured and controlled using a mechanical regulator or an electronic display; the mechanical version is less reliable, but cheaper; the electronics are more expensive, but more advanced.
Convectors are characterized by maximum efficiency (about 100%), which is explained by direct heating of air without intermediate energy consumption for heating the coolant.
alex157FORUMHOUSE Member
All devices have efficiency, since you have decided on electric heating, then take into account the losses:
- Electric boiler -> coolant -> wiring -> radiators -> air heating.
- Oil radiator -> coolant -> radiator -> air heating.
- Convector -> air heating.
The choice is yours.
In addition, the heater can also be set to maintain a certain temperature, and it will operate in a given mode, turning on as needed, which significantly reduces energy consumption. During periodic visits to the dacha, the convectors are set to the “anti-freeze” mode (maintaining a minimum air temperature) and “stoked” upon arrival. If we are talking about branded models with programmers, then you can set the temperature increase on a certain day before arrival. There is also the possibility of remote control; it is discussed in detail in the corresponding topic on the forum.
The power of the devices varies over a wide range, which allows you to select a suitable unit based on the capabilities of the network and the square footage or volume of the room. As in the situation with any other heat sources, it is advisable to get 1 kW of heat per 10 m², provided that the house is well insulated.
Varieties
Another advantage of the devices is their versatility - they can be wall-mounted, floor-mounted or even built-in. The latter are less popular and are most often used to create a thermal curtain over the entrance or panoramic windows. Some models of wall-mounted convectors can function as floor-mounted ones if you purchase and install additional legs. They also produce miniature baseboard heaters, the height of which is around 15 cm. Regardless of the type, all modern convectors have a presentable appearance, there are even original, black devices, but the majority are still white. The most common form is a thin, smooth rectangular panel with straight, beveled or rounded corners. The location of the mechanical relay or display varies by manufacturer.
Installation and operation
Consumers are attracted not only by high efficiency, a large selection of modifications and decorative features, but also by ease of installation and maintenance. Even wall-mounted appliances do not require wall slitting and global transformations, but are mounted on ordinary brackets; floor-mounted ones can be moved throughout the house.
Due to the nature of the air intake, it is not recommended to hang convectors too low, unless it is a special model for panoramic windows. First of all, this will entail unnecessary expenses.
AndreyZabolotkyFORUMHOUSE Member
If necessary, you can mount it 10 cm from the floor. It’s just that the lower you hang the convector, the greater the discrepancy between the readings on the convector thermostat and the actual room temperature. The only thing is that there is no need to install it “in the floor” - the air intake from the convectors is implemented from below.
Despite the fact that the power is selected based on the square footage (in country houses - from the volume), it is more effective to use several devices to cover the needs of the room.
AndreyZabolotky
For a room with an area of 20 m², two kilowatt convectors will be more effective - they will work in pairs, and each will be guided by the ambient temperature in its installation zone.
As for control, it’s not a problem to set up two or three convectors, periodically tightening the regulator or setting a program on the display, but when there are more than a dozen of them in different rooms or even on different floors, it’s advisable to try group control.
EnstoBTForumHouse Member
If you need regular group control, then you can connect the convector power line through a contactor of the appropriate rating, a 220 V coil, supplying it with control voltage from a thermostat with the necessary sensors and the necessary control. In the rooms, convectors will maintain the temperature in accordance with the setting on their thermostat.
Since suburban electrical networks are even less likely than urban ones to boast a stable voltage, and convectors, especially those with electronic “filling,” need 220 V for normal operation, and not as much as the socket will squeeze out, it is worth connecting them through stabilizers.
Alexey GlukhovForumHouse Member
A constant problem is that the voltage drop in winter, in cold weather, when everyone turns on powerful boilers, drops below 100 V. Even if there is 150-160 V in the outlet, the convector begins to work worse, the wire and plug get very hot. It turns off less often because it is more difficult to warm up the air with a reduced voltage, that is, it threshes almost constantly. That is why I installed three stabilizers - one per phase, operating from 90 V.
Some models have built-in stabilizers, but they are more expensive than installing an external device on a budget device.
Flaws
Like all other heating options, heating with convectors has its drawbacks. The fact that heating with electricity is one of the most expensive methods has been discussed more than once, but the real costs of heating will depend not only on the price of 1 kW of heat. Considering that convectors do not require the creation of piping, like an electric or solid fuel boiler, the costs of their purchase and installation will be significantly lower. In a well-insulated house, even heating with convectors will not require exorbitant costs, and if there are drafts, you can actually “fly out of the pipe” with gas. To verify the possibility or impossibility of heating with convectors, it is worth making a heat calculation based on your specific conditions, as well as estimating all the costs of creating various systems.
Accusations of convectors burning oxygen are refuted by one of the portal participants involved in their production.
EnstoBT
Electric convectors do not burn oxygen; oxygen does not burn under normal conditions.
But convectors can dry out the air somewhat, lowering the humidity, especially if a powerful device is installed in a small room or has a built-in fan. When you can’t afford a model with a built-in humidifier/ionizer, you can buy an external humidifier and solve the problem as it arises, if you really start to feel dry.
Electric convectors are only one of the options for heating a country house, with its own advantages and disadvantages, but it has a right to exist. The choice is yours.
If you decide to heat with convectors, which manufacturer to choose and why - in the topic on the forum - “Help in selecting convectors...”. Preference for a warm floor - an interesting variety of it - infrared, film or cable, attracts liquid coolant - article about the TP system on the ground. The video talks about built-in convectors in addition to the main heating system.
Positive and negative qualities of devices
Convectors, like any other equipment, have their pros and cons. Positive qualities include:
- Fast room heating
- Silent operation
- Duration of operation
- Safe Operation
- Affordable prices for convector heaters.
Negative qualities:
- Not suitable for heating large areas
- High electricity consumption. Although there are energy-saving convector heaters for home use.
Type of equipment
Many people have a question, what kind of heater to buy? In order to understand this, let's look at the types of devices.
Manufacturers offer the following types of heaters:
Convective infrared heater. Maintains a comfortable temperature and does not dry out the indoor air.
Film wall equipment. This is an electrical insulating film with a heating element. Effective to use, but with a short service life.
Gas heater. Can be used for rooms with a large area. Simple, safe, environmentally friendly and easy to use. For operation, a chimney or hood and a gas source are required.
Water convectors. There are floor-mounted and wall-mounted units. They are safe, convenient and durable to use.
To select the right heater, it is necessary to determine the scope of application of the device for effective operation. Consumer reviews about convector heaters will help you with this.
Installation of heaters
To mount an electric heater to a wall, perform the following steps:
- Remove the device from packaging
- Turn the heater with its back side and remove the fastenings
- The holder must be leaned against the wall and the location for mounting the device must be marked.
- Using additional tools, install the bracket
- Attach the convector to the bracket
- After installation, you can turn on the heater and set the optimal air temperature.
Choosing a convector - nuances
In the bathroom or other rooms with high humidity, heaters with special protection must be installed. Such devices can simultaneously perform the function of a heated towel rail.
In country cottages, garages, sheds, if necessary, install convectors with a frost protection function at a temperature of 5 °C.
If there are animals or children in the house, then it is advisable to buy a device with an automatic shut-off function if it falls (relevant for floor-standing models)
The electrical wiring in the house must be in good working order. It is not recommended to install units with a power of more than 3 kW in residential premises. For safety, it is better to install several devices of lower power.
Convectors should be turned on in enclosed spaces, in the absence of drafts. The exception is devices mounted on the entrance doors of large rooms with fans (at the entrance openings of shopping centers).
The devices are not suitable for use in industrial premises with very high ceilings. Warm air rises, and the air temperature below will be lower.
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You can calculate the characteristics of electric convectors required for heating convectors yourself. For 10 sq.m. The device power required is 1 kW.
Electric convectors can be combined in some models with infrared heating. In this case, not only the air is heated, but also the furnishings.
