Electric Heater for Attic Storage Room

cnoc

What would be the most efficient electric heater for occasional use in an attic storage room. The attic is fully insulated and I would like to heat it from time to time.

2011

cnoc wrote: »

What would be the most efficient electric heater for occasional use in an attic storage room. The attic is fully insulated and I would like to heat it from time to time.

All electric heaters are 100% efficient.

cnoc

2011 wrote: »

All electric heaters are 100% efficient.

2011

As it is a storage room I assume that it is infrequently occupied, therefore I suggest you select a heater type that is unlikely to se anything alight. An example of this is an oil filled radiator type of electric heater.

cnoc

2011 wrote: »

As it is a storage room I assume that it is infrequently occupied, therefore I suggest you select a heater type that is unlikely to se anything alight. An example of this is an oil filled radiator type of electric heater.

Is this type of radiator heavy on electricity? Are they slow to heat a room? Thanks.

Subtle

cnoc wrote: »

Is this type of radiator heavy on electricity? Are they slow to heat a room? Thanks.

All electric heaters are really 100% efficient, seriously! My advice is that if it's for use when you're in the room, then you can't beat a simple fan heater. You can get one of these for close to a tender. The great thing about them is that they circulate the heated air very quickly, unlike a standard convection heater.

Edit: In case there's a smartie pants out there, obviously a fan heater uses a bit of electricity for the fan itself but this is small in the scheme of things!

2011

Subtle wrote: »

All electric heaters are really 100% efficient, seriously!

Yes, see link.

From the above link:

Electric resistance heating is 100% energy efficient in the sense that all the incoming electric energy is converted to heat.

My advice is that if it's for use when you're in the room, then you can't beat a simple fan heater.

2011

cnoc wrote: »

Is this type of radiator heavy on electricity? Are they slow to heat a room? Thanks.

The more electricity an electric heater consumes the more heat it provides to the room. Obviously it will consume less if you turn it down however this may mean that the room is not sufficiently heated. Any electric heater that consumes a given amount of power within a given timeframe will cost the same to run and will provide the same amount of heat output.

Subtle

2011 wrote: »

Yes, see link.

From the above link:

Electric resistance heating is 100% energy efficient in the sense that all the incoming electric energy is converted to heat.

I agree, I was trying to emphasise the point Sorry if I caused confusion - I just know people who have swapped out one type of wall-mounted electric heater for another on the basis that they believe that the newer type is more efficient and will save them money!! Pure madness...

Alun

Subtle wrote: »

Edit: In case there's a smartie pants out there, obviously a fan heater uses a bit of electricity for the fan itself but this is small in the scheme of things!

The friction created by the movement of air molecules caused by the fan, plus any friction or electrical losses in the motor all result in heat anyway, so it doesn't matter.

Rubberchikken

We have an oil filled radiator. Electric. Cost 70 euro approx last winter. Find it very efficient and easy on electricity.

2011

Subtle wrote: »

I agree

Good, thanks for the clarification.
Your 1st post on this thread could easily be interpreted differently.

Bruthal

Alun wrote: »

The friction created by the movement of air molecules caused by the fan, plus any friction or electrical losses in the motor all result in heat anyway, so it doesn't matter.

How does the fan rotate then, if all the energy it uses turns to heat?

Alun

Bruthal wrote: »

How does the fan rotate then, if all the energy it uses turns to heat?

All energy decays to heat eventually. While the fan motor is operating clearly some of the input energy is being stored in the form of kinetic energy in the motor/ fan ... some energy is being lost in friction, some in electrical losses, some is used to move air around which causes friction between air molecules which generates heat, even some noise which is also nothing more than moving air molecules around which also eventually becomes heat etc. etc.

But when you switch it off and the fan grids to a halt, any electrical energy that's been put into the whole system will all ultimately have turned to heat, there's no other form for it to turn into.

Subtle

Can we stop the over-analysis of energy losses from fans?! At the end if the day, there are losses but these are negligible and that's the important thing. No point splitting hairs over something irrelevant...

But something that is relevant is the obsession there seems to be in this country with oil filled rads. Personally, I hate them. They're awkward to move around, often make crackling noises when heating up, tend to leak after a few years and still give off the same heat as any other type of heater (bar, halogen, convection, fan heater). They're all generally switchable between 1kW and 2kW output.

There's 'good heat' off any type of electric heater, but the cost of running them depends totally on the amount of usage which depends on how cold the room is to begin with and how well it holds the heat. The cost of heating depends on these variables.

Bruthal

Subtle wrote: »

Can we stop the over-analysis of energy losses from fans?! At the end if the day, there are losses but these are negligible and that's the important thing. No point splitting hairs over something irrelevant...

But something that is relevant is the obsession there seems to be in this country with oil filled rads. Personally, I hate them. They're awkward to move around, often make crackling noises when heating up, tend to leak after a few years and still give off the same heat as any other type of heater (bar, halogen, convection, fan heater). They're all generally switchable between 1kW and 2kW output.

There's 'good heat' off any type of electric heater, but the cost of running them depends totally on the amount of usage which depends on how cold the room is to begin with and how well it holds the heat. The cost of heating depends on these variables.

Oil filled may be awkward to move around, but they can be moved around. The oil allows a completely encased element, which might have some benefits over an exposed one, and make them more suitable to being a heater on wheels. You could always try a 2kw fan if that doesn't work.

2011

Subtle wrote: »

But something that is relevant is the obsession there seems to be in this country with oil filled rads. Personally, I hate them.

I don't like any electric heaters, but my favourite type is the oil filled type. The reason is that the heat is the more pleasant. It isn't the dry type of heat that can come from convector types of heaters. It is the closest to "real" radiators. Also they are also safer than most as the element is encapsulated. No unpleasant smells either (which can not be said for all electric heaters).

Tails142

Oil filled radiators are good if there are pets around. Had a cat rub up against a halogen heater and start to smoke.

Fan heaters and convection a bit risky with kids around putting blankets on them blocking them etc

For an attic that you just wanted heated while you're up there a good choice might be halogen, heat is radiant so you will feel the heat from it as it shines on you, the other types you will need to heat the air before you really feel the benefit. The light from it may also be a plus. I wouldn't leave it unattended though if you're thinking of that application, if you were I would go with an oil filled type, they're also now selling 'oil free' in the same style.

cnoc

Thank you all for your input on this thread.

flaneur

One thing to remember is that you are trying to heat the air, not surfaces.

Electric heaters may well be 100% efficient in the sense that they turn pretty much all the input the energy into heat, but they may output that either as radiated infrared (glowing radiant heaters) or mostly as hot air (fan heaters, convector heaters and oil radiators).

Ironically, radiators don't actually radiate much heat at all, they actually heat air that's convected. A convector would be a more accurate term.

If you want to efficiently and safely heat a room, you need to heat the air, not radiate IR onto surfaces. So, you're best to use something like an oil filled convecting radiator.

Radiant heaters will heat whatever object is standing in front of them. You'll feel warm if you're in their path, but they don't really heat the room very evenly and may actually lose heat by directly heating walls and surfaces that just seep it into the outside.

OkeyDoke12

Moved into a house with a open plan kitchen and living room. There is only 2 radiators in the room and it gets quite nippy.

Would this be of any use?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Portable-Fan-Heater-Oscillating-Overheating/dp/B075SWD28L/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?ie=UTF8&qid=1514747258&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=electric+heater&psc=1

Stoner

Bit Mickey mouse IMO

You'd want a wall mounted unit with a stat, wired from a 13 amp switched spur with a flexed out let

The dimplex units that have oil to hold the heat are good