efficient space heater solution?

[vshah]

snuggie.

it was made for this.

 

[muskie32]

Get a Amish one, they work great!

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Serious answer.....


Those oil filled radiator heaters work great for an area this size. It takes awhile to warm up but they don't use a ton of energy in the process.

 

[Vette73]

Serious answer.....


Those oil filled radiator heaters work great for an area this size. It takes awhile to warm up but they don't use a ton of energy in the process.

facepalm.

yes they do. They use the same amount as any other electric heater. 1watt is 1watt. You can't get more heat from a watt with a oil heater then a regular fan one.

 

[JoeKing]

sit on a heating pad, seriously they rock in the cold of winter. You can get a pretty good one for $20 and you set the temp to what you want. That and a snuggie/bathrobe and you are set my friend.

 

[Perknose]

If you just want to heat a specific area in a larger room, consider a radiant heater. They're no good for heating a whole room, but work well for targeted heating (you only feel warm if you're standing in front of them as they transfer heat via radiation and not convection) in a small area.

The issue with the basement being a great room while you only use smaller sections of it is going to be a problem no matter what you use though. The air is going to move throughout the room and unless you partition is, any heat in the area you want warm is going to be lost to the remainder of the basement.

ZV

Came in here to recommend this. It won't heat the whole room, nor should you try to make it do so. But place a radiant heater near you and pointed at you and it will spot warm for very little. Get warm, turn it off; get cooler, turn it back on.

This and bundling clothes, blankies, long johns, layered wool socks, snuggies, whatever . . . plus a nice big pot of hot tea kept warm by your side in a cozy and you'll be all set!

http://www.amazon.com/Optimus-H-5210...1236291&sr=1-1

Mine is shaped like a radar dish so it really points the heat at Big Perk. I got mine for $4 at a garage sale, but you can find them at the end of the season for ridiculous discounts at the big box hardware stores, Target, etc.

Oh, hey, here's mine after all: http://www.amazon.com/Optimus-H-4110...ref=pd_sim_k_1

For your purposes (not heating your whole room, even), you don't need, and actually don't want a fan or any convection based unit.

 

[Perknose]

sit on a heating pad, seriously they rock in the cold of winter. You can get a pretty good one for $20 and you set the temp to what you want. That and a snuggie/bathrobe and you are set my friend.

I believe there are health issues regarding cancer and the constant proximity of the electric field with these, which I think is why electric blankets have fallen out of favor.

 

[vi edit]

facepalm.

yes they do. They use the same amount as any other electric heater. 1watt is 1watt. You can't get more heat from a watt with a oil heater then a regular fan one.

I'm probably using the wrong term here, but there's the concept of thermal mass where the oil based heaters retaining the heat longer and requiring less energy to maintain their heat than a simple heater coil.

That's the whole point of radiant heat in a concrete slab. You bring a giant slab up to temp and it takes very minimal energy after that to maintain it.

 

[Perknose]

I'm probably using the wrong term here, but there's the concept of thermal mass where the oil based heaters retaining the heat longer and requiring less energy to maintain their heat than a simple heater coil.

That's the whole point of radiant heat in a concrete slab. You bring a giant slab up to temp and it takes very minimal energy after that to maintain it.

Yeah, this evens out the delivery of the heat over time, but, if anything, is slightly less efficient overall because of the intermediate transfer involved.

Still a workable and useful real world concept.

 

[Rubycon]

Yeah, this evens out the delivery of the heat over time, but, if anything, is slightly less efficient overall because of the intermediate transfer involved.

Still a workable and useful real world concept.

Efficiency is roughly the same as there is a lag (delay) in heating the medium and then when power is disconnected the medium still gives off heat for a considerable time.

All single phase portable heaters for household use are limited to 1500W resistive which equates to the same 5115 BTU/hour output.

Radiant heaters warm people so the heat is an instant heat. Quartz heaters are one example. Some heaters use a fan which helps warm the surrounding air faster and the glowing element in a reflective box provides radiant comfort. Purely convective heaters like those oil filled radiators are a very poor choice for someone that wants to turn a heater on in a room and be comfortable immediately. Not going to happen!

However if you set it and leave it on the room will get comfortable. These are best in the mind of safety as they don't get anywhere near hot enough to ignite materials and would be safer around children, for example.

 

[mizzou]

Ahh great responses. I think i may pick up a oil based heater at sams club. Normally we just bundle up but there is alot that can be said about being in a nice warm room while watching a movie or surfing the internet.

Its a horribly designed room, l shaped with ONE vent for 650 sq ft of space. The other is in the walled off utility room.

Thermostat is upstairs so it may be 70 up but 65-60 below

 

[borisvodofsky]

My media center is about 15 x.15, always cold. Turning up the heat doesnt seem economic to me to heat up the whole house for.one small alcove.

Anyone ever seen or use a energy efficient space heater? Most ive seen worth buying push well over 1000w, which is too much for me to justify running for a few hours a day or several hours on a weekend.

Get THISS 22 dollars,, only 12 dollars at walmart, saw it yesturday

and This 44 dollars amazon.

It works SOOOO quickly like you won't fucking believe... Ultra quite when the fan is on low.. it can HEAT a whole floor given 45mins..

FUCKING amazing.. it's like reverse heatsink. :biggrin:

 

[Wyndru]

I bought a honeywell oil filled electric radiator for an addition we have that is 16x16. It takes a bit to heat up fully (about an hour), but it retains heat well and doesn't seem to click on and off as often as other space heaters I use. It also seems to be more of a thorough heat rather than a small area with a warm spot. I can even shut the door to the room completely and heat it only with this, and it stays stable at whatever temp I put it at.

 

[borisvodofsky]

I bought a honeywell oil filled electric radiator for an addition we have that is 16x16. It takes a bit to heat up fully (about an hour), but it retains heat well and doesn't seem to click on and off as often as other space heaters I use. It also seems to be more of a thorough heat rather than a small area with a warm spot. I can even shut the door to the room completely and heat it only with this, and it stays stable at whatever temp I put it at.

Put a box fan behind it.. TRUST ME.. it's godly.

 

[Jeff7]

I believe there are health issues regarding cancer and the constant proximity of the electric field with these, which I think is why electric blankets have fallen out of favor.

Really? It's 60Hz though....and lower frequency means longer wavelength, which generally means lower energy photons. 2.4GHz has some people concerned; UV light is verified to cause damage, and it's all the way up in the area of 900THz, thereabouts.
The main thing I've read about electric blankets is them unexpectedly catching fire. (Though really, when does one of them ever expectedly ignite?)

And touch a oscilloscope probe sometime - you're already serving as an antenna for 60Hz EM radiation, among other frequencies.

Quick testing....
Ambient 60Hz pickup to my oscilloscope says I'm picking up about 0.56VAC (rms). With a heating pad on me, and really wrapping my limbs around it to soak up those delightful emanations, the voltage goes to 4.24V. Holding an extension cord in one hand boosted the voltage to 1.70V.
(And putting a hand near a CFL added some noise in the 66kHz range.)

Too bad I don't have any high-voltage lines or substations nearby; I'd love to see the induced voltage that line workers pick up. My guess is that it's going to be many times higher than anything you'd get from a blanket - those people should be getting some freaky kinds of cancer at alarming rates.

And some of what I'm seeing during some top-notch Googling is either scam sites like Mercola.com, or else something like another one that says "Wiring in the home is generally located inside walls; thus there is a barrier between individuals and the origin of the field."
Yes, a barrier that's quite transparent to the longwave (really longwave: ~5,000km wavelength) radio frequencies coming from the wires. Other, more legitimate sites say that a few studies show a link between EMF and cancer; most say there's no link.


I'm leaning strongly toward the idea that the main threats from electric blankets are simple overheating, or catching fire.



Tangent: I'd love for them to restart a project that's been on hold for awhile at work - they've got me doing some work on some hardware and a programmable controller and for a 36kW heater array, for baking painted components. And I really get the idea that we're going to need more than that.

 

[DrPizza]

Electric snuggies or throws. My wife has one & absolutely loves it. Keeps her warm.

I've never seen any credible report that there is any risk whatsoever of cancer from one. If you believe that - then it's up to you to describe by what action it's possible.

edit: I'll put it another way: any reports that the EMF has any cancer causing effect are pure rubbish. It's just nonsense.

 

[vi edit]

Can't say I ever remember hearing about cancer from electric blankets. I always thought the bigger problem was flaming death from them catching your house on fire.

 

[zinfamous]

I believe there are health issues regarding cancer and the constant proximity of the electric field with these, which I think is why electric blankets have fallen out of favor.

we have an electric blanket that we use to pre-heat the bed before sleep. It is off before getting in bed.

though, since getting the memory foam mattress, we haven't used it. I worry that it will make the foam go all wacky koo-koo. It is sensitive to heat, after all...

 

[zinfamous]

Get THISS 22 dollars,, only 12 dollars at walmart, saw it yesturday

and This 44 dollars amazon.

It works SOOOO quickly like you won't fucking believe... Ultra quite when the fan is on low.. it can HEAT a whole floor given 45mins..

FUCKING amazing.. it's like reverse heatsink. :biggrin:

ah damn, we should try that. Had the Delonghi for two years now, haven't broken it out yet this year.

I imagine that is damn effective. but we also have a small gas heater in our wall that keeps us warm enough....sorta.

 

[shortylickens]

For reference the ceramic heaters work better and are much safer than those spring coil heaters.

Also, get one with lots of digital controls so you dont waste heat when you arent at home.

 

[UsandThem]

Get an oil filled space heater. Most heat up using 1500w for about 10 minutes, but then you can adjust the thermostat down and run them on a low setting (600w or so).

http://www.amazon.com/Delonghi-TRD07.../dp/B000A33B1C

 

[vi edit]

I'd just like to see some actual numbers comparing one of those ceramic heaters with a fan vs. an oil heater. As others have said and from my own experience you just plug in the oil heater, set it at a temp you are comfortable at (mine is at the "low" setting with the temp dial at 5) and it is almost balmy in a 350 sq/ft room. After the initial day or two "warm up" it only clicks on a couple times a day to keep things warm. And the whole room is warm. Not just a little place near it.

I want to know how much it costs to run that 24/7 vs one of those ceramic ones with a fan that is constantly on when you want heat blowing at you.

 

[lxskllr]

I'd tend to think the blower type would cost more. They both use the same electricity for the same amount of heat, but a blower will range from too hot,to pretty good. During the too hot period, you're wasting energy. I'd think a lower temperature that's always perfect would be more economical.

 

[vi edit]

I'd tend to think the blower type would cost more. They both use the same electricity for the same amount of heat, but a blower will range from too hot,to pretty good. During the too hot period, you're wasting energy. I'd think a lower temperature that's always perfect would be more economical.

And the other thing is that with the "always on" oil type is that it's not just heating up the air around you for a short time. It's also warming up the walls, floor, furniture, ect that in turn hold in the heat and keep the place warmer between reducing the number of heating cycles it has to do.

 

[Rubycon]

Tangent: I'd love for them to restart a project that's been on hold for awhile at work - they've got me doing some work on some hardware and a programmable controller and for a 36kW heater array, for baking painted components. And I really get the idea that we're going to need more than that.

Induction heater fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ms_81M7irNA

This type of setup is preferred over using an oxyacetylene torch, for example; when a large nut is frozen and needs to be removed.