How to choose a heater

heat in the home or in the workplace - one of the main conditions for a comfortable stay and quality of productive operation with a minimum purchase probability of colds.Very well, if such a microclimate ensures an efficient heating system.Often, however, there are situations that require temporary or even on a sustained basis, the use of other heat sources.

In this case, the aid will come heaters.These simple in its principle, the device is not particularly expensive, but at the same time - very efficient appliances can very quickly bring the room temperature to the desired comfort level.So very many families like the heater is always kept in working condition, at the right time to come to the rescue of the owners.And those who have it not yet, probably more than once thought about the need for such an acquisition.They addressed and this publication, which will tell you how to choose a heater, so that it fully meets the needs of potential owners - on the overall performance, operating security, ease of use and, of course - in value.

basic unit heater.Applications of devices

Any heater, regardless of the level of complexity of the instrument and equipment of additional features, has four main elements:

• housing (item 1.), which are arranged all the other components and mechanisms heater.
• heating element (pos. 2), which converts electrical energy into heat and transmits it passing through the air flow.
• supercharger air - the fan of a particular type (item 3.), Which provides the forced movement of the cold air flow from the room through the heating element, and then, after the heat - back into the room.
• control unit (item 4). - From the most simple, the type of toggle switch on and power off, to multifunctional, including a number of useful options.

Simple unit heaters determines their most affordable price and the widest popularity.

• Such heaters keep the houses in "reserve" in case of sudden failures of basic systems of heating.Very often they become popular during the "off season", for example, in the case of early onset of cold weather in the autumn, before the start of the common cold season, or vice versa, when the spring "whims" of weather.In addition, it occurs in the winter cold days so that the radiators simply can not cope with the task in full, and they have the support of the fan heater.
• they become irreplaceable for the periodic visits to the country house.While running Heating will overcome his inherent inertia and go into the normal operating mode, you can warm up with a compact and mobile appliance.Well, if you "visit" the short-term, it will allow the heater does not run a fixed heating system.

• Most heaters can be found in workplaces, particularly where a steady stream of visitors makes the heating system to maintain optimum air temperature.Often resorted to the installation of stationary devices, such as a ceiling or wall mounting, which themselves act as the main and constant source of heat.

• often resort to the help and heaters lovers agricultural work, for example, to maintain the desired temperature in small greenhouses during the unstable spring weather, the sudden drooping cold threateneddestroy the flowers or seedlings hatched.

• site Another specific scope - during the repair or finishing some owners using heaters are trying to accelerate the timing of certain manufacturing operations - plastering, Shpatlevanie, painting and so on.P.

In short, such a useful device as a heater, the work always will be found.The main thing - the right to choose his basic criteria.

Criteria for choosing an electric heater

type of heating element.

All existing models of heaters on this parameter can be divided into three groups.

• instruments with spiral heating.
• heaters with tubular heaters - heating elements.
• Fans with ceramic heating element.

fans with a spiral heating

This species belongs to the category of the most inexpensive devices.In such air fan heaters heated by passing through a spiral made of metal alloy with high electrical resistance (typically Nichrome wire is used).The spiral can be wound as a ring on the base refractory and is opened by holding its shape due to the special configuration of coils.

When the coil is heated to very high temperatures - sometimes almost to a thousand degrees, a red glow.On the one hand, it would seem - well, provides effective heat transfer from the device is passed through the air flow.However, the disadvantages of this arrangement much more:

• There is a probability of occurrence of flames, if, for example, in the unit air flow will delay the big dust bunny or a fragment of paper.
• open helix in contact with air, is always significantly less than in the enclosed envelope, as it happens in TENah.
• Open spiral - it nezaizolirovanny conductor through which during operation an alternating current flows with life-threatening voltage of 220 V. The careless contact with it (for example, uncontrolled children's games) can result in electrocution.

• A lot of talk is that the spiral "burn oxygen."This is certainly not the case - there is no open flame and heat is only a resistive framework for this participation of oxygen, of course, is not required.But, perhaps, no one will dispute that the atmosphere in the room after a long work of this heater is still far from ideal - the person may appear dry mouth, and sometimes even headaches.
• Any heater at work carries considerable weight of dust suspended in the air.Fall sometimes the air stream and small insects.The inevitable combustion of organic matter such an open spiral is accompanied by a very unpleasant smell, which is felt particularly when starting the machine after long-term storage.

So, only, perhaps, the dignity of devices with an open spiral is low price.

Electric heaters with heating elements

TEN- is, in fact, the same spiral, but enclosed in a tubular casing which is filled with dry loose filler - quartz sand or manganese oxide.Filling and acts as an insulator and as a heat transfer unit, evenly distributing heat on the outer metal or quartz shell.

The security spiral significantly increases the level of electrical and fire safety device.The heating element is much longer.Temperature heating element during operation is rarely more than 500 degrees - for efficient airflow heat that would be enough, but the effect of dust stick is not so pronounced.

To improve heat transfer efficiency is passed through the unit air heating elements often "dressed" in a special heat exchanger "shirt" with fins to increase the total contact area.So, if such a device is selected, it is also necessary to pay attention to - the heating elements to the heat transfer plates are efficiently and economically.

heaters with tubular heating elements often have high capacity and are usually used to heat the volume of production or premises or in the performance of construction work.household-level model with a heater almost never occur.However, there is no clear dividing line - sometimes for domestic needs may require higher capacity of 2.5 - 3 kW, which is already rather be called "heat gun".

devices with ceramic heating element

most perfect at the moment considered fan heaters with ceramic heating element.They are easy to distinguish even externally - noticeable from the front of the heat exchange element has a distinct cellular (honeycomb) structure is somewhat similar to a car radiator.

where energy conversion principle is slightly different: using semiconductor elements - PTC resistors enclosed in a ceramic shell in the form of long plates and heat exchanger grill most often made of thin corrugated aluminum having excellent conductive qualities.

Semiconductor components are rarely heated above 150 degrees, which is predetermined by their high safety during operation.In addition, these heaters and the most economical.The fact is that PTC resistors are interesting property of increasing resistance with increasing temperature, until complete "blocking".Thus, the heating temperature increases the energy consumption on each of the elements is reduced - the principle of self-triggered.And this is - and savings to popular power, and more smooth operation of the instrument, reducing the cycling on and off, so - and himself a heater, fan, and thermal equipment will last much longer.

The only significant disadvantage of fan heaters with ceramic heating element can be called their price - it is usually significantly higher than that of models with spiral.

The conclusion: in terms of the economy itself buying leads Heat fan with spiral.But if resources permit, it is advisable, especially not hesitate to buy the unit with ceramic heating element, as it is both safer and more comfortable to use.Well spent money on it soon acquitted himself trouble-free operation and economical expenditure of electricity.

Fan type

distinguish between these heating devices and by type, in fact, the air blower - fan.

Naturally, all used actuator (its consumption of energy from the crowd - not great).But the impeller blades may vary.

• Axial fans - the most common.Mounted on the drive axle with the impeller vanes having a specific angle of attack during rotation which create airflow.The flow direction in this case always coincides with the drive axis.

This scheme is very simple in its design, so in portable fan heaters and heat guns used most often - does not require the creation of any ducts or flow guide ducts.The downside can be called increased noise.

When choosing a device with this type of fan preference, if possible, should give a model with metal blades - they are more reliable and durable.

• Some compact heaters that have squat horizontal "flat" layout of the body, mounted centrifugal fans.

They have - an entirely different impeller having a cylindrical shape with parallel blades mounted around the circumference.Air injection when this scheme is achieved by creating a centrifugal acceleration.Fence made normally on, coaxially with the rotation of the wheel, and the output is held in the heated flow perpendicular direction.

scheme is very effective, and with good balancing wheels and lubricated bearings, this fan does not produce a lot of noise, and the generated flow is much smoother than that of conventional blades.

• Finally, the most productive and "quiet" work is tangential fans.

They always have a characteristic elongated cylindrical shape due to the special structure of the impeller (turbine).Naturally, it predetermines the scope of their use - tangential fans are usually mounted on a stationary wall or ceiling or floor model heaters column type.

Variety heaters - thermal curtains

The same tangential fans and put on most of the models of this particular variety of HVAC equipment.How are curtains for doors , and that should be considered when selecting and installing - in a special publication of our portal.

Tangential fans are characterized by high performance, even when the drive is not the greatest speeds and low noise levels in the work - they are almost unheard of.

type fans are installed depends on the size and general layout of the model, so that this issue is not particularly "run away" from the options.However, if you come across two similar models, for example, column type, with one or two axial fans in one, and tangential - in the other, the preference is still wiser to give exactly tangential.In any case, to clarify the issue never hurts.

Not so long ago went on sale the amazing new items - without paddles heaters.However, the case is not yet completely studied and tested, and give advice on the acquisition of such equipment difficult.And the cost of such models is that goes beyond reasonable limits.

type heater performance

different models of heaters - a great many, but they can be divided into several groups according to the type of the device performance.

• compact tabletop heaters, as already mentioned, can be vertical or horizontal design.