[Jays1983]

Originally Posted by Mercedes-Benz

There is no such thing as a "Better space heater" in terms of how well it converts electrical energy into heat energy. 1,500 Watts of BTU heat will always equal 1,500 Watts of BTU heat. Sure different space heaters will distribute the heat differently and use different methods like radiant vs convection but the end result is the exact same thing.

When shopping for a space heater read the labels on the back. 90% of them will say 1,500 watts maximum. The other 10% only go up to around 600 watts or 900 watts.

The reason why some people are saving money using their electric space heaters is because they are doing so wisely. They are heating a small space. Their gas heaters are inefficient. Their house is huge compared to the area sectioned off to their bedroom. Also their utility company might charge them a whole let less for 1 kilowatt of electricity vs someone living in a different part of the country. Same with natural gas prices and home heating oil prices.

You should take more science and physics classes. Even I know this stuff and I didn't graduate from college.

Not true, radiant heating is more efficient than convection when in small spaces. Convection circulates the air while radiant heats areas within its line of sight range, thus not needing to circulate heated air within that space. Infrared radiant heat isn't exactly quantified as an equal like you would believe.

There is also a difference between vented and unvented... the unvented inside a home would demand additional energy to ventilate the air. See, you cannot just generalize these heaters, heater man.

Put that in your heater and smoke it...

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by Mercedes-Benz

There is no such thing as a "Better space heater" in terms of how well it converts electrical energy into heat energy. 1,500 Watts of BTU heat will always equal 1,500 Watts of BTU heat. Sure different space heaters will distribute the heat differently and use different methods like radiant vs convection but the end result is the exact same thing.

When shopping for a space heater read the labels on the back. 90% of them will say 1,500 watts maximum. The other 10% only go up to around 600 watts or 900 watts.

The reason why some people are saving money using their electric space heaters is because they are doing so wisely. They are heating a small space. Their gas heaters are inefficient. Their house is huge compared to the area sectioned off to their bedroom. Also their utility company might charge them a whole let less for 1 kilowatt of electricity vs someone living in a different part of the country. Same with natural gas prices and home heating oil prices.

You should take more science and physics classes. Even I know this stuff and I didn't graduate from college.

Did I say there were better heaters "in terms of how they convert electrical energy into heat energy"?

And are you going to deny the fact that some space heaters are better than others?


But hey, knock yourself out Mister Non-College Graduate.

[Mercedes-Benz]

Originally Posted by Omaha Rocks

Did I say there were better heaters "in terms of how they convert electrical energy into heat energy"?

And are you going to deny the fact that some space heaters are better than others?


But hey, knock yourself out Mister Non-College Graduate.

Well. It's a free country. You can believe whatever you want to believe. I'm just sharing some information I had gathered. That's all. I mean no offense to you or your ego.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by Mercedes-Benz

Well. It's a free country. You can believe whatever you want to believe. I'm just sharing some information I had gathered. That's all. I mean no offense to you or your ego.

What does my ego have to do with your inability to read?

[Mercedes-Benz]

Originally Posted by Jays1983

Not true, radiant heating is more efficient than convection when in small spaces. Convection circulates the air while radiant heats areas within its line of sight range, thus not needing to circulate heated air within that space. Infrared radiant heat isn't exactly quantified as an equal like you would believe.

There is also a difference between vented and unvented... the unvented inside a home would demand additional energy to ventilate the air. See, you cannot just generalize these heaters, heater man.

Put that in your heater and smoke it...

So are you saying that a convection heater is less efficient because it needs a fan with an electric motor to vent the heat? If that is what you are saying I don't agree with that statement either. Even if some of that 1,500 watts has to be used to run an electric motor; that energy passing through the motors brushes still gets converted into heat energy. Which is exactly what you would want inside your house on a cold winter day. None of that 1,500 watts gets wasted. Electricity is the most purest form of energy there is.

[Jays1983]

Originally Posted by Mercedes-Benz

So are you saying that a convection heater is less efficient because it needs a fan with an electric motor to vent the heat? If that is what you are saying I don't agree with that statement either. Even if some of that 1,500 watts has to be used to run an electric motor; that energy passing through the motors brushes still gets converted into heat energy. Which is exactly what you would want inside your house on a cold winter day. None of that 1,500 watts gets wasted. Electricity is the most purest form of energy there is.

I was just giving examples of two different forms of space heaters which aren't equal in efficiency mainly because of function. I found it very hard to believe with all the different designs that they are euqualy efficient.

Either way, we are talking about space heaters. This is as far as I can go with this debate. lol

[Mercedes-Benz]

Originally Posted by Omaha Rocks

What does my ego have to do with your inability to read?

Lest I've been mistaken; I've always thought that folks from Omaha were very friendly, warm and inviting. What gives? Maybe all the snow shoveling must be getting on some peoples nerves recently.

I stated what I knew from experience. And someone always has to insult my intelligence. Well, no good deed goes unpunished.

[MATTDAMON]

I think people sometimes get confused about running a furnace, and automatically think that it's less efficient than cooling down your place, and having a space heater going.

Every time you let your house cool way down- your furnace has to run a longer amount of time to compensate for how cold your place is.

I try and keep my place at a cold 65 all the time. Slippers, Hooded sweatshirts.

If I had kids I wouldn't keep my place this cold.


For those of you running electric space heaters and shutting off your furnace... How do you shower and get ready for the day when it's so *$@(% cold???

[Drover]

Originally Posted by MATTDAMON

I think people sometimes get confused about running a furnace, and automatically think that it's less efficient than cooling down your place, and having a space heater going.

Every time you let your house cool way down- your furnace has to run a longer amount of time to compensate for how cold your place is.

Yeah yeah, people keep telling me this, as if I should believe them instead of my own utility bills. As I said before, it takes all of 15 minutes to get my apartment back up to room temperature once it fires back on, so it's not like the furnace struggles mightily to "catch up" or any such nonsense. Maybe it would be different if I had a 4,000sqft McMansion or something. But I don't.

Originally Posted by MATTDAMON

For those of you running electric space heaters and shutting off your furnace... How do you shower and get ready for the day when it's so *$@(% cold???

Modern thermostats have timers. You set it to turn on right before you get up.

[MATTDAMON]

Originally Posted by Drover

Yeah yeah, people keep telling me this, as if I should believe them instead of my own utility bills. As I said before, it takes all of 15 minutes to get my apartment back up to room temperature once it fires back on, so it's not like the furnace struggles mightily to "catch up" or any such nonsense. Maybe it would be different if I had a 4,000sqft McMansion or something. But I don't.



Modern thermostats have timers. You set it to turn on right before you get up.

Some of us live in 100 year old buildings. Furthermore - I looked at your profile and noticed you are from California.

Do you even know what it's like to live in a climate that dips into the -30s? I have lived in Omaha, Duluth, and Ann Arbor Michigan and for some reason I **** you not - Omaha seems to be the coldest the most often.