When choosing a home heating system, it is important to choose the right devices that quickly and efficiently heat the air in the premises. Modern electric heating convectors are devices aimed at maintaining a comfortable temperature in a house or apartment.
They greatly facilitate the work of traditional heating systems, and in certain cases can even completely replace them.
In this article, we will talk about the principles of operation of convectors, share the secrets of choosing equipment and give a small rating of the best devices according to users.
The operation of the device is based on the convection process associated with a known physical phenomenon: when heated, the air density decreases, as a result of which it expands and rises.
The name convector comes from the Latin convectio - "transfer". The process consists of a constant movement of air flows: the cold one settles down, and the warm one rises to the ceiling.
The design of all types of electric convectors is extremely elementary. The main parts of the device are the body and the heating unit, located in the lower part of the casing.
Cold air enters the holes, which are located at the bottom of the device. When passing next to the heater, the temperature of the air flow rises, due to which it rushes upwards, where there are outlet holes made at a slight slope.
Rating of electric convectors for heating
Participants of specialized forums made a rating of electrical appliances, taking into account the main parameters and features of operation.
Electrolux ECH/AG-1500EF
A budget mobile model from a Swedish manufacturer, which attracts with its high efficiency and speed of reaching the operating temperature.
A quality convector model from Electrolux allows you to reach operating temperature in just 80 seconds, effectively heating an average-sized room
The advantages also include a system of protective screens and the absence of air drying. The disadvantages of the device include a simple design and a small heating area.
Timberk TEC PS1 LE 1500 IN
A convenient high-quality device manufactured by a well-known international holding, whose subdivisions are located in Europe and Asia.
Inexpensive mobile model on wheels has two heating modes (one of them is economical), high technical characteristics, as well as many additional functions:
- large area heating element;
- high-precision electronic thermostat;
- on/off timer;
- the ability to connect accessories;
- air ionizer.
The shortcomings noticed by consumers are inexpressive, according to some, design and sound effects (clicks) that are heard when the device is turned on and off.
Noirot Spot E-3 1000
The wall-mounted convector made in France has a pleasant design, affordable price, high efficiency, and a wide range of settings.
The device has protection against overheating, a large amount of memory that allows you to restore the settings in the event of a sudden power outage, as well as a special system that counteracts power surges in the network.
Among the weaknesses were noted tight mode switch and not too long cord.
Nobo C4F 20 XSC
Wall model from the Norwegian manufacturer. It has instant heating, is able to heat large areas, which will please the owners of large rooms.
The device, which has a nice design, has an overheating protection sensor, mechanical regulation of parameters with the ability to set the exact temperature, and ergonomic mounts that allow you to tilt the device.
The convector has almost no drawbacks, except for the price, which is quite high.
Scoole SC HT HM1 1000W
Electric portable convector made in Norway has an attractive design. A small model at a budget price is a fairly powerful device that can instantly heat a medium-sized room.
The Scoole mobile model is distinguished not only by its bright color, but also by its good performance. The mikathermic heating element guarantees sufficient power and high heating speed, and the mechanical thermostat features precise control.
The disadvantages include significant power consumption, which increases operating costs.
Ballu ENZO BEC/EZMR 2000
The Russian-made model with a monolithic heater has a democratic cost, but at the same time it has high technical characteristics.
The convector, capable of quickly heating a room of 21-25 square meters, has an electronic thermostat, two modes of heat transfer, one of which saves electric current, protection against overheating and overturning.
There are also two options for fixing (the kit includes fasteners for wall fixing and wheels for floor use), a control unit with backlight and a temperature step of 1 degree.
Important pluses are also comfortable uniform convection, the presence of a shutdown timer, the ability to program modes.
Among the weaknesses, users distinguish between a not too long cord and insufficiently strong wheels.
Conclusions and useful video on the topic
The video contains material on the criteria according to which a high-quality electric heating convector is selected, as well as information on the most popular brands:
Modern models of electric convectors allow you to solve the problem of maintaining a comfortable temperature in the rooms. A properly selected device combines fast heating time, high power and energy-saving technologies, as well as comfort in operation.
Convectors running on gas, as well as electric heating batteries, have gained great popularity due to ease of maintenance, trouble-free operation, and rapid heating of room air. The work of convectors is to mix warm air with cold air. The warm stream, rising, involves a cold air stream into the convector.
Some people think that convector heating is not able to evenly heat the room, but this opinion is erroneous, since the constant passage of air through the convector heat exchanger gives uniform heating of the room.
Electrical appliances operating on the principle of ultraviolet and heat only those objects that fall within the range of the electrical appliance. The rest of the room remains cold. This makes uniform heating difficult.
Wall-mounted electric radiators, warming up the air, makes it circulate, evenly distributing the indoor temperature. The air mass passes through the heat exchanger naturally, by means of convection. In terms of air heating in the convector room, they lose only to fan heaters. But it is worth considering such an advantage as the noiselessness of convectors.
The indisputable advantage of the convector, before, is the absence of a coolant, which, when frozen, can break radiators, pipes and even a boiler.
When using convector heating, you need to consider:
- insulation of an apartment or house, this increases, preventing the resulting heat from escaping into the atmosphere;
- the power of the convector should be at least one kilowatt per ten square meters;
- installation must be carried out under the windows, to cut off the incoming cold air.
Electric convector
Electric heating convectors are equipped with adjustable thermostats.
Mechanical are regulated by divisions, they need to be adjusted independently. Electronic thermostats monitor the room temperature, operate strictly in the specified mode.
Currently, gas and wall-mounted electric radiators are on sale. The types of power supply affect the installation of the convector and its cost.
Electric convectors. Heating batteries
They have several types of heating elements, these are mainly tubular electric heaters (heaters), nichrome spirals, as well as filaments.
Convectors are a working element, which are filaments, have a low cost. But it is difficult to call them completely safe, since the dust that gets on the threads burns. What makes it impossible to use this type in dusty rooms and rooms without ventilation.
A more modern type, working on heating elements, their heating spirals are inside a tube made of steel. The heat exchangers heat up to 60°C. The moment of burning dust in such convectors is excluded. And the life of the unit is a quarter of a century.
High-quality convectors are safe in operation, work for a long time without supervision, are protected from short circuits, overheating, have a shutdown system from high voltage and lightning discharges. High-quality electric heating batteries can be equipped with ionizers and air purifiers.
Modern convectors are equipped with programmers, with which you can program the temperature regime by time of day for a whole week.
So, for example, when installing a multi-tariff electricity meter, convectors will work at night, when electricity is several times cheaper, and during the day they will keep the house warm during the half-peak zone. In the expensive peak zone, electric heating convectors will not consume electricity.
There are even more complicated schemes when all the convectors are connected to the programmer by an electrical network, and an individual program is set for each of them. All this saves electricity bills. For the convenience of adjusting the temperature regime, some models are equipped with remote controls.
gas convector
Gas convectorsThey have the same principle of operation as electric heating convectors. Only the heating of heat exchangers is varied. Connect the convector to the gas pipe using. For operation from liquefied gas, replaceable nozzles are supplied in the kit, the replacement of which does not require much effort.
During the operation of the gas convector, combustion products are brought out into the street through a special pipe. Also, when burning gas, oxygen is needed, respectively, a pipe connected to the convector provides air supply and the removal of combustion products.
Convectors of modern production have programmers that control the mode of operation of convectors. Gas convectors have a high degree of safety.
Automation will turn off the convector when the supply of gas, air is interrupted, as well as when it is impossible to eject combustion products and there is no flame. Gas convectors have the advantage of a cheap energy source, gas.
As we have seen, convector heating has a number of advantages, has gained popularity in our country and abroad. When buying convectors, it is worth considering that high-quality devices will work flawlessly without creating problems for you, so we advise you to purchase only high-quality goods.
In heating systems of residential buildings, heating devices are most often used, which in their work use the principle of convection. There are different types of these devices. The floor convector is installed near window or door openings, plinth and floor units are completely invisible in the interior, and we are used to seeing wall-mounted devices in our apartments or private houses.
Varieties of convectors
Today on sale you can find different types of convectors.
According to the installation method, they are divided into the following types:
- Units for wall mounting are hung on the walls of the room under the window openings. They are fixed on special brackets. When installing the device, it is necessary to observe the normalized distances from the window sill, floor and wall. To improve the heating efficiency behind the appliance, a reflective foil-coated screen is attached to the outer wall.
- The floor convector is popular for its ease of installation. There are stationary models that are installed on the legs that come with the kit and are rigidly screwed to the floor, and mobile devices that can be moved from one place to another.
- Universal heaters can be mounted on the wall of the room or installed on the floor. Modern electric convectors are produced in just such a variety.
- Built-in heaters are mounted in a special niche in the floor. They are usually used in rooms with panoramic windows. The entire design of the device is located inside the floor screed, a decorative grill closes the niche on top.
- Plinth structures are pipes with ribs strung on them, which are installed along the walls along the perimeter of the room, and are closed from above with a compact body.
Depending on the heating method, the following types of heating convectors are distinguished:
- gas;
- water;
- electrical.
To heat the coolant in water-type units, boilers operating on gas, electricity, liquid and solid fuels can be used. In turn, electric and water heating appliances are divided into devices with natural and forced convection (with and without a fan).
Features of floor water convectors
The water floor convector has an elongated body made of galvanized steel. Its length is 100-250 cm. Inside there is a heat exchanger, consisting of one or more pipes. Each pipe has a protective casing. Aluminum plates are strung on copper or brass pipes to improve heat transfer.
Air enters through the holes at the bottom of the appliance, passes through the heat exchanger and heats up. The exit of heated air masses occurs through the holes in the upper part of the housing. The process of heating the air in the room continues continuously while the appliance is in operation. One cycle takes about 15 minutes. These are heaters with natural convection.
Forced convection units have a built-in fan. It increases the efficiency of the device, contributes to the rapid heating of the air in the room. The power of the equipment depends on the speed of rotation of the fan blades.
Advantages of floor convectors:
- compact size and stylish appearance;
- simple installation and maintenance;
- fire safety;
- saving electricity;
- form a thermal curtain near the windows;
- safety due to the low temperature of the coolant;
- impressive service life.
Important! If the device is equipped with a thermostat, you can control the air temperature in the room.
The disadvantages are the incompatibility of convectors with artificial ventilation systems. All convector heating devices cause active circulation of dust in the room. They are not recommended to be mounted in a room with a height of 2.2 m and below, because the convective currents will not have time to cool down.
Electric convectors
An air convector for heating powered by electricity is convenient because it does not need to be connected to gas mains or a water heating system. The device is connected only to the AC mains, can be installed anywhere.
Inside the metal case there is a heating element (TEN). It is placed in an aluminum casing or has welded aluminum plates to increase the heat transfer area.
Advantages of using electric convectors:
- Acceptable cost of the unit is the main advantage. Appliances with a built-in electronic thermostat and fan are a little more expensive.
- Ease of installation and ease of use. The unit can be hung on a wall or placed on the floor anywhere close to a power outlet. If necessary, the heater can be moved to another room.
- The device has a compact size, it works completely silently (this applies only to models without a fan).
- The unit does not require maintenance and permission to install.
The downside is that over time, the efficiency of the device decreases. It consumes a lot of electricity, which is expensive. In a large area, you need to install several devices, which will result in a significant consumption of electricity. It can only be used as an additional source of thermal energy.
Built-in water convectors
Water convectors built into the floor are usually used in rooms with panoramic windows. They consist of a steel body, a heat exchanger, connection and control units, as well as a protective decorative grille. The device itself is installed inside niches in the floor screed. Pipelines for connection are also laid in the screed. The convector with a fan has an increased efficiency, heats the room faster.
A copper, steel or brass tube with a liquid heat carrier circulating inside is used as a heat exchanger. To increase the heat exchange area, aluminum plates are strung on the tube.
Advantages of floor convectors:
- saving space in the room;
- the possibility of installation in a room with panoramic windows;
- devices with a drainage system can be mounted in a room with high humidity;
- compact dimensions;
- safe operation.
The disadvantage is the high price of the unit, as well as its laborious installation. A niche in the floor screed must be made at the stage of its installation, as well as laying pipes. Not in every room it is possible to make a screed of the required height for arranging a niche in it.
Gas units
This kind of convectors can work on the main or liquefied gas. To connect to the highway, you need to obtain permission from the gas service. No permits are required to use bottled gas.
The principle of operation of the device is as follows:
- Inside the combustion chamber is a burner that burns fuel. During the combustion of the gas-air mixture, a lot of thermal energy is released.
- From this heat, the metal case of the device heats up.
- When in contact with a hot body, the air masses heat up and begin to circulate in the room.
There are devices with an open and closed combustion chamber. The first are equipped with a conventional chimney and burn oxygen in the room. The second variety is equipped with a coaxial chimney, so it does not change the characteristics of the air in the house.
The common advantage of all gas units is efficiency. For work they use the cheapest type of fuel. Affordable price and high efficiency are also pluses. The disadvantages include the bulky dimensions of the device, the complexity and laboriousness of installation, the fire hazard of the equipment, as well as the need to make a hole in the outer wall of the house to remove the chimney.
Features of convector heaters with a fan
All types of convectors can be equipped with fans for efficient air circulation in the room. Due to this, the air warms up more quickly and efficiently. A wall-mounted water convector with a fan has the only drawback over its counterpart without forced ventilation - it is a volatile unit, that is, the device requires an electrical connection to operate.
The main disadvantage of all heaters with a fan is that they contribute to the active circulation of dust in the room. This negatively affects the health of children and adults, increasing the frequency of respiratory diseases. Allergy sufferers are especially resistant to these conditions.
Rules for choosing a convector heater
Now let's talk about how to choose a convector. First you need to decide on the purpose of the room, since for places with high humidity you need to buy units made of stainless materials, with protection against condensate collection and drainage devices.
Consider the power of the device and the heated area. In a room up to three meters high with well-insulated enclosing structures, when calculating the power, the rule is followed that for every 10 m² of area, a heater power of 1 kW is needed.
When choosing a water convector, the type of heating system is taken into account - one-pipe or two-pipe, autonomous or centralized. Also pay attention to the material of the heat exchanger. Aluminum pipes are sensitive to the purity of the coolant and its composition, therefore they are suitable only for autonomous systems, and steel heat exchangers are allowed to be used in centralized networks where the quality of the coolant is low.
Important! Observe the operating and test pressure of the water convector. Devices designed for low pressure are used in autonomous networks, and units capable of withstanding pressure up to 12 atm are suitable for centralized systems.
As you can see, each consumer can choose a convector-type heater that will meet the requirements and meet the parameters of the heating system. It is better to entrust the installation of gas convectors to professionals, because this is a fire hazardous equipment. Connect electric convectors only to a working electrical network.
For housing, heating systems are used that differ in the energy carrier used and design. Heating systems for a private house in the form of electric convectors are also popular. How are they different from other heaters?
Heating is the physical process of transferring heat from a hot medium - the heater material - to the cold indoor air in a room. Heat transfer occurs in several ways: radiation, heat conduction and convection. In building heating systems, convection and radiation are relevant, since thermal conductivity in its pure form occurs only when solids come into contact with each other.
During convection, heat is transferred by moving particles of matter; it occurs when warm liquid or gas flows move into a cold environment. Radiation - heat transfer is present during the operation of all types of heating (the larger their area, the more efficiently they radiate heat), but reaches its maximum value in infrared heaters. In other systems, heat transfer occurs by convection and radiation in different proportions. Since in electric convectors the main heat transfer takes place by the phenomenon of convection, and radiation does not play a significant role, they got their name consonant with the process.
Models and types of electric convectors for heating
Electric convectors for heating a private house are produced by many companies. They differ not only in design, but also in the principle of regulation, security and power of heating elements. In general, any electric convector, both for a private house and for other premises, consists of several elements:
- frame;
- heating elements;
- protection and regulation devices;
- air intake and supply grilles.
The main difference is the use of different heating elements and regulators.
There are several types of electric convectors. According to the type of thermostat used, they are:
- with mechanical thermostat;
- with electronic thermostat.
By type of heating element:
- with an open heating element;
- with protected heater.
Depending on the thermostat used, the accuracy of maintaining the temperature varies. Electronic ones are more accurate, but more expensive. In addition, they have more settings and additional functions (for example, a timer).
An open heating element is a needle heater or a spiral in direct contact with air. It is unacceptable to use it at high humidity and the risk of dripping. In a closed heating element, the conductor is protected by a dielectric layer and placed in a radiator (aluminum is most often used).
Comfort when using electric convectors
How safe and effective is it to use electric convectors for heating in a private house? A very common misconception among users is the belief that convectors “burn oxygen” during their operation. This is not true. Use oxygen to maintain combustion only appliances with an open flame: fireplaces, wood stoves, gas convectors and fan heaters. In this case, oxygen from the air is used for a chemical oxidation reaction.
When the heating element of a convector or other electrical device is heated, a chemical reaction does not occur (for example, a filament in an incandescent lamp “burns” even in a vacuum and an inert gas). So the appearance of “safe” electric convectors that do not consume oxygen is an invention of marketers.
Approximately the same story with the confidence of some users that electric heaters dry the air, unlike other appliances. This is also not entirely true. The relative humidity of the air does decrease with heating, but it is not affected in any way by the type of convector. Both when using a water radiator, and in the case of an electric heater, the relative humidity will decrease in the same way at equal air temperatures.
Choosing a convector for a private house
In order to choose a model of an electric convector in a private house, we determine the following characteristics:
- heater power;
- type of heater;
- working conditions;
- place of installation.
Other characteristics of the device depend on your personal preferences (case design, type of fastening, etc.).
First of all, we calculate the required power of the convector. To accurately determine it, the heat loss of the house is found. This takes into account the location of the building, the material of the walls and windows, the climate zone and several other factors. But there is an easier and faster way. For him, you do not need to study textbooks on thermal physics - the calculation of power using a simplified formula. The accuracy of the method allows you to determine the approximate power of heating devices for rooms.
For a private house, the value of heat loss in watts is determined by the formula:
Q = a ⋅ Vsp ⋅ q(tin – tn), where:
- a \u003d 0.54 + 22 / (tv - tn) - coefficient for accounting for the climatic region;
- q = 1.16(((1+2⋅d) ⋅ A + Ssp)/Vsp) – heat loss specific characteristic (W/M3 ⋅ K);
- d is the glazing coefficient, take 0.2–0.3;
- Vzd - the volume of the building, limited by enclosing structures;
- Szd - building area in plan;
- A is the area of the outer walls;
- tv, tn - design temperatures inside the building and outside.
We accept the power of heating devices not less than the total amount of heat loss.
To select a model of an electric convector for each room, we divide the total power by the sum of the areas of the rooms of a private house. According to the obtained specific value, it is easy to find a model of the required heat output in each room. When calculating, keep in mind that corner rooms and rooms with an increased area of external walls and windows require 20-30% more energy consumption.
Sometimes a very simple calculation method is used - 1 kW of heating power per 10m2 of a room, but this method is completely inaccurate and is applicable, rather, for rooms in apartments.
The type of heating element matters only when the convector is installed in damp rooms. In this case, we choose a convector with a closed heating element and a protection class of at least IP24. All convectors are equipped with an overheating sensor and protective automation.
A separate convector is installed in each room.
Features of installation and operation
Electric convectors for heating a private house need proper installation. After choosing a model, we determine the installation location. Heaters work more efficiently when mounted under a window, so the flow of warm air rising from them heats the glass and prevents condensation from accumulating on it. If there is no window in the room, then it is better to hang the convector on the outer wall.
During installation, take into account the minimum distances to building structures and furniture. You will find exact restrictions in the instructions for a specific model. Approximately the following distances should be observed:
- from the floor to the bottom of the device at least 8 cm;
- to side surfaces from 5 cm;
- to the windowsill 12–15 cm;
- from the front panel of the electric convector to the furniture, at least 50 cm.
During installation, all norms for the installation of electrical appliances are taken into account. The heating system is connected to the power board by separate wiring through circuit breakers.