NB. Convector heaters vs oil filled radiators.

Oil filled give a steadier heat but are slower to produce warmth. Convectors are cheaper and more instant. Being electric, both shoud have the same efficiency. I'd go for the oil filled as the convectors make an annoying 'click' every time the thermostat switches over. I've never heard any safety issues with either type.
 
Oilfilled every time, wins over both convector and fan heaters for me as these go cold when they cycle off with the thermostat & the fan also uses more electricity to turn the fan. It's what I've used living aboard for the last two years. LIDL have a good large rad with a fan inbuilt for £40 at the moment...
 
I've got both, convector gives quicker heat and seems to be hotter, rad is gentler and a more pleasant after it has heated up, doesn't seem to dry the air as much.

Subjective view, no measurements to back it up.

Dunelm Mill seem to be doing the best deals on both types. Their timer switches are pretty cheap too.

Boat is unheated at moment as all heaters are warming house after catastrophic boiler failure:mad:
 
Vara said:
I've got both, convector gives quicker heat and seems to be hotter, rad is gentler and a more pleasant after it has heated up, doesn't seem to dry the air as much.

Subjective view, no measurements to back it up.

Dunelm Mill seem to be doing the best deals on both types. Their timer switches are pretty cheap too.

Boat is unheated at moment as all heaters are warming house after catastrophic boiler failure:mad:
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Commiserations. Sounds like you are in for a cold Christmas but not freezing thankfully. I replaced our 'Ideal' with a Worcester Bosch condenser a couple of years ago and have been thrilled with the fuel efficiency although I doubt it will live till 27 like the previous one.
 
Vara said:
all heaters are warming house after catastrophic boiler failure:mad:
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I hope you get that sorted ... the possibility of that happening is one of the things behind looking at getting some electric heating.

The main part of the house is heated by a Baxi Bermuda that was installed pre natural gas days so getting on bit. We had a bit of scare recently when I thought, wrongly, I could smell gas, or at least fumes, in the early hours.
Putting off replacing it by the stories of modern boilers having a life span of only 5 years or so.
Extension has a wall mounted thing and that is over 30 years old too. That played up a few weeks ago but seems OK now.

Don't want fan heaters although we have a couple. The fan seized up in one while I was using it one evening recently. I realised it had stopped, turned round and saw the element glowing orange. Luckily some oil on the bearings has sorted it out.
 
VicS said:
I am looking at getting some additional ( electric) domestic heating

Wondering what are the relative merits of a convector vs an oil filled radiator

For example http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/special_buys3_28469.htm vs http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/lidl_uk/hs.xsl/index_37357.htm.
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Hi VicS

I have had a convector heater now for three years and no problems,(£40 Homebase) most come with a self timer, booster fan and two heat settings.

Only downside you must not cover the top,(to dry wet clothing etc) upside is they heat the cabin quick and are silent in operation!

Mike

Newheaterdetail.jpg
 
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times have changed.. our old convectors have an 8mm element zigzagging through 1/2 metre of boxed space while the more modern equivalent has a finned (possibly oilfilled ) element, offering a greater transfer area per unit.
Traditional oil-filled "radiators" again have a large area but , as already observed, take a bit of time to reach effective operating temperature - this should be remembered when power is removed -it's payback time, at least to a certain extent. I'd go for oilfilled every time (but I haven't owned a ceramic - whatever happened to them?)
 
Electric heaters

Hello Vic as I am sure you know all electric heaters are 100% efficient. Even power wasted to drive a fan ultimately turns into heat. However this is in practice only true if you want to heat the air in a room to a comfortable temperature. Unfortunately hot air rises but it is around the feet that we tend to feel the cold. (perhaps because hot air rises).
If you want to warm a room and keep it warm 24/7 then any heater will do the job. The oil filled types have the advantage of lower surface temperature (larger area) so are safer from children,s fingers or setting fire to anything touching it.
On the other hand. If you start from a cold room a fan type heater can blow hot air around your feet so make you feel warm much quicker even though the rest of the room is very slow to warm up.
A radiator type heater (infrared) can heat your skin and clothes while not at first trying to warm the air.
So both these types can in practice be more efficient for short term immediate warming.
Both of these types might make it possible to be comfortable in a basically cooler room. So less heat lost.
So I would go for a fan heater which directs air out and low rather than the convection type which directs heat straight up to the ceiling.
No that heating is of great concern to us at the moment with a forecast 39 degree max for Christmas day keeping cool is more on the agenda. Happy Christmas olewill
 
Both those are convector heaters ( ??) in that the air is distributed by convection (?)
I would have thought that, especially on a boat, a fan heater blowing warm air ( initially) along the floor and then using convection to distribute the air would be more effective in warming that horrible cold air at foot level.
I take 'on board' the comments about cycling and that noise is another factor.
One oil + one fan?
 
On a previous boat we had a bulkhead mounted Taylors cabin heater. Because it is essentially a convective heater it heated the cabin from the roof lining down. The addition of a relatively small fan above the heater made a world of difference, heating the cabin evenly, right down to foot level.
 
We use 2 x Delonghi oil rads occasionally, they are 4 years old but still smell a bit when in use :confused: I prefer a little fan heater as the heat is instant, it doesn't smell but it is noisy :rolleyes: We have a low power caravan one also which gives off plenty of heat.
 
Referencing only simple fan-free convectors:

Oil filled ones are heavy and will eventually leak oil everywhere.
Plain convector heaters have exposed (ish) elements and could mix poorly with sea water.
Both are silent.
Convectors are simple.
Convectors heat up faster.
Both deliver their heat to the cabin ceiling, not to your feet which stay cold.
Convectors are usually designed to be bolted to a wall
Oil filled rads usually are not.
You can bundle clothes on an oil filled type with (relative) impunity.
You need to use a drying rack, and carefully, with a convector.


Lived aboard with fan heaters and a convector. Fans far better at heating the boat but convectors more civilised, cold sinks notwithstanding.

The convector replaced a gas catalytic heater which would have made a chocolate bessemer converter seem effective.

The Fan heater was replaced with a stupidly dangerous and condensation producing open gas fire (3kw ish ceramic burner a la mobile calor heaters) Brilliant in the real world!

But what could possibly go wr.
 
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Thanks for the comments.

I did say for domestic use ... meaning house, not boat.

Anyway it has more or less been decided that we will get one of each of the Lidl and Aldi offerings.
 
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