Graphite indoor space heaters.

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Today, I noticed for the first time, an indoor space heater that apparently uses graphite as the heating element.

I didn't know that anything like this existed. I've not been able to find a BTU rating (and there might be a reason for that), only that they pull 420 watts. I read through an online copy of the owner's manual, and no BTU rating was mentioned. Also a bit leery about how hot this thing may get, as the owner's manual states that it needs to be at least three feet away from everything in every direction.

Another claim is that they are at full heat in .2 seconds. And they're not cheap, around $100.

Anyone have any experience with one of these?

Here's an example of one at an easy source. https://www.amazon.com/Sengoku-HeatMate-MH-G420A-Graphite-Champagne/dp/B07ZQSXS4V
 
Technically all electrical heaters are 100% efficient. Different ones like the oil heat heaters may retain heat longer. So normally the most you ever see is about 1500 watts from an electric heater because that's about as much as you can pull from a 15 amp outlet. So those $20 heaters put out as much heat as a $100 one....

They are always considered a fire hazard. Cloths catch on fire, old overloaded electrical wires etc. Lots of fires result from space heaters. My advice is not to use it. You don't hear too many stories of houses going up in flames from the heating system, just not that common.
 
  • COST EFFECTIVE: Get more heat from less wattage with this electric heater
Nope, like Wolf said above.

My dad had a space heater like this, it had what looked like toaster element wire strung in front of a reflector. It did radiate heat nearly instantly, so I felt warm nearly as quickly. The fan forced ones heat the whole room slowly.
 
Technically all electrical heaters are 100% efficient. Different ones like the oil heat heaters may retain heat longer. So normally the most you ever see is about 1500 watts from an electric heater because that's about as much as you can pull from a 15 amp outlet. So those $20 heaters put out as much heat as a $100 one....

They are always considered a fire hazard. Cloths catch on fire, old overloaded electrical wires etc. Lots of fires result from space heaters. My advice is not to use it. You don't hear too many stories of houses going up in flames from the heating system, just not that common.
Like anything electrical some common sense is needed when using them, any appliance can cause a fire if the cord is damaged or frayed. It's up to the end user to use common sense and follow the directions. I've use space heaters in Mexico city because there is no heat in the building we lived in. I didnt put it next to the bed or a pile of laundry, kept the heater on a glass coffee table that had nothing on it and didnt use an extension cord. Sometimes u gotta use that mushy thing between your ears.
 
Well it's not as if every place burns down that has them. About 25,000 fires from electric heaters every year. Basically if the heater is drawing 1500 watts, it's probably not on a dedicated 15 amp circuit and a bedroom probably has a bunch of other items plugged into the same outlet so it's drawing the full rated load not 80% which is safer. That's why they have arc fault breakers now to detect electrical faults in the bedroom.


 
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1,000 Watts = 3412.14 BTU

3412.14 X 0.420 = 1,433.0988 BTUs

So if it uses 420 Watts it will produce 1,433 BTUs

This is a small electric heater by anyones standard. And the .2 second response time to producing heat after it is turned on is a meaningless way of selling it.

Sure an oil filled radiator style electric heater will take several minutes before it gives off its maximum continuous heating. So what?

If you want fast heating after you turn it on, then get any low cost electric heater with a fan.

You can find electric heaters that produce much more heat than that 420 Watt unit will make at Walmart any day of the heating season for less than $30 and may often find them for less than $20. Usually they have two settings, a low that usually is around 1000 Watts (3412 BTUs) (which by the way means it will produce more than twice the amount of hear that your way overpriced 420 Watt heater makes), and a high which usually is around 1500 Watts (5,118 BTUs). Some of these low cost heaters at Walmart that are made of plastic will produce a plastic smell when used on the high setting. So just use them on low, and you will still have a heater that makes more than twice the heat of your way overpriced 420 Watt heater, and it cost a lot less. If you need more heat than that buy a second one and also run it on low but connect it to a plug that is on a different circuit-breaker.

The efficiency of electric heaters is always 100%. It does not matter if the resistive heating element is made of nichrome wire, or some kind of ceramic, or graphite. For every one Watt of electricity into it and you get one Watts worth of heat 3.41214 BTUs out of it regardless of what material was used.

The only thing that graphite heater does that the other heaters do not do is that it takes much more money out of your pocket.
 
Like anything electrical some common sense is needed when using them, any appliance can cause a fire if the cord is damaged or frayed. It's up to the end user to use common sense and follow the directions. I've use space heaters in Mexico city because there is no heat in the building we lived in. I didnt put it next to the bed or a pile of laundry, kept the heater on a glass coffee table that had nothing on it and didnt use an extension cord. Sometimes u gotta use that mushy thing between your ears.


Most fires caused by space heaters are due to a lack of common sense. Heaters on extension cords even though they have a tag right on the heater cord that says don’t do that. Too close to flammable objects is another example.

As you mention, some people don’t stop and think anymore.
 
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