Recently, the use of infrared or quartz electric heaters has become a popular way of heating a house or apartment. To determine which of these options to choose, it is worth examining their operating principle, advantages and disadvantages, and compare the devices with each other.
Ceramic Heaters
Principle and features of work
Heat in such devices, as in many electric heaters, is generated by a nichrome wire enclosed in a durable sheath. The back wall of the device is made of metal and is separated from the heater by a heat-insulating screen. The front part is made of a mixture of quartz sand and kaolin clay by pressing and sintering in a thermal furnace. To give an attractive look on the ceramic plate, a textured surface is painted in different colors.
Scheme of the ceramic heater
The result is a durable ceramic layer that transfers heat well from the heating element to the room. The air in contact with the ceramic plate heats up and rises, warming the room. In addition, part of the energy is transferred to the room in the form of infrared radiation, heating the surrounding objects.
Manufacturers strive to give monolithic ceramic heaters an original appearance while observing standard sizes:
- length 60 cm (24 inches);
- height 35 cm (14 inches);
- depth 2.5 cm (1 inch).
The side walls of the heater are enclosed in a metal frame on which the control unit and the power supply cable are located. The temperature regulator can be supplied either built-in or as a separate device. The whole structure is placed on the wall using special brackets, or on the floor - on the stand.
The device can be placed on a wall or on a special stand
Despite the fact that manufacturers indicate the power and energy consumption per day at 2-3 kW, in fact this figure is higher and depends on the duration of its operation.
Advantages and disadvantages
Ceramic heaters have a lot of positive aspects:
- fast heating of rooms;
- ease of installation, self-installation does not present difficulties;
- silent operation due to the absence of moving parts, but the ceramic plate may produce clicks when heated and cooled;
- lack of harmful discharge into the room;
- high moisture resistance, the device can be installed in the bathroom;
- long operation without breakdowns.
The disadvantages of these devices include the following:
- lack of a standard temperature regulator controlling the heating of the panel;
- increased actual energy consumption compared to passport data;
- fragility of the ceramic plate and the impossibility of repair in case of failure of the device;
- high temperature of the heating surface;
- heavy weight ceramic panel;
Ceramic heaters fit perfectly into the interior of the room
Infrared heaters
Principle and features of work
The infrared heater is a metal or plastic case, inside of which are placed glass tubes with nichrome or tungsten spirals.The housing on one side is fully open or made transparent so that infrared radiation from the spirals is transmitted to the room. The tubes are filled with inert gas, which increases the safety of operation and protects against dust on the spirals and extends their life. Behind the tubes there is a mirror reflector directing all the radiation in one direction.
Infrared heater circuit diagram
The operation of the electric heater is controlled by the control panel according to the following algorithm:
- After the heater is turned on, the tungsten filament heats up and begins to radiate heat, which the reflector directs toward the heated room.
- All surfaces that receive infrared radiation from the device heat up and begin to warm the air that is next to them.
- After the temperature in the room rises to a predetermined limit, the built-in thermostat turns off the heater.
- After a little cooling of the air (by 2-3 degrees), the temperature regulator turns on the device again and the cycle repeats.
There is a misconception that infrared lamps work in the same way as bactericidal lamps in a hospital, killing all microorganisms. This is not so - heaters do not create ultraviolet radiation, but work in the opposite part of the visible spectrum - infrared.
Infrared heaters are absolutely safe to use.
Advantages and disadvantages
The main advantages of infrared devices include the following:
- fast heating of rooms;
- uniform distribution of temperature in the room in height;
- silent operation due to the lack of moving parts;
- high environmental friendliness - do not emit harmful substances;
- do not burn oxygen in the room;
- simplicity of installation and operation;
- high reliability and long service life.
The disadvantages of these models include the following factors:
- prolonged exposure to a person causes discomfort;
- high energy costs;
- heating home furnishings causes their accelerated aging or excessive heating;
- during operation, the emitters glow red, which can cause discomfort when used at night.
The diverse design of infrared heaters makes it easy to choose them for the design of the room
Which heater is better
A comparative table will help you choose a model that suits the specific situation:
| Criteria | Infrared heater | Quartz Heater |
| Efficiency | Efficiency <0.95 | Efficiency> 0.95 |
| Surface heating temperature | No more than 70 ° C | Up to 90 ° С |
| Environmental friendliness | High, both models are environmentally friendly | |
| Climate Automation | There is a built-in thermostat | The built-in thermostat, as a rule, is absent |
| Effects on the human body | Prolonged exposure to infrared radiation causes discomfort | Is absent |
| Strength | High strength metal housing | Low strength quartz slab |
| Ease of installation | High, both models are easy to install on their own | |
| Weight, ease of movement | Low weight makes it easy to carry the heater | The large weight of the ceramic plate makes it difficult to move the heater |
| Cost-effectiveness | Low | High |
| Maintainability | Heater components are easily replaced with new ones. | Low maintainability due to solid construction |
| Fire safety | High | Low |
| Cost | Low | High |
Choosing a heater
From the information presented it is clear that each of the electric heaters has its positive and negative sides, and the choice must be made based on its capabilities and interests. For more information, see video reviews.
