If you are looking for an electric wall heater, you may have been faced with the dilemma of choosing an oil filled radiator or a convector radiator; but what are the main damaged and disadvantages of each?
The main difference between oil filled radiators and convector panel heaters is the way in which they heat.
Oil filled radiators have an element which heats fluid inside. This is normally a thermal oil which does not burn (so that is does not need refilling) and transfers heat energy. This in turn warms the surface of the radiator. Resulting in radiant infa red heat that is transmitted to the objects resulting in them heating up.
Convector heaters heat with an internal element. Traditionally, this was a coil element but in more recent years companies, such as ADAX and Tesy, have innovated into using resin treated Aluminium elements. Which do not cause the drying air, or discolouring of the walls classically associated with convector heaters. The element produces hot air, which rises from the radiator, and convects around the room.
As oil filled radiators heat fluid inside them, the fluid will retain its heat. This means that the radiator takes longer to cool down, therefore still generating heat when power is not being drawn. Convector heaters loose there heat relatively fast. The effect this has on the room is that a room that is heated by oil filled radiators will take longer to cool down.
However, on the flip side a convector heater will deliver rapid heat, which will heat the room up very fast. This means that it can reach the temperature, set by the thermostat, and turn its self-off far before a oil filled radiator. Meaning that less power is being drawn to heat the space. In a well specked room, a will take around 30 minutes to reach the temperature set. As an oil filled must wait for the fluid and the surface to warm up; oil filled radiators take a longer time before they begin heat an area. Therefore, drawing more power to heat this space.
At the end of the day, if you have a 1kw heater, it will always use 1000w’s of power. As the heat, up and cool down times are balanced out between convectors and oil filled radiators. We sell both oil filled and convector heaters, and make no claim that one is more efficient than the other.
The choice is up to you. Oil filled radiators in some ways are more practical and have more uses, as they can be covered with clothes ect. However, if the primary reason for installing the electric heater is to heat the space, you are better with a convector heater. With the rapid heat that they deliver and the overall energy efficiency matching the oil filled, convector heaters are the perfect option for heating your home. So much so convector panels are the electric heaters of choice in harsh environments such as Norway, where there is little demand for oil filled radiators.