Is it safe to leave a convector heater, auto overheating cut-out, on 24/7 unattended?

[electricans_son]

Re: Is it safe to leave a convector heater, auto overheating cut-out, on 24/7 unatten

Could you not get something like this? We have had one for ages, that was plugged in 24/7, in the kids room.
Buy De'Longhi Vento 2kW Oil Filled Radiator at Argos.co.uk - Your Online Shop for Heaters and radiators.

Thanks Spoon, that seems to be the safest solution, I hadn't realised that oil filled rads were so high powered.

The De'Longhi website says that the minimum power setting is 900W, and therefor am I correct in thinking that I could use a 5 amp fuse?

most of use will go out for the day leaving all manner of appliances plugged in and running, and it only takes a few minutes for a fire to start, given the right circumstances.

I've left all of the following unattended and running at one time or another: broadband router, pc, printer, video recorder, fridge, freezer, lighting, dishwasher, washing machine, oven, Christmas lights, dehumidifier, various chargers, and probably many more that I've forgotten about.

Thanks HandySparks, I agree, my mac and cordless phones are on the chargers 24/7, and I leave my D and AA batteries on charge for 24 hrs unattended on my Ever Ready charger which is probably 20 years old. Given the recent problems with battery chargers I may be a bit more circumspect about the latter, or should I buy a new on?

By the way, one electric room heater will be much the same as another with regards to 'efficiency', depending on how you're using the term.

I said that oil filled radiators "are inefficient" because of my experience of the low powered ones available years ago and my understanding theoretically, is that heat transfer from a high temperature source, ie an electric element, is more efficient than that from a low temperature source such as an oil filled radiator. However, I have no knowledge of any direct comparisons between an oil filled radiator and an element heater. Maybe the greater surface area of an equivalent powered oil filled radiator will probably make up for the lower efficiency, so that the power consumptions may be similar. Until I read Spoon's post, I had not realised oil filled radiators could be 2 kW.

 

[Spoon]

Re: Is it safe to leave a convector heater, auto overheating cut-out, on 24/7 unatten

The oil filled rad have been great for the kids room. It doesn't take long to warm up and we just had it set at 16 deg and kept the room nice. Being oil filled it will retain it's heat longer. Don't know what size fuse is in the plug.

 

[electricans_son]

Re: Is it safe to leave a convector heater, auto overheating cut-out, on 24/7 unatten

ifindoubtdont, if in doubt don't, says it all

 

[HandySparks]

Re: Is it safe to leave a convector heater, auto overheating cut-out, on 24/7 unatten

I said that oil filled radiators "are inefficient" because of my experience of the low powered ones available years ago and my understanding theoretically, is that heat transfer from a high temperature source, ie an electric element, is more efficient than that from a low temperature source such as an oil filled radiator. However, I have no knowledge of any direct comparisons between an oil filled radiator and an element heater. Maybe the greater surface area of an equivalent powered oil filled radiator will probably make up for the lower efficiency, so that the power consumptions may be similar. Until I read Spoon's post, I had not realised oil filled radiators could be 2 kW.

If your aim is to keep the air a room at a particular temperature using electrical energy, it makes no difference whether you use a radiant heater, oil filled radiator, or a string of 100W lamps to convert the electrical energy into heat. You may feel warmer sat in front of the radiant heater due to the direct energy radiation onto your body, but overall it won't be 'more efficient'.