The higher you turn the knob, the warmer your room will be. The reverse is also true.
Electric Convector Heater - Heat settings -Thermostat
- Thread starter Wyleecoyote
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Not expecting too much, expecting how it was described, such as “Adjustable thermostat control with easy-to-use dial” therefore regarding of its cheapness, that’s how it was described when new and although the link I posted is similar to my heaters, my heaters cost considerably more.
If I was to use a plug in thermostat, which plugs into the wall sockets and it is set to switch off power to the heater when a desired room temperature is reached and it’s also set to switch power on, when it detects a level of coldness within the room; therefore, it would effectively be activating the heater in response to the room temperature; unless, like the heater, such a product is described as being thermostatically controlled but isn’t !
If I was to use a plug in thermostat, which plugs into the wall sockets and it is set to switch off power to the heater when a desired room temperature is reached and it’s also set to switch power on, when it detects a level of coldness within the room; therefore, it would effectively be activating the heater in response to the room temperature; unless, like the heater, such a product is described as being thermostatically controlled but isn’t !
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That control is a thermostat... but it detects the temperature of the air near it (the heat source) not some other place in the room (where you are)...
It's why it switches on / off with the variation in temp of the heater...
and not when you/the room reach a wanted temperature... It can't as the sensor is in the heater not somewhere else in the room!
You are just not understanding how the device works / can work / the laws of physics Jim (as Scotty would say).
It's why it switches on / off with the variation in temp of the heater...
and not when you/the room reach a wanted temperature... It can't as the sensor is in the heater not somewhere else in the room!
You are just not understanding how the device works / can work / the laws of physics Jim (as Scotty would say).
You have posted a picture of a heater that works as described by all the posters who have answered your question, but seem not to be able to accept that it operates in the manner described by everyone. Why are you describing hypothetical scenarios for the use of the heater. Obviously the ambient temperature of the location will affect the operation of the thermostat but it will still be the temp of the appliance that determines if it switches on or off. Please tell us the make and model of your heaters that you feel should work in a different manner. Then everyone might be working on the same page. Your post 17 would be the ideal scenario but I suspect that you feel a thermostaically controlled heater should operate the same as the boiler in a central heating system. Well it does, if you have ever observed a gas central heating boiler it will cycle on and off or modulate as the room stat heats up to the set temp.. This is to protect the boiler from overheating by being on too long. Exactly the same protection that the heater stat. provides.
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It's not supposed. That is what everyone is telling you
No because it is inside the appliance and probably near to the element controlling the switching of that element
Again it seems to be working as it should
Exactly, the room stat IS IN a different envoironment
Well unfortunately they do not, and I can't really see why you can't accept that but seem determined to carry on a futile argument instead.
Well let's see the insides of this heater when you've dismantled it...
Clear pictures of the makers marks with model/part numbers of the device behind that control knob in particular - the "thermostat" or "timer" as you believe it to be.
(Almost certainly it will be a bought in item assembled into that heater).
A clever variable timer as you describe is vastly more expensive and complex to design and engineer that a simple bi-metallic thermostat switch is...
I know what the majority of such panel heaters use and look forward to being proved wrong.
Clear pictures of the makers marks with model/part numbers of the device behind that control knob in particular - the "thermostat" or "timer" as you believe it to be.
(Almost certainly it will be a bought in item assembled into that heater).
A clever variable timer as you describe is vastly more expensive and complex to design and engineer that a simple bi-metallic thermostat switch is...
I know what the majority of such panel heaters use and look forward to being proved wrong.
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That is the entire issue! The fact is, it is a thermostat of sorts, but where it is located, it will measure and react to a mix of temperatures - that of the room, mixed with some heat from the element. At some point, it will meet the set temperature and switch off. The element will cool, the thermostat will cool and click back on, precisely as you have found. So, a massive compromise, not much better than nothing. The only way a thermostat can work properly, is for it to sample the actual air temperature.
Some fan heaters include a thermostat, these generally work better, because the thermostat is mounted, and sensing the incoming air to the unit.
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I was about to write the same.
The bi-metal thermostat is crude, and is mounted within the body of the heater.
But the manufacturers are well aware of this limitation, that is why you won't find temperatures marked on the dial.
But physics works in the same way - no matter what the room temperature, the combination of temperatures within and outside the compartment will reach a steady state.
If the room is cooler, more heat can be emitted from the heater before the compartment temperature opens the thermostat.
On top of this, we now know that...
The bi-metal could be weaker after years of use. The hysteresis of the OP's stat could be a little off.
@Wyleecoyote at the risk of you biting my head off, may I try and explain please?
Your kettle is fitted with a fixed thermostat. It senses the temperature of the water, not the room, then swithes off your kettle when the water is boiling. This works successfully at most altitudes although the boiling point changes slightly with altitude.
Your daughters hairdryer has a thermostat that senses the temperature of the heater. If the air intake or outlet gets bloked and the heater starts to verheat the thermostat will shut the unit off and prevent a meltdown.
Your wifes iron has an adjustable thermostat. The adjustment is by varying the gap between the thermostat contacts. It senses the temperature of the irons soleplate and switches off when the temperature reaches the set value, the higher the set temperature, the wider the gap and further the moving contact has to travel to operate, not the room temperature.
Your heaters work in the same way and sense the internal temperatue of the heater. As they are convector heaters this temperature will vary fairly quickly as you have rightly stated. Oil filled radiators work in a similar manner by sensing the oil temperature, but do it more successfully, the downside being they take longer to warm up and longer to cool down, but are much more effective. I use one in the greenhouse when I plant my spring seeds and it regulates the temperature very well.
Place a thermometer in your room and adjust your heaters and you will see that the room temperature is controlled, not very accurately but it does work.
I used to work for a company that manufactured bi-metallic thermostats and can assure you that the ones in your heaters are functioning exactly as the manufacturers intended.
Your kettle is fitted with a fixed thermostat. It senses the temperature of the water, not the room, then swithes off your kettle when the water is boiling. This works successfully at most altitudes although the boiling point changes slightly with altitude.
Your daughters hairdryer has a thermostat that senses the temperature of the heater. If the air intake or outlet gets bloked and the heater starts to verheat the thermostat will shut the unit off and prevent a meltdown.
Your wifes iron has an adjustable thermostat. The adjustment is by varying the gap between the thermostat contacts. It senses the temperature of the irons soleplate and switches off when the temperature reaches the set value, the higher the set temperature, the wider the gap and further the moving contact has to travel to operate, not the room temperature.
Your heaters work in the same way and sense the internal temperatue of the heater. As they are convector heaters this temperature will vary fairly quickly as you have rightly stated. Oil filled radiators work in a similar manner by sensing the oil temperature, but do it more successfully, the downside being they take longer to warm up and longer to cool down, but are much more effective. I use one in the greenhouse when I plant my spring seeds and it regulates the temperature very well.
Place a thermometer in your room and adjust your heaters and you will see that the room temperature is controlled, not very accurately but it does work.
I used to work for a company that manufactured bi-metallic thermostats and can assure you that the ones in your heaters are functioning exactly as the manufacturers intended.
Totally agree but that is not how they should work according to the poster. But he doesn't seem to realsie that stat he has linked to will not override the stat on the heater.
Agreed. The two units could end up fighting fo control.
Unless the OP, sets the built-in stat, to max.
Although, rather one-sided fight, when the external stat switches the socket off!
Do you think he will realise that
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