First of all, it is worth determining what is the difference between a convector and a heater. For most people, these two concepts are completely identical. A heater is a device equipped with a heating element, a thermostat, and a fan (not always). Such a technique has a fairly simple task - to heat the air in the room without distributing heat. This option is simple and fairly cheap.
A convector is a wall-mounted floor heater, the operation of which is based on the principle of natural air convection. The design of a wall-mounted device has traditionally provided for the possibility of fixing the legs, through which it can be installed on the floor. In shape, a convector is a flat rectangular device. Inside it is a heating element through which cold air passes. It heats up and exits through the slots located on top.
Benefits
Everyone knows that the warmest place in the room is next to the battery. However, if a convector is installed in the room, this is not so, because in this case there is a circulation of warm air and its distribution throughout the room without any significant temperature differences. And this quality makes such systems quite interesting. In modern devices, unusual tubular heating elements, low-temperature monolithic heating elements made of a special alloy are used for heating. Such a device heats up in less than a minute, and heat instantly enters the room, since energy is not required for preheating the device. The efficiency of such convectors is more than 90%.
Main features
Modern models work completely silently, do not dry the air in the room and do not burn oxygen. The best convector is characterized by reliability and safety in terms of electrical protection. Initially, these devices were not created as household appliances, but as elements of the main heating system. Electric convectors were quite actively introduced in France in the fifties of the last century. Then many enterprises were engaged in their production, and they were quite actively introduced into the housing stock.
One of the leaders in this area is the French company Noirot (Noirot). This company produces convectors that meet the highest class of electrical protection. No live part is in contact with the housing. These devices do not require grounding. They are qualitatively protected from moisture, they can be used even in pools.
Working conditions
A convector is a device that is not sensitive to voltage surges. Their functioning is at the proper level with a voltage in the electric network of 150-242 W, and the presence of multi-stage protection is an additional guarantee of safety. The use of low-temperature heating elements made it possible to ensure that the temperature of the case does not exceed 55 degrees Celsius. Such devices may be placed directly on wooden tables without the use of any protection.
A significant factor is the temperature to which the main element of the device heats up. In conventional heaters, it is 60-70 degrees Celsius. The lower it is, the better, since with increasing temperature oxygen is burned, and this leads to the loss of the main advantage of the convector. There are models in which heating occurs at a minimum level. For example, the Electrolux convector is characterized by a low heating temperature in combination with maximum safety of the device.
Alternatives
It will be quite interesting to compare the convection system of direct electric heating and indirect, that is, from an electric boiler using a coolant in the form of water or antifreeze. The very first difference is that the electric boiler operates at the same constant power. The temperature in the house is adjusted due to its periodic switching on and off. A convector is a device equipped with its own thermostat. It can be turned on at full power, and in a cold room, switching on will be more often than in a warm one. This is what allows you to smooth the load on the electrical network. For example, the Electrolux convector is equipped with an electronic thermostat that pretty accurately maintains a given temperature level in the room.
Connection Features
A traditional electric device is able to connect any person who has minimal work skills. A convection system does not require special maintenance. You can connect the system once and program it, and then forget about it, and it will serve for a very long time. In addition, it is possible to combine all convectors into a single heating system with one control center.
To do this, all devices are connected by the main cable, which is output to the wall-mounted control panel or connected to the programmer added to one of the convectors (it receives the status of the master). So, you can create an automatic heating system that has different modes: economical, anti-freeze and others.
Type of heating element
A traditional solution that has been used for more than a year is a spiral. Its most important advantage is its cheapness, and the disadvantage is its fragility. But given the low temperatures that are so characteristic of modern appliances, this problem will not be so acute. On the other hand, a ceramic heating element is much more expensive, but it will also last longer. And without a protective casing, ceramics look quite attractive.
Device location
When deciding which convector to choose, it should be understood that the direction of convection flows from bottom to top already indicates the need to place the device at the bottom of the room. There are several quite obvious options. The wall-mounted device is rigidly fixed in one place, and the floor-mounted device is characterized by mobility, since it can be moved around the room to any place. Typically, a wall convector is placed under the window. This allows you to create a thermal curtain that helps prevent fogging of the glass. Speaking about which convector to choose, it is worth noting the indisputable advantage of models built into the floor - they are simply invisible. They do not clutter up the space of the room, but on top are covered with a grill, which is on the same level with the floor. However, their placement requires planning even at the stage of repair or construction.
Additional features
Using thermostats, a specific indoor temperature is set. Thanks to the presence of control modules, it is possible to independently configure in different rooms from one remote control. A modern convector is a high-tech device with which you can set the temperature program for a day or even a week. For example, you can make it so that during the day, while nobody is at home, the temperature in the living room will be +7 degrees, and by the time it gets warm, it will reach +20. It is quite convenient and economical in terms of electrical energy consumption.
Water convector
This is a rather profitable solution for organizing an autonomous heating system. It can be used as an integral element of the heating system, while the heat accumulation will be four times less than that of a conventional radiator, and the reaction to temperature changes is much higher. A water convector usually heats up instantly, and if necessary cools quickly as well. This allows you to provide an ideal temperature control mode, so that a fairly comfortable mode is constantly maintained in the room.
In the standard version, the wall convector is a heat exchanger, which consists of a copper tube in combination with aluminum fins. It is located in a steel case, so it can be easily used for heating rooms, the humidity level in which is quite high. Thermal power increases thanks to tangential fans. In most cases, water convectors are placed on the floor. A feature of such devices is the possibility of obtaining high heat transfer at a low coolant temperature.
An electric convector, the price of which starts at 2,000 rubles, has a lot of rather significant advantages, and there is only one drawback - the cost of a heat source. Electricity tariffs rise quite rapidly, so it is not always advantageous to use just such a device. In addition, the convector can not always optimally distribute warm air, most often it accumulates under the ceiling, which is why the temperature difference below and above is quite noticeable.