Best small electric heaters
Looking for a small electric heater. What are the safest models? Thanks JKaz
Forum Discussion
myredracer,
The total voltage drop in the 6' long 16 gauge power cord (13 amp load rating) stranded copper wire with 1500 watts (12.5 amps) at 120 volts of AC going to the electric heater is only 6/10 of 1 volt. Meaning the heater is getting 119.4 volts of the 120 volts at the outlet. Negligible loss and means the 1500 watts would only drop to 1492.5 watts delivered to the heater's element due to voltage drop! The 16 gauge heater wire is not the issue at all for not getting a 1500 watts reading as claimed of the watts being consumed.
Further, even assuming there's 120 volts actually measured at the RV's entry circuit breaker box from shore power and then having a run of 25' of 14 gauge copper wire to the outlet the heater is plugged into, there still would only be a 1.6 volt drop at the outlet the actual heater wire is plugged into and with the heater turned on high selection. The 120 volts at the breaker would still measure 118.4 volts being delivered to the heater 16 gauge power cord. Check the voltage drop charts for yourself.
These 2 things are not the reason for the electric heater actually only drawing a measured 1300 or 1400 watts rather than the 1500 watts claimed by the manufacturer. Therefore, such heater will not deliver 5120 BTU's nor will it measure to be drawing 12.5 amps either.
Conversely, I can assure you that every 100 watt incandescent light bulb I've ever checked actually draws 100 watts just like is printed on the bulb but never had a claimed 1500 watt electric heater actually draw even as much as 1400 watts or even close to 12 amps of 120 volt AC.
The total voltage drop in the 6' long 16 gauge power cord (13 amp load rating) stranded copper wire with 1500 watts (12.5 amps) at 120 volts of AC going to the electric heater is only 6/10 of 1 volt. Meaning the heater is getting 119.4 volts of the 120 volts at the outlet. Negligible loss and means the 1500 watts would only drop to 1492.5 watts delivered to the heater's element due to voltage drop! The 16 gauge heater wire is not the issue at all for not getting a 1500 watts reading as claimed of the watts being consumed.
Further, even assuming there's 120 volts actually measured at the RV's entry circuit breaker box from shore power and then having a run of 25' of 14 gauge copper wire to the outlet the heater is plugged into, there still would only be a 1.6 volt drop at the outlet the actual heater wire is plugged into and with the heater turned on high selection. The 120 volts at the breaker would still measure 118.4 volts being delivered to the heater 16 gauge power cord. Check the voltage drop charts for yourself.
These 2 things are not the reason for the electric heater actually only drawing a measured 1300 or 1400 watts rather than the 1500 watts claimed by the manufacturer. Therefore, such heater will not deliver 5120 BTU's nor will it measure to be drawing 12.5 amps either.
Conversely, I can assure you that every 100 watt incandescent light bulb I've ever checked actually draws 100 watts just like is printed on the bulb but never had a claimed 1500 watt electric heater actually draw even as much as 1400 watts or even close to 12 amps of 120 volt AC.
