Although a relatively mild winter was forecasted this year, when a cold snap does strike, a fan heater is a great way to chase away the chill. Fan heaters can be particularly practical for families with elderly and young children. There are several issues to consider when purchasing a fan heater, apart from its heat efficacy, safety is a big consideration. There's also the question of how long it takes the appliance to heat up and, additionally, whether the appliance achieves evenness in temperature and its power consumption. The Consumer Council tested 15 fan heaters available in local market and found that 3 models failed to meet the safety standard requirements fully. Furthermore, the time it takes the appliances to heat up and the evenness of temperature varied considerably with heat up time from 15 seconds to 3 minutes. This places additional onus on consumers to choose their appliance carefully.
The price range of the models tested was between $159 and $1,298. Ten were small-sized appliances and five were of the large or tower type. Ten were ceramic fan heaters and 5 were traditional, wire-wound fan heaters. Their rated power input ranged from 1500W to 2500W. The tests were weighted on performance (40%), safety (30%), ease of use and versatility (25%), odor assessment (5%) with 5 points being the highest score.
Safety test was conducted with reference to the latest version of International Standard IEC60335-2-30 and overall the test results proved satisfactory, with 11 out of all models receiving full marks as a result of all safety items passed; 1 model also passed all the safety test items but lacked some safety warning. Meanwhile 3 models failed some aspects of the safety test, although the failures were not judged to be serious. The test results were sent to the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department for follow up actions. 1 model whose measured power input was 5.6% higher than its rated power input. Although the model only slightly exceeded the allowable deviation (+5%), there was concern that consumers might therefore underestimate the power consumption for that particular model which could result in an overload of electricity. Fan heaters present a relatively high demand on power consumption and for safety sake, consumers are advised to reserve a socket outlet solely to be used for the fan heater.
The temperature rise of an internal wire on 1 model was measured at 74.4K (1K represents 1°C of difference), which exceeded the limit (50K) set out in the standard by 24.4K. This posed a risk of overheating which could affect product safety.
In addition, 1 model employs an electronic switch for disconnection of the power supply that not following the standard. It could be dangerous if the power supply is not completely cut out after the appliance is switched off. The measured voltage between pins of the plug of this particular model exceeded the limit under the standard after being disconnected power supply for 1 second. If anyone were to touch the pins of the plug during that period they likely would experience a feeling of mild electric shock.
The performance test was conducted with reference to International Standard IEC 60675. They were tested with regard to whether the measured power input of the models was as claimed by the manufacturers, the evenness of temperature and how fast they heat up. The results revealed that the measured power input among all 15 tested models, using Hong Kong's voltage at 220V, failed to match what was shown on the appliance labels. Except for 1 model, exceeding its claim by 0.7%, the measured power input of the remaining 14 models was lower than what was claimed by the manufacturers. The greatest variance reached 13.5%, its actual performance might be below the expectations of the consumers. The discrepancies between the test results and the manufacturers' declared values were attributed mainly to the fact that on most models' declared voltage is between 220V and 240V and manufacturers could have measured the power input using a higher voltage than Hong Kong's 220V. The Council suggests that manufacturers, when labelling a product's voltage and power input, the power input applicable to the supply voltage in Hong Kong shall also be labelled. That will provide consumers with more comprehensive information.
The evenness of temperature among the models varied significantly. The model with the best performance came up with a difference of less than 4% between temperatures measured at different test points when compared to the average temperature. The model that showed the poorest performance showed a difference of 36.4% from the average. The greater the difference, the lesser the evenness in temperature, hence consumers feel less comfortable.
Heat up time of models varies greatly as well. The time taken for the heater models to reach from room temperature to 90% of the desired temperature ranged from 15 seconds for the fastest model, to 3 minutes for the slowest model, or 11 times longer.
The power input of fan heaters is generally quite high so power consumption of fan heaters is relatively high. A heater at 2000W consumes 8kWh of electricity when left operating for 4 hours. Calculated at $1.2 per kWh, the electricity cost could reach $9.6. To save energy, users should adjust the heater to a suitable thermostat setting rather than leaving it at a constant maximum setting, or choose a model with a timer to avoid leaving the heater on for a long time.
Consumers are advised to refer to the following recommendations when using a fan heater:
- Fan heaters' power consumption is generally high, at 2,500W or higher. Do not share a power outlet with other high energy-consuming appliances;
- Do not place heaters under a socket outlet;
- Heaters should not be used to dry clothes; do not operate heaters near combustible materials such as curtains, carpets or magazines and papers to avoid causing fire;
- Pay attention to the temperature of hot air and the distance between the heater and the user as hot air evaporates moisture from the skin which may cause dry skin and itchiness;
- Choose heaters with tip-over or overheat protection for users having elderly or children at home;
- Check the heaters regularly and if there is any damage, stop using it immediately;
- Unplug the heater and cool it off before cleaning.
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