How much power does a heater use?

So far, most of the people in developing countries and even in developed states are using gas heaters. But now, as carbon monoxide production has been declared harmful to the ecosystem, many aware people are choosing electric heaters.

It is very great if you are among them, but using a new thing, new in the sense that many people around you or in your family have not used that, can be hard.

Electric heaters are new for many of us. We don’t know which one to buy, and we also need to read buying guides. However, the main thought that comes to each buyer’s mind is the electricity bill.

Many of us do not buy an electric heater or have not got one yet, only because we don’t know the increase in electricity bill after using an electric heater. It is a valid and justified issue.

So if you are also feeling a bit confused about it, then keep reading. We are here to address the most common question regarding the Power consumption of electric heaters.

Factors impacting the power consumption of the heater

Before we start, let us clear a few facts. As the price of electricity is different in each country, therefore, there is no straight answer to this question.

The maximum we can do is tell you about the power used by a specific electric heater. Another thing that might impact the power consumption is the company. Also, the material and structure will affect the current resistance, and that will cost money.

To make it simple, let us write it here.

• The price of the electric unit in your area.
• The hours of use.
• Material use in Electrical Heater
• Heater Type
• Company or brand.

Power consumption of Heater calculator:

Here is a calculator that lets you calculate heater power consumption automatically simply by entering wattage, unit price, and daily use hours.

How can we calculate the power consumption of an electric heater?

Thanks to the customer care and manuals that they send with every electronic device, now we can easily calculate the power usage of any electric tool.

The same goes for the electric heater. The first thing you need to do is read about the watts (unit of power) that heater uses.

In case the manual does not have the number of watts the heater uses, you can calculate the watts by multiplying voltage, current, and power factor.

Watts = Amps x Volts

By knowing a heater’s wattage, you can calculate its KWH to find out how much energy it consumes per Hour.

Kwh = Watts x Time (hrs) / 1000

Measuring the power consumption by reading the Power label of the Heater

It is very easy to measure power consumption. All you need is a calculator and a manual. The V sign on the manual represents the volts, the A sign represents the current, and the PF is for the power factor.

Off the bat, it might confuse you, and sometimes you will need to read the manual very carefully.

Now multiply all three values, and you will get the watts required to make the electric heater work.

Using a Clamp meter to measure the power consumption

If you have bought a used electric heater, and now you do not have any idea about how much current consumption it has.

Then in such circumstances, the only solution will be using a clamp meter. To use the clamp Meter, all you need is to clamp them around the phase wire of the electrical heater.

You can find out the wattage of an electric heater once you measure the current by simply multiple with voltage.

Watts = Current x Voltage

How to measure the actual bill through power rating?

As we have mentioned earlier, the power rating, that is, the time or duration of use, will decide the bill too.

If by following the process mentioned above, you have found the power consumption of an electric heater, or you need to read the manual where they have mentioned the power consumption.

For example, if you find out or read that the power consumption is 1800W or 1.8kWh

, then the next thing to find the power rating you need to multiply this number by the number of hours the heater will be used or kept turned on.

Now, for instance, if you plan to use this device for three hours every day. Then multiply the 1800W by 3 hours.

1800W x 3 hours = 5400Wh

Now divide it by 1000, and you will get the number of units the electric heater is consuming every day if used three hours a day.

So, in this case;

5400/1000 = 5.4 kWh

The cost per unit of electricity in your area

Now, the last factor which will impact the price is the electricity cost. In each region, there is a different cost for the electricity unit.

For example, in the USA, for the last few years, in some states, the electricity per unit cost was around 0.8 USD.

If we assume it is the same in your region, then we need to multiply the 0.8 USD with the power rating.

Here, it will be like.

5.4 x 0.8= 4.32 USD each day.

Globally it is accepted that we need to pay the electricity bill every month, and now we have the amount for each day. So by multiplying it by 30, you can get a nearly accurate estimate of the electricity bill.

4.32 x 30 =129.6 USD

Of course, this will increase in times when the unit prices are higher, or according to the policy in your country.

Types and wattages of electric heaters

A room with poor insulation requires 12 watts per foot to heat it, but a room with good insulation requires 7.5 watts per foot, which means that a 160-square-foot room will need 2000 watts if the insulation is poor; however, the same room with good insulation will only require 1200 watts Heater.

A guide to reducing heater power consumption

Paying more than a hundred dollars for using an electric heater each month is pretty high. However, by smart techniques, you can cut down the bill a bit. We don’t promise you a 20 or 30 percent reduction, but still, you will feel relieved upon following these tips.

• Turn off the heater when no one is sitting.
• There should be a thermostat to monitor the temperature of the room.
• Keep the doors and windows closed when using a space heater.
• Turn it off when the room is warm enough.
• Do not turn it on when sleeping.

Final words

If we compare the gas heater with an electric heater, it is better to use the electric one. For me, at least, it is a myth that electric heaters cost more than gas heaters. However, if you feel that way, you may compare the gas per unit price and the heater’s consumption.

FAQs:

Sources:

• https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/small-space-heaters
• https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly/epm_table_grapher.php?t=epmt_5_6_a
• https://www.cadet.glendimplexamericas.com/en-us/articles/right-wattage-heater
• https://www.heatershop.co.uk/roomcalculator