Quartz heating batteries for a private home: types and features

Principle of operation

Quartz heaters function like this:

• After connecting to electricity, the nichrome spiral rapidly heats up to 98°C.
• At the same time, infrared rays appear, heating the surfaces of objects inside the room.
• At the same time, a convection process occurs - cool air currents are drawn into the electrical appliance from below, and after heating, they exit through the holes at the top.

It is possible to use a quartz device separately, as an auxiliary unit to the main heating system. To heat large areas, several similar devices are connected in parallel.

Quartz monolithic heaters combine the operating principle of infrared devices and electric convectors Source cdn-ru.bitrix24.ru

Advantages and disadvantages

Heating devices such as quartz monolithic heaters are often chosen for summer cottages. In such conditions, they act as the only source of heat and cope well with this function. In addition, owners of apartments and private houses purchase such devices as an addition to the existing heating system. Based on this, we can come to the conclusion that the scope of application of monolithic heaters is quite wide. This is due to many positive aspects during operation that users note:

• the first and main characteristic is considered to be high heat capacity;
• long service life, since the heating element is isolated, water and air do not have a negative impact on it;
• MKTEN is characterized by high efficiency, because consumes a small amount of electrical energy;
• to ensure a comfortable temperature in a room with an area of ​​16 m², one base unit is enough;
• due to the fact that the device has a built-in thermostat, you do not have to constantly monitor the operation of the heater;
• such a device can be installed in rooms with high humidity;
• installation of the device does not take much time or special effort;
• A quartz monolithic heater stores a large amount of heat. If an oil-type heater cools down 30 minutes after switching off, then a quartz heater cools down in 2-4 hours;
• the price for MKTEN is low.

The models produced are distinguished by their stylish design. The plate is painted with heat-resistant paint and a relief pattern is applied to it.

The only drawback is their heavy weight.

MKTEN is perfect for cottages and houses that are not a place of permanent residence. Thanks to the thermostat, you can choose the lowest temperature setting, which will ensure minimal energy consumption, but at the same time protect your home from dampness, mold formation and wall freezing.

Varieties

Today there are several types of quartz heating batteries on sale.

Monolithic

They are made in the form of a panel, which contains a nichrome heating element inside; according to the installation method, they are divided into wall-mounted and floor-mounted. Ordinary heaters do not have a thermostat; one must be purchased additionally. The use of a mechanism that regulates the temperature allows you to turn a monolithic quartz device into an energy-saving heating device. When the set temperature is reached, the regulator will turn off the device, which will significantly save on electricity.

A monolithic quartz heater is considered the most economical and efficient among all types of electric heating devices Source stroy-podskazka.ru

Infrared

A device of this type consists of a glass flask, inside of which a chromium-nickel thread and quartz sand are placed. After connecting to the power supply, it begins to heat up, and the filled glass container begins to give off heat. In order to increase heat transfer, the rear wall of the device is made mirrored.

Such quartz panels are perfect for zone heating of homes. They don't dry out the air at all. Only the surfaces of objects located in the room heat up when infrared rays fall on them.

When using such models of heating batteries, heating a home takes much longer than when installing monolithic devices.

The infrared heater does not heat itself, but increases the temperature of nearby objects Source stroy-podskazka.ru

Carbon-quartz

They have the properties of similar ceramic, infrared, quartz devices. The heating element is a carbon filament. It is resistant to high temperatures. The latter means that the monolithic panel cannot be damaged due to overheating. In addition, the heat transfer of such a thread is higher than that of nichrome, which significantly saves energy costs.

A carbon-quartz heater emits heat not in any one direction, but evenly throughout the room Source pechiexpert.ru

Harmfulness of quartz heaters

Speaking about the dangers of these household devices, they argue about the combustion of oxygen and harmful radiation affecting health. To refute it, you need to understand the material that makes up household appliances of this type.

Monolithic devices consist of pressed quartz with the addition of white clay and marble chips. The heating element is mounted inside the stove. Quartz sand completely absorbs harmful radiation and does not dry out the air. The absence of combustion proves that oxygen is not burned from the air. A heater of this type cannot harm your health. When installing the device, the device is hung on the wall; you can even get burned from touching it only by deliberately leaning against it for a long time. Using a protective screen completely eliminates this risk.

Infrared models of quartz devices consist of a tube consisting of quartz glass and a nichrome heater located in it. The walls of this tube absorb most of the harmful radiation, but their thickness does not block it completely. By following simple rules, you can avoid exposure to radiation.

How to choose

Each of the existing varieties of quartz heating batteries is suitable only for a specific type of room and has special installation requirements. Having the same dimensions, the devices are able to heat rooms of completely different dimensions. Therefore, when choosing a heating device, it is better to listen to the valuable recommendations of experts:

• First of all, it is important to determine which room is planned to be heated with a quartz heater, whether the latter will be used independently or to complement the main type of heating. In addition, you should take into account the quality of the room's insulation. If it is low, then it is better to choose an infrared electrical appliance.
• It is advisable to compare the main characteristics of the units, pay attention to the manufacturer, cost, and warranty period. At the same time, you need to remember: a domestically produced electrical appliance costs much less than its foreign counterpart.
• The dimensions of the quartz heater must necessarily correspond to the area of ​​the room. It is also necessary to think in advance whether such a device will require mobility in the future. If not, then it is better to purchase a stationary wall or floor model.

When choosing a heating device, it is important to carefully study the manufacturer’s instructions and immediately take into account individual needs. In the future, this will allow creating the required temperature conditions indoors with minimal energy costs.

When choosing a quartz heater, preference should be given to models with a thermostat: they are a little more expensive, but use electricity more efficiently Source gidotopleniya.ru

Quartz monolithic wall heaters

Principles of design and operation

This type of heaters operates on a different principle. It will be even more similar to the usual stone stove, the massive walls of which are heated by the flame in the firebox, and then give off pleasant warmth to the rooms for a long time.

Of course, in our case, the source of the body is not the combustion process, but ordinary resistive heating of a conductor with high electrical resistance. Essentially, this is an ordinary nichrome spiral, laid in a zigzag pattern and completely covered on all sides with a monolithic quartz layer.

It doesn’t even make much sense to draw a diagram of the design of such quartz heaters - it’s just a spiral enclosed in the thickness of a monolithic slab

Purified quartz sand is used as the basis for making the panel. Some manufacturers also add marble chips and white kaolin clay to this composition. By the way, you can hear a lot of criticism on this score, in the sense that such additives even reduce the overall strength of the monolithic slab.

The production technology of such heaters is quite simple. The heating coil is laid out in a zigzag pattern so as to distribute it evenly over all surfaces of the panel. Then the prepared solution based on purified quartz sand is poured. This is followed by the stages of pressing, drying and heat treatment (sintering of the quartz mass). The result is a solid slab of quite significant dimensions in length and height, but not exceeding 25-30 mm in thickness.

The thickness of the heating quartz plate is small - usually within 25 ÷ 30 millimeters

The heating coil is completely isolated from contact with air. Its terminal connection to the power cable is also completely enclosed. So the probability of an open circuit, short circuit and other emergency situations is practically zero.

High-quality nichrome spirals can heat up, with appropriate voltage, to temperatures exceeding 500 degrees. But in this case, the length of the heating element and its total resistance are selected in such a way that heating does not exceed 120 degrees, that is, a huge operational reserve is initially built in, and burnout of the coil also falls into the category of extremely unlikely events.

Prices for quartz heaters Delta-D

quartz heaters Delta-D

Many heaters of this class do not have any controls on the body at all - the power cable comes out of the body of the quartz slab. Which either ends with a plug for connecting to a socket, or is connected to a thermostatic system for maintaining a given temperature in the room. Some models may additionally have a toggle switch to turn the device on and off.

Monolithic quartz heater equipped with a toggle switch

If the device will be connected to a room thermostat, then the need for such a toggle switch is highly doubtful. It becomes an additional and not particularly necessary “weak link” of the design. However, some people find this type of control over the operation of the device more convenient.

Why is quartz sand chosen as a monolithic filler? The fact is that this familiar mineral has the ability to accumulate heat received from the outside, and then release it through direct heat transfer and infrared radiation. Moreover, infrared study takes place without glow, in the most favorable wavelength range for people. By the way, this range even has the name “rays of life” - it is at these wavelengths that the heat of the human body and the earth’s surface heated by the Sun is emitted.

Heated quartz sand has been successfully used since ancient times as a remedy for many diseases.

The direct heat transfer of hot quartz sand also has a very beneficial effect on health. It is not without reason that hot sand has long been used to treat various ailments, and in modern medicine this area even has its own term - psammotherapy.

The quartz slab, pressed and sintered to a monolithic state, takes a long time to heat up - this can take up to half an hour. But then, having accumulated thermal potential, it will radiate beneficial heat throughout the room. Plus, the convection principle of heat transfer is also included in the work - air heated from the surface of the device rushes upward, mixing with colder layers. This “binary” action of quartz heaters allows you to fully warm up the room.

Advantages and disadvantages of monolithic quartz heaters

What other obvious advantages of such quartz heaters are expressed?

• Complete isolation of the heating element makes the device almost 100% safe to use. High-quality certified heaters of this type are assigned the first fire safety class.
• With high-quality performance, if during the production process no questionable components were used for the solution being poured, the quartz heater is not only completely environmentally friendly, but also has a beneficial effect on human health. Some manufacturers use special additives (for example, magnesium salts), which give the quartz slab air ionization and antiseptic properties.
• The simplicity of the design and the solid operational reserve built into it allow us to speak about the indefinite use of such heaters - there is simply nothing in them to break or burn out. They are not afraid of voltage surges that occur in networks, even with the highest amplitude. They do not require any additional stabilizing devices.
• The device does not negatively affect the composition of the air in the room - it does not dry it out and does not create unpleasant odors.
• The operation of the quartz wall heater is completely silent.
• The ability to accumulate the body and gradually release it into the room gives grounds to talk about the energy efficiency of such a scheme, of course, when using additional thermostatic equipment. With normal thermal insulation of the room, the cooling rate of a massive panel usually does not exceed 1.5–2 degrees per minute. That is, a heated stove after turning off the power is still able to “share heat” for another half hour.

Such panels are generally credited with “magical” qualities in terms of their ability to heat rooms with minimal energy consumption, but there are some “roughnesses” here, mostly of a marketing nature, and we will deal with this a little lower.

Variety of external finishes for monolithic quartz wall heaters

• The very small thickness of quartz monolithic heaters allows them to be installed in almost any convenient place. At the same time, they will not spoil the interior appearance of the room, and some models with a decorative coating of the facade surface may well become a unique style addition.

Installing a monolithic quartz heater is a simple task that any homeowner can handle

• Finally, it is not difficult to install such heaters on the wall yourself. The device comes with special brackets that will securely hold a fairly heavy slab and set the required clearance between it and the wall. Since heat spreads from a monolithic slab in all directions, to eliminate the possibility of overheating the wall and for greater heat transfer from the device, it is recommended to use a reflective screen made of foil insulation (such as penofol).

The disadvantages of monolithic quartz electric heaters include the following:

• The large mass of the device (in most cases it ranges from 10 to 12 kilograms) can create certain difficulties when placing it on light interior partitions.
• The surface heats up quite strongly - up to 85÷95 degrees, and careless touching can lead to burns. This is especially true if there are children in the house. The problem is solved by installing a special enclosing screen - many manufacturers immediately offer to purchase it in addition to the heater.

A high-quality, neat screen does not in any way degrade the appearance of the heater, and does not significantly reduce its efficiency

• Lack of own governing bodies. But this is also not so much a drawback as a feature of the “unkillable” design. The required operating comfort and energy saving can be easily achieved by installing an external thermostatic unit. As a rule, a medium-sized room requires two or three heaters, arranged in a certain order - all of them can be connected in parallel in a circuit with one control unit.

Using such a simple, in principle, scheme, it is possible to organize thermostatic control of a group of quartz monolithic heaters installed in the same room

Finally, you can come across consumer complaints that over time, cracks or even areas of crumbling appear on the slabs. Apparently, this applies to products from unknown manufacturers.

You may be interested in information about what a long-burning wood-burning stove is

As already mentioned, the manufacturing process of such devices is very simple, the demand for them is growing, and this is prompting some unscrupulous entrepreneurs to produce cheap analogues. Along with quartz sand, gypsum, asbestos, marble flour, clay, cement and other inexpensive materials are used that do not require energy-intensive pressing and sintering cycles.

The market is full of low-quality counterfeits of real quartz heating panels. An attractive price sometimes turns into these consequences

Not only are the environmental qualities of such fakes highly questionable, but the material of the plate that has not undergone heat treatment cannot withstand temperature changes and begins to deform and collapse.

Among the series of manufacturers that you can really trust are companies from St. Petersburg “TeppleEko” and “Teploplit”, Nizhny Novgorod, Belarusian, which practices very original external design of heaters, from Blagoveshchensk, presenting their MKTEN devices.

Video: Presentation video about the advantages of TeplEko quartz heaters

Most devices are similar in size and layout. The power of one panel, depending on the specific model, is from 400 to 500 W. The device can be equipped with a power cord with a plug or simply pieces of cable coming out of the panel - for connection to a common thermostatic circuit.

The cost of most quartz monolithic heaters is quite affordable: from 2 to 3.5 thousand rubles. True, some models with exclusive external design (especially those made at the request of the customer) can cost much more.

You may be interested in information about what characteristics a ceramic heater has

Which is better: monolith or infrared?

Here, a lot depends on the purpose of purchasing a quartz battery. Monolithic panels are best suited for organizing constant heating in a private home. They work well in conditions of high humidity, are economical, and have a long service life. If you additionally install a thermostat, the heater can be left on for a long time.

If you need to create a comfortable temperature in an open area, terrace or other large room, it is recommended to choose a quartz IR heater. But at the same time, it cannot be trusted with “main” heating, since such a unit provides relatively slow heating.

Monolithic panels are advantageous to use as an auxiliary heat source. For example, first flood the boiler and then maintain a certain temperature using a quartz “monolith”.

Regardless of the type of heater chosen, it is extremely important to accurately calculate the power of the device. To do this, it is recommended to use the services of specialists. Only they will be able to competently approach the solution of the issue and take into account the characteristics of specific premises.

A monolithic quartz heater differs from an infrared heater both in appearance and in operating principle Source givewhereyoulivehamptons.org

Quartz heaters: technical characteristics and operating principle

Heaters of this type are distinguished by their structural simplicity:

• a panel or stove with a chromium-nickel heating element located inside, which is filled with a composition based on quartz sand;
• a heating thread located serpentinely inside the structure allows the heater to perform uniform heating over the entire surface;
• the use of quartz sand promotes not only rapid heating, but also long-term heat retention, which helps save electrical energy.

It is important to note that a sealed and heat-resistant, fireproof dielectric is used to protect the heating element. All conductive parts of the structure are closed.

Characteristics of monolithic quartz heating devices:

• heating equipment can provide autonomous heating or operate as a supplement to other heating systems;
• the device is manufactured in accordance with the standards established for various climatic conditions, therefore it can be used in regions with sharply continental and temperate climatic conditions;
• Depending on the type of application and design features, the surface of the structure can be painted in almost any color.

Average specifications:

• the most common overall dimensions are 60x35x2.5 cm;
• average weight within 12.0 kg;
• average power at 500 watts;
• rated voltage is 220 W;
• maximum heating temperature – 98°C;
• heating to 95°C is carried out within 20 minutes;
• one battery can heat approximately 18 square meters.

The operating principle is to modify or convert electrical energy into thermal energy, followed by its accumulation.

Tips for use

Any quartz heater should be used with care and be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions. In order for the device to work properly and serve for a long period of time, you must adhere to the following rules:

• When connecting the heating device to the electrical network, carefully inspect the wires. This will allow you to detect and repair possible damage in a timely manner.
• If the unit is not additionally equipped with a thermostat, then you cannot dry things on it for a long time. Otherwise, a fire may occur.
• For monolithic options, the panel is too fragile. Therefore, it is important to handle them very carefully: do not drop them, avoid any blows to the body.
• Use electrical appliances without a protective shield with caution. This is especially true when there are children in the room: they can get seriously burned.