Why Is My 2kW Fan Heater Only Using 0.7kW?

[JaredJames]

Hi,

I have a fan heater which is rated at 2kW but when we check what it is actually using (voltage x current) it is only using 0.7kW.

I am curious as to why this is?

This is the fan:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000306BL4/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Are these fans 100% efficient?

Thanks
Jared James

 

[dlgoff]

At what setting are you seeing 0.7kW? The specs says it will draw 2kW when set on high and the thermostat set above the ambient temperature.

 

[russ_watters]

If the voltage it is being run at is lower than the nominal voltage, that could explain it. Does it have a nameplate/sticker that says what voltage and amperage are nominal?

...they may have also rounded off their energy data. .7 rounds to 1. That's a pretty good possibility because you aren't allowed to make 2 kW heaters that run on regular residential wall power (in the US, anyway). A 2 kW heater would draw 16.7 A and residential circuits are 15 A.