A wide selection of electric heaters has recently replenished with another variety. Mykatermic heater got its name in honor of Mica-thermic manufacturing technology based on the use of mica minerals. Since it is difficult to invent something really new in the field of electric heating, we suggest that you consider what it is and objectively understand the pros and cons of the product. A good “wash the bones” to the heater will help reviews of real users from thematic forums.
Let's start with the principle of work
If you set out to find a scheme for a mycothermal heater on the Russian-speaking Internet, you will come across the first disappointment. The device and the principle of operation of the product are vaguely described by manufacturers and various resources, but there is no diagram. It seems that the device uses strictly classified space technology.
Your attention is invited to a diagram showing the technology of Mica-thermic in action. The heater consists of the following elements:
- Flat chassis on casters with grilles on the sides.
- A control unit equipped with temperature controllers and a thermostat (mechanical or electronic) is built into the end part of the apparatus. In rich trim levels, a liquid crystal display is installed.
- Inside the case there is one or several mycothermal heaters in the form of plates coated on the outside with a thin film of mica (thickness not more than 0.03 mm).
- The heating element is a nickel plate coated on both sides with tin, iron and zinc oxides. Mica plays the role of the outer layer.
The task of the above “sandwich” is to transfer 80% of the heat to the room due to infrared radiation, 20% - convection. Metal oxides act as electrical insulators and reflectors of thermal energy, and a section of mica is the main transmission link. Its surface heats up to about 200 ° C, and the protective grill of the body - up to a maximum of 60 ° C.
For reference. According to Wikipedia, mica is a mountain mineral with dielectric properties. The composition is complex: aluminum, silicon, hydrogen with oxygen and up to 30 more chemical elements. Technical names - muscovite, lepidolite, flugopit, biotite and so on.
According to manufacturers, mycothermal heaters operate on the principle of infrared panels - they transfer radiant heat to all objects and surfaces that are in the coverage area. The fifth part of the thermal energy (20%) is given out by convection: the air washing the mica coating is heated and exits through the grate in the upper end.
The real advantages of the device are myths aside
The purpose of this section is to weed out advertising nonsense and myths in order to show the user the real advantages and disadvantages of the product. Regarding space and nanotechnology, you already understood that there are no innovative solutions in the device. The same mica has been used in electrical engineering since the last century.
Important. The main myth sounds like this: a mycothermal heater is 10–20-30% more economical than other types of electric heaters, in particular, convectors. In fact, any modern electric device used for heating, successfully converts electrical energy into heat with an efficiency of 98-99%. It’s all about the method of heat transfer.
Let's move on to listing the advantages of mycothermal heaters, confirmed by reviews of real people:
- regardless of size, the device is light in weight - 3-5 kg, depending on the model;
- heating the surface to 50-60 ° C gives relative safety compared to oil-filled heaters, although 60 degrees is still hot for the hands;
- no fan noise;
- in the range of the device, objects begin to warm up quite quickly - after 1-2 minutes, which confirms the video at the end of the section;
- the product is placed on wheels or hung on a wall;
- automatic temperature control by electronic or mechanical thermostat;
- options in the form of shelves for drying things, a timer, a built-in ionizer and so on.
In fairness it should be noted that the device heats the small rooms quite quickly. If you want to warm yourself immediately, just sit on the sofa in front of the working side of the mycothermal heater. The minimum allowable distance from the body to the nearest object is 0.5 m.
Now we highlight the dubious merits of the product:
- Environmental friendliness is inherent in all heaters that are powered by electricity, and cannot be considered the advantage of a particular heater.
- The wavelength of infrared radiation coming from the device is safe for those living in an apartment or a private house. The statement is unrealistic to verify in a domestic environment.
- Fast heating of the entire room. This parameter depends on the ratio of the power of the device / area of the room. If a device with a power of 1.5 kW is used on 15 m², then the statement is true.
- The heating element does not burn oxygen and does not dry the room air. Recall that the surface of the mica film reaches a temperature of 200 ° C and is in contact with air. Although in small quantities, oxygen is burned.
- Nice appearance can be considered a positive side of all heaters for sale.
The last doubtful positive moment is directional heating. By turning the floor version of the device in the right direction, the user can increase the temperature of objects in 1 part of the room. How quickly the surfaces are heated under the influence of a mycothermal electric heater, see the video:
About the negative points
Having studied the first part of the article, the reader can decide that mycothermal household heaters are another rubbish and you do not need to buy them. Do not rush to conclusions and first familiarize yourself with the disadvantages of devices, of which there are only three:
- Negative property of all infrared heaters: the intensity of heating decreases with distance from the radiation source. Since heat waves propagate strictly in the zone of action of the radiating elements, warming up the cooled room takes 2-5 hours.
- Through the perforation of the grill, dust settles into the apparatus and settles on the mica coating. After switching on, the dusty layer begins to fade within 10-15 minutes, spreading a characteristic odor.
- Products manufactured using Mica-thermic technology are not cheap. Below is a comparison table with the prices of various heaters of the same power of 1500 watts of the famous Polaris brand.
Heater type | Mica-thermic | Ceramic | Oil | Convector | Fan heater |
Price, y e. | 80 | 21 | 52 | 55 | 16 |
Cost, rub. | 4600 | 1230 | 3000 | 3200 | 940 |
Note. The table shows the prices of products with approximately the same set of functions as of autumn 2017.
Which is better - convector or mycothermal heater
A high-quality convective heater is also not cheap, so we will not consider this criterion. For other parameters, the picture is as follows:
- From 80 to 90% of the heat, the convector transfers directly to air, the proportion of radiant energy is a maximum of 20%. At the first stage, the air environment of the room is heated, objects remain cold. It takes several hours for the temperature to equalize.
- The mycothermal heater has the opposite: the room air is cool, and the surfaces in the coverage area are heated. The heat exchange of objects with the air will take the same 2-5 hours.
- A convector is heavier than a mica device, but it is also attached to a wall or equipped with wheels.You don’t have to carry it on yourself.
- For 3-5 hours, necessary for the complete warming up of the room, both electrical installations “wrap” the meter in approximately the same way (± 5%).
- When comparing, the set of useful functions does not play a special role - it is identical in both types of devices: thermostat, step or stepless power adjustment, display, tipping protection, shelf - dryer, etc.
Theoretically, the rate of full warming up is the same for both options. But in practice and according to the sensations of people, the convector works faster. And it doesn’t matter that part of the heat is retained along with the air near the ceiling. Infrared heating has more problems:
- radiation does not cover all furniture; half of the surfaces remain cold;
- objects are made of various materials that give and absorb heat in different ways, which slows down the heating of air;
- the feeling of comfortable heating comes with heated air, and the waves of radiant heat “fry” you on the one hand.
Hence the recommendation: for quick warming, a mycothermal type apparatus is perfect, and constant electric heating is better organized using convectors. There is also an intermediate option - an oil radiator that emits infrared and convective heat in a ratio of 50/50.
Verified Brands
Mica-thermic heaters are part of the product range of the following brands:
- De’Longhi;
- Polaris
- Bimatek
- VES
- Chigo;
- Slogger.
From the presented list it is worth highlighting the famous Italian brand De’Longhi. The quality of the products of this company is not in doubt - they are definitely recommended for purchase.
Note. Unfortunately, the choice of mycothermal heaters on the official website of the manufacturer is limited to one model with a capacity of 1.5 kW. The price is impressive - 147 at. e. (8490 rubles). Perhaps later the range will expand.
The Polaris brand, which occupies the first place in popularity, belongs to an Israeli company, the production is located in China. The quality, reliability and cost of products are satisfactory. Note that the manufacturer offers a wide range of heaters of various types - convectors, infrared panels and fan heaters.
The remaining brands are frankly Chinese. Clear and reliable information about the products of these firms is not enough to draw the right conclusions. Most of the reviews are fake, although there are also negative ones - people complain about factory marriage. Fortunately, retail chains exchange defective products without question.
Product Reviews
The number of users characterizing products positively and negatively is distributed in a ratio of approximately 60/40. Naturally, we tried to filter out customary laudatory odes.
Lyudmila, Krasnodar.
We bought a new type of heater in the apartment - mycothermal. I managed to work out 10 days, after which I refused to turn on. The store made an exchange of the device, the second copy is functioning well. There are no complaints about heating, in general we are satisfied. I like the appearance of the product and low weight, which is convenient for moving. A significant plus - the fan does not buzz and does not interfere with rest at night.
Anonymous, Yekaterinburg.
On the Internet I read a lot of positive feedback and bought the innovative Mica-thermic heater. After 2 years of use, I note such advantages: the device is reliable, lightweight and convenient, the heating is soft. The main disadvantage is the thermocouple built into the case. He quickly warms up and turns off the appliance, although the room is still cold. The regulator has to set the temperature to 30-35 ° C to get 20 degrees in the room. Second: at a distance of 3-4 m, the heat flow is no longer felt, and the whole room is heated too slowly. I recommend for small rooms up to 10 m².
Lukoshkina, Tambov.
The heating from the micathermic heater is really fast - the temperature in a room of 30 m² rises in just 15 minutes when operating at full power. If you are in the range of the device, you must switch to minimum mode, otherwise it unpleasantly burns. It is difficult to clean dust from the inside, which burns out and spreads an unpleasant odor after switching on. High power consumption.
Yuri, Moscow.
I believe that the purchased heater is fundamentally different from the oil cooler in a positive way. Installed in a dressing room under the window, so the floor in a radius of 1.5 m became warm, you can walk barefoot. The grill does not heat up and does not burn, the heating is very comfortable. A worthy replacement for oil-filled batteries.
Alexey, St. Petersburg.
I purchased a 2 kW mycothermal heater, put it on wheels. It is very light and heats up quickly - the heat from the elements is felt 10-15 seconds after switching on. If you put it close to the furniture, then the surfaces become very hot, you have to push or switch to minimum mode. At the moment, everything suits me, I just think how to clean the dust from the inside.
Conclusions and recommendations for selection
In our opinion, the main disadvantage of mycothermal heaters is the price comparable to expensive models of convectors. Other disadvantages are not so significant, especially if you choose the right device for power. In this regard, we give several recommendations:
- The old method of selecting the thermal power of 100 W / 1 m² of area is not very appropriate here. Yes, a 2-kilowatt appliance is enough to heat a room of 20 m², but it will become hot and uncomfortable for residents located next to the heater. Therefore, buy a product with switching modes.
- When choosing, pay attention to the manufacturer's data. For example, for a 1.5 kW heater, Polaris brand instructions indicate a room area of 24 m². Warning: in this case, the walls must be insulated.
- Consider the features of the building and the purpose of the heating. If the stone house is not insulated, then according to the characteristics of the manufacturer it is impossible to navigate - use the traditional calculation method. When heating a garage or workshop, a temperature of 20-24 ° C is not needed, you can take a heater of lower power.
In fact, the high-tech Mica-thermic heater differs little from other infrared “brothers” and inherits all the advantages with drawbacks. Against the background of other "innovations" like quartz panels, this product looks quite worthy. The best option is to combine electric heaters with another heating method - water or air. Then you are guaranteed to get the desired effect and can spend energy economically.