Like many, I have one of those little space-heater doodads that have an “oscillate” feature you can set to on or off. I’ve been trying to figure this out for weeks…does the room heat up faster with oscillate “on” or “off?” Or is there absolutely no difference? Even if there would be a slight difference, I’d like to know…it’s FREEZING in here!
Well, I would presume that’s more a matter of whether you’re attempting to heat an entire room, or larger area, or just the area directly in front ot the heater.
If you’re putting one of these near you, pointing in your direction, setting it to oscillate is going to be directing some of that precious heat in directions other than right at you. If you’re just trying to bring up the temperature in a larger area, oscillate’s going to spread the warmth more quickly.
(this is presuming the oscillate feature turns the vents or entire heater to direct the heater’s output in varying directions?)
I do think you want to make sure oscilating or not, the output is directed inward from the outside and not directed toward an outside wall from the interior of the room. That’s based on my WAG that pushing air in the direction of a surface that’s being cooled on the outside is going to cool the air, basically losing some of your heat to the great outdoors. This of course is going to be greatly efected by how well insulated the place you are trying to heat is.
-Doug
Technically, having it oscillate generates more heat, since more work is being done to move the fan around (you did ask if there was “absolutely” no difference :))
This effect is extremely tiny compared to all the items dublos mentioned, though.
Arjuna34
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I don’t often get the opportunity to tell my favorite joke, although I may have done it on the board before…
How do you titillate an ocelot?
You oscillate its tit a lot.
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