Your own patio is not only more comfortable, but safe too – far away from the daily perils of the outside world. By installing the infrared radiant heaters you can continue to enjoy the homely, cosy warmth even in the cooler months. Provided, of course, that the infrared heaters, which are powered by electricity, function reliably and safely. This is why our topic today is how to protect against ‘overcurrent’ and how to avoid a short circuit in the power circuit when connecting an infrared heater.
Because we want to ensure that you are both warm and safe on your patio, we naturally adhere to all legal requirements and safety regulations. All Trotec’s infrared heaters are TÜV tested and have been awarded the GS mark for proven safety. But even if our modern infrared heaters more than satisfy all safety aspects, your power circuits have a limited load capacity. So before you connect an infrared heater to a power circuit, you should check its load limit.
Determine the load limit in the power circuit and switch off the ‘overcurrent’
Usually a power line in the EU has a voltage of 230 volts and fuses for 16 amperes. The total load should therefore not exceed 3,680 watts. However, if you now connect the patio radiant heater with other larger electrical appliances, there is a risk of a short circuit due to an ‘overcurrent’. This is the term used to describe the electrical current that exceeds the highest permissible permanent current as a result of a body, short or ground faults or overloading. It thereby endangers the insulation points of electrical devices.
If in doubt, call on your trusted electrician
Even if you consider using 2 radiant heaters with 2,000 watts each, the EU standard line presented above will already be overloaded. In this case, you should consult a qualified electrician, who will design sufficient power lines according to the number of required radiant heaters and professionally install them. Incidentally, infrared patio heaters have a high power consumption. Small load peaks in the millisecond range may occur when switching on the radiant heaters, causing a ‘fast’ fuse to blow. An electrician would also be able to help in this case by installing a ‘medium time lag’ fuse on the automatic circuit breakers, which can withstand short load peaks such as these when switched on.
Here’s how you can find out more about the infrared heater solutions from Trotec:
- You will receive comprehensive information on our infrared heater series online in our Trotec shop – here you can find the IR-S radiant heaters, IR radiant heaters, IRD dark radiant heaters as well as the IRS-E pedestal radiant heaters.
- You can continue to follow our guide series about the topic: In the next series, we will introduce the IP protection class concept, among other things, and present the Trotec infrared heaters in direct comparison.
- You can contact the Trotec team of experts at +49 2452 962-400 or use our contact form. We provide advice when it comes to choosing one and answer your questions about our infrared heater series.
