After much trial and error, I found a ceramic space heater that seemed
to smell least like burning rubber or plastic. I purchased two. They
worked for one winter. This winter, I repeatedly smell an ongoing
machine oil smell coming after about half hour operation. The colder
the intake air, the more it smells like the oil is burning; this is
only a rough correlation, it isn't *always* like that. So when the
air is cool, it will often smell like hot oil; when it is cooler, it
smells like smoldering oil, or even burning oil (at this point, it
smells like a diesel engine, or burning rubber). The diesel smell
sometimes occurs even when it is warm. More ofthen, though, the
smells are less when the room is warm (above 75F), but I don't really
need them that much when the room is warm. Unfortunately, I occupy a
space which must be continuously ventilated with outside air, so it's
always cold (which is more likely to bring on the problem with the oil
smell). The only guess I have for the cause of the problem is that
cold temperature affects the seals for the motor lubricants. The
lubricants leak out and get heated or vaporized by the heater. This
is only a guess.

After prolonged continuous exposure to the fumes, it can be quite
nasty. The machines still have plenty of warranty time left, but I
doubt the store will take them back (and that's reasonable,
considering that I used them throughout last winter). They need to be
sent to the manufacturer; I imagine that round-trip shipping will cost
in the order of half of the original price of the machine. I also
need a heater at all times. Even if I sent it, the manufacturer would
probably replace them with a newer model, but there is no guarantee
that the problem will be eliminated; as I said, these were least
smelly of many heaters tried, and it is possible that new ones will
smell worse at the outset, (and maybe even more worser after one
winter). Hence, sending it back does not seem like a good option.

For the sake of breathability, I am considering getting 2 more heaters
-- without any fan motors. This leaves oil-filled and radiant heaters
(with the orange glowing tubes). Because of the continous draft from
ventilating, I think the radiant heaters would be most suitable.
However, the only radiant 1500W heater I've seen has a fan at the top.
The ostensible reason is to distribute the heat more; of course, it
does this, but I suspect the real reason because the machine simply
gets too hot. People buy radiant heaters because they want focused
heat, and the improved distribution from the fan would not be
appreciated in those situations.

I've looked around quite a bit to find a 1500W radiant heater with no
fan (found some 1000W ones). They don't seem to exist. Is this a
pointless search? I am searching in Canada.

I'd also appreciate any comments on what might be causing the smell.
Is my guess at the temperature dependent lubricant seal plausible or
likely? Does my reasoning for not sending it back seem sound?
Anything I've overlooked?

What about my rationale for choosing radiant heaters over oil-filled
for my situation? Perhaps someone from outside my situation can see
some considerations that I currently do not.

Thank you.

Depending on where you purchased it many places will refund you, many
will exchange it, you didnt say where you bought it. New heaters and
ones sitting for awhile give off smells for 10-30 minutes, yours sounds
defective though. Just because it has a fan dont give up, but there are
radiant dish type no fan. Costco and Ace have lifetime warranty on most
things they sell, Sears may have a satisfaction guarntee you can push .

m Ransley wrote:
Depending on where you purchased it many places will refund you, many
will exchange it, you didnt say where you bought it.

Home Hardware. They did allow me to try other heaters before settling
on this one, so they've been very good. It just feels inappropriate to
have them go through hoops for a pair of heaters I've had for a year
(more actually). I doubt they would actually go for it,
understandably.
I talked to a staff member there, who commented that the heaters do
exude an burning oil smell in the cold. No offer to have it replaced,
and I didn't want to pursue it, considering the circumstances. Maybe
that was not the best decision. Definitely, there are some things that
one might possibly get by playing hardball, but it didn't feel right.
Especially for a heater behaviour that comes and goes, and only under
circumstances that the majority of the users would probably not be
using it. Not only that, but it would be hard to replicate for them.
Furthermore, the smell is easily dismissed unless one is exposed to it
over a long time.

It should be noted, however, that there are no temperature ranges over
which to operate the heater, from reading the manual. In fact, the
model sticker at the bottom says that the 1500W consumption was tested
at 0 degrees celcius ambient, which suggests (and only suggests) that
cooler ambient temperatures should be OK for operating the heater.

New heaters and
ones sitting for awhile give off smells for 10-30 minutes, yours sounds
defective though.

Yes. The fact that they are both "defective" makes me a bit cautious
about going back to the manufacturer. As mentioned, it can be argued
that it is not really a defect, just a characteristic of that machine.

Just because it has a fan dont give up, but there are
radiant dish type no fan. Costco and Ace have lifetime warranty on most
things they sell, Sears may have a satisfaction guarntee you can push .

Costco requires a membership, and Ace seems to be a US store (I'm in
Canada). I will certainly try Sears & The Bay. Thank you for your
comments.

wrote:
Costco requires a membership, and Ace seems to be a US store (I'm in
Canada). I will certainly try Sears & The Bay. Thank you for your
comments.

I should add that the places I've checked are Zellers (they don't have
them
yet), Walmart, Rona, Home Depot, Canadian Tire, and of course Home
Hardware.

On 18 Nov 2005 13:02:59 -0800, wrote:


You're sure you don't want to write or email to the manufacturer,
and ask whether they know what causes the smell, and if they
have a way to address the issue?

Goedjn wrote:
On 18 Nov 2005 13:02:59 -0800, wrote:
You're sure you don't want to write or email to the manufacturer,
and ask whether they know what causes the smell, and if they
have a way to address the issue?

I phoned their support line. The person said she never heard of such
a problem reported with their heater.

Over the last day or so of scratching my head, I've become quite sure
that I know the cause. My apartment smells like diesel fumes after
the heater has been on for more than an hour. The only source of oil
that can burn is the lubricant for the fan motor. From that, I'm
quite certain lubricant is escaping and burning.

I followed your suggestion & sent an email to the company. It is
certainly be a more concrete report of the problem than a simple phone
call. Since both my heaters (same model) have the problem, they might
agree to replace them with another model e.g. by creditting the retail
store in order to avoid shipping charges (for me, or for them if they
were thinking of absorbing that cost). I've found, however, that most
other heaters that drive air through a heating element smells of hot
plastic or burning rubber, even after running for several days.
Almost at the same level of obnoxiousness as the diesel fumes (maybe
not quite). This seems to be a ubiquitous trait of modern heaters.
Knowing that this is a concern of mine, they might offer a refund
(possibly prorated) as an alternative.

The immediate problem right now is to replace the heaters with one
that don't aggravate breathing. Even one less night of that would be
a very welcome relief. Any gestures of customer goodwill extended by
the manufacturers of my currently-owned heaters would be bonus. I
took m Ransley's advice and discussed it with the retail outlet. They
are willing to take the heaters back. Since their business is one
that I would like to see around for a long time, I raised the issue of
them having to absorb the cost. The person said that most likely, it
would be creditted by the manufacturer.

Now, it is just a matter of finding an 1500W radiant heater that is
least likely to have a fume problem. I've pretty well looked at all
the local stores that are likely to carry such a thing. The only
version is the one with a fan on top, mentioned in my original post.
The particular caution I have with that model is that any trace
amounts of lubricants escaping from seals on the fan motor would leak
downward toward the heating region. This is exacerbated by the fact
that the fan (and thus the air flow) is pointing downward. The saving
grace may be that the fan is atop the interior of the unit (the
electronics), whereas the heating tubes that do the serious dumping of
kilowatts are in front of the unit i.e. exterior to the housing.
Therefore, any leaked oil will probably not be heated to the same
degree as in a ceramic heater. The oil may coat the back side of the
reflectors, but that hopefully is not as hot as the heating element of
ceramic heaters. The dumped energy is primarily radiant, after all;
the reflectors' purpose is not to absorb the radiant heat.
Furthermore, the fact that the top fan is so low-powered is one
indication that the back side of the reflectors do not get very hot.

The one store that had this model ran out yesterday. I will check
another store today.