How space heaters are made
An electric space heater turns essentially all the electricity it draws into heat, even the bit that runs its fan.
- stations
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- things upstream
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- raw sources
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- steps from the ground
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The short version
A typical electric fan heater pushes room air across a coil of nichrome wire that glows hot when current runs through it. The coil is wound on a mica or ceramic frame and fitted behind a grille with a small fan, a thermostat, a thermal fuse and a switch that cuts power if the heater tips over, all inside a steel or plastic case.
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Wind the resistance coil
Nichrome wire is wound into a tight coil that will relax and lengthen as it heats in use. The alloy resists oxidation, so it can glow red for years without burning through.
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String it on mica
The coil is threaded around notched cards of mica or ceramic insulators, which hold it in the air stream without letting it touch metal. Copper leads are crimped on at heavier terminals that stay cool.
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Stamp the steel case
Sheet steel is punched and bent into the body and grille, then powder-coated. Many cheaper heaters use a molded plastic case instead, and metal cases hold up better if something inside catches fire.
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Mount fan and motor
A small electric motor and blade go behind the element, pulling room air in and pushing it out over the hot coil. Because the fan carries heat away, the whole heater can be smaller without overheating.
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Wire the safety cutouts
A bimetal thermostat, a thermal fuse beside the element and a tip-over switch are wired into the circuit. If the fan stalls, the intake clogs or the heater falls over, power is cut.
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Close up and test
The case is screwed shut and each unit is powered up to check heat output, fan speed and the safety cutouts. In the US, the safety standards for portable heaters are UL 1278 and UL 1042.
about 1.5 kW on 120 V
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Worth repeating
- About 25,000 fires a year in the United States are caused by space heaters.
- Oil-filled radiators are electric heaters, and the sealed oil inside is never burned. It only stores and spreads the heat.
- Halogen heaters turn up to 86 percent of their power into radiant heat using tungsten filaments sealed in quartz tubes.
Back to the ground
Follow every input upstream and space heater starts as these 28 raw sources.
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Sources
These sources say little about the factory steps themselves, so parts of this line are a general description. Treat the details with care, and tell us if you know better.
Cite this page: "How space heaters are made." Assembly Line, 2026-11-03. https://assemblyline.org/make/space-heater