Reducing a space heater's wattage??

[PepeLapiu]

Hi all, first post here.

I have a 1500W space heater that comes with a little fan in it. It runs off of a 120V outlet (I'm in Canada).
I would like to reduce the wattage to the heater from 1500W to 500W or maybe even 400W. How do I do that?

Cheers,
PepeLapiu

 

[malcolmsanford]

First question is why a UK forum. Second question is why are you wanting to do this and not just buy a smaller heater.

 

[PepeLapiu]

First question is why a UK forum.

It's the first one that popped up on Google search. I assumed it wouldn't be a big issue.

Second question is why are you wanting to do this and not just buy a smaller heater.

I can't find a 120V 500W space heater that would fit my physical shape requirements, and with a fan.

There, I answered you questions ...... your turn .......

 

[malcolmsanford]

simple answer is there is not a great deal you can do. If there is more than one element in the heater you could disconnect elements to bring the load down. You could wire the elements in series that would also bring the load down.

If it was a 220volt unit you could have plugged it into 110V over there but as it isn't then that's out. Chances are you can't transform it down to a lower voltage as then the fan would not work, so not sure what you could do.

 

[Wiredspark]

Does the heater have a thermostat?

 

[PepeLapiu]

Yes it does have a thermostat but when it turns on, it turns on full blast, all 1500W or I can put it on the lower setting which would use 1000W whenever running.

Here is my dilemma: I run a compressor inside my work trailer, and so I run a power cord to the trailer from whatever house I'm working on. Thing is, compressors don't run very well at temperatures below 0 Celsius, and they they don't run at all below -20 Celsius. So I put the compressor inside an insulated box and I heat that box to keep it around 5-10 Celsius.

Now, I run chargers for my cordless tools and some lights inside the trailer. They can all be handled by the power I bring in. But when I add the heater, I keep tripping the breaker. I need tohave the heater run at lower wattage, which you tell me isn't possible.

So here goes plan B)

The two items that run the most power are the compressor and the heater. So what I was thinking is maybe I could rig a thermostat inside the heater/compressor box. But a thermostat would simply be turning on the heater at a given temperature, which would trip the breaker, should the compressor be running at the same time.

So would it be possible to have a thermostat that would switch the power from the compressor, and turn it to the heater, and then turn it back to the compressor when the heater is done running?

I want to have both the heater and the compressor running, but not at the same time. I need the compressor to shut down while the heater is running.

Any ideas?

 

[PepeLapiu]

Unless you guys know where I can find a small space heater that would run at below 500W on 120V?

There are 500W baseboard heaters but those tend to be too long for my needs. And those don't come with a fan, they are all 'gravity' heaters.

 

[Sintra]

What you could do is fit a stat to control the coil of a relay then break the heater through the NC contacts and the compressor through the NO contacts meaning only one item will work at a time depending on stat status.

 

[jpmiff]

Hi

from your info about the therostat, it runs at 1500w or 1000w, does this mean there are two heating elements? one at 1000w and the other at 500w.
if so you may be able to alter the wiring configeration to run the 500w element.

 

[mogga]

couldnt you just run 2 leads from work site to trailer ? one item in each