Monitor workout

[FordMan59]

Looks like my Monitor 422 is going to get it's biggest test in 18 years of ownership this next week as we're expecting low's in the negative single digits with wind chills in the -20-30* range for the next couple days and a high tomorrow of only about 5*. I guess I'll see how well the 422 which is rated at 1000sf does against these temperatures and trying to heat about 1200sf. This will be the coldest period we've experienced since I've had the Monitor and since we moved to KY in 2010. Many of those 18 years were in the Charlotte, NC area where they seldom see temperatures below 0* and our home there was only 980 sf. When I lived in NC I was surprised to find out one morning when the temperature was -5* it tied the record low for Charlotte since they'd been keeping records. At the time I worked construction and to my surprise they called off work saying it was too cold. Since our house is well insulated I don't think the Monitor will have a problem, it only runs on low or medium/low most of the time even when the temperatures are in the teens and wind chills in the negative single digits. It's currently 50* here in southwestern KY with rain in front a cold front that's expected to give us a blast freeze, snow later tonight and temperatures around 0* by morning with winds about 20-30mph. I know many of you experience much colder temperatures than this a big portion of the winter and probably it's much warmer than many of you right now. At least if I see the Monitor isn't going to be able to handle it alone I have portable kerosene unit I use when working in the garage or an electric furnace I can fall back on. Everyone stay warm. I'm just going to sit back and wait for the cold. I'll update later how the Monitor is doing.

[pythons37]

Monitor work out

How did it do?

[FordMan59]

Monitor 422 Performance at Approximately 0* F

It did excellent. Woke up Monday morning to a temperature of about 3* by our home thermometer with strong winds (never heard what the official temperature or wind chill was). I'd guess the wind chill around -20-25*. The Monitor had been set on 64* for the night and when I got up the temperature in the house was 64*, I bumped it up to 68* and within a reasonably short time the indoor temperature was up to 68* and the heater maintained 68* all day running most of the time on either low or medium-low occasionally stepping up to medium high or high for only a few minutes at a time. Yesterday's high by the home thermometer did make it to 10*, but most of the day it was anywhere from 4-6*. In the early evening yesterday when the weather was on television the temperature was 4* and they were giving a current wind chill of -10 with much lighter winds than we had that morning. At that time the heater was running on medium-low. This mornings low was expected to be about -4*, the lowest any of us saw by our home thermometer was 3* at about 4:30 am, but the wind wasn't near as strong as it was Monday morning. Our thermometer usually shows a few degrees warmer than the official temperature. The only place in the house that was a little cool was the bathroom to the rear of the master bedroom, but that's normal since the heater is located about mid way on the front wall of the house and the heat has to travel from the living room, through the master bedroom and into the master bath. With the thermostat set at 68* which is about the temperature we like in the main living area during the daytime we usually use either a small electric unit or portable kerosene unit in that bath when taking baths so I don't think it was much if any cooler than normal. Overall I was very pleased with the performance of the Monitor 422 even though it didn't get quite as cold as they were expecting. It stacked up quite well to 0* temperatures with strong winds and heating about 20% more space than it's rated for. Today the high has been 21* and tomorrows high is expected to be in the mid 30's.

[catamount]

That sounds downright balmy! Our 422 also heats about the same square footage... but we're way up here in Vermont! It's our primary heat source. I actually prefer when the temps are cold because the heater doesn't cycle so much and I feel like it maintains a more consistent temperature.

Earlier this month, the temperatures were below zero for 5 days in a row, touching -15 at nights. -30 if you consider wind chills.

We keep it between 67-68 most of the day and the 422 keeps up just fine. We do have a 2nd monitor in our master bedroom, but we never use it as we prefer it cooler in the bedroom. The one 422 heats a lot of space.

[HayZee518]

Monitor

I live in NewYork about twenty miles south of the St Lawrence seaway which is the Northern Boundary between the U.S. and Canada. Just look at the temperatures on the weather channels and you'll see what I have to put up with!
Daytime could be 3 above or 3 below, sometimes well below 3 degrees.
My monitor has never failed me. I have a mp2400 vented kerosene.
Say what you will but I won't bad mouth a monitor.

[FordMan59]

I live in NewYork about twenty miles south of the St Lawrence seaway which is the Northern Boundary between the U.S. and Canada. Just look at the temperatures on the weather channels and you'll see what I have to put up with!
Daytime could be 3 above or 3 below, sometimes well below 3 degrees.
My monitor has never failed me. I have a mp2400 vented kerosene.
Say what you will but I won't bad mouth a monitor.

How many sf are you heating with your 2400? The 2400 puts out double the BTU of the 422. I wouldn't have been at all concerned if I'd been using a 40, 41, 441, or 2400. The 422 is supposed to be for heating areas of 1000sf or less. I was also heating about 1200sf. The larger units are supposed to heat 2000sf.

[pythons37]

Square feet

I always get a kick out of the " Heats xxx amount of square feet" . I could better understand " Heats xxx amount of cubic feet. " Ceiling height has a lot to do with it, too. Never a mention of that.

[HayZee518]

square feet vs cubic feet

square feet is area. you can have a space 1/8th inch tall and 140 square feet.
most rooms have a given of an 8 ft headspace.
cubic feet would make more sense but then you run into so many air changes per hour or minute.

[FordMan59]

How Many CF

square feet is area. you can have a space 1/8th inch tall and 140 square feet.
most rooms have a given of an 8 ft headspace.
cubic feet would make more sense but then you run into so many air changes per hour or minute.

OK, how many cf are you heating with your 2400? Since standard ceiling height in most modern houses is 8 ft. and has been for well over 50 years I assume that's what heating manufacturers would use for calculating sf.

[HayZee518]

rooms

I never really calculated the area it heats. guess I got some homework to do!