Infrared Heater Comparison Test
Infrared sauna advertisers have made many claims regarding the performance of their Infrared emitters/heaters. In an effort to bring greater clarity and accuracy to the evaluation of Infrared sauna emitters, Nature’s Spectrum Health Inc. out of Vancouver BC developed an objective test to observe and measure levels of Infrared energy from sample IR emitters.
The test utilizes uses a Cholesteric Liquid Crystal ‘Test Screen’. The Cholesteric Liquid Crystals change colour when heated. This colour changing effect will be familiar to many from the popular ‘mood’ ring products
Test Procedure
1. Four sample Infrared emitters were chosen to represent the variety of emitters used in the Infrared sauna industry (2 ‘Element Type’ emitters and 2 Panel emitters). The emitters were of similar wattages to ensure a valid comparison.
2. The emitters were installed, one at a time, 12” above the Liquid Crystal ‘Test Screen’.
3. Each emitter was turned on for 35 minutes. This provided sufficient time for the emitters to warm to their maximum temperature and exert their full radiant heating effect on the Test Screen.
4. At the end of each 35 minute test period the Test Screen was photographed by a Panasonic LZ5SE digital camera from a fixed overhead position.
5. The photographed ‘colour change’ images were evaluated to access teh emitters' Infrared Output.
Infrared Evaluation
The emitters’ Infrared Output was assessed by the images’ colours, intensity of the colours and the size of the image.
A. Colour & Infrared Intensity. The different coloured crystals represent the degree to which they have been heated by the Infrared. Dark Navy Blue indicates the greatest intensity of Infrared heating, then Blue, Green and Red representing descending levels of Infrared.
B. Size. The size of the colour image gauges the size of an emitter’s Infrared projection. The size of the image indicates an emitter’s ability to ‘cover’ a sauna user’s body with Infrared.
Conclusions
A. The 2 element type emitters displayed very similar Infrared Output in both intensity and size of projection.
B. The ‘First Generation’ Carbon Panel displayed the least Infrared Output of all 4 emitters tested.
C. The Magicyura Ceramic Panel exhibited significantly greater Infrared Output than all other emitters tested
Comments
Many people have reported sweating quicker and more profusely with the Magicyura Ceramic Panels compared to other Infrared saunas. The test verifies that the Magicyura Panels have a greater Infrared output, projected over a larger area, than element type emitters and ‘first generation’ panel heaters. The test results explain the superior Magicyura sauna experience, as the sauna user receives better body coverage of Infrared producing a better sweat.
Magicyura panels produce greater levels of Infrared than other types of emitters and produce less convectional heat than element type emitters. For this reason Northern Lights Cedar Tubs uses the Magicyura heater in their Hybrid Sauna.
