True Wave® heater technology

As innovators of infrared technology, Clearlight® Saunas holds four different patents on the heating technology we utilise in our products. Our most impressive patented technology is our True Wave® heater technology, and used for both our Far Infrared and Full Spectrum heaters. Our True Wave® heaters are the fusion two well known heating materials - carbon and ceramic. We also developed the first and only virtually no-EMF combination carbon/ceramic heaters that cancel out virtually all electromagnetic fields for the safest infrared sauna experience.

View the TrueWave® Heater Comparison test

Patented infrared technology

We have been manufacturing infrared saunas that are both elegant and beneficial for over 25 years as the leader and innovator of the infrared sauna industry. While our cabins are of excellent quality, the therapeutic advantages of infrared heat are our main concern.

Conventional heaters of infrared light are made from two materials, carbon and ceramic. The last ten years have witnessed a heated argument as to whether Carbon heaters or Ceramic heaters are " superior."

Carbon heaters produce long-wave infrared rays, but they do not produce a lot of infrared heat energy. Ceramic heaters, on the contrary, emit a lot of infrared heat, but the wavelengths are shorter, thus less therapeutic. Some sauna brands will use ceramic elements as their heat source, while others will use a carbon heating system.

The Clearlight® True Wave® technology has ended the debate by introducing the only combination of carbon and ceramic infrared heaters. This introduced to the market, infrared heaters that maintained the same heat output and heating power of a ceramic tower heater, with the attributes of super-efficient heating and longer wavelengths of carbon heaters.

Our True Wave® infrared heaters work by using micro-thin carbon fibres (1/1000th the thickness of a human hair) combined with our patented micro fine ceramic compound for higher infrared output (emissivity).

Each True Wave® infrared heating element is uniquely manufactured under specific conditions in the Clearlight® factory.  This innovative process built in thermostat conditions is what produces the highest thermal emissivity and output than any other infrared heaters available.

The special process involves the carbon/ceramic layers alternated with layers of a woven substrate, which combine under high heat settings and pressure to make one heater at a time. The infrared heater is then tested under power, for several hours, and measured for the electrical energy, surface temperature, and EMF output, in twelve different locations.

The carbon in our heaters allows the heater to produce long wave far infrared heat. This long wave infrared heat penetrates deeper into your body and the infrared heat is more readily absorbed.

The ceramic in our heaters gives the heaters a very high infrared output when compared to traditional carbon heaters so we can concentrate the heat directly on your body. You can view our patents below:

Low EMF Halogen Tube Heater
Patent #: US 20200100984 A1

Infrared therapy chamber
Patent #:  US 20120221080 A1

Rotating Control Panel
Patent #: US 20140191048 A1

Electromagnetic wave reducing heaters and devices and saunas
Patent #: US 11202346 B2

True Wave® warm-up times

Different heaters of True Wave®

Clearlight® utilises two versions of the True Wave® heaters. We have True Wave® far infrared panels that are the central heating elements in all our saunas, and we have True Wave® full spectrum heaters that are utilised in our Sanctuary™ models for instant heat and additional therapeutic benefits.

True Wave® full spectrum infrared heaters are our highest output heat source, producing near, mid and far infrared wavelengths at once. They produce 1,000 watts of full spectrum infrared heat that is 25 times more the power of our closest competitor.

What is full spectrum infrared?

True Wave® full spectrum heaters emit 1/3 near-infrared, 1/3 mid-infrared and 1/3 far-infrared wavelengths, hence the term full-spectrum. Near, mid, and far infrared are the three types of infrared radiation and live on the invisible light spectrum. While far infrared radiation is responsible for the majority of health advantages, including all three wavelengths adds further benefits.

What is near-infrared?

Near Infrared is the shortest wavelength (meaning you need to be closest to the heat lamp) but penetrates the deepest. It has a wavelength of between 700 and 1400 nanometers, which makes it not a part of the visible spectrum. NIR is used in infrared therapy, and in our Full Spectrum saunas. It has the wonderful feature of not being trapped by bodily water, allowing it to easily heat your body core and go into the deepest levels of your body. Near-infrared causes photobiomodulation, which directly produces energy within the cells through ATP stimulation. Therefore helps wound healing and increases cellular repair, however, it does target the fat cells like far infrared wavelengths.

What is mid-infrared?

Mid-infrared (MIR) is an infrared portion of the (IR) spectrum that has longer wavelengths than near-infrared, between 1400 and 3000 nanometers. Mid infrared wavelengths are captured by water molecules. They are great for increasing circulation through vasodilation, bringing oxygen and white blood cells to areas needing healing, and also increases heart rate and overall metabolism.

What is far-infrared?

Far-infrared (FIR) is a portion of the infrared spectrum that has the longest wavelength, between 3000 and 1,000,000 nanometers. It is the closest of the wavelengths to the heat given off by our own bodies. Far infrared is readily captured by water molecules to release its energy. Our bodies actually give off far infrared wavelengths at about 9.4 microns. Since far infrared wavelengths feel very natural and normal to us, our energy is enhanced and strengthened.

Our True Wave® infrared heating emits a 9.4-micron wavelength that generates a vibrational pattern within our cells. This promotes detoxification of toxins that are then flushed out through the three primary elimination organs (kidneys, liver, and skin). Expelling harmful chemicals from the body through the skin is beneficial since it eliminates the liver's need to break down large quantities of fat-soluble chemicals. Sweating alone through infrared sauna usage can be quite efficient at removing mercury, aluminium, cholesterol, sulphur and formaldehyde. This optimal micron output also improves pain relief, relaxation, circulation, and increased peripheral blood flow.

What to look for in an infrared heater

Don’t be fooled by marketing hype and supposed studies stating only one material is better for producing far infrared heat – know the facts. When evaluating material for its properties to give off far infrared heat we evaluate its “emissivity”. Emissivity is the measure of an object’s ability to emit far infrared energy. Emissivity can have a value from 0 (shiny mirror) to 1.0 (blackbody).

Raytek, one of the leading infrared instrument manufacturers has the following emissivity tables on their website. When reading the table, please note the values in 5-14 micron ranges – the “vital” range for healing the human body (the symbol μm stands for “micron”). You will see ceramic has an emissivity of .95 – the closest to a perfect black body at 1.0. That is why the patented ceramic compound that we add to our True Wave® heaters is so important.

Please note the highlighted entry’s in the table:

Emissivity Table for Non-Metals (Cermaic vs. Carbon)

Table for Metals (Cermaic vs. Steel and Incoloy Rods)

Most infrared heaters used in our competitors’ saunas were designed for industrial use. Many infrared heaters are used to cure the paint on cars because it heats the paint from the inside out. True Wave® was designed by us, specifically to heat the human body for health benefits.

We understand how difficult it is to select an infrared sauna and to figure out which heaters would work best for you. When comparing various heating systems, ask the following questions:

1) What is the surface temperature of the heater?

This is one of the most important questions as it determines the size of the infrared wavelength and the overall effectiveness of the heater. The two scientific principles that govern infrared emissions are called Planks Law and Weins Law. Both of these scientific laws have an equation with several constants and the only variable is the surface temperature of the heater. They both say that the lower the surface temperature of the heater, the longer the infrared wave will be and the more effective the infrared heat will be for you.

2) Does the sauna have front and back heaters?

One of the keys to sweating and effective detoxification in an infrared sauna is warming your body and raising your core body temperature. You want to find a sauna that heats both the back and front of your body. You cannot effectively detox in an infrared sauna without warming your front core. Many saunas on the market today leave the front heaters out or have very small front heaters for aesthetic reasons – a huge mistake in our opinion. Our True Wave® heaters are positioned so that they cover your full back area and the front heaters are positioned so that they are aimed at your front core. They do an excellent job of warming your body core and raising your core body temperature

3) Is the far infrared heat directed where it’s most needed?

We have found that the problem with traditional carbon heaters is that they don’t produce a lot of radiant heating concentrated on your body. Carbon heaters only work when they are within a few inches of your body. If the infrared panels that are wall mounted go all the way up over your head, they are only creating heat for the sauna cabin air. Because infrared light travels in a straight line, you want to make sure that the IR heaters direct heat toward you, not to create warm air in larger spaces like a cabin.

4) Radiant heat vs. reflected heat:

You will see many heaters on the market that are thin with a single rod and a metal reflector behind it. Generally, these heaters produce low-quality far infrared heat. A single rod heater must run at a much higher surface temperature than larger flat panel heaters to produce sufficient infrared heating. As mentioned above, the higher the surface temperature the less effective the infrared heating will be.

Why True Wave® is better for you

The perfect infrared heater must factor in so many different specifications, such as emissivity, power output, surface temperature, micron wavelength, heat settings and energy efficiency. True Wave® infrared heaters are the optimal balance of all of these factors, making them the most energy-efficient, the highest energy-heating heating element you could have in an infrared sauna. Their heat protection allows for the highest emissivity, while the ultra-low ELF and EMF are unrivalled safety features. Our Sanctuary Saunas utilise both True Wave® infrared heaters with two heat settings for complete control and energy usage.

Silent operation makes for the ultimate, relaxing sauna experience only achieved by True Wave® infrared heaters. All of our True Wave® infrared heaters are backed by our lifetime warranty for added security.

Want to know more?

Our team are experts in infrared saunas, and always happy to answer your questions.
We’re available seven days a week, 9am - 5pm.

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