Sunflow Electric Heating Systems

Options
124678

Comments

  • IM.X
    IM.X Posts: 1 Newbie
    Options
    Interesting how he quotes from the sunflow review section EXACTLY but claims not to be associated with sunflow!
    sunflowltd.co.uk/gpage7.html
    BTW, if someone has bought these under false pretence, is there a legal avenue of recourse, other than threatening watchdog and MSE?
  • Mr_Skeptical
    Mr_Skeptical Posts: 7 Forumite
    edited 9 August 2012 at 7:25PM
    Options
    The Sunflow Storage Heaters look remarkably like the German made Aeroflow Ceramic Clay Storage Heaters sold by Electrorad.

    electrorad.co.uk/products/aero-flow-radiators/?gclid=CIKFpOyy37ACFcshtAodlB5cvg
  • Mr_Skeptical
    Mr_Skeptical Posts: 7 Forumite
    edited 21 June 2012 at 2:59PM
    Options
    Just found out the the Aeroflow heaters are made by Thermotec GmbH.

    I found these details on a Green Building forum:

    Electrorad Running Cost Tests

    Independant house tests conducted by leading testing laboratory and certification company to UKAS standards.

    Location England
    Test Period Winter 2007
    Size of property 330 sq.ft. (2 rooms)
    Cost of electricity 7.25 pence per Kw/hour*
    Lowest outside temperature 1 degree ‘C’

    Test areas consisted of :

    Lounge 15ft x 13ft 3ins
    Bedroom 15ft x 8ft 9ins

    Final Inspection and Packing
    A single 2.0 Kw AeroFlow heater was used to heat the Lounge/Dining.
    A single 1.5 Kw AeroFlow heater was used to heat the bedroom.

    Maintaining an average temperature of:
    19 °C in the bedroom
    21 °C in the Lounge
    throughout the tests.

    *Based on Economy 10 tariff continuous running for 24 hours

    Part of Powder Coating Plant Five separate tests were conducted over 24 hour periods. (120 hours)

    Lounge/Dining 2 periods of 24 hours duration (48 hours)
    (Electricity used for 28% of the time the heaters were operating)

    Bedroom 3 periods of 24 hours duration (72 hours)
    (Electricity used for 23% of the time the heaters were operating)

    TOTAL cost for the 120 hours tests - £ 3. 19
    Average cost per hour = 2.66pence

    I'm not sure why it says that electricity was used 23% of the time. Maybe the heater works by switching on and off at regular intervals?
  • Cardew
    Cardew Posts: 29,036 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Rampant Recycler
    Options
    This is the standard [STRIKE]garbage[/STRIKE] explanation to impress those who are ready to be impressed.

    The 23% is the time the heater is giving out heat - the thermostat switches off the heating elements for 77% of the time.

    So taking the bedroom with a 1.5kW heater. In a 24 hour period it runs for 24 x 0.23 = 5.52 hours and uses 8.28kWh.

    On the Economy 10 tariff they use electricity costs 7.25p a kWh so it costs 60p to heat the room for 24 hours.

    Let us ignore the fact that the vast majority cannot get E10.

    Let us take a £20 oil filled radiator from Argos. doesn't really matter what power. A 1kW heater will run for more than 23% of the time, and a 2kW will run for less than 23% of the time..

    On the same economy 10 tariff it will give out exactly the same amount of heat to keep the room at the same level and cost the same 60p to heat the room for 24 hours.
  • Richie-from-the-Boro
    Richie-from-the-Boro Posts: 6,945 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    In the same two small rooms with doors / windows that were never opened during the test and no footfall through the areas in a 'green' insulated home including they say [ not just the attic ] the roof - I could probably achieve the same or less costs with £15 per unit aldi convector's.

    - so
    - £30 my way
    - £890 & delivery & fitting their way
    - kWh is kWh is kWh so thats the same for Aldi or Aeroflow on E10

    NOTE: The costs for their E10 rates are at the 2007 price point, they do get brownie points for 2 things (1) publishing their prices (2) making it a straight forward e-transaction and not sneaking behind closed doors for a signature out of sight of the oversight of others.
    Disclaimer : Everything I write on this forum is my opinion. I try to be an even-handed poster and accept that you at times may not agree with these opinions or how I choose to express them, this is not my problem. The Disabled : If years cannot be added to their lives, at least life can be added to their years - Alf Morris - ℜ
  • Terrylw1
    Terrylw1 Posts: 7,038 Forumite
    Options
    ...and which E10 is it? There are different variations causing the times yo be different between regions as they were set up purely on a regional basis.

    If 2 rate E10, its been commonly available in every region with E7 since deregulation. Its the 3 rate variants that are the regional problematic ones.
    :rotfl: It's better to live 1 year as a tiger than a lifetime as a worm...but then, whoever heard of a wormskin rug!!!:rotfl:
  • Stevo555
    Stevo555 Posts: 1 Newbie
    Options
    My Elderly parents have been given a high quote (in my opinion) for their modest four bedroom house to have 15 heat saving appliances (energy saving heaters) from 'Sunflo' installed initially £19,000 then special offer down to £13,000.
    Their boiler is not working/properly and so they are looking for a cheaper alternative to heat the house and also are worried at the boiler repair costs.
    They also have a problematic radiators but nothing serious.
    Have you any advice? they are not that well off and it might clean them out.
    Obviously I may sound biased but just a concerned son.
    Many Thanks
    Stevo.
  • jalexa
    jalexa Posts: 3,448 Forumite
    Options
    Stevo555 wrote: »
    Their boiler is not working/properly

    What is the make, model, fuel source, vintage and fault symptoms of the boiler?
  • Richie-from-the-Boro
    Richie-from-the-Boro Posts: 6,945 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Post First Anniversary
    Options
    Stevo555 wrote: »
    My Elderly parents have been given a high quote (in my opinion) for their modest four bedroom house to have 15 heat saving appliances (energy saving heaters) from 'Sunflo' installed initially £19,000 then special offer down to £13,000.
    Their boiler is not working/properly and so they are looking for a cheaper alternative to heat the house and also are worried at the boiler repair costs.
    They also have a problematic radiators but nothing serious.
    Have you any advice? they are not that well off and it might clean them out.
    Obviously I may sound biased but just a concerned son.
    Many Thanks
    Stevo.

    HiYa Stevo,

    Your starting point like a thread just an hour ago might be to understand first exactly what your AP's are in danger of signing an agreement [have they actually signed any documents ?] for, do the following :

    - on the top right hand side of the page is a search button called 'search this forum'
    - put into the search box one single little word, that word is > snake < and hit the return button
    - read the threads that search brings up
    - then come back here and ask your questions
    Disclaimer : Everything I write on this forum is my opinion. I try to be an even-handed poster and accept that you at times may not agree with these opinions or how I choose to express them, this is not my problem. The Disabled : If years cannot be added to their lives, at least life can be added to their years - Alf Morris - ℜ
  • simonHB
    simonHB Posts: 4 Newbie
    Options
    straighttalk wrote: »

    My friends had night storage heaters which they replaced with Sunflow heaters. Winter quarter - 2464 units in 2011 compared with 6673 units in 2010.

    I was reading the forums for some support after looking into these products myself. Wasn't surprised to see disparaging posts about the comments and then wasn’t surprised to see StraightTalker comment..

    What a nasty piece of work, offering no supporting evidence at all..

    In fact your claim above that your friends saw a decrease in their usage overall comes directly from page 5 of your pdf brochure which can be found here - downloads/RadBrochA5.pdf (cant post the link fully as im a new user but you could also simply google 'how much for sunflow heaters' and the pdf is the second link)

    Maybe employees or supporters of sunflow (investors) could find a better use for their time, perhaps by publishing the costs of there heaters online would be a good start..
This discussion has been closed.
★ ★ ★ Meet your Ambassadors

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 343.2K Banking & Borrowing
  • 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 449.7K Spending & Discounts
  • 235.3K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 608K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 173.1K Life & Family
  • 247.9K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
  • 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards