Elec price - Running a 1.5kw oil filled radiator

alexm08

I'm with NPower economy 7

Does anyone know how much it would cost per hour to run my 1.5kw heater if I put it on at night (cheaper rate)

Also a day rate would be great too

And an explanation of how you calculated it!

Thanks

Cardew

You cannot calculate a figure.

A 1.5kW heater would use 1.5 units(kWh) and hour.

So if your night rate is 5p a unit, and day unit 12p, that would be 7.5p/18p an hour.

However all oil filled radiators have a thermostat. This means the power to the heater element switches on and off depending how high you have set it.

The only way to check is to buy one of the cheap Aldi/Lidl/Maplin power meters and plug that in.

Do not buy an Owl/Electrisave type meter as they are completely useless for calculating how much power almost every plug-in appliance uses.

alexm08

Cardew wrote: »

You cannot calculate a figure.

A 1.5kW heater would use 1.5 units(kWh) and hour.

So if your night rate is 5p a unit, and day unit 12p, that would be 7.5p/18p an hour.

However all oil filled radiators have a thermostat. This means the power to the heater element switches on and off depending how high you have set it.

The only way to check is to buy one of the cheap Aldi/Lidl/Maplin power meters and plug that in.

Do not buy an Owl/Electrisave type meter as they are completely useless for calculating how much power almost every plug-in appliance uses.

Thanks for your helps thats brill

I read somewhere that it was around 7p an hour but I guess thats during the night only

If I buy one what do I actually plug the meter into?

Cardew

alexm08 wrote: »

Thanks for your helps thats brill

I read somewhere that it was around 7p an hour but I guess thats during the night only

If I buy one what do I actually plug the meter into?

The meter plugs into the 13 amp socket and the heater plugs into the meter.

See:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=38343&DOY=18m1

Aldi and Lidl do the same meter for £7 when in stock.

planetf1

I have 2 oil filled rads at home.

Ones an old-style where it has a 1-6 dial which basically only affects the oil temperature.

The other (a dragon 3) has a proper room thermostat, so you set it to 16,18,22 etc. It also varies the heat output (3 levels) depending on the *difference* between the desired temperature and the current.

This latter model is far more efficient in maintaining a constant temp. With the old one it could easily get the room too hot, too cold, forget to turn it down etc.

I'd *thoroughly* recommend the latter style.

KimYeovil

What does it say on your bill?

You have X units at day rate and Y units at night rate. Those unit prices are how much a 1 kW device will use (full blast) over one hour.

As the heater is 1.5 kW, it will use up to 1.5 day units or 1.5 night units each hour. As already mentioned, what fraction of this maximum is governed by the thermostat and depends on the size of the room and temperature outside.

notbritishgas

alexm08 wrote: »

I'm with NPower economy 7

Does anyone know how much it would cost per hour to run my 1.5kw heater if I put it on at night (cheaper rate)

Also a day rate would be great too

And an explanation of how you calculated it!

Thanks

Don't forget that the night rate does not start until quite late, in some areas as late as 1 o-clock in the morning and lasts for 7 hours. So if you think about putting it on in early evening you will be paying day rate.

Garz

It is unwise basically as in the overnight hours your asleep under a duvet. It would get cold again by midday so unless your at home till then and return late late evening it would be a waste tbh.

amtrakuk

Yeah oil filed rads are not very good for e7. They only hold the heat for a matter of minutes after they turn off.