Replacing Storage Heater with Panel Heater

tsengchuen

Hi

I've always been annoyed with storage heater as I dont need heating during daytimes while away to work. Now it is not working as its thermostat input is burnt.

Thinking of replacing it with a panel heater with timer so I have more instant heating as well as to control and how much when I need the heating during my sleep.

I wonder if it is a problem to use the existing energy supply which only comes off peak to a panel heater. That means to connect the panel heater to the same electric socket where the storage heater gets the energy supply.

Anyone has the knowledge or experience, appreciate your advice.

Cheers
Seng

navig8r

Wouldn't the socket need power all the time to run the timer? and none would be available until the timer controling the old storage heater came on
g8r

Cardew

If you do change to panel heaters, you need to change from your Economy 7 tariif(I assume you are on Economy 7?) to a 'normal' 24/7 tariff.

You can buy cheap fan heaters for £10 or so and a oil filled rad(with timer etc)for £35

http://www.aldi.co.uk/uk/html/offers/offers_week02Sunday10.htm

It might be worth carrying out a trial for a few days to see which method is cheaper.

tsengchuen

Hi Cardew

1. Thanks for your advice. I went to few Aldi outlets yesterday and all the £35 oil filled radiators were sold out. Finally I tried Algos, Homebase and got myself a 2.5KW oil filled radiator fro BnQ at £65. I found out its timer does not work the same way as many of those of panel heater where I could set blocks of heating periods e.g. 11 to 2 and then 5 to 7 at the same time and go to bed.

2. I am on Economy 7. From the forum, it seems to suggest that even it is during off peak period any energy supplies from plug-in sockets are charged at standard rate, not cheaper off peak rate. That means though I use the oil filled radiator from 11 to 7, I am not paying the off peak energy rate as to storage heater. Is that right?

3. If yes, that means it might be more likely to cost more to warm my room with a 2.5KW oil filled radiator than a 1.7KW storage heater. I dont need heating in my bedroom during daytimes while away to work. I understand it depends on desired temperature, duration, input levels etc. Just want to know which is MORE likely to cost more.

4. If it is cheaper to use storage heater, I am thinking to replace the burnt input control. I opened it up and found out that it looks different from the spare part available online at Capri. It costs £28 + VAT. As it looks different I am not confident to replace it. My storage model is Creda Sensor Plus 79341S. The engineer asks for £59 + VAT for the first hour of his time.

Will be very interested in your thought.

Thanks,
Seng

Swipe

All electricity including plug sockets gets charged at the cheaper rate during the E7 off peak hours.

Cardew

tsengchuen wrote: »

Hi Cardew

1. Thanks for your advice. I went to few Aldi outlets yesterday and all the £35 oil filled radiators were sold out. Finally I tried Algos, Homebase and got myself a 2.5KW oil filled radiator fro BnQ at £65. I found out its timer does not work the same way as many of those of panel heater where I could set blocks of heating periods e.g. 11 to 2 and then 5 to 7 at the same time and go to bed.

2. I am on Economy 7. From the forum, it seems to suggest that even it is during off peak period any energy supplies from plug-in sockets are charged at standard rate, not cheaper off peak rate. That means though I use the oil filled radiator from 11 to 7, I am not paying the off peak energy rate as to storage heater. Is that right?

3. If yes, that means it might be more likely to cost more to warm my room with a 2.5KW oil filled radiator than a 1.7KW storage heater. I dont need heating in my bedroom during daytimes while away to work. I understand it depends on desired temperature, duration, input levels etc. Just want to know which is MORE likely to cost more.

4. If it is cheaper to use storage heater, I am thinking to replace the burnt input control. I opened it up and found out that it looks different from the spare part available online at Capri. It costs £28 + VAT. As it looks different I am not confident to replace it. My storage model is Creda Sensor Plus 79341S. The engineer asks for £59 + VAT for the first hour of his time.

Will be very interested in your thought.

Thanks,
Seng

If you change from storage heaters to any other form of electrical heater, then you will need to ditch Economy and get a 'normal' 24/7 tariff.

The advantage of storage heating on Economy 7 is you get heat at cheap rates and can heat water also at cheap rates.

The disadvantage is that they leak heat and can run out in the evening - so heat is wasted. You also pay more for daytime electricity.

Your lifestyle will determine which method is cheaper.

You can overcome the timing problem by using an electronic plug-in timer to set the times you want it to come on.

Katie-Kat-Kins

tsengchuen wrote: »

Hi Cardew


2. I am on Economy 7. From the forum, it seems to suggest that even it is during off peak period any energy supplies from plug-in sockets are charged at standard rate, not cheaper off peak rate. That means though I use the oil filled radiator from 11 to 7, I am not paying the off peak energy rate as to storage heater. Is that right?

Depends how your house is wired, I understand that this is correct for some people on this forum but not for me. All my appliances use off peak electric from midnight - 7am.

JennyR68

tsengchuen wrote: »

Hi


I wonder if it is a problem to use the existing energy supply which only comes off peak to a panel heater. That means to connect the panel heater to the same electric socket where the storage heater gets the energy supply.

Anyone has the knowledge or experience, appreciate your advice.

Cheers
Seng

As others have said the existing supply to your storage heater is only active at off peak times. If you want to use that socket for a normal heater it's a simple job for an electrician to change it over to standard.

All electricity used during off peak hours, 12pm to 7am, in my case get registered on the night time meter and charged accordingly. I no longer use E7 but still have to take 2 readings for night and day units.