Fischer Storage Heaters

DoubleD7

Thank you for all the comments on here, a real eye opener. Without wanting to sound stupid, I presume the same applies to soapstone core storage heaters as these ones? I had been looking to replace my standard convection electric heater with one of these in my old conservatory which I've now put on a permanent tiled roof on but might now look to see if I can link it to gas instead.

CashStrapped

Yep - you would be correct

Cardew

DoubleD7 wrote: »

Thank you for all the comments on here, a real eye opener. Without wanting to sound stupid, I presume the same applies to soapstone core storage heaters as these ones? I had been looking to replace my standard convection electric heater with one of these in my old conservatory which I've now put on a permanent tiled roof on but might now look to see if I can link it to gas instead.

Welcome to the forum.

I assume you mean something like these?

http://www.thestokehole.com/products/electric-soapstone-heating/electric-stone-radiators/

I have never heard of these heaters, but from the website they are 'proper' storage heaters designed to run on an Economy 7(E7) or Economy 10(E10) tariff.

Ecostone stone radiators are made of heavy soapstone modules. These stone radiators produce longlasting radiant heat.

The weight of these models varies from 70 kg up to almost 500 kg and need a solid floor. Models up to 2250 W can just be plugged-in, The higher output models have to be wired into the electric circuit. The Ecostone heater preferably operates from an intelligent clock thermostat*.

* At an additional cost.

When your home is connected to day/night metering tariff , the Ecostone would store the heat even more efficient then a regular night storage heater.

The Ecostone electric radiators are a modular system 30 cm in height and in lengths of 50 ,60 ,100 or 120 cm, respectively 625 W, 750 W, 1250 W and 1500 W.
Depending on your individual need and chosen model , 1 , 2 or 3 modules in height are available. The actual heater core is a thin ceramic steel heating element working at temperatures of max. 2000 C taking up most of the soapstone slabs surface area. The integrated thermosensor limits the surface temperature to 82o C.

The Ecostone modular system is flexible in design.
•Corner models
•Four-sided models ( around pillars )
•Low linked models
•High stacked models
•Double sided models

Prices start at 1,437 Euro ( 625 W ).

Given the weight(up to 500kg - half a ton!!) The density of the materials means the capacity for storing heat will be greater than the normal storage heater - which are essentially filled with house bricks.

That said, it really is important to re-iterate that like any other electrical heater, you will get exactly the same amount of heat for the same consumption of electricity - and hence the cost will be the same. The advantage of any storage heater is that you heat them using cheaper off-peak electricity.

The prices starting at well over £1,100 for the smallest model are eye-watering!

Richie-from-the-Boro

Been around for decades as walls for fire / furnace heaters. We had uselessly soft talc soapstone counter tops in the 50's as did many in the UK they were also used in those years as cheap man's marble for storing butter in the pantry's.

Greenies like to sell soapstone as the new 'new' exorbitantly priced product. Heat retention and insulating values of electric-radiant compared to all the usual heat stores I've no idea, but it will be out there on the interwibble.

lstar337

Cardew wrote: »

Given the weight(up to 500kg - half a ton!!) The density of the materials means the capacity for storing heat will be greater than the normal storage heater - which are essentially filled with house bricks.

Very old models possibly. Even most older model NSH's contain Magnetite blocks now, and they are very heavy and dense.

Owain_Moneysaver

Cardew wrote: »

I assume you mean something like these?

http://www.thestokehole.com/products/electric-soapstone-heating/electric-stone-radiators/

I have never heard of these heaters, but from the website they are 'proper' storage heaters designed to run on an Economy 7(E7) or Economy 10(E10) tariff.

Although there is no mention of storage heating or insulation or heat discharge control. They may be high thermal mass but they will not store heat in an off-peak charge and then release it slowly later controlled by a damper or output baffle -- as far as I can see.

No different in essence from a clay-filled heater or a kettle element in a lump of rock.

Richie-from-the-Boro

Agreed, but its marginal ..... soapstone @ 785.2 J/Kg.°K. Firebrick is lower @ 757 J/Kg.°K heat storage at room temp. So it collects slightly more heat and gets hotter. Keeping that heat in efficiently for 17 hours, [heat energy loss] in ordinary storage heaters as we all know is not easy. In my view the temperature difference is marginal while the cost is disproportionally more expensive, so benefit-cost analysis suggests in a no-no.

System

My elderly neighbour who lives a few floors down has those heaters, I asked her what she thought of them, this was before her winter bill. She only got them as her storage heaters needed replacing and she choose these.

She only has 3 of them I don't know the size but there is 2 in her living room and 1 in her hall, she says she liked the heat from them as she could turn them on and off, I don't know how much her electric bill was but the next time I see her in will ask and get back.

I'm been honest here and this may sound horrible, but she and her husband are old and paid over £2000 (can't remember exactly) but I was thinking even if they both lived yrs they would not of spent that much on electricity.

I don't know how these sales people sleep at night.

On a different note I have new dimplex storage heaters and love them the amount of heat they store compared to my older ones is amazing this is the 1st winter i have been warm, and never needed to open the vent to release the heat.

Richie-from-the-Boro

mackemps3 wrote: »

My elderly neighbour who lives a few floors down has those heaters, I asked her what she thought of them, this was before her winter bill. She only got them as her storage heaters needed replacing and she choose these.

She only has 3 of them I don't know the size but there is 2 in her living room and 1 in her hall, she says she liked the heat from them as she could turn them on and off, I don't know how much her electric bill was but the next time I see her in will ask and get back.

I'm been honest here and this may sound horrible, but she and her husband are old and paid over £2000 (can't remember exactly) but I was thinking even if they both lived yrs they would not of spent that much on electricity.

I don't know how these sales people sleep at night.

On a different note I have new dimplex storage heaters and love them the amount of heat they store compared to my older ones is amazing this is the 1st winter i have been warm, and never needed to open the vent to release the heat.

HiYa mackemps3,

Dimplex and in the particular their Quantum R&D on thermal conductivity means they have an overwhelming advantage over other makers on lowering the 'heat loss' in the [E7] 17 hours in a standard manual static storage system.

Their classification as a 'High heat retention storage heater’ [SAP 2012’s specification criteria] and entry to ‘Green Deal Measures’ leaves the remainder of the UK's 99% of domestic units in use miles behind, hence the reason they were accepted into DECC's ‘Green Deal Measure’ in the first place.

A good well tailored [any type] night store system should never need the damper open. Best of luck.

lee_stewart

I contacted Fisher explaining our budget and they suggested I have a free survey which i agreed.
The enthusiastic salesman proceeded with what turned into a hard sell, claiming his heaters would save me thousands long term, the sale of my property would increase as he would provide a certificate proving his products savings.
I am a landlord but also a heating engineer of 30 years, my specific knowledge is heat loss, btu requirements , room changes etc and all the claims made by the salesman contradict the law of physics with the explanation of heat dissipation.
Regarding the running cost saving compared to the alternate brand heater I cannot comment, but the claims and costs were remarkable.
The engineer made continous examples of prior satisfied customers none of which could be confirmed untill finally we were reluctantly told the cost.

Please sit down at this stage!

bedroom 1.......... 1.16 kw heater.............£1841
bedroom 2............1.12 kw heater............£1841
hallway..................1.12kw heater............£1841
Lounge..................2.0kw heater..............£2365
for the installtion and labour a room stat in a one bedroom flat,..this company wanted £7888.00 + vat

We opted for Dimplex heaters and saved £7600.00

It is my opinion that the company uses saleman to baffle you in to making a commitment and clearly 1 in ten or more might commit, with respect, possibly of an older generation.
It worked years ago with double glazing and its working now with these miracle heaters, trading standards should be chasing this company and asking them to confirm there statistics and money saving claims.
It has taken me 5 minutes to join MSE and put this comment on, when i tried to do the same on trust pilot which is what this company use for referals i couldn't!
MSE comments completly contradict the referals being made daily on trust pilot used by Fisher, claiming these heaters are what they say.

Beware please.