German electric storage radiators

Cardew

Welcome to the forum. Nice to see a first time poster again finding this thread.

What information do you expect from a 'genuine review'?

Nice looking? Easy to install? hugely expensive?

One thing is absolutely certain, they will give out no more heat, for the same running cost, than any other electrical heater - including your £30 device.

If the output from that £30 Homebase oil-filled 1Kw radiator is 'useless', so will be the output from any other 1Kw heater.

If the heater you intend buying is the radiator the OP wrote about in post#1, ie filled with chamotte blocks, they are not storage heaters as such.

It is important that other readers appreciate that if they retain heat after power is switched off, they will be slow to reach full heat and the total output of heat will be exactly the same as any other heater using the same amount of electricity.

Nobody in this thread has said the heaters are 'bad'(as you state) just that the claims that imply they give more heat than other electrical heaters is incorrect.

It is a lot of money to spend on a trial, however we await your review with interest. I have little doubt it will be a glowing report!

silverwhistle

Caarrrrdeeew - another first time poster!

My contribution to the heating debate.. My solar panels are currently generating about 2.4kW but my immersion is full, the washing is done and the oven up to remperature and using very little.

I've been keeping amusing by pointing a hairdryer at myself for extremely localised heating and watching the results on my online power monitor. Still not using all the power.. think I'll need an oil-filled rad!:D

PS: Whoops: crossed in the post.

McKendog

Well, I've now seen another thread with advice that E7 storage heaters being the way to go. I've been put off by the look and performance of the ones I've got although that is a bit stupid as they're clearly bottom of the market and not used in the intended way.

You are a cynical one Cardew. I agree that many of the previous first time posters seem suspicious but I can assure you you don't know a genuine poster when you see one. It's good that you clearly spend a lot of time trying to help people on here but what you might do is answer the question "Is there any advice?" with "Yes, go for night storage heaters".

I will post my results of whichever product(s) I buy whatever they may be because there is a lot of arguing about science on here and not a lot of evidence.

As previously stated the flat is not terribly insulated (and FYI in London). So whatever my results I won't be saying "these are great for anything" because a lot of people are further north and have worse insulation.

And thanks for the warm welcome (do you see what I did there?)

Cardew

McKendog wrote: »

You are a cynical one Cardew. I agree that many of the previous first time posters seem suspicious but I can assure you you don't know a genuine poster when you see one. It's good that you clearly spend a lot of time trying to help people on here but what you might do is answer the question "Is there any advice?" with "Yes, go for night storage heaters".

I will post my results of whichever product(s) I buy whatever they may be because there is a lot of arguing about science on here and not a lot of evidence.

Hi welcome again!

Cynical - Moi?

What evidence do you feel are you going to produce?

There is no 'arguing about the science on here'; all electrical heaters produce EXACTLY the same heat for the same running cost.

Not even the most disreputable salesperson has dared state otherwise; albeit they carefully word their adverts to imply they produce more heat. The Advertising Standards Authority take action on some of the more blatant abuses, so firms get more skilled at their wording.

It isn't possible to give definite advice on electrical heating because peoples usage of heating varies.

Generally, in an electric only dwelling, proper storage heating on an Economy 7 tariff will be the cheapest option for many(most?) people. The heat stored at off-peak rates, as well as the hot water, will more than compensate for the premium you pay on daytime rates. You need to chose an Economy 7 tariff carefully - at the moment Scottish Power have the best deals.

However many people dislike storage heaters, cannot be bothered to set them correctly and they can 'leak' heat during the day and run out in the evening.

Will you also let us know how much the heater costs please.

Cardew

silverwhistle wrote: »

think I'll need an oil-filled rad!:D

Some firms are selling them for about £1,500 each - you might get a discount for two;)

McKendog

That my house is warm/cold and the heaters are using xKWh per day when set at xC for x hours.
Cost per day.
Whether or not I believe the heaters/rads are doing a good enough job for the cost in my reasonably well insulated southern home.

I'm a part-time MBA student. MBA students' views on what constitutes evidence is different to that of scientists. People's views count as evidence.

I will of course inform you all of costs of any equipment and labour.

So, electric underfloor heating (if I may go on a tangent in this thread). Don't tell me, it produces as much heat per KWh as any other method. But does the more even distribution of heat throughout the home give benefits? Does the fact that you're heating up your floor first make it less efficient at heating the room?

Thanks

Cardew

McKendog wrote: »

So, electric underfloor heating (if I may go on a tangent in this thread). Don't tell me, it produces as much heat per KWh as any other method. But does the more even distribution of heat throughout the home give benefits? Does the fact that you're heating up your floor first make it less efficient at heating the room?

Thanks

I suggest you do a search here on underfloor heating(often called UFH)

There seem to be mixed feelings from those who have experienced UFH

It is widely used with heat pumps.

The main criticism - if you can call it criticism - is that it is slow to react to a change in the demanded temperature.

Andy_WSM

Cardew wrote: »

I suggest you do a search here on underfloor heating(often called UFH)

There seem to be mixed feelings from those who have experienced UFH

It is widely used with heat pumps.

The main criticism - if you can call it criticism - is that it is slow to react to a change in the demanded temperature.

I have electric underfloor heating in my living room, which I am using in the absence of a working gas boiler currently.

I must admit, It's really grown on me and isn't proving to be prohibitively expensive to use either - in part because I get the same level of comfort from lower levels of heat than I would perhaps with radiators.

It IS slow to respond, but works both ways so you need to be a bit smarter when setting timers. For example. It takes an hour before you even start feeling heat from it and likewise takes as long to cool down, so if I want my living room warm between 7 & 8am, I have the timer stat set to come on at 5am to 7am - it continues to emit heat for an hour after the power is switched off.

Absolutely acknowledge the cost of electric heating etc and no arguments that it's the most expensive fuel, but taking into consideration that if I installed this in each room it's very easily "zoned" and I wouldn't have gas standing charges, gas servicing costs and the capital and ongoing cost of a gas boiler I am wondering if there really is that much in it.

I'm going to run with just the electric underfloor heating in the living room and an oil filled rad in the bathroom & bedrooms this Winter and compare my overall costs in the Spring (allowing for wear & tear and depreciation of a gas CH system).

Fuzzbass2000

Hi - sorry to hijack the thread. I'm also curious about these German Storage Heaters. Lots of companies use the phrase in their advertising blurb.... with the implication that they're made / designed in Germany, with all that brings (vorsprung durch technic.....).

Does anyone know who actually makes the things? Are they some white label for an anonymous German industrial or is it something that's been adopted in the way Hoover = vacuum cleaner or Biro = ink pen?

Cheers

forgotmyname

Probably made in China. Everything else seems to be. Unless the chinese factory outsource to somewhere with cheaper labour.

Ship to germany they add a badge and a sticker saying made in Germany.

Anyway, I dont know where they got the name, Someone claiming to have invented the wheel (again) i guess.

Some form of clay inside to help store the heat, Nothing new. Maybe a different clay but any better?

A 2000w heater will use 2000 watts. If it heats some clay or oil up 1st then the power goes into that instead of heating the room.

It may stay warmer for a bit longer but it took longer to start giving out heat.