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Storage Heater - Completely Baffled!
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Hi
We have just moved into a flat and it has really old storage heaters installed (gutted!)
I've read loads of pages and threads and understand how a storage heater works, it's just ours don't seem to fit the standard model!
Each of our heaters has a wall switch to turn them on.
Each heater then has two dials (no wording at all!). The first switch has three points, 0, 1 and 2.
The second dial has a - and a + and can be set to anywhere inbetween.
So I assume the first is the input and the second the output.
What I don't understand is how to know when the heater is storing heat and therefore using electricity (we have economy 7 btw).
If the 'input' is set to 0 there are no lights. Turn that dial to 1 or 2 and 1 light comes one.
If the 'output' is turned down these lights stay the same, if turned up another light comes on.
I get that I can have the input turned up and the output down at night to store heat.
But how do I know that when I am releasing the heat during the day I am not still storing more heat and incurring more cost at expensive times of day.
I hope that makes sense and really appreciate anyone who is able to help.
Cheers!
We have just moved into a flat and it has really old storage heaters installed (gutted!)
I've read loads of pages and threads and understand how a storage heater works, it's just ours don't seem to fit the standard model!
Each of our heaters has a wall switch to turn them on.
Each heater then has two dials (no wording at all!). The first switch has three points, 0, 1 and 2.
The second dial has a - and a + and can be set to anywhere inbetween.
So I assume the first is the input and the second the output.
What I don't understand is how to know when the heater is storing heat and therefore using electricity (we have economy 7 btw).
If the 'input' is set to 0 there are no lights. Turn that dial to 1 or 2 and 1 light comes one.
If the 'output' is turned down these lights stay the same, if turned up another light comes on.
I get that I can have the input turned up and the output down at night to store heat.
But how do I know that when I am releasing the heat during the day I am not still storing more heat and incurring more cost at expensive times of day.
I hope that makes sense and really appreciate anyone who is able to help.
Cheers!
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Comments
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Have you checked that the storage heaters are only powered during the 7 hours of cheap rate?
It was common for only the storage heaters and immersion heater to be wired to a circuit that received power for 7 hours, and all the rest of the flat electrics to be be on another circuit that was powered 24/7. i.e. only the storage heaters and immersion heater used cheap rate. If that is the case power will automatically be applied to the storage heaters when cheap rate kicks in.
Obviously with many newer installations all electricity consumption is on cheap rate for 7 hours.
Easy to check by watching your meters.0 -
Thank you for your reply, much appreciated.
Now for the probably really dumb question. How would I tell from my meters? The light on the wall switch comes on any time of day if you turn the heater on.0 -
Switch on your storage heaters(switch and input dial) during the day and look at your daytime meter. If it isn't whizzing around(or flashing fast) there is no power to the heaters and my suggestion is correct.0
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Thanks, will check tomorrow.
I hope this doesn't sound stupid but is there a chance they are not storage heaters? (we were told they were). If they haven't been switched on at the wall for a while and then we turn them on (at any time of day) they give of heat within a few seconds. Would a storage heater be able to do this?0 -
Hi,
mmm, don't sound like storage heaters, more like convector heaters.
Storage heaters should charge up over night, on the cheaper rate, and give out heat during the day, they will be at warmest in the morning.
Storage heaters are heavy fellas, are fixed to the wall and have feet, convector heaters are wall mounted.
About the controls, which makes me think they are convector heaters, 0,1,2, could be off, med, high, and the +/-, more or less heat output.
Can you stick up some photies, please?0 -
Some storage heaters have a fan assisted heater that works off the 24/7 circuit. How many switches do you have on the wall?0
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Hi,
We moved into a HA flat with storage heaters, which were v old, we showed the electric bills to the HA and they worked out the heaters were not storing the heat as they should and changed them to newer models.
We also have the wall mounted heaters which are as another reader replied NOT storage but convector heaters and use A LOT of electricity!!! be warned.
You should have a meter which shows 2 readings either day and night or Low and Normal and night or low is the time the heaters and your hot water heater should work usually overnight at the cheap rate of electric.0 -
I have read the comments - and think I understand - I am about to buy an apartment that only has this means of heating so was trying to find out how they work
CAN I ASK - once the input has been added and the following day comes -
1) can you say WHEN you want the heat to come on & finish?
2) what happens if the stored heat has been used up? will you be able to carry on that same day and get heat from the heater BUT on a different rate?
3) WHAT HAPPENS TO THE STORED HEAT IF YOU DO NOT USE IT ALL THAT DAY? is it lost OR IS IT ADDED TO THE NEXT DAY'S HEAT?0 -
Andrew_Robert wrote: »I have read the comments - and think I understand - I am about to buy an apartment that only has this means of heating so was trying to find out how they work
CAN I ASK - once the input has been added and the following day comes -
1) can you say WHEN you want the heat to come on & finish?
2) what happens if the stored heat has been used up? will you be able to carry on that same day and get heat from the heater BUT on a different rate?
3) WHAT HAPPENS TO THE STORED HEAT IF YOU DO NOT USE IT ALL THAT DAY? is it lost OR IS IT ADDED TO THE NEXT DAY'S HEAT?
2)You need to turn on a convector heater if you want more heat or go to bed. Correctly sized storage heaters should only run out early on the coldest winter days (top temperature less than zero outside in the day).
3)It leaks/emits a little bit of heat out during the day to keep the house from being freezing cold. Then you top it up the next night but it won't cost as much as the first night when heating from cold.:footie:Regular savers earn 6% interest (HSBC, First Direct, M&S)
Loans cost 2.9% per year (Nationwide) = FREE money.
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