Storage Heaters on E7 or Electric Radiators on standard rate?

macman

Storage heaters will start releasing heat as soon as the charge up on E7 cheap rate begins (varies, but around 1am to 8am). The damper allows you to control the rate of release-you can't put them on a timer as such in terms of heat release. The usual problem with storage heaters is that they may run out of heat during the evening period.
It's not really a case of which is 'better'-conventional heaters give you much more flexibility, but will cost vastly more to run (up to 300% higher).

HappyMJ

Bidello wrote: »

Many thanks again.

Some more thoughts: what would people have in the bedrooms, storage heaters as well or panel heaters?

I usually never keep the heating on at night, no much point really as I'm in bed and the room (in a properly insulated house that is!) does not freeze at night.

I do have the timer set to turn the heating on roughly 45 minutes before we get up.

This is happening right now in the flat I'm renting, with GCH.

But once I move in the new property I wonder what would be more of a sensible option. I have to replace the panel heaters that are in the three bedrooms, but am not sure what's best.

I was thinking that if I got storage heaters for the bedrooms as well, I could time them to come alive only one hour or two before I wake up, in order to have the bedroom warm in the morning, thus avoiding having the room heated all night long - I never liked too much heat when I'm sleeping.

On the other hand, I could well get timed panel heaters, and do the same trick: only use them a couple of hours before waking up. The only problem would be that the bedrooms could go cold at night. That's why I'm thinking of storage heaters also for the bedrooms.

Am I on the right track at all??

I use a mini oil filled radiator in the bedroom and leave it on all night. It's only rated at 800W and is only strong enough to keep the chill off the room. It normallly switches off at 12 degrees but the room has fallen to 7 degrees before with it turned on and set to heat to 12. That was a very cold night. I use a convector heater on a timer to heat the bedroom during the last hour of E7 in the morning. I then get up, shower, get dressed and leave. The convector heater is 2kW and 1 hour costs 5p (on average-the thermostat turns it off and on so only runs for 30 minutes or so). I use the convector heater in the evening to take the chill of the room for about 1 hour and that costs about 15p.

I think storage heaters for the bedroom are useless.

Bidello

OK got it. Whoever used to live in the property had either to pay a fortune for heating the bedrooms using panel heaters during the day or paid less by not warming up the rooms at all!

I might then just get storage heaters for the beds as well and use them in the way they are intended to, possibly keeping both the thermostat and damper on low, thus mantaining a "background" heat in all the rooms throughout the day.

Many thanks again ;-)

Bidello

Ehehe, posted while you where posting too, HappyMJ.

I never liked convectors. While I recognise they quickly heat the air, they also dry it out way too much for my liking.

Anyway, it seems then I'd be better off just replacing the damaged/non working units in my flat, so to have the three storage heaters in the living room/kitchen areas and panel heaters in the bedrooms.

You guys are really helpful :T

macman

Bidello wrote: »

OK got it. Whoever used to live in the property had either to pay a fortune for heating the bedrooms using panel heaters during the day or paid less by not warming up the rooms at all!

I might then just get storage heaters for the beds as well and use them in the way they are intended to, possibly keeping both the thermostat and damper on low, thus mantaining a "background" heat in all the rooms throughout the day.

Many thanks again ;-)

Storage heaters have an 'input' and an 'output' (damper) control. Not a thermostat in the same sense as a conventional panel heater.

Bidello

macman wrote: »

Storage heaters have an 'input' and an 'output' (damper) control. Not a thermostat in the same sense as a conventional panel heater.

Thanks for clarifying this. Then could I hook up the whole storage heaters fuse box to an ambient thermostat, couldn't I?

Or...
Are there storage heaters with the input and output controlled by a thermostat?

A thermostat would be ideal on these heaters, especially on the output (damper) control: you set the desired room temperature, and the heaters release only the amount of heat necessary to maintain the desired temperature.


Although it is also true that the heat released by the bricks in the heater can only be roughly controlled... I imagine the output control only changes the air draught through the bricks...
Also, a "passive" storage heater will release heat proportional to the temperature gradient in the room, so again in colder days a damper set to low might help retaining some heat in the brick but then the hole point of keeping the room warm will be lost.

A more efficient control is probably possible with convectors, given the ability to actively force air through the bricks. But then the rate heat is given off is higher, therefore increasing the risk of heaters running cold at night.

Just some more brainstorming....:)

Ada3050

Dimplex DuoHeat storage rads are able to be controlled like GCH if you take the option of a controller.

http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating/installed_heating/duoheat_radiator/duoheat_radiator/CH_Control_Options_DuoHeat_4ZoneRXPW4.htm

Maybe an option?

As to your bedroom heating, I have storage rads in the bedrooms, I just keep them turned on low. They are warm enough in the morning when I want to be "warm" and cold enough at night to let me sleep.

They take a few hours to charge up so any heat wont manifest it self till at least 4-5am by which time my cat is stirring and wants her breakfast.

Bidello

Yes, I have been reading about the DuoHeat, but I was wondering whether they are able to work as storage heaters when required, that is, can store the same amount of heat than bricks.
Although they have an internal element that is designed to do that, I am a bit skeptical and have the feeling they might need frequent top-ups, thus incurring in using electricity at premium rate.

Also, considering that they are expensive, I would then be much better off getting second hand cheap
storage heaters plus £10 freestanding electric heaters, right?

Ada3050, the way you take advantage of your storage heaters in the beds is what
I'd like to do. Thanks!

Ada3050

Bidello wrote: »

Yes, I have been reading about the DuoHeat, but I was wondering whether they are able to work as storage heaters when required, that is, can store the same amount of heat than bricks. Looking at the specs they take less charge than standard storage rad
Although they have an internal element that is designed to do that, I am a bit skeptical and have the feeling they might need frequent top-ups, thus incurring in using electricity at premium rate. Probably right on this one, I thought this as well.

Also, considering that they are expensive, I would then be much better off getting second hand cheap
storage heaters plus £10 freestanding electric heaters, right? Yes,what I did downstairs, £8.99 halagon

Ada3050, the way you take advantage of your storage heaters in the beds is what
I'd like to do. Thanks!

Just need to turn input to half way as a rough setting

thills

I had this decision two years ago, for me, I'm out during the day, Monday to Friday.
I don't like storage heaters as they are bulky & you have to constantly adjust the input with one eye on the climate.
I opted for consort wireless panel heaters controlled in two zones. I had a heat requirement of about 3kw, but I installed 10KW of heater capacity. It's a wireless system with good functions & features.
I kept the E7 tariff, as the day rate was Scottish power was not much higher than standard.
But the entire apartment switches over.

It's a 70's brick apartment of 80M2, double glazed but no other insulation.
I use the "fast heating" capacity to warm the place up when I need heat, & it works very well, the whole lot came to less than £1000 to boot.

No electric heating is ideal, but it works for me & my yearly cost is about £750.
I also keep the temp at 23c when home, & even in the deep sub zero's, had no problems maintaining 23.
At night I use 14c, when out 4c.

If your home all day & every day, might not work so well though.