Contemplating switching to all electricity

lstar337

Battleaxe44 wrote: »

if you read my initial post properly you would see I have factored in the cost of the radiators and realise that initally there would be no saving per se.

Please explain to me how there will ever be a saving. I must be missing something.

Battleaxe44 wrote: »

I am thinking long term here and as they say, to make an omlette you have to break eggs. I am looking at options on how to reduce the GAS bill so we don't have another horror next winter.

Switching to electric will reduce you gas bill, but what is the point if your electric bill increases by more than the gas bill that has horrified you?

This is the point. Your electric bill will increase by more than you will save by ditching gas.

Battleaxe44 wrote: »

What experience have you had to tell me the radiators we are looking at, are a waste of money?

Well, I have a Higher National Diploma in Electronics. I'm not trying to sound superior, I'm sure there are more qualified people here than me, but I am confident that they will say the same as me.

Battleaxe, I hope I have not offended you with any of my comments. I am aware that I get carried away with these types of topics, but I really wan to stop you from making a crazy mistake.

Gas is the cheapest way to heat your home/water.

closed

Battleaxe44 wrote: »

Standard Energy 1,124.60kWh at 3.96p

On the electricity bill

Standard Energy 1285 units at 11.87p

It doesn't matter what brand

There's only so many ways people can answer the same question

Your usage for both fuels is more than double mine for the same period, your rate is high, you aren't getting DD discount, electrical heating costs more than gas, £400 electric heaters are a waste of money. If you want to lower bills you need to look at why they are high, because throwing money at the problem will cost £1000's, and you'll end up with higher bills on top.

Cardew

Battleaxe44 wrote: »

My original questions was about replacing CHeating with oil filled electric radiators the ones that are like this .



http://www.electricradiatorsdirect.co.uk/haverland-ranges/dry-stone-inerzia

We get into trouble if we slate products. So some points:

Are you aware that these heaters - costing from £399 to £539 for the 1.8kW model when reduced from £749.99 - give out no more heat for the same electricity running cost than a £10 heater?

If the material that fills the radiator has 'greater heat retention' then it will take longer to heat up and give full heat output. i.e. for consumption of 1kWh the heat output(in BTu/calories or any other measurement) will be exactly the same as any other heater.

If it has 'intensified thermal output' then it must dissipate heat quickly, which is at odds with their claim for greater heat retention.

The 10 year guarantee is just for the 'radiator block' - it is the electronics that need to be guaranteed.

'High Efficiency' ? Absolutely true, they are 100% efficient. Exactly the same as any other electrical heater!

Above all they will cost over twice as much to run as your gas CH.

lstar337

Battleaxe44 wrote: »

Istar, this is just an example of what we are thinking of buying actually it is not this brand.

If you are dead set on going electric, please don't buy expensive heaters unless it is for the 'look' of something fancy.

All electric heaters of this type perform the same, and you will have been ripped off.

Oil filled radiators sold for £30 will do the same job, without the high initial cost.

Battleaxe44 wrote: »

Again you have put your mouth into gear before letting brain take action.

You are offensive.

I appologise, but sometimes it takes a harsh word to get people to listen. I don't want you to waste your money, that is why I gave my advice. It is frustrating to see it ignored and/or dismissed.:(

Please take note of the information I (and others) have given you, it is good sound advice.:A

Battleaxe44

Istar, I am married to an Electrical Engineer, so we have thought these things through and are still mulling over the options cost wise.

I did say eventually a turbine will be installed as a possible generating option.

We realise that there might not be a break even point by going all electric, but before committing we are seeking informed opinions, maybe from someone who has done this.. We have already proved by having an all electric energy efficient kitchen the gas bill is far less, than the same time last year (this is the latest bill using 101 units). Our electricity bill also reflects this our usage for the same quarter last year is down, we have installed energy efficient lighting also.

this time last year we used 14,40 units per day, this current quarter we used 13.21 units. Oh I do run an embroidery machine and a sewing machine most days. So the proof at the moment is pointing to electricity. We have spent a lot of money making this house energy efficient. As I have learnt today we do need to top up the insulation in the roof.

Our only mistake from what people have been posting was to leave the central heating on for the month we were away, bearing in mind it was the coldest time of the year and we did not want to come home to burst pipes.

I am still not convinced gas is the cheapest way to heat the home, with the ever increasing price hikes, electricity at the moment is not rising so quickly.

closed

your bill says electricity is 3 times the cost of gas per kwh.

weather varies from year to year

lstar337

Battleaxe44 wrote: »

I am still not convinced gas is the cheapest way to heat the home, with the ever increasing price hikes, electricity at the moment is not rising so quickly.

But your energy supplier is convinced.

As closed has already posted:

closed wrote: »

your bill says electricity is 3 times the cost of gas per kwh.

It is there in black and white, from the horses mouth.

The people who are selling you your energy, are telling you exactly how it is.

Electricity 1kWh Unit = 11.87p

Gas 1kWh Unit = 3.96p

For every unit of electricity you use to heat your home/water, it will cost you 7.91p more than it would with gas.

Battleaxe44

Cardew wrote: »

We get into trouble if we slate products. So some points:

Are you aware that these heaters - costing from £399 to £539 for the 1.8kW model when reduced from £749.99 - give out no more heat for the same electricity running cost than a £10 heater?

If the material that fills the radiator has 'greater heat retention' then it will take longer to heat up and give full heat output. i.e. for consumption of 1kWh the heat output(in BTu/calories or any other measurement) will be exactly the same as any other heater.

If it has 'intensified thermal output' then it must dissipate heat quickly, which is at odds with their claim for greater heat retention.

The 10 year guarantee is just for the 'radiator block' - it is the electronics that need to be guaranteed.

'High Efficiency' ? Absolutely true, they are 100% efficient. Exactly the same as any other electrical heater!

Above all they will cost over twice as much to run as your gas CH.

Cardew thank you. it was just an example I found to show what we are thinking of installing.

it is NOT this brand. We have budgeted £400.00 per radiator, as we want something that fits with the remodelling we have done. This house was built in 1964 and we are taking it into the 21st century with the most energy efficient fittings we can. the radiators installed at the moment are nasty looking and short of ripping them out and replacing with more modern ones, I am at my wits end.

I am only trying to reduce the gas bill one way or the other.

As I said before the electricity was high because we had builders in for the whole quarter using the power and some of this quarters consumption.

The one thing I don't want is portable heaters in every room, I am looking at something that will be asthetically pleasing as well as cost efficient.

We have discussed a new boiler rather then the one we have and replacing with more modern radiators if gas central heating is the way to go, but I don't want to go to this expense and find we have even higher gas bills...

I am not trying to compare my bill with anyone elese's it is hores for courses. I was asking should I go electric and in the long rin would it be cost effective.



I come from a culture where gas is not a fuel option and we run reverse cycle aircionditioners in the summer and winter have under floor heating, but I cannot compare my sister's electricity bill to mine as we are different countries and different pricing. in saying that, combined fuel bill for winter is higher than her summer bill running a five bedroom fully airconditioned, all electirc house in the middle of a Texan summer. it is horses for courses.

lstar337

You are thinking of generating your own energy.

Well, its a lot easier to generate electricity than (usefull:D ) gas.

Unless you are getting a very high rated turbine, I still think it will struggle with the heaters and your current usage combined. Then you need to factor in the fact that it will unlikely be running at full capacity all the time, and all the time it is not, you are using those pesky high priced units again.

Maybe if you combined a turbine, PV solar, and some kind of thermal store, then you might start to compete with gas.

Another electrical system to consider is a heat pump. I don't know as much about these systems, but some claim 4kWh heat for 1kWh energy consumed. These can also run in reverse to keep you cool in summer.

I think I would have to advise that you stick with gas though. Save ripping out your GCH for if/when gas prices start to match electric.

lstar337

If electric really is your thing, think about storage heaters. Used properly, these can almost compete with gas.

Style is a personal choice, but the very modern ones look alright to me.

If I had the money to upgrade (I am all electric), these are what I would be buying:

http://www.dimplex.co.uk/products/domestic_heating/installed_heating/quantum_energy_system/features.htm