I fitted a Dimplex Quantum heater!

oldcyclist

Esinem wrote: »

Anyone using the Quantum immersion heater?
I just picked up 2 x QM70, 1 x QM125 & 1 x QM150 (new with tatty boxes) for £1,750 delivered on eBay. Will let you know how they seem but no comparison as the old ones are being replaced during the initial refurb.

My apartment currently has a vented dual element immersion heater with the lower element fed by an E10 supply. The water output is via a dual ended (hot and cold) pump to pressurise it for the shower and the hot water taps. having fitted two Quantum storage heaters (replacing the older type Dimplex XL units) I was suitably impressed by the much improved controls so plan on fitting a 150 litre Quantum water heater soon which will not only be more efficient but get rid of the noisy pump. One thing to take into account if anyone plans this conversion- quite a lot of re-plumbing is involved so check out installation costs before buying! (I always do my own plumbing so it's just a matter of time availability) Excellent installation instructions are available on the Dimplex website.

oldcyclist

Last winter (2016) I bought and installed two QM125 heaters to replace 16 year old Dimplex fan assisted XLS models which tended to overheat at night then run out of heat in the evening. I'm pleased to say that the Quantum units are a vast improvement (I have no gas). I've just replaced another old Dimplex unit with a QM100 in one of the living rooms where one of the QM125's was also fitted.

I was surprised to find that the firmware has quite a few differences to the earlier QM125s which were version F, the QM100 is Version G.

The "user option" for timer scheduling is now missing - although both "Out all day" and "In all day" can be edited (no problem there) Many of the other menu items have changed though and I see that there is now an editable option for changing charging times. (I assume to work with non switched supplies?)
Firstly- can the older QM125 units have their firmware updated to match (like most computer controlled items these days?)
I see that with two Quantum heaters in the same room (in my case a fairly large combined kitchen/living room) it is recommended to put the smaller unit in "SLAVE" mode which I have done- what does this actually do to the operation?

I am also thinking of replacing my hot water supply with the Quantum system (more compact/efficient and gets rid of a noisy pump) See another posting here.
On the Dimplex site mention is made of the Quantum Hub- I assume a sort of central control for Quantum devices- does anyone know anything about this? (Yes-I admit to being a technical junkie!)

oldcyclist

I've just sent a request via the Dimplex website asking the same questions that I've posted here. I see they charge premium rate for phone calls so I have no intention of making contact that way. IF they respond I'll post the info here- it will have a direct connection with any future purchases of their Quantum products by me as I appreciate good post-sales customer service- especially when spending this sort of money!

lstar337

oldcyclist, thanks for sharing your story. I look forward to hearing any updates you provide.

oldcyclist

Much to my surprise I had a call from Dimplex Customer Support today- only a short time after my request for information!

Firstly- the change from Ver F to Ver G as posted previously.

Apparently it is NOT possible to update from F to G as there are hardware differences as well- however there may at a later stage be a partial upgrade made available which "may" involve adding a hardware component. According to the support person the biggest change in the firmware is the ability to generate comprehensive reports which assist diagnosis of any post installation problems.

He expressed surprise that I had discovered another new menu relating to control of charge times. (I've admitted to being a a tech junkie previously) This is apparently for future development when connection to single wiring systems may be possible (unlike the current requirement for both 24hr and off-peak connections.)It may become possible for the "grid" to signal excess capacity and provide additional low-rate charging along with hot water heating if Quantum hot water heaters are also installed. The development of the Quantum Hub also looks toward this future development. These options are not active at the moment so don't go asking Dimplex yet for updates- if they are activated later then registered users will (probably) be notified. (A good reason to sign up for the extended warranty on the Dimplex website) All in all I was impressed by the openness of the caller and feel confident to continue with upgrading my properties to the Quantum heating and hot-water systems. He did state that the biggest "complaint" they get is that the heaters do not seem warm in the morning- which is of course an intentional feature of the much improved insulation and controllability compared to older type night-storage heaters. Quite a few customers seem unaware of the fact that most of the heat output is via the forced fan air- not case radiation as previously.

reck_uk

This is the best unbiased source of information i've found on these heaters so far so big thanks to everyone that's contributed.

I'm having a survey done very soon to determine the size and amount of quantum heaters I should get for my house with a view to purchasing between 2 and 4 in the near future.

Is there anything I should ask the guy while he's carrying out his survey?

Could an existing owner tell me if there's an option to set a custom\user profile or timer along with the "home", "work", "holiday" modes?

The best price ive found for these heaters is at electricpoint.com, anyone got any experience with these?

oldcyclist

Based on what I've learned recently (and reported here)

1. Make sure that any Q heaters you buy are Version G (or later!)

2. Check the packaging VERY carefully on receipt! Although the boxes are clearly labelled "this way up" all the units I've received have been delivered lying flat on pallets and in one case the front panel was creased requiring a replacement and subsequent delay. I would suggest if they arrive lying flat OR any damage to the boxes are noticed then photograph them and check before signing any receipts!

3. Although Version G no longer has a "user option" timer setting , the "Out all Day" and "IN all day" timings are easily editable to suit your requirements. (Either all days the same, or every day different as required) Unexpected heat requirements can easily be input using the "Comfort ON/OFF" and temperature settings.Expect the units to take a few days to stabilise initially as the software "learns" your average needs.

4. Understand that these heaters do not normally get very hot to touch (like older designs) as the forced fan air is the main heat extraction method from the core.

5. My most recent purchase was from Electricpoint.com- no problems encountered apart from their delivery agent ignoring the "this way up" label.

lstar337

The best advice I can offer is to over-specify the heaters.

It is always best to store as much of the cheap heat as possible.

Always go bigger than you need.

reck_uk

oldcyclist wrote: »

Based on what I've learned recently (and reported here)

1. Make sure that any Q heaters you buy are Version G (or later!)

This is the firmware right? Is there anyway to check this other than by asking electricpoint what f/w the heaters are running? Is there a way to check the heater before it's all setup and wired in as it's a bit late by then?

What's the benefit of a g heater over an f?

oldcyclist wrote: »

2. Check the packaging VERY carefully on receipt! Although the boxes are clearly labelled "this way up" all the units I've received have been delivered lying flat on pallets and in one case the front panel was creased requiring a replacement and subsequent delay. I would suggest if they arrive lying flat OR any damage to the boxes are noticed then photograph them and check before signing any receipts!

This was delivered from ElectricPoint? I'll look out for that then, thanks for the tip.

oldcyclist wrote: »

3. Although Version G no longer has a "user option" timer setting , the "Out all Day" and "IN all day" timings are easily editable to suit your requirements. (Either all days the same, or every day different as required) Unexpected heat requirements can easily be input using the "Comfort ON/OFF" and temperature settings.Expect the units to take a few days to stabilise initially as the software "learns" your average needs.

I thought I'd read somewhere this setting had been dropped. It sounds it's not really needed though from your description.

oldcyclist wrote: »

5. My most recent purchase was from Electricpoint.com- no problems encountered apart from their delivery agent ignoring the "this way up" label.

That's good to hear. I've checked a few sites and these guys offer the best price.


I've read a few comments about the heater learning and adjusting itself. How does this work? I'd expect to set a temperature, say 22*, which I assume works in a similar way to my input setting on my current storage heater, and the heater stores up the required heat and works the same each night unless you change the setting.

I've not been impressed in the past with systems that try to work out what you want and make changes itself.

reck_uk

lstar337 wrote: »

The best advice I can offer is to over-specify the heaters.

It is always best to store as much of the cheap heat as possible.

Always go bigger than you need.

Thanks for the tip. Think I'm going to need a couple of the big' uns in the lounge/dining area.