Our gas fire problems and decisions

oldwiring

Mods! Please move if here is not appropriate.

Eleven years ago we bought a fire of a well recommended make, that used a special and expensive lithium battery for ignition. We have been light users, especially since we had our cavity walls and loft insulation upgraded. We have found that the batteries, despite our modest use of the fire, have a shorter life than we would expect. In all we feel the combination of annual service, batteries, and fuel are unsatisfactory.

Now it seems the same is happening again, and have been told that the maker's reputation has plummeted; parts be inf hard to get and delivery dates not being met.

Our quandary is:

whether to soldier on with the fire, that supposedly is rated around 6kW,but hardly ever used except for quick boost.

replace the old fire with another of good quality, and not worry about cost.

replace with an electric fire with one that would have similar room ambiance of living flame and coal/ pebbles.

I have seen varying figures of electric and gas fires fuel efficiency. Does anyone know what the official percentages are? is there a limit on an electric fire's power, as so far the meaimum seen seems to be 2kW?

Your ideas please?

Ectophile

My immediate thought is that it could take years to make back in savings the amount that you would spend on a new fire.

If you only use it occasionally, the fuel bills can't be that large. If it's like any of the gas fires I've seen, I assume it can be turned down if you want less heat.

A new fire is going to need servicing as well.

How special are the batteries? You may well find that you can bulk buy cheap ones on ebay for a fraction of the UK retail price. They are likely to be cheap Chinese ones that don't last as long, but they are normally so cheap that it hardly matters.

Cardew

This issue was discussed 5 years ago:


https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/35902033#Comment_35902033


If your device is 'hardly used' and needs servicing(annually?) and very expensive batteries(see link) it would probably be cheaper to get an electric fire despite the higher cost of electricity.

oldwiring

The batts were quoted to me @ around £70 and service £60!!!
I am warming to the idea of an electric substitute, but a new point would be required, so I can foresee problems if I want it inset in the fireplace, how to get the power connected without damage to the marble fireplace.

For gas it'd be a high level manual control.

So thanks guys. And the questions on efficiency and electric max power? Please1

rustyboy21

Lithium Batteries and gas fires dont mix really. Only a couple of manufacturers use them and I have not come across one that didnt have issues.

If you get another gas fire, either go for a slide control by certain manufacturers only, some are carp, or go for a remote control fire, with a Mertick maxitrol remote system.

The slide control version usually uses a normal alkaline PP9 battery and the remotes usually use the same in the handset and 4 x AA batteries in the receiver unit under the fire. Mertick are a tried and tested system, more expensive than the others, but very seldom go wrong.

Gas will always out perform electric for heating. The most you can get on an electric fire is 2kw on a domestic system. The gas fire will cost at least 1/2 that price to run at double the heat output.

Energy savings trust quote the cost per Kw/h for gas at 4.29p Electric is per kwh 14.05p. Even E7 is nearly double the price and you wont be running your fire in the middle of the night.

Cardew

rustyboy21 wrote: »

Lithium Batteries and gas fires dont mix really. Only a couple of manufacturers use them and I have not come across one that didnt have issues.

If you get another gas fire, either go for a slide control by certain manufacturers only, some are carp, or go for a remote control fire, with a Mertick maxitrol remote system.

The slide control version usually uses a normal alkaline PP9 battery and the remotes usually use the same in the handset and 4 x AA batteries in the receiver unit under the fire. Mertick are a tried and tested system, more expensive than the others, but very seldom go wrong.

Gas will always out perform electric for heating. The most you can get on an electric fire is 2kw on a domestic system. The gas fire will cost at least 1/2 that price to run at double the heat output.

Energy savings trust quote the cost per Kw/h for gas at 4.29p Electric is per kwh 14.05p. Even E7 is nearly double the price and you wont be running your fire in the middle of the night.

Agree that gas will always outperform electric. However a couple of points.


Firstly Dimplex have 2.6 and 2.8kW 'Flame effect' fires and I suspect there will be other manufacturers.


http://www.dimplex.co.uk/assets/kb/brochure/0/Fires_Brochure.pdf


The EST gas/electricity prices take into account the standing charge - electricity is available at 10p to 11p/kWh and gas around 3p/kWh.


Electrical devices are 100% efficient - gas is ???


The OP states their gas fire is hardly ever used. So IMO there would be little difference in costs - including capital costs and servicing/inspection of a gas fire.