Storage heater and recommended other kind of heater?

applepicker

Have two storage heaters in flat. Turned them on but no heat came out? How do you use these ? How does the fuse box like storage heater box work?

I think I need a heater which pumps out heat quickly as well, but not a plugged in convection heater, something which looks homely and nice in the flat, which is all electric. Any ideas?

macman

Storage heaters heat up overnight (typically between midnight and 7am) using cheap E7 energy and release it during the day. Do you have an E7 meter and tariff?
Using a convector (or any other non-E7 heating system) on E7 peak rate will cost you about 3 times as much per kWh, so it's crazy to use both systems.

Ectophile

There are several different ways of connecting up storage heaters to an E7 meter, so it's difficult to tell what's wrong. Check that all the appropriate switched/breakers are turned on.

Other than that, it could be a stuck timeswitch, a blown fuse, or many other possible faults. You'd have to get a qualified electrician in to check.

CashStrapped

Storage heaters charge throughout the night and release heat during the day. They are the cheapest all electric way of heating a property.

What you gain in cost effectiveness, you loose (a bit) in convenience.

If you do not set the input the night before. You will get no heat the next day. It is as simple as that. That is assuming it is on at the plug and in the fuse box. Storage heaters should be on all the time. You just control if they store heat by the input dial.

You should have two dials on the storage heater. An output and input.
You adjust the input according to how much heat you want to store for the next day. The higher the setting, the more heat you store and the more electricity you will use.

So, a very cold day tomorrow? Set it at 5/6. If it is due to be a bit nippy, maybe a 3 will do. Mild, but on the cold side, try 1 or 2.

However, correctly using the output is key. It should always be set to zero (or the lowest number) until you actually need the heat.

If the output is not set to zero, it will immediately leak the heat it is meant to store and you will wake up to an overly warm and stuffy house. In addition, none of the heat will have been stored and you will have no heat for the rest of he day.

So in summary, set the input for the weather due for the next day and keep the output on zero until you actually want the heat.

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Furthermore, some storage heaters have daytime instant convector heaters built in. DO NOT use these unless you really need to. Using the electric day rate will cost you 3 times as much.

In addition, ensure you are on the cheapest possible e7 tariff. You can compare e7 rates on any comparison site. Just set your e7 night use percentage to 55% for now.

If you want more info about E7 rates, just let me know.

applepicker

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Delonghi-HCX9124E-Convector-2400-White/dp/B00J5ERY38


Won't storage be pointless if I am not there during the day? I am there in the morning then come back later on- doesn't that defeat the point. And. wont it be cold in the evening with storage heaters as all the heat has been pumped out?


If I need instant heat wouldn't the above ones work better?





Electrician coming out today to look at old storage heaters; they could be 30 years old lol. Wouldn't one instant heat heater be good in say the lounge? Alongside the storage heaters..


What do the fuse box looking thingee with three storage heater switches actually do? And why do I have 3 switches when there are only 2 storage heaters?

Ectophile

Nobody actually likes storage heaters. The reason they put up with them is that the night-rate electricity on E7 is much cheaper than the standard rate.

If the heaters are working properly, they should have two controls - one for how hot you want them to get, and one for how fast they release the heat during the day. If they get stone cold by the evening, then either they aren't adjusted right, or the controls aren't working.

Another thing to consider if you're thinking of losing E7 - you can heat up your hot water overnight with cheap electricity. Without that, you're paying full rate to heat the water as well.

applepicker

Why don't people like them? They're cheaper! And you can get combi ones with convection heaters added to them, that way if you need instant heat you've got it. Maybe my old electrician was just very pro- storage heaters.


My current electric company gives me a cheaper rate at night compared to during the day, but whether that is E7,or whether E7 is just another way to say cheaper tariff (which everyone has)
I don't know?

My model is a Creda model 79055B. I think, but could be wrong, that it was made between 1984 -1987 and that asbestos was banned after 1975. I tried to take the front cover off to vacuum underneath on top then got inquisitive and took next metal panel off and there was some kind of sheet underneath (got worried so screwed panel back). Bit of dust came off, shouldn't be asbestos, should it? The whole machine is really rusty.


My electrician quoted me at least £1000-£1200 for two storage heaters, one for bedroom and combi one for lounge. Also, £150 for fan heater in bathroom- wire and buy heater. Sound reasonable?

Susan1942

I have got 5 storage heaters in my flat I replace the living room ones x 2 some years ago and got one that has got a fan which used day time electricity if I need it . I do close them at night and don't open the vents until the evening Sometimes I don't even need to do this I am on Economy 7 and I use 80% of night electricity. I do not do any laundry here as we have a facility in the main building.
I pay 5.1p for night rate and 13.4p for day rate so much more expensive. As said the water heats at night so at low rate. I do have a second immersor which I can flick a switch in the kitchen and it tops up for a short time. I don't often need to do this unless I have got visitors.
I had a problem with one heater recently and had to get it looked at by an electrician. He has looked after the Storage Heaters for these flats for some years. He tested the heater and said it was ok. It was throwing the fuse when I put it on. He traced the fault to the way they were wired. There are 2 big sort of boxes in the fuse box He reckoned one was 16 and the other 20. Two heaters were in the 16 which he said was too much. He switched the wiring over and resolved the problem Had I just got a new heater this would not have resolved the situation. I was impressed as he worked very methodically from one thing to another and found the source of the problem. It has not presented before as the spare room and the hall were wired up but not always on and on very low sometimes. He knew this from the type of switch which seemed to have a fuse in it. The other heaters do not have this. All is well and I paid just labour cost of £45.

applepicker

I turned on the storage the heaters the night before last and they work- well I mean they pump out heat. But firstly even when shut right down they still emit heat so heat all day. Shouldn't good storage heaters not emit heat during the day when you're not in?

Susan1942

The heaters will always emit heat during the day by their very nature. By keeping the vents closed this is minimal and will mean that your rooms are never cold. In the evening when you are at home opening the vent will emit a lot more heat If you watch the weather forecast and turn the heaters up or down accordingly. It does take a bit of time to get used to this. I only have storage heaters no fire in my living room/dining room. It is quite a big room with 2 large heaters One has got a fan heater which I can switch on if I need extra instant heat. Unless the weather is very cold I don't need to do so. I have my heaters on at a high setting in winter so that I don't find myself cold in the evenings.