New storage heaters vs Sunflow

06Russ

I did look at sunflow but the initial payout seems very extreme. I will probably replace my storage heaters with electric radiators though. I am currently using 25 units of electric a night with 2 storage heaters on the absolute lowest setting, each is 3200kw. I think installing electric radiators with timers on them will be better. Also most of the heat is used when I’m at work in the day so I’m not even seeing the benefit of the heat.

EssexHebridean

On my current tariff, those 25 units of electricity to charge 2 heaters would cost me £3.75. That would buy me 11 hours running with a 1kw panel radiator at standard EPG tariff rate. Most seem to be 1500w - 2000w though, so assuming the smaller version then that’s a little over 7 hours use. Think long and hard about how many of those heaters you think you’d need, and how long you think you might need to use them for before making what is likely to be a very costly mistake. 

I’d suggest making absolutely certain that you understand how to get the very best out of your existing storage heaters first, and also researching whether a change to the high heat retention options now available (expensive outlay, but far better controllability) might work for you. I’m assuming that what you have are older “standard box of bricks” type models from what you say about the heat all escaping during the day. (It could be a case of the heaters being wrongly adjusted though - not unheard of.)

Gerry1

06Russ said:

I did look at sunflow but the initial payout seems very extreme. I will probably replace my storage heaters with electric radiators though. I am currently using 25 units of electric a night with 2 storage heaters on the absolute lowest setting, each is 3200kw. I think installing electric radiators with timers on them will be better. Also most of the heat is used when I’m at work in the day so I’m not even seeing the benefit of the heat.

Welcome to the forum.

Think very carefully: basically you're likely to find that you've made a very expensive mistake, but by then it will be too late.

[Deleted User]

06Russ said:

I did look at sunflow but the initial payout seems very extreme. I will probably replace my storage heaters with electric radiators though. I am currently using 25 units of electric a night with 2 storage heaters on the absolute lowest setting, each is 3200kw. I think installing electric radiators with timers on them will be better. Also most of the heat is used when I’m at work in the day so I’m not even seeing the benefit of the heat.

On-demand electric heating is usually the most expensive form of heating.  Think carefully before you do this.

06Russ

Thanks for the advice, just looking into it so won’t rush into a decision either way. My storage heaters are probably 18 years old with just the input and output dials, no temp settings or timer. I have the input on 2 out of 6 and the output on 1 all day. Also not sure how long economy 7 plans will be around for so I wouldn’t want to replace with new storage heaters to then not be able to have economy 7. Maybe it will be an option forever though, I’m far from an expert! On the face of it replacing 3200kw heaters with say a 1500kw saves money but as you say it depends on your plan, hours used, heat you actually need. Also being on economy 7 makes sense in winter but I use no energy at night all summer, I guess most are in the same boat though. Ruled out sunflow and the like because I can’t see anyway I would make the outlay back.

FirebirdMD

Thanks all. This is helpful.

I do indeed have what are essentially boxes of bricks. I'm actually fine with that, they retain heat for most of the day. They're just not particularly controllable.

wittynamegoeshere

I'm not sure whether the penny has dropped yet, so I'll be blunt...

IF you think that instantaneous electric heaters are a better solution for you (they may or may not be) then please do not fall for the claptrap spouted by the companies that claim that theirs have some kind of hidden inner magic that magically produces heat from nothing.  They turn electricity into heat, with the same efficiency and cost as any other electric heaters.

Heat is usually the undesirable waste product of turning electricity into any other form of energy.  It's easy to turn electricity into heat with 100% efficiency, it takes absolutely no technology at all.  You can buy a £20 plug-in heater that will perform the same task as any other electric heater at any price, at the same cost in electricity.

Your choices should be keeping what you have, new storage heaters, or decent, honest on-demand heaters, not those sold by a scammy company that charges four figures of cash for them.

IF this is what you're looking for then look at the likes of B&Q, Wickes and Screwfix among others.  If you want to pay more for the shinier prettier ones that proper retailers sell then that's your choice, but it's cosmetic only and you won't gain any efficiency from paying more.  Buy reliable products at sensible prices that have passed safety inspections from proper retailers, not cheap rubbish from China and not overpriced rubbish from a rogue trader.

Any qualified electrician will be able to check your wiring, remove the storage heaters and make any changes that are needed.  You don't need to buy from the bloke who's fitting it.

06Russ

Completely agree I myself wouldn’t pay thousands having looked into it to one of these companies, I would buy the heaters/radiators and then get someone to fit them probably for a third of the price. Still open to either electric radiators or new storage heaters and will do more research over the next few months. Either way I wouldn’t buy replacements without a timer so I get the heat in the evening as the OP has suggested too 

FirebirdMD

Thanks. It sounds like my best bet is to find reliable storage heaters with a boost function and just learn to be forward thinking in switching them on the night before.

I do have a small portable heater which came with my previous flat, I'm sure it's inefficient but as someone has said above, that doesn't matter as much with instant electric heat.

Gerry1

Something like Dimplex Quantum is probably your best bet.  They have some clever programming options so you can set them to match your lifestyle and holiday dates.  They're not cheap, but with the rocketing price of electricity the payback period is likely to be much shorter now.  If in doubt, go for a larger size so that you seldom need to use an evening boost at the expensive day rate.

Ideally they need both an E7 and a 24h supply, but the the internal wiring can be set so that they use just a 24 h supply and the programmer then determines the switching times.

However, if you use a single supply it's critical to ensure that the programmed times exactly match your meters actual times, not merely the times that are supposed to apply in your region.  If there's a variance (e.g. GMT/BST etc) it could be an expensive mistake !