Are my calculations correct? I'm better off with a small heater to use as and when?

MARKMAKAVELI

Forgive me I'm not great at this stuff... I'll try and keep it as simple as I can, rounding figures etc. I'll leave out standing charge etc as it's just going to muddy the waters.

I am on Economy 7 tarrif all electric flat.
Focusing on the biggest outlay - the heating overnight. This costs 20p per kWh and will heat up one heater that uses 3.4kWh per hour. So during the 7 hours overnight as it stores the energy it costs me 70p per hour so £4.90. Even on full input, min output this heater is usually not doing much by the evening time other than taking the chill off slightly.

If I plug in a Dimplex DESC2TN that uses 2kWh per hour this would cost me 29p per hour on the day tarrif. If I used this excessively for 5 hours in the evening to keep warm, it would cost me £2.90 per evening.

Are those ballpark figures correct? Thanks in advance.

[Deleted User]

29p for 2kWh would be an incredibly cheap day rate.

And your storage heater probably isn't heating up at full power for all 7 hours.

MARKMAKAVELI

I was going off my bill, but when I look at the front page of my Octopus account it says it's 41.71p day rate and 15.62 night rate.

Based on those figures I've edited my post here:
Focusing on the biggest outlay - the heating overnight. This costs 16p per kWh and will heat up one heater that uses 3.4kWh per hour. So during the 7 hours overnight as it stores the energy it costs me 55p per hour so £3.85. Even on full input, min output this heater is usually not doing much by the evening time other than taking the chill off slightly.

If I plug in a Dimplex DESC2TN that uses 2kWh per hour this would cost me 42p per hour on the day tarrif. If I used this excessively for 5 hours in the evening to keep warm, it would cost me £4.20 per evening.


 

[Deleted User]

Look at your meter and find out how much your storage heater actually uses each night.

[Deleted User]

Your Dimplex, if used on full power, would be using 84p per hour.

Leon_W

It's unlikely the Dimplex would be constantly on for 5 hours if the thermostat kicked in and out though.

You could only get an accurate usage figure from a plug in monitor really.

MARKMAKAVELI

Sorry typo yes you're right. So it's no contest really. Shame the heat from storage heaters has pretty much depleted by evening time 😩

[Deleted User]

MARKMAKAVELI said:

Sorry typo yes you're right. So it's no contest really. Shame the heat from storage heaters has pretty much depleted by evening time 😩

I think modern storage heaters are much better than the old ones - but someone who actually has them should be able to help you more 

[Deleted User]

But your 5-hour totals are ballpark correct. A smart plug would provide a truer figure of how much energy the Dimplex would use. As mentioned above, if used carefully they won’t hit the max cost.

I say this as an owner of two Delonghi dragon oil filled, 2.5 kWh each. Neither have been used, so far, because of their, roughly, 87p per hour (each) potential cost. 

However, flip side, I find the oil filled things work great. I’m getting very little at high cost from a gas boiler at present, so the 87p for 100% heat back into the room from the oil filled radiator can sometimes be a better option (eg. take the chill off a room for a bit).

Mstty

MARKMAKAVELI said:

Sorry typo yes you're right. So it's no contest really. Shame the heat from storage heaters has pretty much depleted by evening time 😩

Times are tough when the heat runs out go to bed.

I do feel this energy crisis may produce a population boom.

xeny

MARKMAKAVELI said:

Sorry typo yes you're right. So it's no contest really. Shame the heat from storage heaters has pretty much depleted by evening time 😩

Is it practical to put a blanket or similar over the storage heater first thing in the morning, so it loses heat more slowly, leaving some for the evening when you remove it?