Advice re electric heating system 5 January at 10:36PM edited 5 January at 10:44PM in Energy 20 replies 844 views

steph_87

I've been reading some of the forums on here and looking for some advice on electrical heating. 

I currently have 3 x 2kwh electric panel radiators (homesure) in my property but having difficulty heating it sufficiently with dampness and very cold.  

I had looked at the German radiators with electric heaters scotland. I seen from previous forums about Fischer etc.  They have fire clay and supposed to have both convection and radiant heat providing more efficient heating. 

From reading a lot of mix reviews about it all, I wonder would it be better installing the high heat retention heaters and using E7? Are the HHRH more modern than the old storage heaters as this is being advertised as a new modern living to suit all lifestyles. 

I'm know the E7 prices are increasing though and is it easy to switch to this? 

Any advice would be great. 

steph_87

Or would oil filled radiators be best to fit to walls instead of HHRH, electric panel or German? 

Gerry1

There' s nothing whatsoever magic about panel heaters filled with moondust, kryptonite, amber nectar or Chanel No. 5.  Whether a sub £20 fan heater or a diamond encrusted German panel, they are all equally efficient, 1kWh gives you 1kWh of heat out, full stop.

Unfortunately they represent about the most expensive heat you can buy because they use day rate electricity.

If you're limited to electricity (e.g. it's impossible to get gas or oil) and a heat pump isn't an option (significant capital cost etc) then HHR NSHs should be considered.  They are more efficient than the old Box of Bricks NSHs because they can be programmed to blow out heat using a fan only at times when it's needed, rather than having it leaking away all through the small hours.  Think of an HHR NSH as a vacuum flask as opposed to a Box of Bricks that's like a hot water bottle.

HHR NSHs aren't cheap to buy but if you own the property and will be there a reasonable time then they are probably the least worst option.  They would also make it cheaper and easier to sell when the time comes to move.

Ideally they need both a switched E7 overnight supply and a 24-hour supply.  However some such as Dimplex Quantum can be programmed to work from a single 24h supply, but great care must be taken to ensure that the switching times really do follow the E7 cheap rate of your meter.  Better to get a 5-port meter (two Live outputs, one 24h, one only overnight) and also make sure that the immersion heater only heats up on E7 cheap rate.

Note that there's now a great variance in Day / Night E7 rates, unlike the single rate variable tariff which costs almost exactly the same from virtually every supplier.

Apodemus

Gerry1 said:

Think of an HHR NSH as a vacuum flask as opposed to a Box of Bricks that's like a hot water bottle.

Really good analogy there! 

macman

If you have a smart meter then the switch to E7 can be done remotely. if not, then you will need a new E7 meter at cost. So, the trick is to switch to smart meters first, then once you have installed the new NSH's, get the tariff switched to E7. that way, no cost involved.

travisonline

Is this actually true? I have a smart meter and I called E.On to switch to E7 and they told me they will need to switch to E7 meter first before having E7 meter and remove my smart meter (£135 cost to me to have this privillege). Is it just E.on who are funny about it? It's good to know that Dimplex Quantum G can be on a single supply.

macman

Is your current meter SMETS2? 

travisonline

It is likely to be SMETS1 as was established on 2015/2016. Is this a problem for E7 remote switch? 

adindas

Is adding another 3X2KW of electric heater, at home will not require rewiring and request for additional power increase from utility company ??

travisonline

If I habe 1kw electric radiator hard wired and I remove it and put 2kw storage heater I thought I should be OK? 

Qyburn

adindas said:

Is adding another 3X2KW of electric heater, at home will not require rewiring and request for additional power increase from utility company ??

Not really possible to answer without knowing details of your existing installation, and supply characteristics. Direct heat, or storage?  That makes a difference because direct heaters may benefit from diversity, cycling on and off at different times. Whereas storage heaters are likely to come on all at once.