Storage heater recommendations

EssexHebridean

The boost function (I’m assuming you are referring to the ability to produce heat at any point via a separate element)  in itself doesn’t make the heater any more controllable really - it just means that you have an added peak rate heater in place if needed. The HHR models also have the boost function, but because of the additional control (timed heat release rather than just “it starts as soon as the charge is being taken and finishes when the heat runs out”) there is far less need to use it. The only “added control” is the extra (expensive) heat, but this can just as easily be created at the same cost via any existing electric heater. (Indeed, on the rare occasions we need extra warmth we tend to just use our little oil filled rad as this puts the heat exactly where we need it!) 

JadeGurl

macman said:

You don't have to use Quantums. you can buy refurbished NSH's (please, not via Gumtree) which are perfectly serviceable, but new Lot 20 ones have to have the boost function. Much more controllable, but equally much more expensive. It's your choice and all depends what your budget is. 
NSH's are hard-wired to an FCU, usually on their own radial circuit, since they typically draw 3kW, spending on the size. You certainly can't just 'plug them in' to the ring main.
While you are thinking about this, get yourself off E7, as you are paying a big penalty for all your peak rate use, which is 17 hours per day.
Your EA has a very creative approach if they describe a 19 year-old development as a 'new-build'...

Thanks for the response. So if I get a night storage heater where’s a good place to get them secondhand if not gumtree and how would I find someone to install them for me. I looked on checkatrade.com but none of them say they can install storage heaters

ariarnia

for storage heaters you need an electrician. they probably wont say on a listing but anyone who can wire a house should be able to wire in a storage heater. 

JadeGurl

Gerry1 said:

JadeGurl said:

What’s a heat pump and an immersion heater? I haven’t heard of those before!

An immersion heater heats the hot tank, a big fat cylinder probably in the airing cupboard or similar.  Likely to have to cables going to it, one at the bottom, one halfway up.  Leave the upper one switched off unless the water gets cold during the day: if so, switch it on only for an hour or two.

Thanks for your response , sorry it took me a while to respond. I have an immersion heater, it has this kind of switch. I just switch it on for a couple of hours after 11.30 pm or early in the morning, which is really inconvenient but wasn’t sure how else to use it, I’ve never used the controls on the left as I’m not sure what they do 

JadeGurl

EssexHebridean said:

Mstty said:

Gerry1 said:

A heat pump would be expensive, probably noisy and unsuitable for a flat.  It's like an air conditioning unit run in reverse.  Many thousands of pounds to install, but Octopus are launching a cheap one.

Any sparky should be able to install NSHs, but do think whether HHR NSHs would be a better investment.  They're not cheap, but they will enhance the value and attractiveness of your flat.  Also check that an old NSH doesn't contain asbestos and think about the difficulty in transporting a heavy old NSH.

Here's how to operate old NSHs.

Why would a heat pump be noisier in a flat than a house? 

As far as I am aware most sit close to an outside wall and a wall is a wall is a wall? 

OP's flat is ground floor possibly one of the few that is instantly suitable.

Gerry isn’t saying it would be noisier in a flat - he’s saying that the noise aspect is one reason why it would be less likely to be suitable for a flat than a house. Flats generally have close neighbours on three or 4 sides, rather than houses having more distant ones, usually with fences between, on 2 sides. The other issue with heat pumps in a flat is that freeholders often don’t agree to them - in part at least because of the noise aspect. 

Hi Jade - I’m in a flat - ground floor and solid floored so similar issues to you. (Actually, similar issues with insulation too although ours is a fair bit older.) We have storage heaters - 1 very ancient Creda, 2 more recent “standard” Dimplex and 1 modern HHR Dimplex Quantum. Generally speaking we just use two - the largest standard Dimplex in the front room, and the quantum in the hallway, and we find that just with those we can keep the flat at a decent temperature. The HHR heater is far more controllable though - and because you set it to just release the majority of its stored heat when it’s actually required, it’s more economical as well as you don’t have the issues with heat loss overnight or during the day while you are out when it’s of less benefit. 

The best bit of advice I reckon I could give you about storage heaters is to REALLY learn how to use them - it takes a bit of getting used to but once you really understand how they work they can deliver a good amount of heat for a reasonable cost. 

Thanks for your response, yes that’s the impression I got from reading Amazon reviews for dimplex quantum storage heaters. A lot of people had them installed incorrectly and then the thing was using daytime electricity. 

At the moment this is what my flats got, I’m attaching pictures. I’m barely using them though, and I’ve never used the controls (these are by the flat entrance) as I’m only using heating, at night after 11.30 pm but I’ve been getting sick constantly this winter so need to get something sorted. There is also a weird switch in the smaller bedroom which doesn’t seem to have a purpose. And this other box in the cupboard with the water boiler/immersion boiler, which I also don’t know what it’s for. 

JadeGurl

I think it didn’t add pictures before
These are the heaters

this control thing is at the entrance to
the flat I’ve never used it, I just use individual controls and barely use the wall mounted heaters anyway, I’ve got an oil filled one on wheels which I’ve been using, only late at night when I’m on the lower tariff  

This is the type of heater installed in the flat and below are the controls on individual heaters 



 

These are the controls on the heaters 

Also there’s this strange switch in the smaller bedroom , not sure what it does 

JadeGurl

Since some people said the area was important I thought it might be useful to attach a floor plan. There are windows facing the parking lot in the reception room (the doors in the floor plan) so no neighbors there, and no neighbors next to the southern wall either. There are neighbors next to the northern wall, (where the larger the bedroom and bathroom are) . And at the entrance to the flat (where it says “in”) theres a little hall that separates me from neighbors (there are two other flats on this floor)

JadeGurl

Mstty said:

Ok let's try and do some maths(and get it wrong lol)

Last month my day consumption was 23464 and night was 37259 

flat built in 2004 so let's call it 18 years to be safe as we only just entered 2023

1304kwh day consumption per year

2070kwh night consumption per year

Not bad at all averaged out since new.

Could you take some pictures of the heaters you have and the surrounding wall area around them. This may answer some of the questions above. You could upload them to imgur if the forum won't let you attach them here.

Thanks for your response Mstty, sorry I took a while getting back to you. I’ve uploaded pictures of the heaters in the post above. My consumption right now isn’t representative of what I’d be consuming under normal circumstances as I’ve been doing everything I can to avoid being at home before midnight, but those figures are for 18 years , unless they changed meters or reset them or something 

JadeGurl

Gerry1 said:

Right now you need to find out what your day and night kWh rates are (don't forget to add 5% VAT if you take the info from a bill) and do the sums to see whether single rate would be cheaper.  It almost certainly will be, so switching to single rate PDQ will start to make things slightly less unaffordable.

I’m almost certain the night one will be better as I feel the cold a lot. The sums might be misleading as I’ve been only coming home at night to crash for several months, so was hardly using day electricity but I know my normal is very warm to most people and since I’m spending more time at home now the figures will change. Also my energy providers are not allowing my neighbors to switch to a night tariff so I’m afraid if I switch to a day one they won’t let me switch back 

Scot_39

@JadeGurl said

Also there’s this strange switch in the smaller bedroom , not sure what it does 

I have a similarly marked switch  - but in the kitchen.

It used to activate the boost mode on my Heatwise radio switched meter.
That then fed a seperate tariff rated feed during peak hours - but only to the hot water heater circuits (and not the NS heaters).
So press once and I got 1 hr hot water immersion power during peak periods, over and above normal 10 hours off peak.

But bedroom - unless close to hw tank or meter curious.

Never used mine - but my neighbour with young kids regularly ran out of hot water mid evening.  She had equiv of the e15 fitted when forced off heatwise by EOn.

Your picture above doesn't show where the wires from the Horstmann and the normal hot water switch are feeding.

But looks like you have a separate unit for that day rate water boost - the Horstmann E15 white with black button - pictured in another post above - I believe has 15/30/1hr time options. That will feed your hot water tank at applicable time of day on peak or offpeak rate.

You could try using it when e7 activates rather than the other switch ?  it should then switch itself off.  One press for 15, 2 for 30 min etc.  Might save you getting up again to do so once confident working - as your comments suggesting you now do some nights.

Edit 2 " making sure start and end times within e7 window - (often but not always 12-7 in winter but not always and may stick to GMT so hour different in summer. My E10 meter stays GMT, so 12-5am becomes 1am-6am BST etc. )"
"Edit reading amazon reviews some people have it in line as there only feed - purely for the convenience of knowing it switches itself off."
My e10 switches immersion on 3 times daily typically 15m-20m unless ran a lot of hot water ( my main daily use is seperate electric shower).
Although frankly bit surprised if a modern tank would lose enough heat to "charge" more than once anyway in a 7 hr e7 period with no hot water usage.

It might even be possible that switch in bedroom works in parallel to the black one on unit itself - but age looks different from photos - and would have to download a manual though to see if that even an option on e15/30/246 series.

And would hope that means your other switch is wired and using E7 off peak only.  Or have I missed that being confirmed / discounted.