New storage heaters cost help

LunarViolet

I would say a few things to this. I have Dimplex Quantum heaters. Same models as you actually and there is a trick to using them. 

1. They need to be on all night to be effective, if you are only putting them on for 3 hours they will use more energy to store the heat.

2. Make use of the timing periods. If you are out all day at work, change your settings. Have the heaters come on at 04.30 - 06.30, then when you get home say 3pm - 9pm. 

3. They are preset to come on at 21c, most healthy people dont need them to be that, i am disabled and i have mine on at 16c in the longe and 18c in the hall and that is plenty warm enough to be comfy with a jumper on. 

4. Keep all your doors open. Seems counterproductive but keeping them open means that your whole house will be kept warm instead of just the rooms you are keeping warm. My house is 45sqm and i live with 2 heaters on, one in the lounge and one in the hall and every room in my house will be kept between 16-18c depending on outside temperatures. 

5. Immersion heaters consume a LOT of electricity. Yours may be a 3kw heater, mine is. So for every hour you have the immersion on its costing you 3kw x 21.7p x 3 hours which is £1.95 per day. 

6. The QM100F is a 2.2kw heater, so for the full 7 hours of heating it will be 2.2kw x 21.7p x 7 hours = £3.34 per day. 

7. The QM150RF is a 3.3kw heater so for the full 7 hours of heating it will be 3.3kw x 21.7p x 7 hours = £5.21 per day. 

These prices by the way is for the maximum setting so at 30c, anything under that it will be cheaper. 

Quantum is clever because some days i use about £3 and others i use £0.80p and mine are set to be on all day as i am home. They are intelligent so they may use a lot of electricity on day one, but will use less on day 2, day 3, day 4 etc as they are learning to store heat when you need them and if you dont use as much heat they wont heat up as much on following days.

It is more important to get your night rates as cheap as possible, day rates are completely irrelevent for most people as they are at work all day. Get your night rate as cheap as possible. I am with EDF and currently they are 7.5p but are going up 91% in April so i will be looking around for a better deal. 

The fan noise is incredible annoying to begin with, it drove me nuts. It comes on to circulate heat into the room and not just to boost. However eventually you do get used to it. If the heaters are silent it means your room temperature is at the setting ie 18c. 

I miss gas central heating!

Dandytf

1st serious supply|+install quote...

DIMPLEX QUANTUM QM125RF | QUANTUM STORAGE HEATER 1.25KW | WIFI ENABLED

DIMPLEX HUB FOR DIMPLEX CONTROL APP WIFI CONTROLLED HEATING

Removal of 2kw fake fire|+fireplace.

1675 inclusive which I think is very reasonable. 

Dandytf

Mser's
Trying a new local Electrician....
Whilst I intend to re use original Eco 7 feed left of fan fire.
Please confirm from Dimpex Guide....

Is Electrician going to follow 
Fig 9a

Two Mains Supplies

Dual Supply - Storage / Fan circuit (Fig.9A)

Fan Circuit Storage Circuit

Fan Circuit Storage Circuit

= PEAK L
= OFF-PEAK L

= PEAK N
= OFF-PEAK N

The brown wire connected to Live
The blue wire connected to Neutral
The earth wire should be connected into the earth terminal block marked E

or

Fig 9 b

Single Mains Supply

Single Supply requirements Offline / Standalone Installation

This kind of installation relies on the property having a fixed time period, off-peak energy tariff with ‘whole home switchover’ whereby all wiring in the property utilises the off-peak rate when available.

The brown wire connected to Live The blue wire connected to Neutral

and How do I know which is relevant to my flat.

thanks

Gerry1

Best way is to do the job properly and have two circuits feeding the Quantum.

One is a 24h fused spur.  The other is an E7 fused spur supplied from a 5-terminal E7 meter (or via a contactor controlled by the meter).

The single supply is a workaround if you have only one circuit for the Quantum and don't want to pay to install the second circuit.  Big risk if you don't program the Quantum to follow your meter's exact switching times.  Get it wrong and you may use expensive day rate for some of the charging period.

Bear in mind that the electrician is unlikely to be present around midnight and before breakfast to verify the changeover times.

Finally, if you have to explain the concept to the electrician, is he really the best one to use?

All electricity used at the relevant times will be charged at the lower rate whether switched by the meter or not.

Dandytf

Gerry1 said:

Best way is to do the job properly and have two circuits feeding the Quantum.

Bear in mind that the electrician is unlikely to be present around midnight and before breakfast to verify the changeover times.

Finally, if you have to explain the concept to the electrician, is he really the best one to use?

All electricity used at the relevant times will be charged at the lower rate whether switched by the meter or not.

Maybe no doubt it's my non Electrical knowledge.
I already know what I refer to as Low Rate Times Eco 7/White Meter as per SP Tariff.
This next piece of previous Electrician is beyond my understanding.
1 I have 2 Electrical Points from which Storage Heaters can use.
One present in Hall and working as I purchased replacement Condensor Unit which experienced Electrician added a small fan.
2nd Electrical Point in  living room where prev' owner removed and replaced storage heater with current 2k Fake Fire heater.
This left original Low Rate point redundant, though I re checked last night, it still works from Eco7 times Low rate and stops working from 08:30 a.m daily.
When Dimplex and Gerry1 talk of 2 Circuits is this similar to 2 Low Rate points I mention, or do I potentially need 2 circuits from Meter Area.

thanks  

Gerry1

The best solution is for the living room to have two circuits next to each other for the new clever Quantum, i.e. the existing switched one for the old storage heater (which was probably a simple Box of Bricks) and a new unswitched 24h one.

The single circuit operation is a bit of a cheapo bodge.  It might make sense if the property is rented or it would be particularly disruptive to run a new circuit, but two supplies are better because there's no risk of charging at expensive day rates if the meter times aren't what you think they are or if they change.

Dandytf

Gerry1 said:

The best solution is for the living room to have two circuits next to each other for the new clever Quantum, i.e. the existing switched one for the old storage heater (which was probably a simple Box of Bricks) and a new unswitched 24h one.

The single circuit operation is a bit of a cheapo bodge.  It might make sense if the property is rented or it would be particularly disruptive to run a new circuit, but two supplies are better because there's no risk of charging at expensive day rates if the meter times aren't what you think they are or if they change.

Cool so original  'Circuit' can be used.
the 2nd 'unswitched' 24 hr one -can that be taken from Standard 3 pin Power socket right of fire.
Ignore if irrelevant, I intend to post updates once Quantum 125 is ordered over next few days.
I'll refer to this 2  Circuit preference next time I talk to Electrician.

Thanks appreciated,  

Gerry1

It's usual to have a dedicated switched spur rather than add to the loading on the ring main.  A good electrician will be familiar with the wiring regulations.

The 24 hour circuit can be used to give a daytime boost (at expensive day rates) so make sure it's not topping up automatically because of poor programming.

You may wish to have single rate through the summer unless you have significant night time use; do the sums based on actual meter readings.

Dandytf

Gerry1 said:

It's usual to have a dedicated switched spur rather than add to the loading on the ring main.  A good electrician will be familiar with the wiring regulations.

The 24 hour circuit can be used to give a daytime boost (at expensive day rates) so make sure it's not topping up automatically because of poor programming.

You may wish to have single rate through the summer unless you have significant night time use; do the sums based on actual meter readings.

Single rate through Summer would that not mean all year tariff change from eco 7-SP.
Day Peak
Night Low
I've found almost 50/50% though need to re check bill.
I've been WFH up-to 3 years and seem to have decent usage balance.
Though missing some decent heat in evening winters hence Dimplex project.

Qyburn

LunarViolet said:

5. Immersion heaters consume a LOT of electricity. Yours may be a 3kw heater, mine is. So for every hour you have the immersion on its costing you 3kw x 21.7p x 3 hours which is £1.95 per day. 

Your immersion heater should have a thermostat, so it will switch off once the water's up to temperature. It won't draw a continuous 3kW unless you're using so much hot water it can only just keep up.