Water heating, immersion or CH?

Cantisque

Chrysalis said:

If you only have daily readings from E.ON, try and get the bright app, it should give you 30 minute breakdowns which will help you.

Thanks I'll check that out, having it broken down further would be a big help!

littleboo said:

As already said, the immersion heater is in principle more efficient, but the lack of control may mean it's on more than necessary, topping up when you don't need it to.
You could consider an immersion heater timer, DIY if you are competent or a sparky if not. That gives the best of both worlds.

Yeah that was my initial worry, that the savings from directly heating the water in the tank would be offset by having to manually shut it off. I think installing anything new is out of my hands, as it's a private rent and I am on the opposite end of the spectrum when it comes to electrician competency.

QrizB said:

Cantisque said:

Where I currently live, all heating is electric.

I don't think you've mentioned, but do you have a single-rate electricity tariff or a multi-rate one (where the cost of electricity depends on the time of day)?

I'm fairly certain it's single-rate. I wouldn't want to increase the daytime prices since that's where the majority of my energy is spent since I work from home.

Lorian said:

If it's an electric CH boiler then theoretically the immersion heater would be more efficient for the reasons stated, but both will be expensive. 

Make sure the tank and all the pipes around it are lagged as much as possible to reduce the heatvlisses. Post some pictures of the tank if you want some feedback on the insulation position.

Thanks, I've attached some pictures. The rats nest of pipes all seem to be bare, but I think most of them are central-heating related. Since I can't afford heating, this will be off all winter anyway and shouldn't have any hot water going through them.

Cantisque

Gerry1 said:

Do you really have an electric boiler supplying wet radiators?  Nothing is more expensive !

If you're renting, it might be worth considering a move.

That would be correct if I actually used the radiators, but as you say, it's very expensive and I just wear a coat and fluffy socks.

And yes I am in the process of readying myself to move.

Lorian

The megaflo tank will be insulated but even if heating using the emersion you'll find some of the pipes feel warm and buying some cheap pipe insulation might save a small amount. As a central heating boiler that's about the most expensive thing possible to run imaginable.

Cantisque

Lorian said:

The megaflo tank will be insulated but even if heating using the emersion you'll find some of the pipes feel warm and buying some cheap pipe insulation might save a small amount. As a central heating boiler that's about the most expensive thing possible to run imaginable.

Yeah I learned that during my first winter here (it pulls 13KWh!). I've left it switched off ever since. On the occasions when warm clothes don't cut it, I will just use an 800W fan heater and confine myself to one room.

I'll try some foam around the pipes connected to the tank if I can get any for free 👍

QrizB

Based on the info you've provided, I think the immersion heater will be the cheapest way of providing hot water - although not by much.

FreeBear

Cantisque said: I'll try some foam around the pipes connected to the tank if I can get any for free 👍

I've got a bunch of 15mm & 22mm foam pipe lagging going spare - You are welcome to some of it for free, but you would need to collect it.

I see Lidl will be flogging electric throws from next weekend for £25 (they already have heated underblankets in stock). Cheaper to use than even fan heaters.

Cantisque

FreeBear said:

Cantisque said: I'll try some foam around the pipes connected to the tank if I can get any for free 👍

I've got a bunch of 15mm & 22mm foam pipe lagging going spare - You are welcome to some of it for free, but you would need to collect it.

I see Lidl will be flogging electric throws from next weekend for £25 (they already have heated underblankets in stock). Cheaper to use than even fan heaters.

Appreciate the offer, but I have scraps of acoustic foam I can bundle together for the time being 😉

The fan heater is just kept around for emergencies, I don't anticipate using it outside of very specific scenarios, such as if it drops below 10C indoors and I want to shower (I can't stand getting out of a warm shower into a freezing room!). Right now it's a relatively pleasant 20C with the door closed and just me and my laptop generating heat and I can put on something warmer if the temps go down. I'm quite cold-resistant.

It was just the hot water I was trying to optimise my spending on to see if I could save a few £'s a month.

markin

E7 with careful timing is the way to go, Your WFH usage, PC and coffee will be very small compared to heating the water and the house at night.

Or Octopus tracker.


This thread has some useful tips if you insist on living in a cold flat/house.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6484802/infrared-panel-heater-efficient-alternative-to-hot-water-bottle#latest

EssexHebridean

markin said:

E7 with careful timing is the way to go, Your WFH usage, PC and coffee will be very small compared to heating the water and the house at night.

Or Octopus tracker.


This thread has some useful tips if you insist on living in a cold flat/house.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6484802/infrared-panel-heater-efficient-alternative-to-hot-water-bottle#latest

E7 with that heating system is almost certainly NOT going to be anything but even more expensive for the OP. As I understand it, the system they have is essentially like a standard gas central heating one, only rather than running on gas, it uses electricity. If you are unsure why this will not work well for the OP, then turn your heating off this evening and set it to come on to heat the radiators between 0030 - 0730 only, then off again through the day tomorrow. If your fingers are not too chilly to type, do pop back tomorrow evening to tell us how you found the experience! 😉 In all seriousness though, please be careful giving advice of this type without a full understanding of the sort of system that someone using - it’s the sort of advice that can end up costing someone an awful lot of money if taken at face value! 

Also - someone who cannot afford to heat their home using the system their landlord has - in their wisdom - provided is not “insisting” on anything, they don’t have the choice! 

markin

EssexHebridean said:

markin said:

E7 with careful timing is the way to go, Your WFH usage, PC and coffee will be very small compared to heating the water and the house at night.

Or Octopus tracker.


This thread has some useful tips if you insist on living in a cold flat/house.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6484802/infrared-panel-heater-efficient-alternative-to-hot-water-bottle#latest

E7 with that heating system is almost certainly NOT going to be anything but even more expensive for the OP. As I understand it, the system they have is essentially like a standard gas central heating one, only rather than running on gas, it uses electricity. If you are unsure why this will not work well for the OP, then turn your heating off this evening and set it to come on to heat the radiators between 0030 - 0730 only, then off again through the day tomorrow. If your fingers are not too chilly to type, do pop back tomorrow evening to tell us how you found the experience! 😉 In all seriousness though, please be careful giving advice of this type without a full understanding of the sort of system that someone using - it’s the sort of advice that can end up costing someone an awful lot of money if taken at face value! 

Also - someone who cannot afford to heat their home using the system their landlord has - in their wisdom - provided is not “insisting” on anything, they don’t have the choice! 

I think i would prefer to be warm at night and hope it remains over 10c at 11am than have it cold 24hrs a day.
I think we are all on the same page that its too expensive to run 24hrs or E7 day time.

Spending £0 a day on heat is a choice, they can set a budget and keep to it, as its better than Nothing and getting ill, or damp/mold.

If the budget is £0 then it would't matter if it was Gas or storage heaters.