Large panel heater

Rosie1001

If I can’t get my storage heater working im
looking to get a panel heater as alternative until about a year when I can save for new quantum’s 

large bedroom with high ceiling , 16 ft long and 12ft wide … what size will I need and what power 

thank you in advance 

MattMattMattUK

Rosie1001 said:

If I can’t get my storage heater working im
looking to get a panel heater as alternative until about a year when I can save for new quantum’s 

large bedroom with high ceiling , 16 ft long and 12ft wide … what size will I need and what power 

thank you in advance 

Hard to day, how well insulated is the property, double glazed, heading in the rest of the property, where in the country etc. 

As for the panel heater, that is going to be expensive to run if you are on E7 and an outgoing that would be better put towards the Quantum, if you must wait then get a cheap fan heater. If I were in your position and unable to afford the Quantum straight away then I would look to take out a 0% purchase credit card and put it on that, or in a worst case scenario a small loan at the best APR available, the interest would almost certainly cost less than either the cost of the panel heater or the increased running costs of the panel using peak rate E7 energy, let alone when you combine both those costs. 

QrizB

If I understand Dimplex's naming convention, the XT24 stores 24kWh of heat. So, if you only have it emitting heat for half the day (12 hours) I'd guess a 2kW panel heater might be a suitable replacement?

Although, this being a bedroom, do you really need a storage heater at all? Would a panel heater with a timer (so you can be warm in the morning when you get up, and again in the evening when you go to bed) be a better long-term solution?

Edit to add: maybe something like this, if you're after a wall-mounted heater:
https://www.electrical2go.co.uk/slim-panel-heater-with-lcd-timer-and-3-pre-installed-programmes-2kw.html

Gerry1

If you really must, buy a cheap 3kW fan heater.  Switch it on for 10 minutes before you go to bed.  Switch it on for 10 minutes as you get up.  Leave the bedroom door open during the day so that heat from elsewhere seeps in, otherwise you may get damp and mould.

But buying a relatively expensive panel heater and running it on E7 daytime electricity (even more expensive) is just making it harder to save up for a new Quantum, it's like trying to fill the bath without a bath plug.

There are calculators available from Dimplex and others that will give you a guide to the size you'll need.  If in doubt go for a larger size otherwise you'll be expensively topping up.

Rosie1001

Unfortunately I just don’t have the funds at the moment 

with losing my job , I can’t spend anything near the amount I’d need for quantum’s yet 

Scot_39

Your typical full size NSH only stores about 24 kWh of energy on a typical E7 charge (figure for quantum 150RF 23.1 kWh, elnur ecohhr 40 = 24.5kWh.  

If as above xt24 - and it seems likely - the 24 denotes a similar 24kWh capacity.  But the two docs for XT slimline - user and mounting installation - linked here don't discuss ratings.

https://help.gdhv.co.uk/support/solutions/articles/79000144236-i-have-a-very-old-heater-do-you-still-have-instructions-for-it-

And the series ran 12/18/24 with 2/3/4 heating elements - so pretty sure it will be the equivalent - so 24 will likely be c24kWh as above poster.

[The XT appear similar in functionality to my older 2 dial (Unidare ? ) models for both dials from that user instruction leaflet link. Mine are pretty fiddly to control as weather changes - one month last year - I changed the settings across my 3 on average every 2-3 days - from off to on low on high when really cold - back to low or even off - repeatedly. As otherwise easy to be too cold as temps drop - or too warm - so wasting power - when the outside temps bounce back.  And mine charge 3x per day - so more oppertunity to tweak energy store heat levels.]

So likely will be single fused spur from your restricted (typically e7 these days) CU from meter controlled switching.

[So that spur isn't suitable for an all day panel - without work on CU - and many lot 20 will need a live and a restricted (Both Quantums and Elnurs ECO HHR ranges can be single wired to 24.7 live - but again the CU will need modifying - but that also means you need to ensure charge times match meter off peak times - year round)]

Depending on how sensitive you are to noise - a conventional fan , convection or for me in a bedroom the only option I'd use - a full sized portable oil (or modern non-oil equivalnet) filled radiator.  With it's own timer ideally - programmed say an hr before bed / hr before get up (with any luck maybe one or other - if not a mix of both - even on e7 off peak rate)

A heated throw might be another way of coping - if your the sit in bed reading / tablet surfing type.

But I am not a fan of warm bedrooms - I sleep under a cotton sheet in summer and a summer tog quilt in winter (in a room that is only passively het during the day via open door air circulation - by NSH in hallway - it does have a wall panel heater but I never use it).

Stubod

We are on E7 and have just aquired the largest Quantum to replace a 28 year old heater that was in out hall. Although we have a "traditional" E7 heater in out bedroom we have not used it for years as it seems a waste to heat a room we only sleep in. 

We got an electric underblanket a few years ago for about £90 and put it on as we are getting ready for bed. It has about 5 heat levels and can be programmed to stay on for 1,3 or 5 hours, (we find 1 hour is more than enough).

QrizB

Stubod said:

We got an electric underblanket a few years ago for about £90 and put it on as we are getting ready for bed. It has about 5 heat levels and can be programmed to stay on for 1,3 or 5 hours, (we find 1 hour is more than enough).

I've got an electric underblanket too. Actually I've got two, a double and a single. Bought the double first but Mrs QrizB doesn't like the feeling of the heating elements so now it's a single on my side of the bed only!

FreeBear

Very rough calculation - Room (in metres) Width x Length X Height x 0.0606 to get the kW needed to heat the room.

Assuming a height of 2.4m, a heater rated 2.6kW or over should do the job. Just be aware of the dangers of using fan heaters, don't use an extension lead or a cheap timer to switch it on/off.

Rosie1001

I’ve got a dimplex dragon oil filled radiator…. 

I’ll use that with a smart plug ..see how I go …thank you everyone x