Electric Only Heating - Cosy Octopus - New Approach

finallyfree23

Very early days I know, however across the first 2 days of March (which includes Saturday where I only switched over part way though, and therefore had a couple of hours of the fan heater during standard rate) my split looks like this - 

Low - 56.6% - 20.6kWh - £2.75

Standard - 40% - 14.6kWh - £3.96

High - 3.4% - 1.2kWh - £0.50 

Average unit price 19.79p

I’ve got the heater set for all of the low rate hours, and 2 standard rate in the evening, with the water heater for a total of 3hrs during low rate times. Both kicking in and out on the thermostats…and wonder of wonders, for the first time since I moved in I was too warm tonight and actually turned it off before the cheap hours! 

Even if overall I save not that much, I’m not spending any more despite average rates increasing and I’m actually comfortable. 😊 Using Octopus Compare shows I’m a few pounds better off than I would have been on tracker too, so that’s a win! 

Suspect I’ll drop one or maybe both standard rate hours for the heater, and likely find that it’s kicking in less even in the cheaper times as the weather hopefully gets milder. The real test will be next winter of course, but I’m impressed so far. 

Spikeygran

Hi I have a couple of thoughts here. 

Dont forget natural sources.  In the winter shut curtains on cold dark wet days when out, and leave open to take advantage of sun streaming in.  I leave the west facing bedroom curtains closed  until mid afternoon when the sun gets around there. It does help, the sun coming in the front room can raise the temperature about 2 degrees in half an hour.

If its a housing association flat I'm sure they have a duty to make sure you have access to useable affordable heating.  Have other tennants in your block got similar convection heaters? I think I'd ask about and if they have something different maybe query the housing association.

Gerry1

EssexHebridean said:

Gerry1 said:

Scot_39 said:

Gerry1 said:

I'd have thought they were unlikely to cause that much of a hazard.  The case does get warmer than the HHRs but shouldn't be so high that you could get burned by touching, let alone hot enough to cause a fire.  Much of the heat comes out from the top via convection anyway.

The problem is that they wouldn't release heat so quickly.  But did you try them?

Make sure you're using them correctly.

Dimplex for instance currently recommend 30cm - 1 foot clearance to the front of their XLE lot 20 fan assisted. Which like the Quantums I suspect blow heat out of the bottom

On page 1 in fact of the quick start guide

https://product-portal.gdhv.com/sites/default/files/2022-10/XLE Quick start guide Series C - Issue 9.pdf

"Nothing may be placed in the 300mm (1 foot) in front of the heater at any time. This is to avoid items coming into contact with the grilles and the heated air which leaves it. Blocking some or all of this area could represent a fire hazard."

The OP has old style 'Box of Bricks. NSHs without fans.  Obvious they'd need to check that the sofa etc wasn't so close that it was getting too warm.

All our various models of box of bricks style heaters had stickers on them saying that the vents shouldn’t be blocked Gerry - I really would suggest that the OP shouldn’t be encouraged to use NSH’s where furniture is right against them.

I'm not suggesting they should be right up against any form of heater, I'm sure the OP would have sufficient common sense to make sure that any sofa etc wouldn't be actually touching the heater or getting too warm whether by hot air or radiant heat, and wouldn't block the airflow.