Dimplex Duoheat - experience?

myutopia

My whole central heating needs replacing, the radiators are old an inneficient, I have a cylinder boiler and an equally ancient firebacked boiler so it seemed to me that I had 2 choices remove the cylinder boiler and get decent combi boiler and new radiators or look to go more towards electric for the heating with a view to eventually putting in solar to heat up the storage heaters during the day so I have plenty of warmth in the evening and in the summer offset the bills by selling back the surplus electric as the heating would be off 90% of the time.

However it's looking like I may as well stick with a combi for the lot and the difference in price will be negligable between them, I'll probably save money on not having to rewire.

MrBrindle

Just thought Id resurrect this thread as im looking for any reviews on it. Im struggling to understand exactly how they work. I know they have a storage capacity, and a 'boost' panel style capacity as well. But is there a way of switching say the boost controls on or off, and controlling it manually?

chris1973

But is there a way of switching say the boost controls on or off, and controlling it manually?

If you are talking about Duoheat, then they contain a radiant panel heater with its own element, this is designed to be used to boost the heat from the internal storage core, for periods such as late evening where the stored heat has been exhausted, or where cold weather dictates that the room requires more heat than the storage aspect can provide. The output from the radiant panel is very small (280w to 390w) compared to the 1.3kw to 2.6kw element inside which heats up the storage core, so the radiant panel shouldn't be relied upon for sole heat, but rather a background supplemently source.

Its also worth remembering that energy used during the 'peak' times on an E7 tariff, can be 3 or 4 times the cost of the off peak electricity, and double the cost of somebody on a single tariff, so care should be used in order to maximise the off peak side of the heater, and store has much heat as is possible during the E7 period, for use later in the day.

Instructions for working these heaters can be found on the link below

http://www.dimplex.co.uk/assets/kb/operating_instructions/0/DuoHeat_i_Range_Operating_Issue_7.pdf