second hand storage heaters

Shekky

I've just about decided that i will use electric storage heaters on the ground floor of a house i am building. As money from the project is running out and i always like i bargain, i'm looking at getting second hand storage heaters, perhaps from ebay. Can anyone comment as to whether this is a good idea and what to look for? I imagine that newer ones would be better. Are there issues with safety of second hand storage heaters. Thank you.

Cardew

There is very little to go wrong with storage heaters; they are basically a pile of bricks with an electrical heating element.

As they are not popular, I suspect there are loads of very cheap serviceable ones on ebay, but be aware they are very very heavy.

Shekky

Thanks Cardew. I understand that the newer the better as the newer ones have better heat retention due to the type of brick and the insulation in them. Would it be unadvisable to position a storage heater or even an oil-filled under a window with cotton curtains maybe 20 cm above? This seems to be quite a popular position for GCH radiators but i suspect there are dangers with storage, convector, oil-filled.

Ada3050

I would avoid very early storage heaters on ebay and look for some modern ones.
As cardew suggested there isnt much to go wrong just a pile of bricks and an element.
If you buy and they dont work then a google search will bring up a few firms that will be able to supply spares.
I will have a big dimplex spare to give away this summer if you (or anyone else) want it, but you would have to collect though.(Birmingham)

dontlike_cost

cost of running is high and the heat is not able to be controlled. Even using a cheap electric tariff the cost is very high. Speak to other users before you commit. My personal preference is cheap fan heater with thermostat (John Lewis cheapist? but I bought over 20 years ago - cost was low enough to keep a greenhouse frost free).Good luck

samtheman1k

I sold some storage heaters on ebay a while ago. My advice would be to buy them new as they are so heavy, damage during transit is inevitable, unless they are only a temporary measure. New ones will be much nicer looking and smaller than the old type aswell.

sh51sgh

I am an electrical contractor and in my experience storage heaters are extremely reliable, when they rarely break the parts are very cheap and easy to replace. The initial cost of buying new units is quite high, but then again so is the cost of a gas service to a building, combi, and wet system. I can offer second hand units and expect to have around 300 units of differing sizes in August should anyone be interested. I can also offer advice to anyone wishing to install some. PM me with any questions.

**EDIT**

Sorry if I appeared to be profiteering there, it was not my intention. I simply meant if anyone who couldn't afford new units wanted some of the ones we were stripping out they could have them if they paid for shipping and handling, or collected. Otherwise they would be scrapped. Sorry again if I was offensive.

nomoneytoday

Fair enough - as they are being given away rather than scrapped

I thought you were selling them until the edit

catpaws99

Four years ago I borught 5 second hand storage heaters for my house - paid 150 quid for them. They are heavy but i got them home in two trips in a Ford Fiesta. Had no probs with them - got electrician to install which was another 200 but had RCD unit fitted aswell.

amtrakuk

I'm hear alot of mixed stories about Storage heaters. The secret appears to over spec the heat required.

I like the idea of storage heaters but its a bit of an outlay. At the moment I'm using wall mounted convection heaters. I'm wondering wether they will provide enough heat

amtrakuk

I've been doing some looking around on the web about storage heaters last night, looking at the Off/On Peek costs. It definatly looks tempting in replacement to my Convection heaters. There is one thing that plays on my mind and hoping you could answer regarding heat retention.

I hear buying new is best as they are reported to have greater heat retention and I presume not run out of heat at 7pm etc. Is this true, I am mainly up until 10-11pm. Would a modern storage heater still give out heat at that time?

I understand you can "close them down" when you're not using them. Would I be able to keep them closed during the day and therefore keeping the heat in until I get home and then open them up, or don't they work like that?

Appologies if these are obvious questions but Im looking into them and know very little about them. Thanks