Electric Heating and Hot water options

mrsyardbroom wrote: »

The people I've known who have had lpg have found it very expensive. Our neighbours over the road changed from lpg to oil for that reason.

They've obviously not got a good deal on their LPG.

I pay 30p/litre which is way cheaper than oil at present.

Also an LPG boiler is about 30-50% cheaper than an oil boiler

J_B wrote: »

but, a litre of oil doesn't have the same heat output as a litre of LPG

Indeed, but taking that difference into account (Oil 10.35 kWh/litre, LPG 7.11 kWh/litre) and with the current price of oil at about 49-50p/litre, it still works out about 12% cheaper.

Also LPG is cleaner and far less likely to get stolen!

jk0 wrote: »

For heating, use direct heaters in the bedrooms, and 2nd hand storage heaters in living rooms. You can get a spur box timeswitch for these, so don't need to have new wiring put in if you keep under 7kw.

I’m looking at a similar heating scenario. Just curious about the spur box time switch suggestion.
Would this mean you wouldn’t necessarily need a timed E7 circuit to install a small number of storage heaters?
I have E10 (one 10hr block) on all downstairs 13a sockets on a 32a circuit. Would change to E7
for more tariff choice.

jk0 wrote: »

Exactly. Add up all the wattages of the heaters. As long as you are under 7kw or thereabouts, you should be okay to use the ring main.



This arrangement will not comply with building regs, (nor will second hand storage heaters, come to that.) Just seems to be a pragmatic solution.

Thanks, very helpful.
I assume it’s the storage element rating I need to be looking at for power consumption.
Looking at the manuals of Dimplex Quantum and Elnur SSH heaters, it looks like the Elnur’s charge times can be set by the user so no need for a timed spur box.
The Quantums I think need a timed power feed.

Dimplex Quantums do seem to be the ultimate in storage heater technology but the Elnur ones look pretty smart too.

Talldave wrote: »

If you are setting timers to coincide with an E7 tariff you need be sure what times the meter switches and stay well within the range. E7 times often don't change with BST so will be at different times under GMT/BST, but if you set timers once and don't touch them for GMT/BST you'll be ok.

Thanks,
The BST/GMT changes are no doubt why my E10 block has shifted over the years from 10.00pm - 8.00am to 5.10am - 3.10pm.
It really is in a pickle. The Unidare warm air storage heater (has recently stopped charging) is on a mechanical timer which is hours out. I’m not sure if the timer is set to work in sync with the E10 metre. There’s a sticker on it that says ‘Reset 27/2/98.’
If it can be fixed I can get the timer/E10 sync checked and hopefully be back up and running.
Otherwise I’ll replace with modern storage heaters on an E7 tariff hence my original interest in
installation and wiring.