Condensor Tumble Drier

[nantucket66]

We've got this Bosch Condensor Drier arriving later today.

We live in a first floor flat. They are basically old large victorian terrace houses that were divided into 2. All separate (no communal areas) entrances/exits.

We have at the back of the property a make shift utility room which is on ground floor level, this (was once the old coal shed/outside toilet) is the rear entrance/exit to the property with a staircase leading down out of the kitchen. It's difficult to visualise hence the detailed description! It's part of the property as such and is secured/alarmed. People who I've described it to then have seen it have pretty much always said something 'I see what you mean now'.

The space is about 3 metres long x 1.5 metres wide x 2 metres high, it is powered, decorated and shelved out and is incredibly useful. It is not heated, as such it can get cold (getting a thermometer tomorrow). There are no windows, but is properly ventilated. The space us currently used for storage (washing powder, loo rolls and the like), tools etc.

This is the space where the new drier is going to live (along with a freezer to be ordered next month).

I have just bought an Dimplex 2 KW oil filled radiator to go down there as well to keep the chill off. It has an integrated timer and thermostat. When I first plugged it in I turned it up to max and left it for 30 minutes, nice and toasty so the rad has no issue heating the space at all, that said what is going to be the most efficient use of the radiator?

Constantly on at a low temp?
Turn it on an hour before the drier will be used and whilst in operation?
Leave it on the frost setting, so it only comes on if the temp drops below 5 degrees?
Or use the timer and have it come on for an hour or so 3 or 4 times through the day/night.

The radiator will only need to be on September through to May at a guess. I just want to protect the drier, but which way would be best and most cost effective?

 

[nantucket66]

Thanks for that.

I'm picking up a thermometer/humidity gauge tomorrow which will help.

I'll monitor it carefully and set the thermstat so it just takes the chill off and keeps the drier above it's minimum recommended temperature and go from there.

As for the freezer......I may have to raise the temp of the thermostat to suit or re-think, we already have one in the kitchen, another would be a nice to have, but not a need to have and we haven't ordered one yet.

 

[nantucket66]

Ok, got the drier, the radiator and the thermometer and have done a few experiments over the past day or so.

With the radiator off overnight the temperature at 8am this morning was 10.1 degrees, happy days well above the minimum 5 degree recommended temp. I ran the radiator on full pelt for 30 minutes then dialled the thermostat back till it clicked off and ran the drier on a 2 hour cycle. After 30 minutes of the radiator being on, the temp raised to from 10.1 to 16.7 degrees and by the time the drier has finished it was 18.4 degrees, radiator turned off once the drier had finished.

So, moral of the story, (for the drier at least) - the radiator is only relevant when it's cold. If when I put the washer on (and the need the drier afterwards) and the temp is low I know what to do.

A freezer down there will certainly require more thought (well at least the radiator being on a lot more), I may knock that idea on the head, like I mentioned, it's a nice to have, not a need to have as there is already one in the kitchen.

 

[nantucket66]

As an aside, the thought of having to heat a place in order to then freeze stuff is almost bonkers, as is the thought of having a freezer that runs in -15c! Why need a freezer! (yes I know why, just thinking out loud)

I know!