Electric Storage Heaters

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VTR

VTR

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I live in a 2 bed flat and the heating is via electric storage heaters.

Am I best, during the winter, leaving the input on max (6), the output on min (1) when I'm not here and then adjusting higher when needs be if I am here? Is this the most efficient way of using them?

Not had them on at all untill recently, getting a bit cold here now though!

They're Creda heaters if that makes any difference, as I understand on this setting they will charge at night when electric is cheapest and then output low during the day to keep the place slightly heated and then adjust higher if needs be when I'm here? How much are they likely to cost to run?
 
VTR said:
I live in a 2 bed flat and the heating is via electric storage heaters.

Am I best, during the winter, leaving the input on max (6), the output on min (1) when I'm not here and then adjusting higher when needs be if I am here? Is this the most efficient way of using them?
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Yep you are using them the most efficient. Just turn the heater output up when you get in. Also make sure you are on economy 7 or 10 heating charges. Will say on your bill.

As for how much it costs well, that depends on how many heaters you have and what kw rating they have. For instance a 1.7kw storage heater on economy 7 overnight will charge 11.9 hours worth of heat {1.7kw x 7 hours Input charge} then you have 1.7kw of heat x 11.9 hours so if your night electricity rate is 7p per hour then it will cost 83p per day to run {11.9 hours x 7p}

Hope that helps. :)
 
Be thankful you have storage heaters. My apartment only has standard electric heaters which I imagine are costing me ££££ to keep the place warm.
 
Thanks for the advice, I will check with my provider what economy I am on - if I'm not on the right one I assume I can ring them and just ask them to change it? I'm leaving both the input and output permentally on by the switch on the wall- this is the right way to run them then? Will they automatically charge at night not during the day? Or will I need to manually turn the input off in the day and on before I go to bed? There is no other options on them bar the input and output 1-6, with each having a wall point to turn on and off.
 
I would expect that you are already on economy 7 or 10 but just for sake of having a hefty bill just check, and if you weren't on Eco 7 or 10 I would imagine they would just switch it over.

One thing though. You mentioned you have two switches on the wall, now this is where a lot of people go wrong and have high bills. I am not 100% sure but I think only one switch will be for the storage heat and the other one for a standby heater. Do you know if your heater has also a convector heater as a standby heat option? As if it does that may be the switch for that, if that is then on you could be using the convector heater as well as the stored heat which will cost a bomb.

The switch does not need to be turned off and on daily at the wall, it will just start charging at night then switch off during the day and use the stored heat. Unless of course you go away and do not need the heat.

You will need to find out first if the storage heater has two switches because of a standby heat option. Otherwise it will not be economical for you.

I could be wrong and it could need two switches to use just the storage heater but thought I would warn you about convector standby heaters.
 
Thanks for that, I have no idea - I assumed one switch was for input and the other for output, although, I guess having them both on one switch and a convector heater would make more sense.

I've often left the heater off for days and then switched just the left switch on (which I assumed was output) and this would give off heat from the bottom of the heater. Thinking about it, maybe this switch is for the convector heater?

Whilst we're on the subject of heating etc! The boiler in the flat also has 2 swithces, both look like they go to immersion heaters - what's the best way of running these? Just switch on for 1/2hr before you want hot water? Or leave on overnight for water during the day?

You'd never think I'd been renting here 6 months would you :p never needed the heating up untill now and also just put the water on for 1/2hr before needing it!
 
Thinking about it, the smaller storage heater only has one switch, so the larger one, one of the switches must be for something else! (convector heater?)

I've left both on the last 24hrs! oooops.
 
I have storage heaters in my flat just 2 one in the lounge and one in the bedroom .. they only have one switch on the wall to turn them on/off and the buttons on the inside output/input ... i have the input/output on 6 most the time because I am in more than out at the moment. Basically the output controls how much heat is let out of the heater or " heat boost " as mine says its 3 for evening and 4 for afternoon but i have on whichever one i want depending on how cold it is. So if its only moderately cold i wouldn't have this on a high setting and the same goes for the input
 
Cheers, I just need to find out what switch is for what on the bigger one then.
 
No probs.

If the heat is coming from the bottom then it could be convector as the bricks on storage heaters do not usually get that hot at the bottom. The best way to check is turn both switches off. Then turn one on at a time. If you get instant heat from either one when switched on then it is a convector heater also. If you don't then I would guess that the switches were both needed for the storage heater.

Experiment with it as otherwise you will regret the bill that comes in. If unsure get a electrician to look at it for you.

As for the two switches at the boiler I would imagine they worked on the same principle, however I really have no experience with boilers so could not advise on what would be best. Hope you get it sorted ;)
 
_ST said:
No probs.

If the heat is coming from the bottom then it could be convector as the bricks on storage heaters do not usually get that hot at the bottom. The best way to check is turn both switches off. Then turn one on at a time. If you get instant heat from either one when switched on then it is a convector heater also. If you don't then I would guess that the switches were both needed for the storage heater.

Experiment with it as otherwise you will regret the bill that comes in. If unsure get a electrician to look at it for you.

As for the two switches at the boiler I would imagine they worked on the same principle, however I really have no experience with boilers so could not advise on what would be best. Hope you get it sorted ;)
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Thanks I'll do that, I guess only one switch is needed for the boiler also - anyone know the most economical way to use it? And if both switches are needed (vague question I know!) The flats are fairly new, 2yrs old if that would help. Both seem to go to immersion heaters.

No-one else here seems to know much either, the guy next door came round yesterday asking about the storage heaters which made me have a look into it more!
 
Second switches are for instant boost +higher bills
if you have run out of hot water put the second boiler swith on for a little while
 
Forget what scientists tell you about not being able to create or destroy energy, storage heaters can.

They suck energy from the mains and then through a complicated process turn it nothingness leaving only a epic power bill behind.

Ditch if at all possible, i switched 3 storage heaters in my flat to a pair of small oil filled rads and they have been a godsend.
 
dalin80 said:
Forget what scientists tell you about not being able to create or destroy energy, storage heaters can.

They suck energy from the mains and then through a complicated process turn it nothingness leaving only a epic power bill behind.

Ditch if at all possible, i switched 3 storage heaters in my flat to a pair of small oil filled rads and they have been a godsend.
Click to expand...

I'm going to do this.

What oil rads did you get? Have you wall mounted them?
 
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