Farho Heaters -

danjo-xx

Their not storage heaters but are supposed to be more efficient.

Can they be seriously considered as an alternative to an old oil c.h. system in a small house, 850 sq. ft.

For elderly people who need convenience more than anything, but costs, capitol and running... matter much also.


FARHO ELECTRIC HEATING

FMartinp

danjo-xx wrote: »

Their not storage heaters but are supposed to be more efficient.

Can they be seriously considered as an alternative to an old oil c.h. system in a small house, 850 sq. ft.

For elderly people who need convenience more than anything, but costs, capitol and running... matter much also.


FARHO ELECTRIC HEATING

Any electrician I've spoken to who has installed them in place of storage heaters have vowed not to install storage heaters again.

How they compare with Central Heating I couldn't say but in a house that size they would be ideal.

For elderly people, you can set the heaters to maintain a room at a specific temperature.

Red Alert

All electric heaters have the same thermal efficiency.

Their suitability compared to storage heaters depends on the usage pattern. An elderly person will probably be in the house a lot, in which case a storage heating system will cost less to run.

danjo-xx

Red Alert wrote: »

All electric heaters have the same thermal efficiency.

Their suitability compared to storage heaters depends on the usage pattern. An elderly person will probably be in the house a lot, in which case a storage heating system will cost less to run.

that is very true.

has anyone here any experience of living with these in any way as they seem to be mainly aimed at warmer climates like Spain etc where instant occasional heat is required and not for our cold climate.

2011

Red Alert wrote: »

All electric heaters have the same thermal efficiency.

Their suitability compared to storage heaters depends on the usage pattern. An elderly person will probably be in the house a lot, in which case a storage heating system will cost less to run.

I don't agree. I have tested this on an elderly person
Hours before the night rate is due to start the house is cold. During the morning the house is too hot.
The main problems with storage heating in my opinion are:

1) Many people can't understand the principle of operation. I find this in particular with the elderly. Despite my many patient attempts to explain it to "mother dear" she is still very confused. At night she finds the house too hot so she opens the windows, during the day she is cold who she switches on electrical heating at the day rate!

2) Very poor heat control during the day (when the night rate supply is switched off). Heat output during the day is inconsistent.


Although I would like to think I have a clear understanding of how they work I will never be a fan.

grousedogtom

I fitted 6 of these recently in a cottage,i was impressed by the low wattage input and the high heat output,there also so much easier to control versus storage heaters and not needing to involve esb with night rate meters etc is also an advantage.

2011

grousedogtom wrote: »

I fitted 6 of these recently in a cottage,i was impressed by the low wattage input and the high heat output,there also so much easier to control versus storage heaters and not needing to involve esb with night rate meters etc is also an advantage.

As stated above, the input to output ratio as a whole will be exactly the same. The difference is control.

There is nothing to stop someone installing storage heating without getting the ESB to install dual tariff meter. These units can be switched on and off using a time clock and contractors.

M cebee

don't forget that the separate NSH meter is better for storage heating

as they charge extra for day units on nightsaver


unless that is you have electric water heating,electric agas ,geothermal etc.

or plan on running appliances at night

Bruthal

2011 wrote: »

As stated above, the input to output ratio as a whole will be exactly the same. The difference is control.

There is nothing to stop someone installing storage heating without getting the ESB to install dual tariff meter. These units can be switched on and off using a time clock and contractors.

It would be expensive to get them to switch it on and off every day:D

Red Alert

If you haven't got dual-tariff or NSH metering there is no point in fitting storage heaters.

M cebee

no point at all

you can fit a timer/contactor for your storage heater if there's dual tarriff on site

say in a large building

2011

Red Alert wrote: »

If you haven't got dual-tariff or NSH metering there is no point in fitting storage heaters.

To be honest I feel that even if you have dual tariff metering storage heaters are not the way to go.

Personally if I were to select electric heating for an installation I would rather go for panel heaters and/or electric underfloor heating (in tiled areas only).

M cebee

Why would you want to pay full rate for all the electric heat if you have dual tarriff

2011

M cebee wrote: »

Why would you want to pay full rate for all the electric heat if you have dual tarriff

If this question is directed at me, please explain.

M cebee

my bad I misread your post
of course your system will use some of the cheaper units

dowtcha

In terms of energy efficient electrical heating, I am involved with a new range of infra red panel heaters. PM me if you want details - not top secret, just don't want to incur wrath

Bruthal

dowtcha wrote: »

In terms of energy efficient electrical heating, I am involved with a new range of infra red panel heaters. PM me if you want details - not top secret, just don't want to incur wrath

Hardly likely you will incur rath for telling others about heaters.

dowtcha

OK so, I'll put the website up and let you make your own mind up www.redwell.com
and look up Irish Agent

Bruthal

What way are you involved with them?

danjo-xx

dowtcha wrote: »

OK so, I'll put the website up and let you make your own mind up www.redwell.com
and look up Irish Agent

Another one to add to my list..... will check it out..but you can't get blood out of a stone. http://www.redwell.com/en/trader.asp?query_group=9

dowtcha

robbie7730 wrote: »

What way are you involved with them?

I know the Cork based distributor for these heaters

As for "blood out of a stone", I assume the reference is to heat and how can one electrical heater be more energy efficient than another?
Sorry if I picked this up wrong

Anyhow the answer in a nutshell is that storage heating and, the range of heaters mentioned by the OP transmit heat by means of convection, which ultimately means heating air to transmit the heat to the user, with associated issues for hot air rising to ceilings etc.

Infa Red heating radiates heat through air to solid objects and humans and directly heats them up. This issue is more dealt with in more detail on the website. The method of heat transmission is where the energy efficiency results vs convective heaters. Of course theory is fine, but I think there may be some showrooms/trail units available

Bruthal

dowtcha wrote: »

which ultimately means heating air to transmit the heat to the user, with associated issues for hot air rising to ceilings etc.

People dont actually have to be heated up by the air though, what is happening is, the air is heated to a temperature so as it is not absorbing heat from the person, or not absorbing too much. But still, the air has to be heated for this alright.

If the air is 0 degrees C or slightly above, but the infra red heater is heating someone by radiation, presumably only in areas they have facing the heater, it would be interesting to see how well it works.

dowtcha

This company is also involved in the supply of wall mounted panel heaters

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sunswiss-Healthy-Heat-Ireland/185004834909815

maxer68

and I'll give another option Lucht Combination heaters. Ceramic elements that need little continuous power once they heat up.

I installed 3 in office / showrooms and they are a godsend. Putting 2 into a new location next week as it saved the cost of a heating installation.

www.smartelectrics.ie

where these type of heaters come into their own is space where conventional heating systems are not practical. In my case I was quoted over 5k to install gas heating, and regualr over door heaters and fan heaters were giving me crazy bills. Switched to lucht last December and electricity bill dropped by over €400 (2 month) immediately even with the freezing conditions.

danjo-xx

€700 for a 1.8kw :eek:

Digital paddy

Regarding the posts re Farho heating ,I had a dual tariff storage heating system in my house which I recently replaced with Farho heaters.My electricity bill increased by 30%.Although the storage heaters were not perfect ,at least they constantly kept the house warm as they charged @ half price rate over night .The Farho heaters take an hour to build up to their constant temperature depending on the room size and are not dual tariff(half price)heaters.when they are on the are using full price electricity which makes them very expensive to run.when they turn off they instantly go cold where as the storage heaters are always warm even when the are not charging,giving the house a nice warm even temprature.I am going to put storage heating back in this year before the winter comes , as I am sorry I took them out in the first place.Any body want to buy some Farho heaters,going cheap to cut my losses.?By the way I contacted south coast sales in Cork (Farho suppliers)with my concerns,and they took over a month to call me back with some bull:"/" t story that they are supplying the ESB with these heaters for their offices around Ireland without a complaint. The ESB get their electricity for free and are probably the only ones using them in Ireland.If you want to have a huge electricity bill use Farho heaters if not try some other form of heating!

thatssound

Hi there just wondering how many farhos you installed and what size.
They work best if set to setback temp when no one is home.
At night or even during day if no one is at home and then at full temp when people are present.
Also bedrooms dont need to be set to same temp as living areas.
It is surprising to hear they are more expensive to run than storage.

sawdoubters

electric heating is not cheap 19 cents kw hour it also does not give out great heat

Jennifer Eccles

Everyone seems to be ditching the old night-rate storage heaters in favour of the above. That would seem to imply that night rate supplied heating isn't considered economic anymore. I can see the attraction of being able to have heat, when you need it, and to have manual control over it, which you didn't have with the storage heaters. And the additional ability to control from a mobile phone is fab.

But - question: Anyone know if there's really any difference between Farho /Rointe/ Sunray heaters?