Energy efficient Heater

masterboy123

Winters are approaching and I am looking for a electric energy efficient (class A) heater. Seen Dyson heater but it's 400 euros. Are there any equivalent heaters available which are cheap to run on daily use? For a double bedroom.

2011

masterboy123 wrote: »

Winters are approaching and I am looking for a electric energy efficient (class A) heater. Seen Dyson heater but it's 400 euros. Are there any equivalent heaters available which are cheap to run on daily use? For a double bedroom.

Efficiency is not the question you should be asking as alll electrical heaters are 100% efficient from the cheapest to the most expensive.

This means that all of the electrical energy consumed by the heater gets converted to heat with only negligible losses.

The question you should be asking is should you use electricity to heat your room in the first room place? The answer is only if you have no other option as it is so expensive compared to practically any other means.

masterboy123

Thanks for the info. Do you mean any heater is as energy efficient as an expensive one like Dyson?

We have got only electricity in our accommodation.

2011 wrote: »

Efficiency is not the question you should be asking as alll electrical heaters are 100% efficient from the cheapest to the most expensive.

This means that all of the electrical energy consumed by the heater gets converted to heat with only negligible losses.

The question you should be asking is should you use electricity to heat your room in the first room place? The answer is only if you have no other option as it is so expensive compared to practically any other means.

2011

masterboy123 wrote: »

Thanks for the info. Do you mean any heater is as energy efficient as an expensive one like Dyson?

Any electrical heater, yes.

ED E

Do you mean any heater is as energy efficient as an expensive one like Dyson?

Yes.

More expensive ones might look better or be quieter but a 2kw heater is a 2kw heater.

We have got only electricity in our accommodation.

If your rent is say €1000/mo you'd be better off paying €1100/mo for somewhere with gas/oil heating instead of electrically heating.

https://www.seai.ie/resources/publications/Commercial-Fuel-Cost-Comparison.pdf

This is industrial but gives you an idea. 22c for electricity or 9c for gas oil. (NB: Should be comparing BTUs if I were doing this properly)

masterboy123

Moving to an gas oiled heating at present is not an option, but I will definitely keep an eye on this when I rent next time.

We have dual rate meters, but again it's not cheap overall.

Cerco

If I had no choice other than electric heating then I would go for oil filled radiators. Most are quick to heat and retain heat longer after switching off.

Since you have dual rate tariff you could also consider storage replacement type heaters.
https://www.fischerfutureheat.com/electric-heaters/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2sX7gOzT3QIVSrDtCh2VeAUsEAAYASABEgIK5vD_BwE

Just saw this thread which might interest you:

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057829886

masterboy123

Thank you very much. I am going to have a look now on the links.

TheChizler

They can be a bit pricey but far-infrared panel heaters can make you feel warmer than a conventional fan and element heater. They heat objects around them mostly via radiation rather than the air in between through convection. Much cheaper to run from a feeling-warm point of view. They have a much lower surface temperature as well so safer in a bedroom.

That said if you have a night rate meter I'd be looking at storage heaters. Not sure if you can get a free standing one that would be any good though.

coylemj

TheChizler wrote: »

That said if you have a night rate meter I'd be looking at storage heaters. Not sure if you can get a free standing one that would be any good though.

A free standing heater requires a 13A socket which you're not allowed have on a night rate circuit.

Cerco

coylemj wrote: »

A free standing heater requires a 13A socket which you're not allowed have on a night rate circuit.

I am surprised to read this. A friend bought an apartment with dual tariff meters. The advantage that were told was that they could do washing and drying and run immersion, at night rates. Washing machine, dryer etc. had 13A plugs.
I cannot see any other benefit as all apartments had dual rate meters and had gas boilers as standard.
I also understand it is expensive to have it removed and, unless I am mistaken, the day rate units are dearer than a single tariff installation.
Is the night rate meter on a separate circuit then?
I thought there was a switching mechanism for meters based on t.o.d. Which would charge accordingly.

TheChizler

coylemj wrote: »

A free standing heater requires a 13A socket which you're not allowed have on a night rate circuit.

Didn't realise there were separate circuits, just thought there was a second meter in parallel with a timed switch between them. Learn something new every day.

Cerco

Having thought about it, I don’t think there is a separate circuit for night rate.
Perhaps he meant, you cannot put a 13A socket on a storage heater circuit, rather than a night rate circuit. No elcb protection on storage heater circuit ?

2011

coylemj wrote: »

A free standing heater requires a 13A socket which you're not allowed have on a night rate circuit.

I don’t agree. Can you provide a link to support this?

coylemj

2011 wrote: »

I don’t agree. Can you provide a link to support this?

Is that no longer the case? Was told it by an electrician a while back, apparently it was to prevent people running regular appliances on the cheap rate during the 'boost' window in the daytime.

2011

coylemj wrote: »

Is that no longer the case? Was told it by an electrician a while back, apparently it was to prevent people running regular appliances on the cheap rate during the 'boost' window in the daytime.

This makes no sense. The off peak rate applies to the entire installation, not just the heaters. Besides the whole idea of an off peak rate is to encourage use of appliances during this time.

coylemj

2011 wrote: »

This makes no sense. The off peak rate applies to the entire installation, not just the heaters. Besides the whole idea of an off peak rate is to encourage use of appliances during this time.

I'm talking about a setup with two meters. The only thing counted by the night-rate meter was the consumption on the circuit with the storage heaters.

Del2005

coylemj wrote: »

I'm talking about a setup with two meters. The only thing counted by the night-rate meter was the consumption on the circuit with the storage heaters.

My night rate is done at the meter and everything in the apartment runs off it. My apartment is 14 years old. I do the washing, drying and immersion on night rate.

Storage heaters are a pain to use. They release heat during the day so if you work during the day they are useless. If you are home during the day you have to check the weather forecast, which is usually wrong, and end up in a sauna if it's sunny, you can't open a door or window because you'll loose heat which you need later on, or using the expensive booster later in the day if it's overcast/cold and not forecast.

2011

coylemj wrote: »

I'm talking about a setup with two meters. The only thing counted by the night-rate meter was the consumption on the circuit with the storage heaters.

I saw this done once, it is not the norm. However just because only heaters were connected to this meter does not mean that it is not permitted to connect other loads to it. It would be impossible to police what you are suggesting as well as pointless.

Normally the entire installation is charged at night rate or day rate, end of.

masterboy123

At night time (currently 12 midnight to 9 am, it will change by an hour next month when clock moves) everything is charge on night meter rate and not just the heaters. Day meter don't even move if you have all the electric appliances on at night time.

I agree storage heaters are no good. I just use the boost option when I get home at 6 pm for 3 hours.