Are modern storage heaters more efficient than old ones

[haptism]

Would a brand new storage heater would be any more efficient than an older (circa 1970's) model ? I have not looked at any to compare as yet, but as they both heat up concrete blocks cant really see much difference tbh, anyone know ?

 

[GBDamo]

No, still one in one out.

They may be better insulated and make use of the stored heat better allowing for more controllable heat output.

At a stretch you could argue they are less likely to need a second source 'boost' late in the day?

 

[haptism]

No, still one in one out.

They may be better insulated and make use of the stored heat better allowing for more controllable heat output.

At a stretch you could argue they are less likely to need a second source 'boost' late in the day?

Yeah that's kinda what I was suspecting, thanks

 

[littlespark]

1970’s storage heater? You want to be checking what’s being used as insulation in that before removing it.

 

[spud1]

Dreaded Asbestos. Dimplex stopped using it in their heaters around 1974 I think. But if you ring them with the model number they can normally advise whether theres any in it.

 

[suffolkspark]

So the heat outlet is now at the bottom so heat cant naturally escape out the old flap that used to be at the top, they rely on a fan to blow air up through the bricks and back down an outlet at the bottom so they should be more efficient that they hold onto the heat until this fan is timed to come on. It also allegedly learns exactly how much heat to put into the bricks.

BUT, they have the ability to use 1 element to boost the core temperature if it is dropping late in the day, or if its stone cold itl just blow warm air out, but obviously this element can run on peak rate, so will cost more, also the extra installation costs needing second supply to them, aaaannd the increase in initial price over a old one, theeennnn, electronics ie screen, fan, pcb, to go wrong, I dont know how cost effective they are.

 

[haptism]

So the heat outlet is now at the bottom so heat cant naturally escape out the old flap that used to be at the top, they rely on a fan to blow air up through the bricks and back down an outlet at the bottom so they should be more efficient that they hold onto the heat until this fan is timed to come on. It also allegedly learns exactly how much heat to put into the bricks.

BUT, they have the ability to use 1 element to boost the core temperature if it is dropping late in the day, or if its stone cold itl just blow warm air out, but obviously this element can run on peak rate, so will cost more, also the extra installation costs needing second supply to them, aaaannd the increase in initial price over a old one, theeennnn, electronics ie screen, fan, pcb, to go wrong, I dont know how cost effective they are.

Thats all good info cheers; the customer would like the option of instant heat out of hours as it Eco7, and so would need another supply. The costs do skyrocket thou with minimal in the way of efficiency savings.

 

[suffolkspark]

Some pics for reference of a dimplex XLE I fitted last week

 

[SparkySy]

I have fitted quite a few of those Dimplex heaters recently and they do seem to be very controllable units. Still a pita lugging bricks upstairs but at least they are small packs! Can be a royal pain in the ar5e getting a peak supply to them as well, and damn they ain't cheap!!

 

[DefyG]

NEW POST on OLD THEME

Went to look at a job the other day 'upgrading 'Basic' storage heaters'!
The client said that when they moved in the flat was nice and cosy but had BIG electricity bills!
So they turned the heaters down (and off in one room rarely used) and found that the bills were a lot less, but COLD!
They had been given some advice to upgrade to Dimplex Quantum.
I tried to explain that unfortunately they cant have it both ways 'cheap' bills and cosy house!
I have never fitted Quantum but said that I would also need to install a 24hour supply to each heater which the client clearly didn't comprehend.
But the crux of the matter was that I could not 'guarantee' that the bills would be less despite the advisor saying the Quantum are more efficient!
I couldn't see that there would being sufficient benefit in upgrading from old but working basic storage heaters to quantum in terms of output v bills let alone any return on the capital cost.
I walked away in the end ……………… Would you have done the same or see things differently?

 

[static zap]

Have we got any ,temperature ,heat retention graphs. Old to new.
(I too remember putting jumpers on in cold evenings ,waiting for ECO-7 to top
up my frugal landlords heating solution)
..Any space tech vacuum flask materials ..!

 

[littlespark]

NEW POST on OLD THEME

Went to look at a job the other day 'upgrading 'Basic' storage heaters'!
The client said that when they moved in the flat was nice and cosy but had BIG electricity bills!
So they turned the heaters down (and off in one room rarely used) and found that the bills were a lot less, but COLD!
They had been given some advice to upgrade to Dimplex Quantum.
I tried to explain that unfortunately they cant have it both ways 'cheap' bills and cosy house!
I have never fitted Quantum but said that I would also need to install a 24hour supply to each heater which the client clearly didn't comprehend.
But the crux of the matter was that I could not 'guarantee' that the bills would be less despite the advisor saying the Quantum are more efficient!
I couldn't see that there would being sufficient benefit in upgrading from old but working basic storage heaters to quantum in terms of output v bills let alone any return on the capital cost.
I walked away in the end ……………… Would you have done the same or see things differently?

Every manufacturer advises their products as being “the one”

Rointe for example have stacks of literature, laboratory results etc showing their heaters being most efficient against Quantum for one.

They only need a 24hr supply, removing the off peak completely (which also removes the inflated day rate!)

However, these are also expensive to buy

 

[James]

As technology improves for battery storage, it may well be most cost effective to use battery storage.
Recharge overnight at cheep rate, use battery for daytime use and shortly before night rate comes on again, push any spare charge you have left Back into the grid tor a rebate.

I don’t think the maths work out just yet but soon as battery costs continue to reduce it may well be a winner.

Some manufacturers are already selling devices that do this but at the moment they are too expensive for the masses.

 

[Zerax]

As technology improves for battery storage, it may well be most cost effective to use battery storage.
Recharge overnight at cheep rate, use battery for daytime use and shortly before night rate comes on again, push any spare charge you have left Back into the grid tor a rebate.

I don’t think the maths work out just yet but soon as battery costs continue to reduce it may well be a winner.

Some manufacturers are already selling devices that do this but at the moment they are too expensive for the masses.

The maths don't stack up at all... I worked it all out a while ago. Just looking at the materials cost, using the cheapest available and 2nd hand where practical, the payback period is >20years. This period is beyond the useful life of most of the equipment !

For the UK, the price of grid supplied electricity is still too cheap to warrant pv/battery solutions. If it doubles in price, viable options start to emerge...

 

[Darkwood]

This industry plays off a misinterpretation of efficiency in my opinion, the literature is often complex and full of diagrams and calculations that most of the population will just not be able to comprehend and often implies cheaper, money saving revolution to the ignorant, a tactic often used by the beauty industry when they make up scientific words and terms to make their product to sound like the real thing.

The cost of heating the bricks in a storage heater costs the same if we assume like for like bricks in old and new and electric costs back in the 70's as it does now, one can make them more efficient only by ensuring they are not storing more heat than required, or ensuring it isn't released too quickly thus a boost is used if available, this idea has been used for decades in the form of air temp' stats that allow the charge up duration to be altered according to ambient air temp' be it automatic or manual... modern storage heaters may use better tech' and be more reliable but at the end of the day it costs the same amount to heat the same room up and maintain a constant ambient temp', the only way you can improve on this is to stop the heat delivered from escaping which of course is not about the efficiency of your storage heater but that of your house to retain that heat in and also to add, it would be much cheaper to heat homes up if people just put a ruddy jumper on and stop expecting sauna like conditions.

All I really see is modern storage heaters may use less material and have better insulation and control which can be argued makes them more efficient but at the end of the day this is not how they are often sold to the end user, they cannot deliver more energy out than is input relative to storage heaters of decades past, they can only control the output of heat better to deliver a more stable temp' across the day but like I said, this is not new to modern heaters.