# converting storage heating?



## hippo.hi (26 Feb 2009)

My bill just hit 400 and we only have 2 bedroomed home. Over 280 due to night energy – mainly the storage heaters. We are out of our home during the day weekdays, and it feels such waste to keep the place hot when we are not there. 

Is there any way of converting the storage heater? Instead of on or of having a separate timer on it to put it on when it suits us? Or do we need to change the storage heater completely?


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## pudds (26 Feb 2009)

I assume you are talking about electric storage heating and if so you should check that you are on the night rate tarriff, which is half the daytime rate.

Generally this works by coming on at 11 pm and off about 7am (having build up heat in the radiators for slow release during the daytime and evening.

Also it comes on for a 2hrs boost in the afternoons usually between 2-4.

 that is the nature of the beast and then you use your own room thermostats or radiator thermostats to adjust the level of heat to be stored according to the weather.


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## hippo.hi (26 Feb 2009)

Our doesn't have thermostats, and doesn't go during the day either. 

I am trying to find out if there is a way to get instal a timer - that goes on when we want it to go. For example - 5 to 7 at night during the week would be enought.


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## Marianne S (26 Feb 2009)

Hi Hippo, I haven't heard of getting a timer for storage heaters before, do you have electric non-storage heaters too? These you can time to come on but they would just blow out heated air. You could ring a few electricians to see if there's anything they could do. We have storage heaters too and they are very crude, we have to watch the weather forecast to see what the weather will be like the next day and decide then whether to turn on the heat or not! Out of interest my aunt recently installed gas central heating in her 1 bedroom apartment (she originally had electric storage heating), she got BER certificates for before and after and it made a huge difference


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## Hoagy (26 Feb 2009)

You will need to change the heaters and also the ESB meter to do what you want.

It's as Pudds has described it, the heater stores heat at the cheaper night rate and releases it during the day.

What you need is is a panel heater with built in time switch, but you will have to get the meter changed as well because at the moment you're paying more for your daytime units as well as a higher standing charge, because you have a dual tariff meter.


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## Marianne S (26 Feb 2009)

Why would you have to get a new ESB meter? Are you suggesting replacing the electric storage heaters with electric wall mounted radiators (the type that blow out hot air)?


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## adder1 (1 Mar 2009)

Marianne S said:


> Why would you have to get a new ESB meter? Are you suggesting replacing the electric storage heaters with electric wall mounted radiators (the type that blow out hot air)?



The meter used for storage heating is different to the standard meter as it has to measure off peek as wel as peak rates that is day and night rates fitting a timer to storage heating will not work as the storage heaters slowly heat up at night and then release the heat slowly during the day if you put timer on they the might not store enough heat and as they dont use power during most of the day a timer would not work well


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## Jetblue (2 Mar 2009)

Hi hippo.hi,

You can have your own timeswitch and contactor installed (by a qualified electrician) after the Esb's timeswitch. This will allow you to control how many hours your storage heaters will charge up for.
Alternatively you could have one of these fitted 
I have lived in an apartment where the storage heaters were controlled by one of these and found it very effective and comfortable. Essentially the charge time is dependant on the outside temperature.


Pudds "Also it comes on for a 2hrs boost in the afternoons usually between 2-4."
To the best of my knowledge the boost hasn't been available to new customers for a very long time.

Jb.


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## ibcool (2 Mar 2009)

hi hippo 
you could get a 7 day time clock which would coinside with your energy suppliers (ESB)time clock. these would be simple fo an electrician to install. i estimate the cost of supply and fit at about 250 euro
if you need any more info contact me on ianbelectrician@gmail.com


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## ryan-neil (3 Mar 2009)

Moving from storage to all panel heaters would affect the ber rating. What i have done is install Dimplex Duoheat Storage heater and EPX panel Heaters in my two bed apartment, three storage heaters and two panel heaters. I can also control my Kitchen Plinth heater and bathroom towel rail via the system. They are electronic and controlled via a 4 zone central controller, so i have storage heating that acts as a Zoned, Timed heating system.. I also ran all through relays via thermostats so it is also thermostatically controlled. I.E Controller turns on the Zone 4 Panel heater and thermostat maintains the room at 18C, cutting the power via a replay. 

But that may cost quite a bit to retrofit but basically it is a Termostatically controlled zoned and timed electric central heating system that works very well. Look into Duoheat from Dimplex as its a great system and should be simple to retrofit as you have the wiring in place. Also ensure you using the storage part correctly with the output turned to the lowest settings until you get home and look at your attic insulation.


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