Efficiency of Electric Heating
- Thread starter stem
- Start date
Sponsored Links
Yes, seemingly very ironic. The thing that has been 'troubling' me all through this discussion is that Dimplex are an extremely long-established and, I thought, very respected and 'reputable' company. Do you think it's just possible that 'they' (or, at least, 'those that matter' within the company) actually believe what their material (as being discussed here) seems to be 'misleading' the general public into believing?
Kind Regards, John
They have a Marketing Department, who are doing what they think they are paid to do, i.e. creating demand. Marketeers are not usually electrical engineers, even in large electrical manufacturers. 
Indeed. You remind me of that discussion I had with a Technical Support guy at MK, in my attempts to make some sense of what they were saying about the 'rating' of a double socket. The chap told me that he didn't understand the documentation, either, excusing that by explaining that most of their 'Technical Data Sheets' were written by the Marketing Dept .... and I would always have regarded MK (like Dimplex) as a "well-respected and reputable" company!They have a Marketing Department, who are doing what they think they are paid to do, i.e. creating demand. Marketeers are not usually electrical engineers, even in large electrical manufacturers.
In fields I work in, there is a lot of strict regulation and legislation regarding what can (and cannot!) be said in marketing materials but, even after years of all the rules and regulations being drummed into the marketing people, they still often have to be 'told off' for what they are trying to 'get away with'. Fortunately, there is a lot of vetting and certification required before the public can be exposed to any of their efforts!
Kind Regards, John
Sponsored Links
- Joined
- 27 Jan 2008
- Messages
- 23,675
- Reaction score
- 2,668
- Location
- Llanfair Caereinion, Nr Welshpool
- Country
I have a Myson and yes very good but there are problems too. We found the fact that it cools down quickly means the room gets cool before central heating kicks in again. It has it's own thermostatic control if heat is not required the water simply passes through the device without being cooled which with the old central heating system worked fine. But with the new condensate system hot water being returned to the boiler will turn the boiler off. So to work the Mysons have to be piped in series not parallel so with a house full of Myson radiators all works well but with one odd one there is a problem.
The only way is to use one with a standard radiator in series or with a zone valve wired to it so water does not flow unless the fan is running but then the fan will not run unless the water is hot so not sure how this could be done.
Is that not also true of 'old' (non-condensing) boilers (like mine!)? Something certainly turns the boiler off when the rads don't require any more heat, and I can't think what it can be other than the return water temperature.
Kind Regards, John
I found the reference, I was given which says "There should be an independent heating system with separate temperature and on/off controls."
The LABC inspector said that it was not an "independent system" if it was linked in anyway to the main central heating.
The reference can still be found on the Governments Planning Portal
Having said that, for our circumstances, separate heating is probably more practical anyway, so it's not really an issue for us.
That makes sense - but I would interpret it as simply explaining that what was meant by "independent heating system" is that is should have separate temperature and on/off controls - NOT that it had to be physically 'independent' in any other sense.
As above, that's not how I would interpret the requirement.
Kind Regards, John
Oxford dictionary definition of independent
"Not connected with another or with each other; separate:"
If two heating systems are "connected" to one boiler are they really independent? In this case, the conservatory heating even with its own controls is still dependent on the central heating boiler.
Don't necessarily agree with it though, after all, separate controls would provide the required energy saving facilities.
"Not connected with another or with each other; separate:"
If two heating systems are "connected" to one boiler are they really independent? In this case, the conservatory heating even with its own controls is still dependent on the central heating boiler.
Don't necessarily agree with it though, after all, separate controls would provide the required energy saving facilities.
That'a presumably the LABC inspector's interpretation - but, as I said, I don't think it would be mine. If you installed an identical boiler next to the existing one, and used that just for the conservatory (with its 'separate controls and on/off switch'), the inspector would presumably have been happy - but how does that differ, in any rational sense, from using the same boiler but having separate controls (temperature and on/off) for the conservatory?
Kind Regards, John
No more than if the heating was all electric, and it all depended on the same CU.
I was thinking that maybe you could have a HW supplied fan heater - "hydronic" is the ridiculous word to search for.
But for the little amount of time you'd be using it it would probably take many years to recoup the extra installation cost via lower running costs.
I got a reply from Dimplex explaining what they say they they mean.
when they say "heating a room" they don't mean keeping a room heated, and they have nothing to show that you can keep a room warm for 30% less.
They just mean that this heater has low thermal mass, so there is not a delay at switch on (and obviously, at switch off) so the temperature will change rapidly up and down.
Which is why I prefer an oil-filled heater, because it keep the room at a more regular temperature.
Buying the Dimplex will not save money on your heating bill.
If it is a room that you enter only for brief periods, an infra-red heater will make you feel warm even quicker.
when they say "heating a room" they don't mean keeping a room heated, and they have nothing to show that you can keep a room warm for 30% less.
They just mean that this heater has low thermal mass, so there is not a delay at switch on (and obviously, at switch off) so the temperature will change rapidly up and down.
Which is why I prefer an oil-filled heater, because it keep the room at a more regular temperature.
Buying the Dimplex will not save money on your heating bill.
If it is a room that you enter only for brief periods, an infra-red heater will make you feel warm even quicker.
Only in that, in the case of a shared boiler, the conservatory controls usually can only turn the conservatory heating 'off' independently, but not 'on' independently.
This would mean that when it was cooler in the conservatory than the rest of the house and just a bit of warmth was required of an evening, it would be necessary to turn on the central heating, but it wouldn't come on because the room where the main thermostat was located was warm enough. Turning up the thermostat to start the heating would cause at least the radiators in the same room as the thermostat and the towel warmers that are not fitted with TRV's. To come on unnecessarily, when only heat in the conservatory is required.
The way around that, I suppose would be to have a separate zone for the conservatory piped back to its own motorised valve and wired to a separate programmable thermostat. Never seen this done though. Usually conservatory radiators are linked directly to the house heating circuit and just fitted with TRV's giving only independent 'off' control.
Well, that's obviously what 'we' all know - but did they acknowledge at all that their material is potentially misleading by easily being interpreted as saying that there is a 30% saving in keeping a room heated?
Kind Regards, John
DIYnot Local
Staff member
If you need to find a tradesperson to get your job done, please try our local search below, or if you are doing it yourself you can find suppliers local to you.
Select the supplier or trade you require, enter your location to begin your search.
Are you a trade or supplier? You can create your listing free at DIYnot Local
Sponsored Links
