electric combi boiler advice

[versatile75]

I need to update a back boiler system, its been installed some years. the
property is a 1 bed flat on top floor of a older building. I thought get a combi fitted freeing up space from the airing cupboard, but due to restricted
access to the roof or upper level wall for the vent this would could near impossible,
have been looking at info re electric combi boilers but don't know the pros
and cons of having one, on paper they look good and compare well in price
with gas boilers? any input please

 

[Agile]

Can you provide a link to an electric combi boiler?

That would need a supply capacity of about 24 kW which would be stretching the supply capacity of many properties!

Tony

 

[underwurlde]

100A supply to home instantly max'd out then

 

[muggles]

Compared to a gas boiler, an electric one will be horrifically expensive to run and might well need your incoming mains upgrading (again, expensive)

 

[simond]

Electricity costs around 14p per Kwh, gas around 5.5p per Kwh.

So every time you turn your electric heating on, it'll be costing 2.5 times what it would for the people next door with a gas boiler (or an oil one, at the moment).

If that doesn't put you off, as others have pointed out, you would be lucky to have a 100A incomer/cutout, which equates to a total electrical load of 24Kw, which is equivalent to the smallest gas combi available due to the modest flow rate of hot water it creates.

In contrast, a standard domestic gas meter can deliver around 64Kw of energy, should you need it.

So electric combis are a bit thin on the ground; most aren't combis, they use stored hot water.

I saw a piece on QVC this morning advertising electric radiators, made of aluminium. Nowhere did they point out that electricity is so much more expensive than gas in the first place. They were also claiming that aluminium was an excellent conductor of heat, conveniently ignoring that;

- so is water
- aluminium hydronic radiators (ie: water filled) are readily available

 

[versatile75]

hi the penny has only just dropped that I am not receiving email alerts for
my posts!! and not checking watched topics am late in replying, anyway regarding gas vs electric heating systems the reason I asked is that our
granddaughter has shared a 3 bed apartment with all electric, the heating
hot water is contained in a large tank, as you rightly said not a boiler my
mistake for describing it as such, the nice thing is that though the base price of electric is high it used off peak supply, hence the shared monthly direct debit was £48 per month, if you deduct the £22.50 standing charge it says something for the efficiency of the system, we in a 2 bed bungalow pay £80 a month for combined gas / electric and are very careful with the heating.

 

[simond]

That made perfect sense, thanks. Back to college for me then.

 

[Richardthe3rd]

This subject has been covered a few times on this Mickey Mouse forum.

It can be financially viable to run an electric combi boiler in a flat. Basically it's down to the electrical tariff your supplier can provide. You're looking for a cheap off-peak rate & a storage type electrical combi boiler.

We've fitted these with great success & with the right tariff, the running costs are great;
http://www.heatwell.co.uk

You're looking for a supplier that offers at least 10hours of cheap tariff.

 

[simond]

Can you elaborate on the tariffs for the benefit of Mr & Mrs Mouse?

 

[Richardthe3rd]

Can you elaborate on the tariffs for the benefit of Mr & Mrs Mouse?

Who do you think I am SSE??
Anyone thinking of fitting an electric boiler should contact the electrical supplier in their area to establish the best tariff to suit their system.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Then they should log on to Anne Summers and buy some KY Jelly. . Before doing some stretching exercises ready for being bent over.

 

[Richardthe3rd]

Then they should log on to Anne Summers and buy some KY Jelly. . Before doing some stretching exercises ready for being bent over.

Oh c'mon now Danny, while it'll never be as cheap as gas, given the right tariff - it can be very affordable.

 

[versatile75]

hi its me back to stir the pot!! since my last input I have had a local gas registered guy to check the current system, yes he says I would be happy to
check the back boiler and make repairs where pos then flush and run up system to make sure if its ok, But before he leaves but not before I pay him
he will isolate the boiler and tell me its illegal to run it as there is no airvent as required by gas regs, in the room. don't fancy knocking hole in wall or ceiling, b****y draught what's the options, fit a mod room sealed back boiler, problem, require scaffold to fit new liner for flue minimum £800 plus
boiler plus labour and dreaded vat, combi in airing cupboard, same flue problem, option 3 get incoming elec supply checked if 60amp have fuse
board replaced with consumer unit await quote for Sadia type hot water heater, current cylinder may be ok, have edf remove gas metre (free)
have smart installed (free) save £270 pa for gas standing charge, home and dry, thank u all for the input, Oh and though flat was rented prior to our purchase and there's no annual gas report. am pursuing.

 

[simond]

Apparently electric heating is much cheaper. I've read it here myself, in strong confident prose.

That's the trouble with internet forums, you get conflicting advice.

I thought I would give you a link to an overview the Consumers Association have published on electric heating (as we're a member of their trader scheme).

http://www.which.co.uk/energy/creat...ome-heating-systems/electric-central-heating/

They also link to a gas heating page;

http://www.which.co.uk/energy/creat...des/home-heating-systems/gas-central-heating/


Hope that helps you decide.

 

[Richardthe3rd]

Apparently electric heating is much cheaper. I've read it here myself, in strong confident prose.

That's the trouble with internet forums, you get conflicting advice.

I thought I would give you a link to an overview the Consumers Association have published on electric heating (as we're a member of their trader scheme).

http://www.which.co.uk/energy/creat...ome-heating-systems/electric-central-heating/

They also link to a gas heating page;

http://www.which.co.uk/energy/creat...des/home-heating-systems/gas-central-heating/


Hope that helps you decide.

While gas will always be cheaper than leccy to heat your home; your electrical heating system link above only states storage heaters fella, not the running costs of a good storage electric boiler system.