Location of 13A spur for electric wall-mounted radiator?

[Pipps]

We are planning the installation of electric wall-mounted radiators and want to run them off spurs from nearby sockets.

Is there any regulatory requirement for the location of a unswitched 13A fused spur, in relation to the fixed device?

In other words, would it be acceptable to situate an unswitched fuse next to the plug socket and then run the cable to a radiator 2 meters away?

Additionally, would it be acceptable to chase that fused cable into the wall and re-plaster over it?

 

[Taylortwocities]

Any concealed (buried) wiring must be in the appropriate zones. This means running vertically or horizontally from a switch/ socket, etc.

Location of fused spur in a bathroom has specific requirements relating to distances from showers, baths, etc.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Additionally, would it be acceptable to chase that fused cable into the wall and re-plaster over it?

The cable (which is the fused spur) has to exit the wall somewhere so why not have the Fused Connector Unit there?

 

[ericmark]

The 13 amp socket was invented at end of second world war to assist with rebuild with idea we could use electric heating. However since then the cable size has been reduced, the imperial cable was around 3 mm² the new metric is 2.5 mm² so easier to overload, and it is recommended fixed appliances over 2 kW be supplied from a dedicated circuit, although other than the immersion heater little notice seems to be paid to that.

However the old storage radiators often had a dedicated fuse box, the big difference between washing machine, tumble drier, oven, and dish washer to the immersion heater and electric fires is the time they are used for.

It may be no problem, but may is not good enough, it depends on how much load already on the ring final.

 

[winston1]

Using electricity for heating is very expensive, around 4 times the cost of gas. Just saying.

 

[opps]

Using electricity for heating is very expensive, around 4 times the cost of gas. Just saying.

And if the cost of gas increases... for example, if we pee of an evil feck£r in Russia.

Seriously though, what do you base your figures on? BTW, I am not disagreeing with you. I am genuinely interested in seeing what the difference is.

 

[Taylortwocities]

The raw cost of the fuel (gas v lekky) is cheaper for gas by a factor of 1 : 3 or 4. Lots of articles on the Interweb about this. eg
https://www.thegreenage.co.uk/cheaper-heat-home-gas-electricity/

But that isn't the whole story. electricity heating is more or less 100% efficient. Gas boilers are not. Even the most modern gas boiler can't get better than 90%. Older ones are much worse.
Also you must look at the the lifetime cost of anything. Gas boilers cost much more over their lifetime if you consider maintenance, parts, etc. Electric systems have a much better lifetime cost profile.

 

[winston1]

Seriously though, what do you base your figures on? BTW, I am not disagreeing with you. I am genuinely interested in seeing what the difference is.

Look at your bills. They will quote the cost of electricity and gas per kWhour. The electricity figure is about 4 times as much.

If (when) the cost of gas increases so will the cost of electricity as gas is used to produce much of our electricity.

 

[JohnD]

electricity heating is more or less 100% efficient

provided only that you ignore the much greater losses of energy in generating, transmitting and distributing the energy before it reaches your home.

Or, to put it another way, gas heating is more efficient than electric heating.

Which is why it costs less.

 

[Taylortwocities]

provided only that you ignore the much greater losses of energy in generating, transmitting and distributing the energy before it reaches your home.

Or, to put it another way, gas heating is more efficient than electric heating.

Which is why it costs less.

Well, splitting hairs. Perhaps I should have been more specific. How about this:
an electric radiator will turn 1 kWh of electricity into 1 unit of heat (i.e. they are 100% efficient), gas boilers won’t.

 

[JohnD]

how about:

The electricity process will turn 5kWh of energy in the power station into 1kwh of heat in your house (20% efficient).

 

[JohnD]

Consider the option of putting a gas engine in your shed, venting away all the waste heat, and using it to run an alternator to power a fan heater.

The idea is ridiculous because it is so inefficient

but that's what the electricity industry does.

Heating with electricity is not an efficient use of energy.