Storage heater

[reedluke]

Hi, I am planning to install a small storage heater in a loft bedroom.

I was wondering what would be the size of cable I would be required to install.

I haven't bought the heater yet, I just want to get the cable in place now, also I need to work out the size of breaker required.

Is there a chart that would show this information depending on the power draw of the heater?

This will be just a radial circuit to one heater - the rest of the house has central heating.

Cheers

 

[sparkyspike]

Most likely 2.5mm cable. But you need to know the wattage of the heater and the length of the run before selecting the cable size and breaker. Incidentally, are you running this radial circuit from an off-peak fuseboard?

 

[Steve]

If you have gas central heating, you probably dont have an economy 7 tariff on the electric - therefore theres no benefit in installing a storage heater.

Fit a normal convector or oil heater.

 

[reedluke]

hi, I've been told by British Gas when we moved in last year that we are charged 2 tarrifs, one off peak.
I only have one fuse board in the cupboard, if I have 2 tarrifs should there be 2 boards?

 

[Steve]

Any chance of a photo of the mains intake and metering equipment? Its hard to tell - theres a few ways of wiring eco7/10.

And if you're on eco7, and have no significant usage during the night, you're throwing money down the drain - they probably charge you more for daytime usage in exchange for cheaper nighttime use.

 

[reedluke]

Photo as requested, not much to it!
I was looking a storage heater as its my teenage son that uses the room, they don't find an off switch for anything until they are a lot older!

Untitled

• reedluke
• 25 Aug 2008
• 1

 

[reedluke]

Oh the key meter will be coming out soon, didn't always have that - not sure if that makes a difference?

 

[Steve]

It doesnt look like a dual tarrif setup. Does the meter have two KWH readings?

 

[reedluke]

yep, just clicked through the display options and it shows rate 1 & rate 2, Do you think it is worth keeping the tariff for just one storage heater or would a fan or oil heater be better as suggested?

 

[Steve]

wouldnt bother for just one or 2 heaters. look at the rates your being charged, and make up your own mind. Could even do a quick calculation of how much power the heater would use.

But beware, its a minefield - I hate the whole industry - "first so many million kwh at 20p, then 2p" and "first 3kw at £3000 then 8p after that" it can be so frustrating, and the comparison sites dont make it any easier, tbh.

 

[reedluke]

The run will be roughly 15 metres total, at what wattage would a 2.5mm cable become a 4mm? Just wondering if a decent heater will run off 2.5mm? Cheers

 

[Adam_151]

Unless the cable is installed in such a way that causes us to have select a tighter installation method than normal, or apply factors

(ie, its not run through insulation, grouped with others, in a high temperature environment, etc) then your 2.5mm² should be good for a 20A circuit, which is aprox 4.6kw (which should cover most heaters)

You'd have to get your contactor switched heating supply sorted though (Or I suppose as its just one heater, you could install your own timeclock and just set it to the hours you get night rate for... bit of a kludge though)

Oh, and notifiable work btw... its a new circuit

 

[reedluke]

Oh yeah, notifiable work, forgot about that!
Am I not able to run as a spur off the existing ring if below 4.6Kw?

Cheers

 

[reedluke]

sorry guys,
Does anyone know if I can run this as a spur or fused spur?

Cheers

 

[stem]

You can run a fused spur, they are rated at 13A max which equates to a maximum of approximately 3 kW.

If you do have a two tariff meter and no off peak consumer unit, everything will switch over to the cheaper rate at night.

You can still take advantage of the cheaper rate (and it is cheaper, usually in the region of one third of the price of the std rate) by connecting the storage heater via a time switch so that it only comes on when the lower rate is in operation.

Bear in mind that storage heaters store heat overnight and then release it the next day. Whilst you can turn it down, some heat will be emitted during the charging period and some people find that they make a bedroom too warm for sleeping.

Houses that are built with storage heating systems still tend to have panel radiators for the bedrooms so that they can be completely switched off at night.

If the room will only be heated for a few hours each evening, then the panel radiator could be a better option. a lot depends on how much heat the room requires, how big it is, how well insulated it is, the patten of usage and the individual that uses it.