Duoheat v Conventional - physics

[js.b1]

Duoheat combines storage heater & panel heater. The idea being whilst the storage heater may be cool at 8pm (40oC), there is still stored energy so the full-front thin film heater need only increase that by 20oC to get the temperature delta high enough for usable heating (60oC).

This notwithstanding the conservation of energy applies.

Thus there is no real difference over a conventional storage heater with a physically separate panel heater?

I ask because Duoheat involves electronics of undoubtedly less than

25yr reliability, conventional involves a capillary tube of 25yr reliability. Duoheat controller does simplify usage re Comfort- Background-Frost-Off at the addition of another area of failure & pilot wire/mains borne signalling. Buying spares re heater PCB, thin- film heater, controller is not a problem. Duoheat is much more popular and sells fast & high on Ebay, but that may just be BuyToLet crowd.

Just for any physics bods out there :-)

[Owain]

Not in terms of physics, no.

Advantages of Duoheat are (or should be) that the peak panel heater isn't 'fighting' the storage heater and the more even room temperature should be more comfortable and avoid the temptation to over-heat the room, so (slightly) reducing energy consumption.

There would be a space saving over using separate heaters, and I think the Duoheats look nicer than many panel heaters. But they come at a fairly hefty price premium over standard storage heaters.

Owain