LOT20 storage heaters , old systems and changing a storage heater - anyone up on this?

[aprilsweetheartrose]

I am losing the will to live. I have looked across the internet and found a lmost nothing expect the usual suspects over and again - all with their eco agendas.

The problem is simple ( or should be) a) I have a night storage heater on E7 that has given up the ghost. It need s replacing

That should be simple enough, I have done similar things before - get a new equivelent heater and OH connects it in to existing system

But b) it seems that the ruddy EU ( no the piss me off - it seems they brought this in but it was not widely advertised. if it had been I would have got n ew heaters all round last year. The new ones are almost three times as exp ensive and appear to need new wiring too.) They have changed the rules and now you have to get an eco friendly storage heater which sings and dances, costs twice as much and I dont think will run on my system but I cannot fi nd out

so c) Is it possible to get/ run one of these new LOT20 storage heaters on a night only supply? It seems they all seem to now need a duel supply -ie a s econd electric point to run some fan or other daytime..... I dont need tha t! Is it possible to connect them without conecting in the day time socket

- or can it be connected to a standard socket with plug so I can switch it off via the plug switch?

None of these things are being answered anywhere on the internet. They just keep pounding away with other things..... some of us use E7 because there is nothing else and we dont want LPG or oil.

Has anyone any experience of fitting and using one of these new fangled st orage heaters? There must be others out there with E7.

Further has anyone found a simple one that doesnt use a ruddy wi fi system and all singing and dancing "open window " detection to pump up the heat , even though you might have an open window because you want one?

I am currently looking at buying a second hand " refurbished" old version o n ebay. All I want is a simple night storage heater replacement for the b edroom.

I would be grateful for sensible replies. I am sure there will be some. I will ignore the trolls, thanks.

[GB]

I think that's your best bet. That and freecycle plus local ads.

"From 1st January 2018, all local space heaters manufactured for sale in the EU which use electricity, gas or liquid fuels must comply with a minimum efficiency standard." -- So, unless you can find some old pre-Jan stock somewhere, you are not going to be able to buy new.

It depends on the particular heater, but as far as I can see the secondary power is just to run a glorified time clock built into the heater, so I can't see why it can't be plugged into an ordinary power point. I don't think there's any requirement under LOT20 to control the unit with an app on your phone.

Hey, it's usenet! :)

[DerbyBorn]

:)

If the bricks are okay then surely it is just elements that need relacing?

[Andrew May]

Have you checked the thermal fuse? It may have overheated and cut out due to a build up of dust. A good clean and resetting (or replacing) the fuse may get it all working again.

[spuorgelgoog]

You can still install non-LOT20 heaters if you can buy them. It's only the manufacturing of them that's banned.

probably have them if anybody does.

Owain

[aprilsweetheartrose]

I will ignore the trolls, thanks.

OH has checked the unit and tells me it is the charge thermostat that has g one and we have tried to find a replacement but it seems the heater is so old, they dont make the replacement part anymore - or at least not one that will fit our heater ( Its an XT12 Dimplex 1.7kw..... knocking on 30 years old , or older?)

[Andy Burns]

The original part is discontinued

But there's a replacement

[Andrew]

Since the minimumand maximum efficiency of an electrical heating system (that doesn't involve pumps, motors etc) is 100%, what possible nonsense could the EU impose ?.

[Andrew]

+1.

Mind the asbestos though.

[Andy Burns]

They don't seem to use actual efficiency, rather a notional efficiency number, which has a starting point of 30% due to losses in the the power grid, then you gain one or more additional factors such as 7% for having a specific type of electronic timer, 1% for open window detection or 1% for adaptive start, and each model has to exceed 38% to be allowed to go on sale ...

[charles]

TLC's catalogue lists a number of storage heaters. Some seem to be all singing & dancing; others look normal

[Mr Pounder Esquire]

Over 40 years I took one of these things apart, found the broken wire in the bricks and just twisted them back together. It was dodgy, it was a long time ago but it worked.

[whisky-dave]

One of the joints or connectors inside went on my E7 heater I though it was a wasp buzzing for a while until I took the cover off, can't remmebr where exactly because I didn't want to repair it wanted it gone.

I think the new ones have a small slow fan inside that runs from normal rate rather than just the E7.

[dennis]

There is sod all in them so it should be fixable.

[Andrew]

All the LOT20 'heaters' on that site seem to be a fraction of the power of existing storage heaters.

Looks like the EU have done a 'powerful vac' and 'powerful kettle' job on storage heaters, to avoid overloading all those windmills once everyone outside Germany has decommissioned their coal-fired generators.

One wonders what they are going to do to the large hadron collider that needs two french nuclear plants just to keep those magnets cold, and to all those MRI scanners that the NHS loves to buy ?

[aprilsweetheartrose]

Then you find out that the not so singing ones are out of stock and you hav e to buy a £700 eco one.

[aprilsweetheartrose]

I have looked at this and currenly have it on favourites as I could get one. But I have to ring up. meanwhile OH is more interested in the post someone else has made about the necessary spare part.

The question now iswhether it is just the spare part and it will be fixed or if we have anything more wrong.

OH has the cover off and is testing the circuits or whatever it is he has to do.

[aprilsweetheartrose]

.... and it costs more than twice the old ones to buy. I am not convinced by the efficiency claims and I doubt it will be any warmer at the end of the day ( but may well lamp my daytime electricity with that fan.

I generally top up with a small convector on a very cold evening. In the bedroom I dont bother.

[tabbypurr]

Can you not find what you want on ebay? I was told the idea behind the new ones is to make them more energy efficient by using weather forecasts to work out how much heat to charge with. Whether it actually works & what the savings are or aren't I've no idea.

NT

[Vir Campestris]

Which is stupid.

A big fat thermal store you fill up when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing is ideal to work with renewables.

(Given, of course, it will store for several days...)

Andy