sophia Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 What is the cheapest way to heat the water in your house if you don't need the radiators on: Immersion (electric) or Oil Central Heating (1 hour a day)? Having a debate with hubby on this one - I think it is by using the central heating, he thinks the immersion. There is no separate 'water only' switch on the central heating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Now or never Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 The immersion heater is usually located at the top of the cylinder so you're only heating a small volume of water as it's only used to top up. Although there is no water only switch for your central hetng system, the water heating is given priority so the central heating will not warm up until the cylinder is heated. I'm with your hubby on this one, especially if it's using an off peak tarrif. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cashinmattress Posted July 7, 2009 Share Posted July 7, 2009 Depends on how you calculate. Electric immersion is cheap and on demand quickly, but kW's are expensive. Cheap repairs. Oil is cheap, but boilers need service. Expensive repairs. Not really on demand though. Small gas boilers are on demand and cheap to run, but expensive to service and repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swissy_fit Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 What is the cheapest way to heat the water in your house if you don't need the radiators on:Immersion (electric) or Oil Central Heating (1 hour a day)? Having a debate with hubby on this one - I think it is by using the central heating, he thinks the immersion. There is no separate 'water only' switch on the central heating. Large solar panels backed by immersion which you'll hardly need if you do it right. (Fitted by yourself otherwise too expensive). Longterm dirt cheap. Plenty on this in the forum by Kurt Barlow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollk Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Do immersion have thermostats? If not can you fit them? If so I would say definitely immersion is more efficient! Think about all that copper piping between boiler and immersion losing all that heat! Also as mentioned above solar heaters but I would go one further and build my own! Not too difficult just make sure the pumping of water doesn't negate any gains made! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest theboltonfury Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I have both. An aga and water heater. We haven't filled the aga up for 3 months and probably won't use it again. It's expensive, and a waste of energy. We just switch the water on when we want to have a shower. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doom Lord Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Large solar panels backed by immersion which you'll hardly need if you do it right.(Fitted by yourself otherwise too expensive). Longterm dirt cheap. Plenty on this in the forum by Kurt Barlow. And connect the immersion up to a "wind turbine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgefunded Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Do immersion have thermostats? If not can you fit them? Yes they do. A simple dial on the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ollk Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 And connect the immersion up to a "wind turbine" Can't see the wind turbine contributing anything lol! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doom Lord Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Can't see the wind turbine contributing anything lol! I beg to differ: Heating water using a wind turbine is one of the most efficient uses of that renewable resource. When a wind turbine is used to charge a battery bank a lot of power is wasted in heat in the coils of the turbine alternator etc. particularly during gusty conditions. When the turbine is instead used to heat water with a suitably rated immersion heater element, virtually every watt that is generated heats water, even when the turbine is only turning slowly. For every degree the water is heated in this way, electricity or gas (and therefore money) which would otherwise have been used to raise the water temperature is saved. 200W 12V Immersion Heater Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swissy_fit Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 I beg to differ:200W 12V Immersion Heater If you say so. Have you seen a system using this actually working? Solar panels (for water not PV) work well, and I've seen this. You need bigger panels in the UK than here, but they work. Get it right and hardly any backup heating is required even in winter. I have doubts about wind turbines unless you live in the right place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doom Lord Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 If you say so. Have you seen a system using this actually working?Solar panels (for water not PV) work well, and I've seen this. You need bigger panels in the UK than here, but they work. Get it right and hardly any backup heating is required even in winter. I have doubts about wind turbines unless you live in the right place. My plan is to use Solar panels (Which I will build myself) & a wind turbine so that all bases are covered.. I would also like to power my lighting circuit from the wind turbine but as you say I will need to see how well the thing works and how much power is generated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hedgefunded Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 How about a wind turbine to power a light which powers a solar panel which powers the wind turbine? You'd obviously have to spin the wind turbine at first but apart from that you'd have free energy. Off to the patent office then... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newbonic Posted July 8, 2009 Share Posted July 8, 2009 Large solar panels backed by immersion which you'll hardly need if you do it right.(Fitted by yourself otherwise too expensive). Longterm dirt cheap. Plenty on this in the forum by Kurt Barlow. And the OP can check out the excellent Navitron website and forum to cost it themselves. I've fitted solar hot water and it works great for 5 months of the year. The other 7 it makes a small contribution that eases the load on the gas boiler (crude estimate but that's the ballpark). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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