Electric Boilers

[Pat]

https://theconversation.com/electric-bo ... out-170479

Maybe some of you with time could make some comments underneath this article. I couldn't believe my eyes.

[AE-NMidlands]

but isn't this exactly what people here with their own pv are doing? Put it into a thermal store or simply an immersion and draw it off later?
A

[Countrypaul]

I can see that electric "boilers" have there place, as has often been said on this forum using instantaneous electric heating of DHW can be a very efficient method of providing hot water without costing a fortune. The article implies that the only sort of heat pumps available are air to water or ground/water to water which may well require significant major works. The aricle glosses over the fact that the power of an electric boiler may require new cabling with consequential disruption and redecorating required. No mention of using an Air to Air heat pump which can not only produce warm air when required to heat the place but can also produce cold air to cool the place when the weather is hot. No menion of the costs of electric boiler operation or comparison with other options.

Seems to me as though the article is produced by someone who has just read an advert for electric boilers and either has litle understanding of the various options, or is dependant on selling electric boilers. The way I read it, is also that with wind power getting cheaper to produce electricity will be cheap (remember nukes promised electricity so cheap it would not need to be metered?) with no mention of the intermittancy or storage requirements and associated costs.

[Mr Gus]

I echo Country Paul's take.

You'd have a hard time finding the meat in her Sunday roast.

Ps
https://www.ariston.com/en-uk/products/ ... er-heater/

The ariston unit has probably evolved since I posted it on st elsewhere some years back.
As I recall it was then a one box, monobloc unit, that may have changed / been expanded to include a split system water heater of the air source variety.

[Stinsy]

It is clear that this article is written with the objective of selling electric boilers.

Using resistive electric DHW to store energy during a cheap-rate period or when excess solar is being produced is great and economical. Maybe not as cheap as gas, but close. Space heating too. Resistive electric can work in a storage heater charged with cheap rate electric, particularly if the house is occupied all day.

But if you’re using peak or flat rate electric for space heating or DHW you’re using the most expensive possible source of heat.

[marshman]

Ps
https://www.ariston.com/en-uk/products/ ... er-heater/

The ariston unit has probably evolved since I posted it on st elsewhere some years back.
As I recall it was then a one box, monobloc unit, that may have changed / been expanded to include a split system water heater of the air source variety.

I assume you would have to install that unit in the garage and not in the main "living" area of the house as it will act like a 3kW aircon unit when running. Yes it will heat the water efficiently but it will cool the house down. Even if the exhaust air is ducted to the out side it will essentially be an extractor fan sucking warm air out of the house and cold air in. OK in the summer but in the middle of winter you may get "efficiently" heated water but you will have to provide more "heat input" into the the house.

Not knocking the idea but highlighting the need for some thought as to where it is installed - and if it is installed in an attached garage then you could end up with long pipe runs adding to wasted water (and heat) further reducing its efficiency.

As has been said there is a lot to be said for instant electric water heaters positioned at point of use.

[Hermit]

It's 'horses for courses' I guess, there is much to be said for electric resistive heating especially 'off grid' if you have good renewables. I've got wet UFH with 5 immersions in a 1500lt TS. Even if grid connected it has advantages especially if no mains gas available. As has been mentioned it doesn't need an annual service and you don't have to get a tanker up your long and winding single track road. Sure it can be expensive but these costs can be offset if you have a wind/hydro turbine or even PV to a much lesser extent.

Cheers, Paul

[Stinsy]

Ps
https://www.ariston.com/en-uk/products/ ... er-heater/

The ariston unit has probably evolved since I posted it on st elsewhere some years back.
As I recall it was then a one box, monobloc unit, that may have changed / been expanded to include a split system water heater of the air source variety.

I assume you would have to install that unit in the garage and not in the main "living" area of the house as it will act like a 3kW aircon unit when running. Yes it will heat the water efficiently but it will cool the house down. Even if the exhaust air is ducted to the out side it will essentially be an extractor fan sucking warm air out of the house and cold air in. OK in the summer but in the middle of winter you may get "efficiently" heated water but you will have to provide more "heat input" into the the house.

Not knocking the idea but highlighting the need for some thought as to where it is installed - and if it is installed in an attached garage then you could end up with long pipe runs adding to wasted water (and heat) further reducing its efficiency.

As has been said there is a lot to be said for instant electric water heaters positioned at point of use.

I like the “Heat pump cylinder” idea. Have seen these ones: https://coolenergyshop.com/collections/ ... -solution but wary of efficiency claims / effectiveness without hearing from real people who have them installed. They’re popular in America because water heaters are frequently placed in basements. These heat-pump-cylinders cool and dehumidify the basement. In more temperate climates (such as the UK) you need to duct air-in and air-out.

[Mr Gus]

MM, I wholeheartedly agree, we do after all know that there are bad salesman willing to scorch you by mis selling ( channel 4's white gold ..anyone)!?

Ditto chocolate teapot roof mounted turbines & all sorts of "added value" improvement investments.

Fit & design go hand in hand, the firm ariston, may have designed this (for example) for another market elsewhere in the world where they are big players (India or Israel) but it remains an alternative that is available as a design & possibly a solution in the right climate, build & placement.

I raised it based on the appallingly bland & uninformative piece (linked) that we were made aware of through the OP (Pat) which is vague yet full of misdirection as it appears to rule out any option other than it's own hinted at product type solution, which is of course BS.

[MoSTiE]

If we take away al the petrol,diesel cars and gas boilers and switch them to leccy, how much of a shortfall in generation will we have? It reminds me of that song by the Damned - Lets wait for the blackout