The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Buildings & planning => Topic started by: william_wt on September 28, 2020, 09:39:20 am
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I'm looking for recommendations for a plug in electric heater for a small office. Its 6m2 in an old stone outbuilding but the walls floor and ceiling have had some insulation added.
I'd like to leave the heater to come on if the temperature falls below a certain level but many of the heaters on amazon/ebay say they're only for occasional use, if you read the small print.
Can anyone recommend a good electric plug in heater?
Thanks very much
William
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Can't give you a brand William, but we have a 2KW fan heater and it's noisy, so rarely gets used. We also have 1KW oil filled radiator heaters, which in 6m2 should be fine I think. We use one of them to provide background heating for chick rearing- wired via a 'pipe' thermostat. That type of stat switches on when the temperature falls below 5C or so (adjustable), whereas a room stat switches off at the set temperature.
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I have a Bionaire oil filled electric plug in radiator and it's very economical, and effective.
http://www.bionaireuk.co.uk/Products.aspx?cid=3&search=afF6ut%2bMDiHtgjFAjD5Oy9iy8eiApKoa (http://www.bionaireuk.co.uk/Products.aspx?cid=3&search=afF6ut%2bMDiHtgjFAjD5Oy9iy8eiApKoa)
Not expensive either
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bionaire-Portable-Filled-Radiator-Electric/dp/B01N5XWLKD/ref=sr_1_16?dchild=1&keywords=bionaire&qid=1601302351&sr=8-16 (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bionaire-Portable-Filled-Radiator-Electric/dp/B01N5XWLKD/ref=sr_1_16?dchild=1&keywords=bionaire&qid=1601302351&sr=8-16)
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Thanks for the info chris.
And thanks for the suggestion doganjo.
William
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Backing up the suggestion for oil filled radiators - a nice steady warmth rather than, basically, a hairdryer!
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Anything designed to be in a caravan over winter is designed for being left on... And is usually low wattage too ;)
6m2 is about 10' x 6'6" in old money, yes? So about the size of a small caravan. If it's stone walls and insulated too, you probably won't need more than a small oil-filled radiator. Mine is 600W I think (will check when I am out; it's 800W if it's not 600W) and is plenty in my little caravan, even with snow outside and below freezing temperatures. It's got a simple thermostat so you can have it on 'frost off' setting when you are not in, and turn it up when you are going to be in there for a while.
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Thanks again for all the advice. I went for 500w DeLonghi oil filled radiator that had lots of good reviews online.
Time will tell whether it lives up to the hype!
William
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Hi all...
I'm just wondering about costs per year for the various heaters.. does anyone have any info, please? My room size is around 20 x 12' and I have a very small oil filled radiator which I keep on all the time when it's cold... plus I have a 2.5kW fan heater for short blasts if it's extra cold...
Just had a big bill... I pay British Gas £120 per month...just sent a new meter reading after a year and they say I owe £770... they've put the DD up to £275 a month... :'( Panicking now!
Thanks, Dx
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First of all check your meter and work out how much you are actually owe them,(all rates can be found on each company's website) Then ask for time to pay if it is correct. Ascertain when your contract with them ends. There is a standing charge of a few pence per day, and a rate per unit on top of that.
Once you've paid it all off, change suppliers
I have been with Octopus for about 3 years. Every so often, and at least once a year, I check the rates offered by each company and have never found any better than this. They just ask you to log in and enter your readings each month.
Octopus don't have any exit fees, which I think tells a tale, and says it all :eyelashes: and if you use a link from a current customer you share £100 between you - credited £50 against each account.
They are a WHICH recommended company too
Here is mine if anyone fancies changing to Octopus https://share.octopus.energy/linen-ant-47
But basically the advice is to calculate exactly what you are owe them and sort it out.
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That bill sounds incredibly high Dookie. As said check you have read the meter correctly as i had a friend who read his incorrectly and had the same result as you.
What you were paying before is about the same as our total annual fuel bill (electricity, bottled gas, wood and fuel oil) here, but ours is an area 20' x 70'. Check the insulation as well.
I'm reminded of a place we used to rent. It was an old house divided into flats, an office and our small house. The chap from the office next door announced he was leaving "because the running costs are too high." So he left, switching off the services and we discovered our gas central heating didn't work. Eventually we had to call British Gas and get a key to the office to look at our meter. We discovered that the supply went through the office meter and out to ours, so the office was paying for two places. Then the tumble dryer wouldn't work- not broken, just the socket had no power. That was connected to the office as well, so no wonder it was an expensive place to run! Switch off everything Dookie and see if the meter is still running.