WTF??? Are you in the middle of a large field? You must be a long way from the nearest transformer. That £14k figure sounds like they need to run extra cables to the house.
Gel Radiators
- Thread starter Angelbabes
- Start date
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A het pump would run easily from 10kW and leave some spare capacity...
where your electricity comes into your property, before the meter is a box, there should be a rectangle protruding from it with 'BS1361 type 2 60A' or similar printed on the side.
not my pic, just found it on google, it's the bottom box in the picture, although yours may be brown.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/phoenixenergy/3966705978/
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Thanks for the help to date...
The cottage was disconected 10 years ago after a fire...
What remains of the cut-off (I call it the main fuse) is damaged (not by fire) and the cable is already there (which is in pefect condition).
I am rural and the cable and poles do run across a larg field. Nearest neighbour 1/4 mile away...
Since my post... and after enquiries another qoute has arrived £1855 inc vat.
for a 12 kw supply... which is not to bad. but why the outragous previous qoutes... also the qoute with a shower is 12 kw... don't understand this unless they are trying it on...
Any thoughs you guys...
Angelbabes...
The cottage was disconected 10 years ago after a fire...
What remains of the cut-off (I call it the main fuse) is damaged (not by fire) and the cable is already there (which is in pefect condition).
I am rural and the cable and poles do run across a larg field. Nearest neighbour 1/4 mile away...
Since my post... and after enquiries another qoute has arrived £1855 inc vat.
for a 12 kw supply... which is not to bad. but why the outragous previous qoutes... also the qoute with a shower is 12 kw... don't understand this unless they are trying it on...
Any thoughs you guys...
Angelbabes...
£1855 isn't all that far off your previous quote for a (presumed) 12KW supply. The much larger quote you received for a supply suitable for running storage heaters is probably on account of the upgrades that may be necessary to the wiring and transformer that supply your house in a rural location. It's not extortionate if this is the case - why not ask the supplier what the job entails so you can better understand the reasons behind their quotes?
In the days before Maggie Thatcher and privatisation of the utilities you had a right to the supply of electricity and so you paid nothing for the connection! (Well they could refuse and argue for ages and ages and a little cash on the palm helped them make the decision to supply)
(Sorry to mention this........
)
(Sorry to mention this........
)
Everyone now pays the full cost of their connection. That follows from competition for electricity supply, which makes it impossible to charge a higher supply rate to offset initial connection costs.
The cheaper 12 kW supply is probably for upgrading the present low voltage connection. You will only be entitled to 12 kW, whatever size fuse you have in the supply ternination. If you take more, the voltage will probably fall below the minimum limit (221 V). If you complained, you would be charged for a connection upgrade and you'd be back to square 1.
The more expensive supply would probably pay for the present LV line to be replaced with a high voltage line and a nearby pole mounted transformer.
As storage (off peak) heating only uses electricity for 7 hours in 24, the kW rating has to be 3½ times bigger than on-peak heaters such as gel radiators. That's why the more expensive connection costs so much more. It has to be capable of supplying them.
If you were to use on-peak radiators, such as the gel radiators, you would probably be able to use them on the cheaper connection, especially if they are interlocked with the shower so that they cannot be used at the same time. The capital and maintenance costs would be far lower than a fuel fired heating system although the running costs higher. On the other hand the running cost of a fuel fired system would be lower but capital and maintenance much higher.
Which system is the lower cost? It depends on the user's cost of capital. If they have plenty of savings, spending only 'costs' the loss of interest paid on savings, i.e. the cost of capital is low, and the fuel fired heating MAY be the lower overall cost. On the other hand, if the user has to borrow money to finance capital costs, the electric gel scheme may well be cheaper overall.
Forget about storage radiators. They are clearly uneconomic because of the very high connection cost.
The cheaper 12 kW supply is probably for upgrading the present low voltage connection. You will only be entitled to 12 kW, whatever size fuse you have in the supply ternination. If you take more, the voltage will probably fall below the minimum limit (221 V). If you complained, you would be charged for a connection upgrade and you'd be back to square 1.
The more expensive supply would probably pay for the present LV line to be replaced with a high voltage line and a nearby pole mounted transformer.
As storage (off peak) heating only uses electricity for 7 hours in 24, the kW rating has to be 3½ times bigger than on-peak heaters such as gel radiators. That's why the more expensive connection costs so much more. It has to be capable of supplying them.
If you were to use on-peak radiators, such as the gel radiators, you would probably be able to use them on the cheaper connection, especially if they are interlocked with the shower so that they cannot be used at the same time. The capital and maintenance costs would be far lower than a fuel fired heating system although the running costs higher. On the other hand the running cost of a fuel fired system would be lower but capital and maintenance much higher.
Which system is the lower cost? It depends on the user's cost of capital. If they have plenty of savings, spending only 'costs' the loss of interest paid on savings, i.e. the cost of capital is low, and the fuel fired heating MAY be the lower overall cost. On the other hand, if the user has to borrow money to finance capital costs, the electric gel scheme may well be cheaper overall.
Forget about storage radiators. They are clearly uneconomic because of the very high connection cost.
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