New furnace - A Tale of Two Winters

[SteamWake]

Whats a convector?

[longam]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I run a convector with thermostat and timer in the conservatory and find it much cheaper to run than the 'oilers'

There both convection heaters, the oilers just have to heat up the oil inside the unit before the heat transfers to the outside. Once this is up to temperature it is a more steady heat source. I always run mine at 600W, it does the same thing just more lag time to heat the room.

[Letum]

Originally Posted by jimbuna

I run a convector with thermostat and timer in the conservatory and find it much cheaper to run than the 'oilers'

If you are heating a conservatory, I don't suppose efficacy is high on your priorities anyway.

[AVGWarhawk]

Originally Posted by Letum

I have the same model sat next to me.
Heats the room great, but is very expensive to run.

Actually, for me, running the oil/electric portable with the heatpump saves me money. It keeps the heatpump from running two fan motors plus the compressor. It does save over time.

I also have a back up of 100 gallons natural gas that supplies a woodburning type stove. So if my electric goes out I can still warm the house.

[Skybird]

Originally Posted by Letum

, but is very expensive to run.

Right that. These things should be considered only as a provisional solution for limited time, in times of emergency, or really no other solution available. Over longer time, the costs for operating them are beyond reason and discussion. We once had one of these running in our old big appartement in Berlin, in a room with no regular heating. We ran it only for one winter. When we got the electricity bill for the year, we decided to never use that damn thing again, but reduce the using of that room in the cold season. These things, together with glowing radiators, are easily the most expensive way to heat your flat.

Get your regular installation repaired/replaced, Neal. In the longer run, it is cheaper. Plan the 2010 Subsim meeting taking place in Houston, and you already have saved money for flight tickets and hotel room, and probably that way already have won most of the money a new furnace would cost.

[Oberon]

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

My biggest complaint is, furnaces are really old technology.

That's modern compared to our technology:



Still, it keeps one room of the house nice and warm, hot water bottles, blankets, and costly electric heaters keep the other rooms just about habitable.