Water heater - LPG or electricity?

[ro4dster]

Hello

I am building a shower room in my garage and am having trouble deciding how to heat my water. Should I have a gas boiler? (calor gas, I cannot have mains gas where I live) I am told this is more efficient than an electric immersion heater, possibly running at night on economy 7 but not sure if it will stay hot for the whole of the next day (hot water will be required for evening showers).

It's worth mentioning I have only 13 Amps available electricity-wise so I won't be able to have an on-demand water heater, especially since I will already have a shower pump and extractor fan on the power.

I'm very grateful for any opinions

 

[ecowarm]

You had better look here at the Ecocent an unvented hot water cylinder with a heat pump on the top. It uses .8Kw and extracts the heat from a room like the bathroom or conservatory and then you can use the cooled air to cool another room.

I've been to look at this unit running on thursday and was very impressed.

Look here Air Source Heat Pumps, Solar, Renewable Energy, UK, Southern Ireland, Scotland, Wales - Earth Save Products Ltd

Eco

 

[philtheflush]

why haven,t you thought of electric showers

 

[ro4dster]

You had better look here at the Ecocent an unvented hot water cylinder with a heat pump on the top. It uses .8Kw and extracts the heat from a room like the bathroom or conservatory and then you can use the cooled air to cool another room.

I've been to look at this unit running on thursday and was very impressed.

Look here Air Source Heat Pumps, Solar, Renewable Energy, UK, Southern Ireland, Scotland, Wales - Earth Save Products Ltd

Eco

Interesting.... although I would be concerned it might not heat the water enough, and initial costs might be high? Could it work with a multi coil imersion? I might eventually want to have a heat pump but also a woodburner with backboiler...

 

[ecowarm]

It does have a coil for solar or another boiler input but for solid fuel you wouldn't want the unvented kit just fit it like a standard cylinder.

Eco

why haven,t you thought of electric showers

The opening poster has only 13amp supply available

 

[Onyourtime]

I am currently using LPG and I am able to save money as well time

 

[ro4dster]

why haven,t you thought of electric showers

We don't have the power... only one 13A, that would be fine for maybe 2.5KW but I believe electric showers use 5KW+

 

[ecowarm]

More like 7+kw

 

[ro4dster]

I'd be concerned about the amount of power required for the AS heatpump, 800W is not much for a short period, but I would imagine the unit would have to be on all the time rather than just for a short burst of power as required for a immersion heater? for eg, how long would it take an air source heatpump to warm water from say 5 to 55C?

Really what I am looking for is some stats from tests comparing economy of a gas boiler to an electric immersion heater... I've searched high and low and can't find any useful or reliable source.

 

[ecowarm]

I'd be concerned about the amount of power required for the AS heatpump, 800W is not much for a short period, but I would imagine the unit would have to be on all the time rather than just for a short burst of power as required for a immersion heater? for eg, how long would it take an air source heatpump to warm water from say 5 to 55C? It can produce



Really what I am looking for is some stats from tests comparing economy of a gas boiler to an electric immersion heater... I've searched high and low and can't find any useful or reliable source.

it uses 800watts but it it actually heats with the power of 3KW + up to 3.7KW but only ever draws a maximum of 810W so it will heat at the same or better than an 3KW immersion!

A gas boiler is a lot more economic than an immersion but not on LPG.

 

[kirkgas]

You had better look here at the Ecocent an unvented hot water cylinder with a heat pump on the top. It uses .8Kw and extracts the heat from a room like the bathroom or conservatory and then you can use the cooled air to cool another room.

I've been to look at this unit running on thursday and was very impressed.

Look here Air Source Heat Pumps, Solar, Renewable Energy, UK, Southern Ireland, Scotland, Wales - Earth Save Products Ltd

Eco

what if he wants to have a shower every day

 

[ro4dster]

I don't see any reason why I wouldn't be able to have a shower everyday?

Any idea how much one of these air source heatpumps cost to buy? I've researched ground source HPs before and was put off by the cost.

 

[ecowarm]

what if he wants to have a shower every day

50l per hour recovery rate mr kirkgas, so 1200l in 24hrs so quite a few showers, baths and anything else you want to throw at it

I don't see any reason why I wouldn't be able to have a shower everyday?

Any idea how much one of these air source heatpumps cost to buy? I've researched ground source HPs before and was put off by the cost.

Approx £2000 but if installer is MCS certified you are able to get the governments RHI payments

200l on ebay Cheapest Hot Water.Air Source Heat Pump Cylinder.MCS on eBay (end time 25-Aug-10 21:13:19 BST)