Anyone know of North Island retailers selling nightstore heaters?

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Elpie

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Topic # 106268 20-Jul-2012 14:07

I'm after a nightstore heater and am having a heck of a time sourcing a new one. Does anyone know of retailers who stock them?

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Reply # 659121 20-Jul-2012 14:33

Elpie: I'm after a nightstore heater and am having a heck of a time sourcing a new one. Does anyone know of retailers who stock them?

I don't know if they are really sold much these days, as they used to be sold when power at night was cheap, but that doesnt' apply much these days. Zip plumbing sell almost everything heating and plumbing related.

Nety

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Reply # 659147 20-Jul-2012 14:54

Interesting reading the wikipedia page on them

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storage_heater

Personally I would think that a heatpump would be far cheaper to run and more efficient unless maybe you can get a night storage heater that uses heatpump technology.

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timmmay

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Reply # 659150 20-Jul-2012 14:56

It's really difficult to get prices from electricy companies online, they really don't want to tell you prices.

However, I'll guess 25c/kwh daytime and 20c/kwh at night. That's a 20% savings, which isn't bad, but efficient heating with a heat pump will drop the effective cost to 8c/kwh of heat. The downside is the $3,000 up front cost, but it should last ten years.

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vexxxboy

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Reply # 659160 20-Jul-2012 15:08

i was talking to the person who was installing my heat pump, and he was saying that he was removing a lot of the nightstore heaters and just throwing them away because there was no market for them, maybe you could look at second hand ones , i have two in my house and have never turned them on in the 10 years i have been here, but i switched to contact who has cheap power at night , so i might look into trying them.

mattwnz

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Reply # 659164 20-Jul-2012 15:20

timmmay: It's really difficult to get prices from electricy companies online, they really don't want to tell you prices.

However, I'll guess 25c/kwh daytime and 20c/kwh at night. That's a 20% savings, which isn't bad, but efficient heating with a heat pump will drop the effective cost to 8c/kwh of heat. The downside is the $3,000 up front cost, but it should last ten years.

The price difference used to be a lot better. As you probably lose around 20% of the energy that is stored in night store heaters anyway, there probably isn't any saving. Heatpumps have sort of replaced them as they are far more efficient.

mattwnz

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Reply # 659166 20-Jul-2012 15:24

Heaps of them on trademe.

wellygary

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Reply # 659183 20-Jul-2012 15:51

Elpie: I'm after a nightstore heater and am having a heck of a time sourcing a new one. Does anyone know of retailers who stock them?

This electrician in Upper Hutt (Wellington ) claims he imports them.....
(although the website is a blast from the past)

http://www.topsparky.co.nz/products.htm#Creda

http://www.topsparky.co.nz/index.htm

wellygary

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Reply # 659184 20-Jul-2012 15:52

mattwnz: Heaps of them on trademe.

Mostly from CHCH, and given the bricks in them, they are not exactly cheaply shippable thou, :)

mattwnz

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Reply # 659199 20-Jul-2012 16:11

wellygary:
mattwnz: Heaps of them on trademe.

Mostly from CHCH, and given the bricks in them, they are not exactly cheaply shippable thou, ?:)

They are probably not the best thing in earthquakes either. Wherever you buy them from they have to be freighted.

Jaxson

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Reply # 659201 20-Jul-2012 16:12

Yeah key is ensuring you're actually able to source a supply plan that includes off peak/night tariff rates?

Otherwise you're paying full rate to heat up some bricks overnight.

Niel

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Reply # 659206 20-Jul-2012 16:19

Some power retailers are selling units that show how much power you are currently using and what the current rate is. I think Mercury has one called Glow Bug, not sure and can't be bothered looking now as people reading this will look anyway.

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ubergeeknz

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Reply # 659233 20-Jul-2012 16:57

Heat pumps are far more efficient at any rate, and the increased efficiency should well outweigh any difference in rate for night time power usage. IMO don't bother and just get a heat pump!

vexxxboy

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Reply # 659239 20-Jul-2012 17:11

Contact do an economy plus night if you have two metres , but it's only 5cents a kw cheaper at night

mattwnz

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Reply # 659247 20-Jul-2012 17:26

ubergeeknz: Heat pumps are far more efficient at any rate, and the increased efficiency should well outweigh any difference in rate for night time power usage. ?IMO don't bother and just get a heat pump!

Although heat pumps are a lot more expensive. The OP may just want to replace an old one, so they don't have a gap on wall.

Elpie

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Reply # 659291 20-Jul-2012 19:18

ubergeeknz: Heat pumps are far more efficient at any rate, and the increased efficiency should well outweigh any difference in rate for night time power usage. IMO don't bother and just get a heat pump!

Heat pumps are inefficient and cost a bundle to run in my area of the country where humidity stays high year-round and heat pumps spent more time defrosting than heating. They are not good options in some areas of NZ.

I am able to get cheaper off-peak power and as I work from home keeping heat around during the day is important. Nightstores are still a good heating option for people who are home all day. Costs compare favourably if you can get a low night tariff (as I can), see: http://www.consumer.org.nz/reports/heating-options/fuel-prices-compared

Second-hand doesn't appeal as so many of them are old and would require an electrician to check out. The newer models are much more efficient in both their use of electricity and their heat output. They seem to be readily available in the South Island but this isn't much good to us in the North as shipping a heap of bricks is very expensive.

They are bulky, look ugly, and are no use in households where people are out all day BUT are ideal in my house & situation and sure beat plug-in electric heaters.

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