Night storage heating: use the night to warm your day.
What is night cylinder heating?
With night cylinder heating, the electrical current for the heat is generated and supplied during the night, but only used during the day to heat the flat. For many years, night cylinder heating was very popular, then it fell into disrepute, but now it is being used more often again. The reason: if run with green electricity it can be a sustainable way of heating.
Pros of the technology
Advantages of night cylinder heaters.
- Low costs.
Relatively inexpensive heating current due to low tariff and inexpensive to purchase initially.
- Easy set-up.
Its space-saving design allows for an uncomplicated installation. Neither chimney nor boiler required.
- Space saving.
No storage room for fuels required.
- Low maintenance.
This heater type is generally trouble-free.
Contra arguments
Disadvantages of night cylinder heaters.
- Lower efficiency.
Operation can be complicated with older devices and doesn't bring modern efficiency.
- Not ready for extreme conditions.
On cold winter days additional heating with expensive daytime electricity is necessary.
- Sustainability depends on electricity.
Poor CO₂ balance if not operated with green electricity.
- Dust circulation.
Potential for allergies due to circulating dust and dirt particles.
Types of night cylinder heaters.
- Static
- Dynamic
- Static + dynamic
- Convection
In static night cylinder heaters the heat is only emitted by radiation.
How does night cylinder heating work?
- 1/2
The heat is stored in a magnetite cylinder core. Magnetite is highly temperature-resistant, lining melting furnaces and enduring extreme heat. It is charged by electricity. In night storage heaters, its core reaches over 750 degrees Celsius. But with excellent insulation, heat loss is minimal. A thermosensor prevents overheating, ensuring safety.
- 2/2
Throughout the day, stored heat is released into your rooms. A fan in the night cylinder heater handles this task. It draws in cold room air and channels it along the heating storage cylinder, warming the room air. You can control the room temperature with a thermostat.
Take control of your heating
Setting a night cylinder heating.
Only if the night cylinder heating has the correct settings you can expect optimal performance. The following settings can usually be changed on the control of a conventional night storage heating system:
- The intensity of the storage tank charging: This setting defines the amount of power the heating system can draw from the grid.
- Room temperature: These settings decides on how high the heating temperature in the room should be.
- Switching the heating on and off: This allows the night cylinder heating to be completely disconnected from the grid.
- Switching the back-up heater on and off: If the selected charging level is too low, the back-up heater helps out but at a high cost. It can therefore be switched off.
Depending on the brand, the heat can have an automatic control system as an alternative to manual operation. This automatically calculates the cylinder tank charge based on the outside temperature.
With our modern night cylinder heater eloMENT you can experience extra comfort with our new electronic discharge controller. Precisely manage your heat output with daily settings and the "Adaptive Start" feature, ensuring your home is warm upon arrival. Plus, the smart electronics automatically turn off the heat when windows are open, preventing energy waste.
The costs of a night cylinder heating.
The cost of running a night cylinder heater depends on your individual electricity costs. Some providers offer a night tariff for electricity, which can make running the heating cheaper. In general: if your electricity costs for 1kw/h is low every month, then running your night storage heater is cheaper.
The initial costs of a night cylinder heating are comparatively low and only add up if you need many night cylinder heaters – then, an alternative could be more cost efficient.
How long will old models still be allowed?
Very old variants aren't at all. They relied on fabrics like asbestos, which is dangerous for humans to breathe in. These should be out of operation already or replaced quickly.
Only new models of night cylinder heaters are now considered an optional component of the energy transition. As modern models can be run with "green electricity" there is no official, government-driven end of usage in sight.
Replacement
Opting for a new model of a night cylinder heating or an alternative.
- Buying a new night cylinder heating.Find a modern night storage heating
With a new model of a night cylinder heater you can rely on the same benefits of your current one but with a lot more efficiency and the knowledge that you’re always on the safe side. Replacing it with a new model is usually simple and quickly done by a professional.
- Choosing an alternative.Let us help you find an alternative
Night cylinder heaters can be a good choice in some cases, but heating has advanced a lot and there are multiple superior heating systems like heat pumps, hybrid systems or modern boilers. These alternatives can be a better replacement in the long run.
