How Much Energy Does My Delonghi Dragon 3 Oil Filled Heater Use?

[Tom Reid]

Hi Folks, I have no professional training so please be gentle with me! 

I have a 3.6 KW solar PV system. Today with the sun out it is generating a nice 1.5 - 2Kw. I work from home some days so don't have the central heating on, I just use the Delonghi Dragon 3 heater. 

I'm confused about the amount of power the heater uses though. Yesterday I thought my electricity consumption meter was boken, but it seems fine. 

I have the radiator on it's highest setting, which I assume corresponds to the "Heating Power - Max 2000 W" listed on the heaters spec. But when I check my energy consumption  meter it is only showing 500W for the whole house. The heater is definitely on, it has a thermostat but i put it up to max to ensure i didn't cut it.

I can only assume there is something I don't understand about how the radiator works. Does it use the 2Kw in bursts and a lower amount of power as the norm?

Just trying to really understand how it works so I can maximise my use of my "free" power whilst I have good light.

cheers 

 

[ProDave]

Your heater will use 2KW on it's maximum setting but it will normally turn on and off with it's thermostat. bit with the thermostat at max it will be 2KW continuous.

BUT if your solar panels are generating 2KW at the time, all that will be going for free into your heater, so all that's registering on your sonsumption meter is whatever else is on, PC etc.

 

[Tom Reid]

Ah I hadn't thought of that   - the usage meter is showing me what we are drawing from the grid, not the total amount of power we are using. cheers