WI Hall heating advice

[Andy Dubvan]

After a bit of advice please, been doing some work for ladies of a WI group and they have asked me to look at the heating / electricity consumption in their WI hall.
The Hall is a concrete sectional building, last year they had an insulated roof put on, but for insulation that's about it. For services, only an electric supply
The existing heaters are Claudgen ltd Model No H6351 1500watts. There's 8 heaters in the main hall area and 1 in the kitchen and these all hang from the ceiling and all turned on individually by 1 switch per heater currently turned on by using a 3 foot wooden pole ....obviously.

From speaking to the lady I'm dealing with the groups that use the hall give no thought to saving energy and probably have heat on for the duration of their meeting. The Hall is currently rented out for 25 hours per week and is used approximately 45 weeks a year.
The electric bill was £900 last year. (the winter quarter was £482)
Obviously with prices going crazy at the moment they are keen to see what can be done before winter, ( I know it's only June )

So my thinking is these
https://consortepl.com/wp-content/uploads/HE6351-HE6343-Twinzone-Radiant-Heater-0215.pdf
Are the current up to date equivalent of what they currently have, the only difference being that they can be used with a controller
https://www.consortepl.com/portfolio-item/slti-wireless-controller/

Open to suggestions and advice, i guess suggesting swapping the current heaters for the same model but newer, with the only difference being the controller might be something for them to discuss.


The other thing I noticed when I was there they are currently running fluorescent lighting so LED would be the way to go on this.

Thanks in advance
Andy

 

[mort2376]

Install contractors 1 pole for each heater run with a time clock and thermostat ? Probably cheaper to Start with and would give some control. Separate thermostats for different areas and could make use of wireless stats and then the wiring could all be done at the mains board.

I think that would be a basic start, having controllers on individual heaters is not a great way to control as the times would never sync up.

With the contactor and stat system you can fit a boost timer or manual override key switch to allow it to be used out of normal hours.

 

[mort2376]

Oh and definitely change to led lighting.

 

[Richard-the-Ninth]

Only a thought.
If you use a timer it opens the question of what time will you set it to, and then what happens if someone wants to rent the hall at a different time. (Too much effort for who ever actually holds the keys to change it) There is also the opposite, if you have timers there is the probability the heating will come on when no one is there. Why not install 4 contactors, connected to the lights? That way when they arrive at what ever time the heating comes on then, and when they leave turn the lights out the heating turns off.

Put in at least two stats, one to control the heaters in an out of the way location, and another for everyone to fiddle with.

Regards the LED lights, how many lights are to be changed, I can't help but think it may be easier on their pocket if you change the lights later, since it is the heaters that are costing the most to run, and all new light fittings will not be cheap.

 

[Sharpend]

If you put then on the lights will the room heat quick enough or will it get too temp as they finish their meeting?

Secondly, it a womens institution so they will not be worried about spending!!

 

[Andy Dubvan]

Thanks all for the input, much appreciated.

 

[BorisJ]

All electrical heaters are 100% efficient. The only way to save is use them less. Lumen per watt is very similar for florescent or LED. Nothing much to save there.

 

[michael8554]

I agree with BorisJ that the existing heaters will be hardly less efficient than new replacements.

I would leave the ceiling-mounted heater switches on, and control with the breakers in the CU, but that's a bit naughty....... :-<

If requirement is for all the heaters to be on at once, wire a user On/Off switch to a beefy contactor for all the heaters.

If you want control of times and temperatures:

Central Heating programmers come with up to 3 periods a day, is that enough ?

Plus a thermostat to the above beefy contactor.

There's probably a wifi timed thermostat solution.

Our village hall has internet connection, so I control the central heating through a wifi switch in the "demand heating" wire from the thermostat.

Then I set on/off periods from home with an app, and the thermostat controls the temp.

Heating comes on 30 mins before booking, ends 30 mins before end of booking, but that's with central heating rads.

 

[Andy Dubvan]

I think the main concern regarding the heating is that when it starts getting cold, the different groups will use the hall, and maybe whack all the heaters on and when it gets warm rather than turning the heating off, possibly open a window or door rather than turning heaters off, you know what people are like

 

[mort2376]

Then it's a control issue. Contactors, timeclock and thermostat. But make sure the thermostat is tamper proof. Manual override of the timeclock via a key switch or 2hr timer could work better as it can't be left permanently on. That would definitely be my approach.

 

[Chrisbee]

This sort of button would allow users to turn on some or all the heating and ensure it went off again. After a time set by you.

https://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/SMDS3HD.html

 

[NozSpark]

Why not do what they do in the outdoor areas of pubs ,,,,, control them with a time delay switch that gives them 1/2 an hour of heat each time they press the button (via a contactor)