Good day!
Currently, many people are buying various electric heating devices. It seems these are mostly individuals who heat with gas and fear that the gas supply might be cut off during winter. Or they believe that heating with electricity is cheaper than gas, which is nonsense and would remain so even if gas prices continue to rise. If people start using all these devices they are buying now, utility providers will face serious problems.
My oil tank is full. However, my oil-fired central heating system would also fail in the event of a power outage, because suddenly many gas customers would want to heat electrically. Therefore, I wonder: How should one realistically prepare to at least keep the heating system running? I have a small power generator, with enough capacity to supply electricity to the heating system. But the system is not designed to simply plug into a socket; it is permanently wired.
Would it be a good idea to have an electrician modify the system so that, if necessary, the plug can be unplugged from the outlet (which must be located behind the heating emergency switch) and connected to the generator, which could be placed outside the heating room window with the cable fed through the window?
I have several cans of Aspen fuel stored for this small generator. Aspen is chosen to ensure that even after years of non-use, nothing clogs and the device remains ready to operate. But I would need to significantly increase my fuel supply.
What kind of preparations have you made?
Matthias
Currently, many people are buying various electric heating devices. It seems these are mostly individuals who heat with gas and fear that the gas supply might be cut off during winter. Or they believe that heating with electricity is cheaper than gas, which is nonsense and would remain so even if gas prices continue to rise. If people start using all these devices they are buying now, utility providers will face serious problems.
My oil tank is full. However, my oil-fired central heating system would also fail in the event of a power outage, because suddenly many gas customers would want to heat electrically. Therefore, I wonder: How should one realistically prepare to at least keep the heating system running? I have a small power generator, with enough capacity to supply electricity to the heating system. But the system is not designed to simply plug into a socket; it is permanently wired.
Would it be a good idea to have an electrician modify the system so that, if necessary, the plug can be unplugged from the outlet (which must be located behind the heating emergency switch) and connected to the generator, which could be placed outside the heating room window with the cable fed through the window?
I have several cans of Aspen fuel stored for this small generator. Aspen is chosen to ensure that even after years of non-use, nothing clogs and the device remains ready to operate. But I would need to significantly increase my fuel supply.
What kind of preparations have you made?
Matthias
That is exactly the problem: if everyone behaved reasonably, many issues would not occur. Panic buying leads to shortages. Shortages cause panic. The result: even more panic buying.
So far, we have always pointed fingers at the French because they produce a lot of nuclear power and largely use it directly for heating. Let’s hope we never end up envying the French because they produce so much nuclear power and use it directly for heating.
Matthias
So far, we have always pointed fingers at the French because they produce a lot of nuclear power and largely use it directly for heating. Let’s hope we never end up envying the French because they produce so much nuclear power and use it directly for heating.
Matthias
X
xMisterDx9 Aug 2022 11:06Pianist schrieb:
That’s exactly the problem: if everyone behaved reasonably, many problems wouldn’t exist. Panic buying leads to shortages. Shortages cause panic. Result: even more panic buying.
So far, we have always pointed fingers at the French because they produce so much nuclear power and largely waste that power by directly heating it. Let’s hope we never end up envying the French for producing so much nuclear power and wasting it this way.
MatthiasThe French have just shut down 50% of their nuclear power plants because they can no longer cool them...
We should keep things in perspective. Just like with building material prices, there is a shortage, but it will ease again.
Steel and timber have already become significantly cheaper compared to six months ago... the same will happen with gas.
No gas-producing country in the world (except Russia, with whom we are at war) has any interest in seeing Germany, as a premium price payer, go bankrupt...
Yes, overall I can completely understand your point, but not everyone approaches this issue so rationally. When people start buying large numbers of electric heating devices, you have to wonder what will happen if they actually use them extensively. I do find it concerning when I hear that grid operators are not losing sleep over the growing number of electric vehicles, yet they are quite worried about this buying frenzy of electric heaters...
X
xMisterDx9 Aug 2022 11:17Pianist schrieb:
(...) I am quite concerned when I hear that grid operators are not losing sleep over the rising number of electric vehicles, but are very worried about the surge in electric heaters being purchased...Which is quite absurd... because a fan heater doesn’t continuously run at 2kW, whereas electric cars are usually charged overnight.
With fan heaters, when looking at millions of units, you get more of an average over the course of a day, compared to 11kW wallboxes.
It’s very unlikely that all fan heaters switch on and heat at the same time. It’s more probable that my neighbor’s heater turns off just as mine turns on.
I believe this is mainly a symbolic message intended to say, “Don’t worry, you won’t really need the fan heaters, it won’t come to that.” That would be my preference too... but if no gas is supplied anymore and my heating fails... and I can’t get a technician... then it’s really tough with two kids aged 0 and 5 if I can’t heat the house... so I’ve made preparations.
PS:
As a single person, I wouldn’t have bought something like this... a thick blanket and a bottle of red wine, you can manage...
PPS:
In my opinion, it is very questionable how 2 to 3 million electric cars in the next few years are considered no problem, but 2 to 3 million fan heaters are supposed to be one...
Because electric cars are not all charged using home solar panels, especially not in winter.
Last winter, France already had to import a large amount of electricity for heating. Now even more power plants are offline, and electricity imports are increasing. That’s why we are still burning so much gas, among other things. The power grid must remain stable. The nuclear power plants have been taken offline partly due to heat and water shortages, but many more are offline because of defects such as cracks. It is unclear which of these can be restarted during winter. So, it will still get cold there in winter, whether or not gas from Russia is available.
A power outage lasting a few hours is frustrating – but manageable. If it lasts for days and affects more than just a small area, public order becomes a concern. I’m glad to live in a rural area. Somehow, people manage to work together to keep everyone fed and warm.
A power outage lasting a few hours is frustrating – but manageable. If it lasts for days and affects more than just a small area, public order becomes a concern. I’m glad to live in a rural area. Somehow, people manage to work together to keep everyone fed and warm.
R
RotorMotor9 Aug 2022 11:28@Pianist and @xMisterDx, please make sure to get informed first before posting.
We don’t want anyone else to take your nonsense seriously.
For example, try searching for "An electric car is not a space heater."
We don’t want anyone else to take your nonsense seriously.
For example, try searching for "An electric car is not a space heater."
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