I read something interesting in the YOU magazine regarding wall mounted panel heaters, so thought I wold share.

Electric wall mounted panel heaters.

Pros and Cons:

They heat the room uniformly through convection, unlike other electric heaters that leave furthest areas colder than those close to the heater,says Johan du Preez of Econo-heaters have to be switched on for considerable time to noticeably increase a room’s ambient temperature.
Some heat is lost by radiating into the wall and heating the bricks.

IDEAL FOR: taking the edge off the cold.
SAFETY: Safer than even oil heaters.
Popular versions contain no asbestos.
COST: About R 400 for 0,4KW panel, or about R600 for two, Eskom calculates a cost of about R49 a month to use one 0,4KW panel for five hours a day at a tariff of 80cwnts/KW, or R97 a month if it’s switched on for 10 hours a day.

Thanx for the info.
Been using them for a couple of years now.
I think Eskom calculation is out, but I started using them @ night only now.
Two years back I ran 5 24/7, but last year the cost became rediculus.
So now I run 3 @ night, 2 in my T room. Works like a charm.

That is what it will cost you if you just run the heater on it's own for one month no other power usage in your house.
Taking into account, the more power you use, the higher your kW hours climb with Eskom, that puts you in a curtain bracket with regards to the pricing scheme from Eskom.

So if you had to just run the 5 heaters for 10 hours a day you would be paying R500+\- a month.
Because you have a TV, fridge, computer and lights your power will be higher.
That why you must not let Eskom do estimation, this is the reason so many people are in trouble with them.

My spider room has it own fase of power, and over 4 months of running 2 panel heaters, one inferred heater(on really cold nights) and heating pads and some lights, it was a R1000.00 for 4 months. That was also estimated for 4 months.
Now, I only have 2 heaters, with 4 heating pads for my snakes, I only run 1 heater at night and only from 22:00 till 07:00.

That why, connecting your heaters to thermostats or only turning the heating on after 00:00 at night turning it off after 07:30 will be cheaper than running your heat 24/7.
Also to build your self a room that keeps heat in and cold out.

My spider room, has a double ceiling, the door is fitted as tight as possible with a thick curtain hanging in front of the door. With 2 sheets of polystyrene in front of the window.


This is an old calculation on Eskoms tariff, so this is why you pay an arm an leg for power.

Energy Charge (<= 50 kWh) 50kWh @ R0.5565/kWh:
Energy Charge (> 50 kWh <= 350 kWh) 300 kWh @ R0.6416 /kWh:
Energy Charge (> 350kWh <= 650 kWh) 250 kWh @ R0.9405/kWh:
Energy Charge (>600 kWh) 384 @ R1.0335/kWh:

I never actually thought of isolating the window. There is a thick curtain in front. I have some polistyrine, a bit thin. But none the less I think it will help a bit. Will make a plan over the weekend. I have a steel door that I have been planning to replace, but as you know there's always something else that needs attention.
I got a piece of latex rubber that I'm going to fit at the bottom over the weekend to seal it a bit better.

Polystrene is a good insulater no matter how thick or thin.
There is a couple of methods one can use to make a room more effecient in keeping the heat in.

Steel door you can clad in Polystrene will help.

The main thing with making a house effecient is to make the house air tight, more air tight a house is the less heat will escape and cold air rushes in.

the best room to use foe heating and cooling Is a walk in fridge.
which is made out of thich sheets of Polystrene and chromodeck sheeting.

Correct,

I have a 9m2 room for my t's. I measure the temps now & then.
But running the panel heater in the small room keeps the cold @ bay.
I don't want to go to extreme's @ this point as I'm busy with negotioations to work in Dubai.
So I have had a chat with a couple of people, but it looks like I'm not gonna have a choise.
And that is to sell my whole collection, wich is a very touchy point @ this stage.