Electric storage heaters put to the test: exclusive study with TU Dresden

How exactly does the heat dissipation of an electric storage heater work in a room? As part of an exclusive study in collaboration with the TU Dresden, we investigated this question and examined the proportions of heat dissipation in the form of radiation and convection in this form of heating. The result shows: With electric storage heaters, 41 percent of the heat in a room is emitted by radiation and 59 percent by convection.

The test setup

In the indoor climate room at TU Dresden – the so-called Combined Energy Lab 2.0 – one of our electric storage heaters with an electric output of 1,500 watts was installed in the middle of a side wall. Inside the heater are ceramic storage stones that are heated using electricity. As soon as the power supply is switched off, the surface storage heater emits heat via the stones in a controlled manner. The temperature of the side walls, ceiling and floor in the Combined Energy Lab 2.0 was uniform, as was the temperature on the outer walls. Various measuring points were installed throughout the indoor climate room, which ultimately documented the exact temperature development in the room.

Which rooms are well suited to electric storage heaters?

This clearly shows that the ratio of heat emission between radiation (41%) and convection (59%) is extremely balanced with electric storage heaters. Consequently, with this form of heating, both the objects in the room are heated by radiant heat and the air itself is heated by convection. For Managing Director Uwe Lucht, this makes electric storage heaters ideal for large and frequently used rooms: “Due to the very balanced ratio between radiant and convection heat, there are no heat waves in the room. This means that the room is heated very evenly and there are hardly any temperature differences between the area under the ceiling and on the floor, for example,” says the 52-year-old, adding: ‘This makes storage heaters an ideal form of heating for living rooms or children’s rooms, for example.

How much electricity do electric storage heaters need?

Due to the continuous heat output of the chamotte storage bricks once heated, electric storage heaters are also a very efficient heating system. According to Uwe Lucht, Lucht LHZ’s storage heaters, for example, only require around 3.5 hours of electricity per day. Especially in combination with a photovoltaic system, this results in enormous savings potential for homeowners, explains the Managing Director: “Due to their properties, electric storage heaters are an important building block for the heating transition in Germany. If homeowners only use green electricity, they have a completely sustainable electricity and heating system. Ideally, this should be combined with their own solar system on the roof. This also makes homeowners less dependent on the energy market and saves them money.”

You can read the exclusive study here (in German)

Electric storage heaters manufactured by Lucht LHZ: Partial storage heaters

The partial storage heater is an electric heater with heat storage. When you switch it on, it uses electricity to heat the chamotte storage bricks inside. The power supply then switches off and the electric storage heater releases the heat from the chamotte bricks in a controlled manner. The partial storage heater scores with short heat-up times and long heat output. It provides a cozy warmth with a mix of 41% radiant heat and 59% convection heat.

Learn more about the partial storage heater