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20/05/2008, 6:48 plod Joined on 17/05/2007 Posts 151 Oil to electric Has anybody made this conversion? How was it? What about cost?    Report

20/05/2008, 8:15 Albert the InfoGipsy Joined on 01/07/2006 SDF, somewhere in 56 Posts 507 Re: Oil to electric A bit more detail in the question might help. Assuming you mean for house heating or for domestic hot water (not your car) then a bit of info about how big the house is and how much oil you use at present would be useful.   Albert the InfoGipsy "So welcome to the Citadel where the question is 'Am I?'"    Report

21/05/2008, 7:11 Nick Trollope Joined on 23/08/2004 Broons, Dept 22 Posts 2,448 Re: Oil to electric I've done a few (including my own place). But, as Albert says, the cost depends on any number of factors. Get some devis from local Electricians. That apart, if your oil system is working and even with oil at $150/barrel, it willl take a long time to recover the cost of changing - despite the fact that electric heating is bound to be cheaper (per KwH) than oil soon (if it isn't already) and the price of electricity doesn't rise as quickly... Another point (that I always make to my customers) - before you think about installing any heating; Insulate, insulate, insulate....   Nick www.aplaceinfrance.com    Report

21/05/2008, 8:16 ErnieY Joined on 05/12/2006 Nr Prayssac (Lot) Posts 2,945 Re: Oil to electric As a ballpark figure what sort of improvement in efficiency might one reasonably expect from a modern condensating oil boiler against an early 70's Ferroli behemoth which is about 1/2 cu/m in size and has a separate replaceable burner !   My doctor said one drink per day, I can live with that !    Report

22/05/2008, 11:15 Poolguy Joined on 25/12/2004 Charante Maritime Posts 746 Re: Oil to electric Buying into a NEW oil fired system........ madness madness, madness   - obviously the price rise of €0.15 per litre in the last week hasn't filtered out to the campagne. Look at Solar and life looks brighter and more comforatble and more affordable no matter what the Barrel price is. .......  Or am I missing the all important view of reality. Andrew www.Poolguy.fr    Report

22/05/2008, 12:23 WJT Joined on 22/09/2004 Posts 1,372 Re: Oil to electric  ErnieY wrote: As a ballpark figure what sort of improvement in efficiency might one reasonably expect from a modern condensating oil boiler against an early 70's Ferroli behemoth which is about 1/2 cu/m in size and has a separate replaceable burner !   I would be very interested in this as well. Not only do we have a giant old inefficient oil fuelled boiler, I would love to take down the chimney breast that runs up through the middle of the house that it is connected to. I have asked our plumber about a condensating boiler and he says it is not a good idea, our house is too big for this, in fact I had difficulty explaining to him what a condensating boiler is. Our house is not very big at around 200 meters. I wonder perhaps that condensating boilers aren't that common in France or is it just our plumber? Does anyone here have a suggestion about what sort of boiler we should be looking at and would it need a chimney? I have asked similar questions here before and as with the OP it does seem to be a real conundrum at the moment because of the price of oil. By the way, we have iron rads and our plumber has suggested that we look at an external above ground heat pump in the future to subsidise our current huge red duel fuel (wood and oil but have never tried using wood based on what others have said about not trying it) to run the central heating and hot water.    Report

22/05/2008, 20:42 foxyloxy25 Joined on 23/07/2007 Albi (81) Posts 28 Re: Oil to electric I'm Plod (on my wife's log-in!). The house has 3/4 bedrooms, two baths and hot water and central heating come from oil. I had thought that the cost of conversion would make it not viable financially but wondered if anybody had done it. I think we have a relatively limited time in this house so the cost of any major expenditure (eg solar) may not be recouped.    Report

22/05/2008, 21:32 Nick Trollope Joined on 23/08/2004 Broons, Dept 22 Posts 2,448 Re: Oil to electric  foxyloxy25 wrote: I'm Plod (on my wife's log-in!). The house has 3/4 bedrooms, two baths and hot water and central heating come from oil. I had thought that the cost of conversion would make it not viable financially but wondered if anybody had done it. I think we have a relatively limited time in this house so the cost of any major expenditure (eg solar) may not be recouped. Your original (alter-ego) question was oil to electric and I reckon my point above is still valid. HOWEVER, I also reckon that you would be hard pushed to recoup the cost of virtually any alternative system. Especially short-term.   Nick www.aplaceinfrance.com    Report

22/05/2008, 22:13 Poolguy Joined on 25/12/2004 Charante Maritime Posts 746 Re: Oil to electric  foxyloxy25 wrote: I'm Plod (on my wife's log-in!). The house has 3/4 bedrooms, two baths and hot water and central heating come from oil. I had thought that the cost of conversion would make it not viable financially but wondered if anybody had done it. I think we have a relatively limited time in this house so the cost of any major expenditure (eg solar) may not be recouped.   'recoup'... 'pay-back'.... amortisation.... get your money back'.....!!!!!! I hear this all the time when anyone is looking at renewable energy systems. Its really funny that I never read it or heard anything like it when a renovator is talking about fossil fuel systems which are by far the majority of installations. Its a curious piece of psychology I think ,that in the past we've been ripped off,  dumped on, lied too, polluted out of or health and generally taken the mickey out off by energy giants for generation and we just accept it.... 'OK well if that's what it cost then I guess I just have to pay it... 've got no choice after all'. Now that there are viable choices... that actually work, and are better for comfort, health, purse, environment community, its 'that's all very well my son with your fancy renewable energy gizmo but when am I going to get my money back? What…! 8 years!!!!! Can't wait that long... you're joking! Its ugly too....! (never seen a pretty oil boiler in my life) Its going to be the next generation that will have the foresight to understand and act on the consequence of their individual choices for home energy consumption because its sure that this generation is too pre-occupied with keeping the 'home (oil) fires burning, and keeping those carbon emission coming',  maintaing the staus quo to change anything even if the price climbs faster than a rattle snake up a drain pipe. I don't think that anyone should have to be a crusader to consider these technologies seriously,…… just awake and with an elementary grasp of arithmetic will do. Here's hoping that I have put this audience to sleep! Andrew     www.Poolguy.fr    Report

22/05/2008, 23:27 ErnieY Joined on 05/12/2006 Nr Prayssac (Lot) Posts 2,945 Re: Oil to electric ZZZZzzzzzz  I do tend to agree that pinning ones colours to the fossil mast, especially for a new install, is, at very best, a risky strategy. However, even though the medium to long term prospects for oil look grim, the unfortunate fact is that for many the capital outlay for alternative solar or geothermal systems, or WHY, may be well beyond their means so it's a case of making the best of a bad job, even if ultimately it does cost considerably more. Having been a long time fan of oil heating I must admit that I never though the day would come where I even entertain the thought of electric heating but I'm seriously thinking about some sort of hybrid solar/electric/oil solution to the present dilemma.   My doctor said one drink per day, I can live with that !    Report

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