How crazy is the following idea...
Currently I have a normal water rad in the bathroom but I'd like something that is warm all the time, doesn't have to be hot hot but warm - toasty would be nice.

Problem is this means the house would always be running the Central heating circuit and burning through gas...

Now I've had the following idea(dangerous I know!!!)
Stick in a 150w electric unit. This would have one of those smart controllers plugged into it. This is then connected to two deep cycle batteries, which are then fed by a solar panel and a small wind turbine.

Now I know it will run at capacity during the day when it's being provided with loads of juice but at night would run the batteries down slowly.

Ideally I'd like to lower its consumption after a few days to 1/4 through a smart controller of some sort or reducer as once it's decently warm it won't need as much juice to keep it there..

Now the panel would be 150w and the wind turbine about the same so thinking that on average at best they will be generating about 1/3 of their outputs that's still 100w @ 12volts.

Now to any sparkies does this sound like a totally daft idea?
The part that I think will cost the most is some kind of controller to make sure the batteries don't get over charged and to make sure the rad never runs too hot. Also most rads are designed for 110-240v ac.. Would plugging them into 12v dc kill them? FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

You can buy duel element rads that run off the C/H or an electric element via a timer, very low wattage and cheap to run.... Pete
I now have permission from the boss to use Y.O.L.O. Enjoy life
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Any links at all as ideally I'd like it to be able to run off dc without an invertor? FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

Why not just put in a regular electric heater? Some can be pretty unobtrusive.

I want it to run all the time but not use any power from the grid as it would cost a fortune  FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

Don't need to swap your rad, you can get a T piece so you can connect both an element and ch feed to the rad. Not sure about the 12v idea though, but power is power, pretty sure it wouldn't work off 12v, you would need an inverter. Would draw a fair few amps though, would draw 1.6a at 240v but 12.5a out of the batteries/inverter. There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
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I have one of these installed in the radiators in each of our bathrooms complete with controllers.
Very effective and relatively cheap to run and safe.
Nothing to stop you doing what you suggest but I doubt you could generate sufficient power for any heating elements to be effective.
As long as you use 12V anything you do will be safe.

http://www.screwfix.com/c/heating-plumbing.../cat831428

I understand the pleasure in getting something for nothing and your idea sounds like a plan.

However, if I may play devils advocate for a second

A 150w heater running 100% of the time on a tariff of £0.13 / KWH will cost you roughly £170 per year to run.
Assuming said towel rail will always be well insulated - make that covered in towels - the element is unlikely to be in use for less than 50% of the time bringing your costs down to approx' £85 per year.

Based on those figures how long will the pay-back be on your solar / wind energy system?

Soz, just me thinking out loud really

^ I was thinking the same @ £1.60 a week or Small Coffee...

^^ The same logic can be applied to all green energy sources but unfortunately our non technical so called leaders just wont listen.

I hope you're not trying to say our green energy utopia plan is floored

Originally these towel radiators where actually linked to your hot water. not your CH. BUT HW.

So in really posh houses they have them still connected to the HW cylinder, just put it on a return and you have almost free heating.

just make sure you install a bronze unit, as its connected to drinking water!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, you cannot use your old steel radiator !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's more of just a small project to do

The T piece idea looks good to me as well but limited space doesn't help that one at the bottom of be rad but can be worked around.

My idea with the element is that with some small controller it could be set to just run off the turbine & panel during the day and only off the battery at certain hours during the night.

The heating cool would only be able to draw as much power as it can be provided by the units or its max draw through the controller if they are generating more power than it requires. FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

I could be tempted with that Hav but I have an on demand system so no cylinder and looking to move the shower over to thag from its current electric one as using the gas will be cheaper but more importantly I'll get more pressure 😄 FFRR MY06 facelift With TDV8 Alloys Zeros/ATR's
Mantec Sump Guard, Rigid Load liner, MY10 BT upgrade.

Our bathroom rads run off the hot water system, I ripped the house apart when we bought it and fitted underfloor heating downstairs running off a condensing boiler via a heatstore, plumbed in a hot water ring main that is pumped at busy times, so you get hot water immediately at the taps and a nice toastie towel when you need one... Pete
I now have permission from the boss to use Y.O.L.O. Enjoy life
__________________________________________________
2014 L405 Autobiography SDV8 4.4 Loire Blue Ebony interior
2011 L322 Vogue SE 4.4 TDV8 Baltic Blue. Sold
2012 L322 Autobiography 5.0 Supercharged Ipanema Sand Sold
2002 L322 Vogue 4.4 V8 Epson Green (Fatty Offroader) Sold
-Click for Project Fatty off roader-