Issue with storage heater power supply

goosebump

Registered User
Messages
155
I am currently renovating an apartment. It had 2 storage heaters in the living area, each with its own spur. On the wall, there was a little box with a dial and an air intake, which I presume was some sort of thermostat. It says "Storage Heater Central Control System".

I removed the storage heaters as I wanted to replace them with a single Haverland 1500W electric heater. As part of this, I also removed the box on the wall. This was connected with 2 brown (live) electrical wires and an earth wire.

I wired the new electric heater into one of the spurs that had been used by the storage heater. However, no power is flowing (I have verified the heater is working using a 3 pin socket).

It occurred to me that the little unit on the wall was in some way controlling the mains feed to the spur (ie it cut the power to the spur when the desired temp was reached.) Unfortunately, I had disposed of the control unit at that point. I tried to couple the live wires that had previously fed the control unit, but this made no difference.

Just wondering if I'm missing something simple. I'm only in the apartment 2 evenings per week, so co-ordinating with an electrician is difficult.
 
Whilst "co-ordinating with an electrician is difficult" you should leave this to the experts, no point in either making a mess of it or killing yourself.
 
Was it a combo heater you've removed? In my combo storage heater, one of the spurs controls the storage, the other the convection element. The storage is on a timer and only comes in at night, the convection is instantaneous. Maybe you've connected your new heater to the timed spur?
 
If you don't know what you are about, best advice is to stay well clear of it !
DO NOT try to 'second guess' what each component is doing.


As it is/was a storage heating circuit it will be on a timer to avail of 'night rate' power, so will appear dead during the day
but could become live at any time as many systems got a 'boost' during the day.
 
Was it a combo heater you've removed? In my combo storage heater, one of the spurs controls the storage, the other the convection element. The storage is on a timer and only comes in at night, the convection is instantaneous. Maybe you've connected your new heater to the timed spur?
I had 2 storage heaters. One was combo and had 2 spurs, the other has just one. I am trying to use the single spur, which would be timed if this is what was happening. I'll test this later. I guess I'd have to get a spark to take the spur off the night meter timer?
 
If you don't know what you are about, best advice is to stay well clear of it !
DO NOT try to 'second guess' what each component is doing.


As it is/was a storage heating circuit it will be on a timer to avail of 'night rate' power, so will appear dead during the day
but could become live at any time as many systems got a 'boost' during the day.
Thanks for response. I think you might be right. I guess I'd need a spark to take the circuit of the night meter timer?
 
Whilst "co-ordinating with an electrician is difficult" you should leave this to the experts, no point in either making a mess of it or killing yourself.
Why do people even bother making these posts? There's be no point to the entire forum if everybody took this view.

I'd effectively just plugging the heater into a wall. I'm wiring it into a spur rather than a plug. You make it sound like I'm installing a wind turbine.
 
Thanks for help. Spur was on a night meter. Bumped into a spark at the front of the building and he did a quick patch for pony. Happy days.
 
Why do people even bother making these posts? There's be no point to the entire forum if everybody took this view.

I'd effectively just plugging the heater into a wall. I'm wiring it into a spur rather than a plug. You make it sound like I'm installing a wind turbine.

You've agreed with two other posters who suggested using an electrician, what is so different about my post?
 
Because the other poster, whilst warning of the dangers of working with electricity, also tried to help with his question.

You could also tell by the OPs wording, he wasnt clueless on the matter.
 
Ok, fair enough. I just had visions of him electrocuting himself, probably based on my own inabilities.
 
Back
Top