Unlit night-rate electricity switch

[SunshineSupe]

All:

I just discovered the light for the switch to our night-rate electric storage heater isn't coming on at all. This is the "rocker" switch that's on the wall. There's a cable running from the storage heater into this switch.

The storage heater itself is not putting out any heat.

I've checked the mains (turning everything off and back on) and that seems ok.

This switch, unlike the "ordinary" electricity rate switches, doesn't contain a fuse, so I'm not sure what to do now. I mention this because the storage heater is also a convector heater, which actually works fine.

So, does anyone have an idea what to do? Calling an electrician is my next step, and I just wanted to see if there was anything more that I could do before that.

Thanks a mill for any suggestions (it's cold outside!)
S

 

[Lauren]

Do you have only one switch that controls both the storage heater and the convector heater? Sounds strange.
I have a similar setup but have two switches. One for the convector component and the other for the storage heater. The storage heater component wasn't working. Electrician changed the fuse in the socket. It lasted a day and was gone again, so when he returned he upgraded the switch completely and its been fine since.

 

[ClubMan]

I just discovered the light for the switch to our night-rate electric storage heater isn't coming on at all. This is the "rocker" switch that's on the wall. There's a cable running from the storage heater into this switch.

Are you sure that this is the switch to the storage heater and not the switch for a built-in convection heater or something? Did this ever work - i.e. the switch lit up when night rate kicked in at 23:00 (winter) and the heater charged up? If so when did it stop working?

 

[bertie1]

Sounds to me like the contactor for the storage heating is not coming in or if it is an older house there was thermostats on the wall put on the storage heaters under the ESB goldshield scheme. Turn it up full it is probably on another wall in the house, then see if the lights comes on after 12 midnight. Is this the only storage heater you have or is there more of them in the house and are the others working if they are there?

 

[SunshineSupe]

It's definitely the night storage heater switch (there's a separate switch for the convector heater, which does work).

The storage heater does not come on at late night through early morning.

It would be great if it were a fuse, but there doesn't seem to be a receptacle for a fuse (as there is with the convector heater switch).

Thoughts welcome...