Heating element

[jamesarm]

Hi Chaps,

I have a dual fuel heated towel rail. Bit of a problem with the plumbing and got a bit of water everywhere.

Tried to turn on the electrical element and the thing keeps tripping along with the downstairs lights. Have replaced the fuse to no avail.

Any advice?

Thanks,

James

 

[riveralt]

Hi Chaps,

I have a dual fuel heated towel rail. Bit of a problem with the plumbing and got a bit of water everywhere.

Tried to turn on the electrical element and the thing keeps tripping along with the downstairs lights. Have replaced the fuse to no avail.

Any advice?

Was the element working before it had a shower?
What keeps tripping the MCB, the RCD or the fuse in fused connection unit?

 

[wingcoax]

Sounds like you got water in the electrics,(OUCH) You may be able to dry it out and it will work or it may be terminal. Do you have access to a meter? check the resistance accross the element terminals, if you get a reading you should be ok. If it shows dead short, buy a new rail and be more careful in the future.

 

[jamesarm]

Thanks for replying guys,

The element did work before I got my hands on it.

It is the MCB that keeps tripping.
I suspect I have got water in there, but its only when I try to turn the rail on that it trips. Can I simply replace the element or do I need to do more explorative stuff - plasterboard removal etc.

James.

 

[maguire]

If you are confident about what your doing disconnect the rail at it,s connection point, and turn it on again if it stays on the rails at fault if it trips again its the supply, remember safety first keep fids and pets out the way
DM

 

[xr4x4]

why is it connected to the lights?

who done the wiring?

 

[maguire]

Suger missed the bit about the lights in that case you will need the cover off the consumer unit to see if it (the mcb) is supplying two circuits if so it, a bit more complicated as you will need to identfy whats feeding what and leave out one at a time if this sounds a bit beyond your confidence level get a spark in
Dev

 

[jamesarm]

Cheers Chaps,

Reputable company did the wiring, and I have got a certificate - or is that just for the consumer unit?

If I turn the rad off at the fused /switched spur, the lights work fine.

I will look at the MCB's in the consumer unit to see how many circuits there are. At a push I could connect a new element to a radial circuit I put into the room next to the bathroom, which currently has a couple of double sockets and a pair of 3amp panel heaters on it. This would be mid circuit though and would involve a fair amount of making good and agro. So ideally would avoid this.

I could probably access the elements' connection point through the fused spur box, but don't really know what is meant by;
[disconnect the rail at it,s connection point, and turn it on again if it stays on the rails at fault if it trips again its the supply]

I appreciate the advice,

James.[/quote]

 

[maguire]

Yes thats it if it has a fused conection unit on the wall pop out the fuse and if you lights work then its the rail thats at fault any, chance of a photo cos I am not sure what a dual fuel heater looks like is it a water heated rail on the central heating system with a electric element ?
Dev

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Yes, that's what one is.

 

[tonyelectric]

It cetainly sounds like you have water in the electrics, assuming it is isolated to the spur/rail I would do the following:

WITH THE POWER OFF

Remove the spur front plate, if water is visible dry as much out as possible with tissue, run a fan heater on the spur with it still out but not too close, put everything back together try again, if it still trips remove the wires to the rail and try again - if at this point it does not trip the fault is at the towell rail.

Remove the terminal cover from the element, again see if water is present, if it seems water could be trapped put one or two of those little dessicant packs inside the cover and replace it LEAVE IT OFF/DISCONNECTED for a day or two, remove dessicant and try again.

if it still trips

Replace the spur like for like.

If it still trips the towell rail is defunct.

If you have access to an insulation tester you can pinpoint the fault.