Storage heaters not working

[SamBenn]

Hi, I'm really sorry if someone has answered this before but I can't seem to find a topic which exactly matches my problem so not sure if any of the responses I've read apply to me.

I moved into my new place 6 months ago and over the winter have had a few problems with my storage heaters (I have 2 - 1 in the living room and 1 in bedroom). The upstairs one hasn't been a problem until now but the downstairs has stopped working twice before now. First time, I found a reset button under the cover and the next day it worked, second time the circuit breaker had switched itself off so I turned it back on and it worked again the next day.

This time around both storage heaters have stopped working at the same time and, i'm not sure if it is a coincidence or not but, my overnight hot water system doesn't seem to be working. I've been heating my water using the boost button to heat water during the day when I have a shower, etc but it's not heating the water overnight like it should be. The off-peak switch for my hot water boiler has a red light that usually comes on around 11pm but it hasn't been coming on at all since the storage heaters stopped working.

Could the 2 problems be connected? Could it be something to do with my electricity meter, i.e. the off-peak timer not working? I have a meter in my outside cupboard with 2 digital readings (one off-peak and one peak). If it is my meter, how can I fix it? Do I need to contact my supplier?

Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated. I'm stuck for ideas at the moment.

Thank you!



By the way, my water tank looks like this (in case it helps)

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/2917/cimg1614gf8.jpg

 

[sherlockholmes]

Sounds like the problems you've been putting off by pressing reset buttons and resetting breakers have come to a head and you need someone with test equipment on site.

 

[plugwash]

It sounds like something has killed off the entire off peak supply but i'm having trouble thinking of what could do that on a typical setup.

Please post pictures of the areas arround the meter and consumer units.

 

[SamBenn]

Thanks for the quick response, I'm at work at the moment but will be home later so will definitely post some pictures asap.

 

[SuppNet]

firstly, is it a pulsacoil boiler? secondly are your storage heaters dimplex or creda

 

[OwainDIYer]

It sounds like something has killed off the entire off peak supply but i'm having trouble thinking of what could do that on a typical setup.

Overheating fault - insulation breakdown - may have tripped the RCD on the off-peak CU.

 

[SamBenn]

firstly, is it a pulsacoil boiler? secondly are your storage heaters dimplex or creda

Pulsacoil boiler - I don't actually know, I'll check when I get home this evening.

Storage heaters - both are dimplex

 

[SuppNet]

????????????

 

[westie101]

The off-peak switch for my hot water boiler has a red light that usually comes on around 11pm but it hasn't been coming on at all since the storage heaters stopped working.

The clue is here, yes contact your supplier as it could be a faulty meter if all 3 offpeak devices have packed in

 

[SuppNet]

It's likely to be tripping on overheat, yes. if the the reset button is clearly visible then u probably have an "unconverted" model. new T1 thermostat required.

 

[SuppNet]

I think the storage heaters are a separate problem

 

[SamBenn]

It sounds like something has killed off the entire off peak supply but i'm having trouble thinking of what could do that on a typical setup.

Please post pictures of the areas arround the meter and consumer units.

Pictures in an album

//www.diynot.com/network/SamBenn/albums/

Let me know if you need to see anything in more detail.

Thanks

 

[SamBenn]

I've also taken a note of the meter readings this evening (as suggested by someone in another topic). If the off-peak figure hasn't changed by tomorrow, would that confirm that it is more likely a problem with the meter?

 

[flameport]

If the offpeak reading doesn't change, that just means the heaters were not on.
Could be a faulty meter, or just as likely blown fuses, the heaters were switched off, the heaters are broken, the consumer unit for the heaters is switched off, the timer is set to the wrong time, and so on.

 

[SamBenn]

If the offpeak reading doesn't change, that just means the heaters were not on.
Could be a faulty meter, or just as likely blown fuses, the heaters were switched off, the heaters are broken, the consumer unit for the heaters is switched off, the timer is set to the wrong time, and so on.

I see your point, I hadn't thought of any of that.